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Rubber Stamping Overview & Basics

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Rubber stamping is an art form anyone, old or young can enjoy. From concept to finished stamp, the production of rubber stamps employs many different artists. Rubber stamping has evolved to become so much more than dabbing an address stamp onto an ink pad and then touching the corner of an envelope, although that, too, is a form of rubber stamping. Rubber stamping today makes the creation of beautiful works of art possible for anyone who wants to try.

Artistic rubber stamping involves the use of several types of inks. The most common are dye-based and pigment inks, which are water washable, and metallic inks which must be cleaned with solvents.
Stamps can also be used with paints, chalks, and markers.

Most rubber stamping is done on paper or cardstock to create cards, stationery, and envelopes. However, anything can be stamped, from walls, cloth, candles, lampshades, and even decorative dishes and ceramics. Your favorite pair of jeans can be made more distinctive by rubber stamping a design around the hem or by the edge of the pockets. Quilters can create just the right fabric for their quilted creation by stamping the desired design in exactly the right colors. T-shirts can be personalized, a gift bag can be made into a work of art, and even drapes and shower curtains can be purchased at the store and given a personal touch.

However, you can have almost no ability to paint or draw and still create beautiful stamped images and objects for your home. Going a step farther than plastic stencils into which paint is stippled, rubber stamps give you the option of turning the stamp in a different direction to create a more realistic border or trim.

Next Page: What types of ink are used in Rubber Stamping?

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