It’s time for another installment of card making basics. Last week, we discussed stamping, now we are going to talk about ink options and selection!
When it comes to stamping, there are so many ink and color options it can often become overbearing. Setting color options aside for now, most inks can be categorized into one of three categories: Dye Ink, Pigment Ink, and Hybrid Inks.
Dye Ink
Dye ink is created generally by dissolving dye in water. When stamped onto paper, it soaks into the paper, thus dying the paper fiber. Dye Inks generally dry quickly and have minimal smearing. Dye inks can vary in color, depending on the color of paper they are used with. Due to this, dye inks do not show their color as well on darker papers.
Pigment Ink
Pigment Inks are created by suspending ground particles in a medium. When stamped, the pigment sits on top of the paper, thus generally taking longer to dry, which increases chance of smearing. Due to it’s formulation, pigment inks maintain their color and opacity well, regardless of the color of paper they reside upon. For example, lighter inks show vibrantly atop darker cardstock.
Hybrid Ink
Hybrid inks are just that, hybrids. They take the color saturation of pigment inks and quick drying properties of dye inks and blend them together. Trying to get the best of both worlds.
So, What Should I Get?
On a day to day basis, I use dye inks more regularly. If I am looking for a bold color, or want to work on a darker surface, I will utilize a pigment ink – then take care to ensure the ink is dry before rough handling the stamped area. I am notorious for smudging inks because I plain forget that I’ve just stamped. D’oh!
Once you decide which type of ink you want to start with, then you can move onto selecting colors. There are multiple companies out there with fantastic color options. I would start by choosing a group of colors you are drawn to, then build your collection from there.
Many companies offer mini sizes for their inks and this is a great, cost-effective way to build your collection.
Some of my favorite brands for dye inks are: Catherine Pooler, Gink K, Altenew, Scrapbook.com, VersaMark, Hero Arts. Just to name a few.
Specialty Inks
There are also multiple types of specialty inks out there. These include distress inks, distress oxides, embossing inks, permanent inks, etc.
Distress Inks
Distress Inks are dye based inks and highly react to water. These are great for ink techniques and blending. We will cover some of these techniques in later Card Making Basics installments.
Distress Oxides
Distress Oxides are hybrid inks that are also great for blending and techniques. These inks achieve an oxidized finish when water is applied.
Embossing Inks
Embossing inks are a sticky ink that have a slow dry time. Used alone, they can create a watermark image. When used in conjunction with embossing powders and applied heat, fantastic embossed images result. Hands down, VersaMark is the go to brand for embossing.
Permanent Inks
Permanent inks, such as StazOn, are solvent ink pads that are permanent across a wide range of mediums. These mediums include, but are not limited to: paper, glass, metal, cellophane, foil, etc.
Overall, there are a mind-boggling amount of options when it comes to stamping. For a budget-minded crafter who is just starting their collection, I recommend investing in a few dye inks (all from the same brand), preferably in mini sizes, as you can stretch your dollar a bit. The ink brands I mentioned above are all great at creating complimentary colors within their collections, and this will aid in your color selection.
As your collection grows, you can then move into widening your range of brands and colors, and even add in some pigment inks where you want a pop of color.
Thanks for joining me today. Next week, it’s all about die cutting, so don’t miss it!
