I think I do all right in the detail department.

Yeah, I would say you do all right.

Still my favorite stamp ever.

Larry

Wow! That stamp is beautiful! :o)

I am just getting into carving and have only used the pink stuff. I am currently working on a stamp with small letters and have found that it's just about using the tools the right way for me (and at the right times). But definitely doable. :o)

Yeah, I would say you do all right

OMG!!!!! That is amazing!!! Thank you Lundy and Vickster for posting it so we can all admire and aspire!! -storm rider-

Wow that stamp is unbelievable!!

I love the pink stuff; holds up well after many stamps even with details.

I'm not a fantastic carver, but I've gotten better as I do more, and I've carved on pink, white, orange and Master carve and something else that was grey and crumbly and I'll never use THAT one again, but the rest all have their merits.

I think if I had started off using the pink stuff, I would have made many more mistakes than I did with the white, because there is more resistance and it was a blessing many times. Now that I have more control and know how to feel out my carving, pink stuff works just as well.

I think if I had started off using the pink stuff, I would have made many more mistakes than I did with the white, because there is more resistance and it was a blessing many times.

See, that doesn't make any sense to me. Why is something that is harder to carve and requires more force to cut better when you are starting out? I found that the tool is more likely to slip and not do what you want on the tougher materials..

I've carved with PZ Kut and seen beautiful stamps made from it, but I have seen stamps just as good from other mediums.

Yeah, I would say you do all right.

Still my favorite stamp ever.

Yup - and this photo doesn't even show all the detail! Bows all along the fence, snow covered wreaths on all the doors. You can see all the reindeer and Santa with his whip. And that script writing - AMAZING work!!!!! I'm SO glad to have this image in my log book.

When I saw that this was carved on Pink Stuff, I came to the realization that this carving medium was EXCELLENT - I just needed to learn how to use the tools........... Practice, practice, practice!!!! Then I bought the Staedtler tools. That made a BIG difference. Much sharper and more precise instruments compared to the old Speedball tips. We've carved hundreds of stamps to date. Each one seems to get better and easier. 99.9% of our stamps are on Pink Stuff. It inks up great and holds up very well. I also like being able to get it locally (at 40% off) with no shipping.

Here are a few "simple" tips that work for me:
#1 - The Carpenters Quote - "You can't cut a short board"
ie: Don't take off too much. You can take off more later. I often "adjust" the image AFTER I've printed it up. You can't put the rubber back on once it's carved off!
#2 - Easy does it! You don't need to carve too deep!!!! You can always go back and clean up your gouge lines. I'm still guilty of this so I work on it constantly. Larry has it down - you should see HIS work!!! ;o)
#3 - Move the MEDIUM, NOT the tool! Sounds weird? Try it! You'll be able to control things much better and stop (or pause) immediately. This made a big difference in our images.
#4 - Super fine lines? You can bend the medium over a small hump before carving. When it's flattened out, the lines "close" together. I don't use it much, but it does work!!!!
#5 - Be creative - Try something new!!! You never know how things will turn out. Shoot for something you first believe is beyond your reach. I bet you'll surprise yourself! I'm working with shading and color overlays - Fun stuff!!!!!

I don't think I'll ever be as good as AS, but that won't stop me from trying!!!! ;o)

Pete

hey Pete

where do you buy the pink stuff?

steve

where do you buy the pink stuff?

AC Moore - with a 40% OFF coupon that's always available:
http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2006/04/ac-moore-coupons.html

Only one coupon per day is "supposed" to be used, but you can always go out and come back to a different register. They carry the 4x6. I used to get the large sheets at Charrette, but they just closed for good. I've heard that many Michaels are now carrying it too. I haven't checked there lately as I have a big supply - Santa wants to keep me busy I guess!!!! ;o)

Pete

I have my niece (14) check out behind me(with xtra coupon)-there is no minimum purchase. Its the only thing she pays for. Of course the cashiers know she is with me but dont say anything. :)

thanks Pete

I didnt know they carried the stuff

These are important points.

I think what is key is...
1) pick a material.
2) Keep with it .
3) an practice practice practice.

Of course if #2 is not available...then go back to number and repeat!
I'm relearning on the pink stuff now, and I have to just slow down a bit and pay a little more attention to what I'm doing.

jackbear

I'm not saying it's better for everyone, but it worked out better for me, personally. And I agree, I have seen stamps carved from pink, white, orange, etc. that have been amazing. One of my favorite series is your Alice in Wonderland stamps, ArchimedesScrew. Detail?? Wow!

Don't take off too much. You can take off more later.

I disagree with this. Once you make a cut that's close to the right place, it's very, very difficult to skim just a bit more off. It's easier on orange PZ Kut than on white PZ Kut or pink stuff, but it's still miserably difficult when you discover you've left one particular area just a bit too fat. My advice: Try your level best to get the first cut in exactly the right spot.

1) pick a material.
2) Keep with it .
3) an practice practice practice.

