The beginners guide to stamping

Stamping as a craft technique is both versatile and simple. With a stamp you can add images, messages and colourful centrepieces for your cards, crafts and papercraft projects.

This guide to stamping will take you through the foundations of stamping and show you how to achieve professional results with a range of materials.

There are two straightforward stamping techniques to choose from when it comes to stamping.

• Mount your stamps onto Rock-a-Blocks. These innovative stamp mounting tools feature a curved surface to give an even amount of pressure across the complete surface of the stamp
• Use a stamping platform. With spring loaded feet and a measuring grid, you can position and press down your stamps with accuracy and ease.

Follow these simple steps for crisp, clear and smudge-free stamped images every time.

• Cover the reverse of your chosen stamp in Stick and Spray Temporary Adhesive Spray
• Adhere your stamp to your Rock-a-Block
• Bring the inkpad to the stamp and apply ink evenly across the design
• Take the Rock-a-Block to your card, rest it heel down and rock heel to toe
• Carefully raise the Rock a Block off the card to to reveal your finished design

• Flip your stamping platform over so that the feet are pointing upwards.
• Take your chosen unmounted stamp and lay it onto the surface. If it is a stamp with a corner, line it up with the central crosshairs, but if it’s an unusual shape, pick a spot using the grid lines that is convenient for you. The stamp should self-cling straight away.
• Use your chosen ink to add a good coating over the surface of your stamp.
• Gently flip the stamping platform onto its right side and position the feet above your material.
• Press down on to the stamping platform firmly, making sure to apply an even pressure across the surface. Release the pressure to allow the platform to lift from the material, revealing your print below.
• To remove your stamp, turn the stamping platform over and simply peel your stamp from the surface.

Spectrum Noir offers a wide range of premium inkpads that are ideal for stamping.

Here’s a rundown of the best pads for stamping images, sentiments and designs.

Spectrum Noir Harmony Quick Dry Dye Inkpads dry almost as soon as the ink hits the paper or card.

This means they’re much less likely to smudge which is ideal for stamping.

Water-based and archival free, the Quick Dry inkpads are also what you’ll need if you’re looking to create a layered stamp effect. There’s no need to wait for the ink to dry between each stamped image.

Spectrum Noir’s range of Finesse Waterproof Inkpads can be coloured using watercolour mediums.

These inkpads are available in a range of dark tones to stamp clear outline images and sentiments.

The Waterproof dye will stay crisp and smudge free, so you can fill in your stamped design using watercolour paints, pencils or Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers.

Similarly the range Finesse Alcohol Proof Inkpads are designed to be used with Alcohol Markers.

Their range of dark tones will create clear outline images and sentiments.

And the Alcohol Proof dye will stay crisp and smudge free, so you can colour your stamped design using Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers such as Classique, Illustrator and TriBlend.

Spectrum Noir Opaque Pigment Inkpads are made from pigments rather than dye. Pigment molecules are bigger and need a thicker carrier. This means these inkpads are spongier and the ink is more sticky.

Pigment ink stays wet for longer than other inkpads so, it’s perfect for heat embossing. Just add a layer of clear embossing powder and apply a heat gun to create a beautiful enamel-like finish.

The colours in pigment inkpads are bright, vibrant and opaque – so they show up well on darker cardstock as well as light.

Midas Metallic Inkpads from Spectrum Noir are packed with intense shine, perfect for adding touch of shimmer to your cardmaking and craft projects.