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Types of Rubber Stamp Designs

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Rubber stamp designs come in an infinite number of images and patterns. Like many decorating elements, they go in and out of fashion, but the types of images are pretty consistent.

Fine-lined images are the most popular. These images are usually stamped in one color and then additional color is added with markers, colored pencils, chalks, pastels, or even watercolors. “Chunky” or wide-lined images can be used in this way, but can also be used by adding color directly to the rubber with markers or paintbrushes. When “inking” the stamp with markers or paintbrushes, it is necessary to work quickly so that one part of the design does not dry before you finish “inking” the rest of the image. If the ink does begin to dry, most stampers “huff” onto the stamp – a term for breathing moist air directly onto the stamp just before pressing it to the surface. “Huffing” re-moistens the ink, making a better image possible.

Background stamps are usually large stamps with an all-over design. These stamps can be inked and then pressed once onto the desired surface. Other background stamps are long and slender and can be used to create both borders and backgrounds. Borders are created by inking and pressing the image onto the cardstock on just one side at or near the edge, but a background can be created by repeating that image across the entire surface of the card.

Some stamps come in sets that are designed to work together. Many of these are to be used to create different effects with the same stamps. Two-step stamping is accomplished by using two different rubber stamps to create the final image. Two-step stamping can create richer, more realistic images than most single rubber stamps.

Word stamps are also a big part of rubber stamping. Most people have the opinion that they do not have attractive handwriting. Word stamps give even those of us with the worst handwriting skills the ability to place lovely words in lovely typefaces or scripts onto our stamped art. Word stamps can be found to express the most romantic and the silliest sentiments, but if the phrase you wish to stamp just can’t be found, word stamps can be custom ordered just as the old return address stamps from the office.

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