Inks

I am often asked what color inks a person needs to begin stamping. My answer is always the same. The first inkpad you should purchase is a black archival inkpad. That is the most versatile inkpad. You’ll do most of your rubber stamping with that inkpad.

Next, you want blue, red, green, and yellow inkpads. You can blend these colors to create other colors. Also, I like having a brown inkpad so I can age my papers. All of these inks are archival. After all, you want your ink colors to last.

Add quick-drying pigments such as gold, white, or silver over time. You can use these without embossing powders and they work great with dark colored papers.

Inkpad storage differs from person to person. I like to store my inkpads in 8 ½ by 11-inch drawers that I found at Wal-Mart. The storage containers have three drawers per container.

My inkpads are stored in freezer bags and then placed in the plastic containers. The dye inkpads are stored upside down, so the ink stays on top of the pad. My pigment inks are stored right-side up.

When purchasing my inkpads, I also like to purchase the re-inkers. This way, I can re-ink the pads when they start to loose their punch. Re-inkers also cost a lot less than buying a new inkpad. If your local store doesn’t carry the re-inkers, visit the ink vendor online. They may help you find out where you can purchase the re-inkers.