I'll disagree with that, too. If the material you pick is Speedy-Cut, it won't matter how much you practice, your life will be filled with disappointment. As always, I recommend three materials: orange PZ Kut, white PZ Kut, and pink stuff. I recommend you simply choose among those three and forget about all others, and once you are working with those three you actually can skip around from one to another without too much trouble. There are differences in carving between them, but it only takes a couple of cuts -- which you can make in a border area that won't show in the finished stamp -- to get back up to speed on how one carves vs. another.

When I have plenty of each on hand, I'll actually choose the material based on the image. If the image consists of just a few very thin black lines, I'll choose orange PZ Kut because those narrow ridges of rubber are the most durable on the orange and they have less tendency to crush and spread out under stamping pressure. If the image has broad areas of black, I'll choose the pink stuff because it's a bit softer and will do a better job of applying that vast area of black uniformly and require less stamping pressure to do so.

Thank you all for such a lively discussion. I think I benefited from it and it looks like other did too.

My next related question for those of you using the pink stuff, is when you do use the pink do you back it. In my "mere" 100 finds, very few have been pink, and very few have been mounted. Does it help the softer texture of the pink to stamp better when it is mounted? (get a more even looking print with no dips because of pressure)

Kirbert, your thoughts on the different texture you choose based on the various carve you will be doing is thought provoking.
ArchimedesScrew, thank you for encouraging me by your work to not be afraid to reach for lots of detail in my carves as I improve. I wish I could see samples of yours and everyone else's work - can you tell I'm a visual learner?

Thank you all for your input,
Bluebirdlover

I wish I could see samples of yours and everyone else's work

Look in the Toolbox for Tutorials.

Don

My advice: Try your level best to get the first cut in exactly the right spot.

Yes - try to get it perfect the first time if possible. That's what we're ALL shooting for, right? After numerous carvings, we get it pretty darn close too, but I always find a spot here or there that can use a nip or tuck to make it look better. You really can't add to your carving medium, so leaving a little extra is way better than carving away too much. I get your point about "micro-shaving" - that can be tough. Only practice makes perfect. I once got too close to a script "e" and found out I was printing up "c"s. One of our original Dancing Bears is now Dumb since I chiseled away his upper lip accidentally while carving the nose. Of course I learn from those mistakes!!! ;o)

Pete

I wish I could see samples of yours and everyone else's work

Here you go. This is a stamp from today on Pink stuff. You'll have to forgive the bad quality of the picture. It's from my phone.
I too prefer white PZ, however desperate times call me to settle with pink:

stamp

stamp impression

I'm nowhere near the ability of AS. But I can get a good amount of detail in when I want to as well.

~SBandA
off to ship off that stamp

a stamp from today

Looks great to me!!!
Y~K b

My advice: Try your level best to get the first cut in exactly the right spot.

I completely agree! Maybe it's different if you carve with a gouge, but knife carving seems to leave a little bit of a "bump" in your once smooth line when you try to go back and carve off a piece of what you've already cut.

GJ

Why is something that is harder to carve and requires more force to cut better when you are starting out?

As a relatively new (knife) carver still only dreaming of achieving the detail you get....

For me, the firmer material was easier to start with because it didn't deform as much as I made the cut. So it became easier to judge where I wanted to cut to get the shape I wanted. Sharp corners were especially difficult - the material would shift slightly under the pressure of the blade, and the resulting corner would not be at the desired angle. Instead of a straight line leading to the corner, there would be a little curve in the last millimeter or two.

Two things have helped me tremendously with that type of problem - shallow cuts and a sharp blade. Both reduce the pressure needed, both result in less shifting of the carving medium, and the combination makes smaller detail much easier.

Thank you for the image. So fun to see both the stamp and the print. Lovely work, especially knowing the "work"! You are very thoughtful! looks great!

Bluebirdlover

What is it?

Looks like this to me.

Here's the stamp impression again. I think she did a marvelous job!

You got it. Thats what it is!

Ha ha ha, happy you asked, rather than me, Bro. I was going to write you and give my impression of what it was: a Saguaro cactus in front, a little village in the distance, with a tornado swirling around. eh? I love impressionist art (?). Great job, SB, now that I see the real thing, and thanks Dizzy for showing it to us.
Artfully disadvantaged OD
(make of that what you will, for a laugh, ;-))

Thank you and yes, having the colors there shows up the village and the surrounds.

I think it is an outright lie that you cannot get intricate details with the pink stuff. I don't believe there is anything you can do on PZ Kut that you cannot do on the pink stuff

I have been without power for most of 4 days...
so I I have not been in on the discussions about carving mediums in the past few days...

it is VERY refreshing to see someone stick up for the Pink Stuff :)
If it wasn't harder for me to see a transfer image on it than on white PZ...that is likely all I would ever use.

Pink Stuff is always GRADE A material :)

dixie
after the kids fight over the computer tonight I hope to get caught up tomorrow...
just in time for the next forecasted snow

If you have a Kinko's nearby, use their Docucolor copier, set to black. Makes BEAUTIFUL transfers to pink with a blender pen. :-)

BAC