Free Guide to Art Stamps: Fun Ideas and Easy Stamping Techniques Presented by Cloth Paper Scissors®

free guide to art stamps:

fun ideas and easy stamping techniques

®

presented by

cloth paper scissors

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a look at . . .

print fusion: combining

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stamp-carving supplies

calligraphy, foam-plate printing, and hand-carved stamps for one-of-a-kind collages make your own stamps with dies and foam

DANEE KAPLAN

CECILIA SWATTON

the workshop:

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roll out the backgrounds

LINDA CALVERLEY

for adding details and stamping with precision. “Mounting the die-cut shapes on acrylic blocks or clear plastic makes it easy to line up the stamp right where you want,” she advises.

How to Make a Stamp
4 Free Articles on Carving
Art Stamps and

In “The Workshop: Roll Out the

Stamping Techniques

Backgrounds,” Linda Calverley shows how to make your own rolling stamps for paper and fabric. Using mostly recycled cylindrical objects, glue, and cutting tools, she explains how to carve rolling stamps from corks and foam insulation. Linda also gives stamping ideas for rollers and patterns and offers tips on how to stamp with these objects.

presented by

Cloth Paper Scissors^®

ONLINE EDITOR

Cherie Haas

CREATIVE SERVICES

t’s nice to be able to go to an art supply store and buy rubber stamps for your mixed-media art projects, but

DIVISION ART DIRECTOR

Larissa Davis

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Larry Stein

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Korday Studio

you also like to make things yourself, right? Try making your own art stamps! In this free eBook from Cloth Paper Scissors, a Guide to Art Stamps: Fun Ideas and Easy Stamping Techniques, talented artists show readers how to make art stamps, foam stamps, and roller stamps; share stamp-carving techniques; and present ideas for using your stamps. Use these techniques to make backgrounds, design your own printed fabric or papers, or create a unique piece of art.

Projects and information are for inspiration and personal use only. F+W Media is not responsible for any liability arising from errors, omissions, or mistakes contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed cautiously, especially with respect to technical information.

“Having a ﬂing with several art-making processes, I’ve created an array of elements for Garden Collage (featured here) and other art pieces,” says Cecilia Swatton. “My dabbling included three simpliﬁed versions of printmaking: foam-plate printing, collagraphy, and stamping with original-design, handcarved rubber stamps. The resulting prints have a primitive, hand-drawn look that can make your collage as unique as a signature.” Learn Swatton’s stamping techniques in “Print Fusion,” as she walks you through the steps to make your own stamps.

F+W Media grants permission to photocopy any patterns published in this issue for personal use only.

Almost any design can be turned into an art stamp, including your signature or favorite ﬂourish, but you need the right tools to make stamps. Learn the tools of the trade in “A Look At . . . Stamp Carving Supplies.”There are some basic items you’ll want on hand: carving blocks, a bench hook, carving tools, inks and paints, brayers, and barens. In this beginner’s guide, you’ll also learn a few tips for making clean stamp impressions.

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Where mixed media artists come to play

In this free Guide to Art Stamps: Fun Ideas and Easy Stamping Techniques, you’ll get a wealth of ideas for stamping and making signature works that are uniquely yours. Inspired? Click here to let your Twitter followers know that you’re going to “make an impression” with your own stamps!
Next, you’re ready to “Make Your Own Stamps with Dies and Foam” with Danee Kaplan. While experimenting with foam door hangers, she came up with this stamping technique: “I die cut some butterﬂies and decided to see if I could alter the surface of the foam to add some dimension to the stamp,” Danee says. “What I came up with gives the look of a hand-carved stamp but is much easier, faster, and doesn’t require any specially purchased carving tools.” In addition to teaching you the steps to make your own stamps, Danee shares ideas
Best regards,

Cherie Haas

Online Edito r , Cloth Paper Scissors T o day

clothpaperscissors.com

clothpaperscissors.com

Guide to Art Stamps: Fun Ideas & Easy Stamping Techniques presented by

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Adapted from

Cloth PaPer SCiSSorS

May/June 2014

®

a look at . . .

stamp-carving supplies

tore shelves are full of stamps to purchase—but why not carve your own?

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Add a stamp to a piece of art whenever you need it. Make a custom stamp that suits your project perfectly—or even carve your signature. Just about anything that you can doodle, draw, write, or even photograph can be made in to a stamp, as long as you have the right tools and know how to use them.

carving tools

speedball linoleum cutter

tools

Having the right carving tools is essential to success in carving. You can buy tools with a speciﬁc tip or a tool that comes with several tips, like the one pictured here (2). This type has an adjustable metal chuck for easy installation of the tips and a handle with a twist-off cap for convenient storage of the tips.

bench hook

speedball bench hook/ink plate

Once your carving block is chosen, a bench hook/ ink plate (1) is a great tool to have. Featuring a lip designed to hang over a desk or table edge, this metal plate helps to keep hands and ﬁngers safe. In addition, it can be used as an inking plate once you’re ready to stamp.

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carving blocks

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speedball : speedy-carve , speedy-cut, speedy-cut easy

To begin, you’ll need to decide on your carving block (3). The rubber blocks are a great choice for beginners and come in a variety of sizes and qualities. The pink and blue blocks pictured here are made of an eraserlike material that is easy to carve. Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, author of Carve Stamp Play, recommends Speedy Carve as her favorite. This type of block also readily accepts image transfers to make carving even easier. You could also try an eraser or a piece of foam to carve a quick stamp.

inks and paints

speedball block printing inks, fabric & paper block printing

inks

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There are also choices as to how you’ll print your carved image. An ink pad is an obvious choice, and there are many to choose from. Another choice is printing inks (4), which provide bold, opaque color; great transfer tack; and easy cleanup. Some people choose to use paint with their stamps, depending on the project.

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brayers and barens

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brayer, red baron baren

A brayer (5) is a good tool for applying the ink or paint to your stamp. When printing a large stamp, inking the stamp face-up and then laying the paper on the stamp and burnishing the paper with a baren (6) makes for a clean impression.

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instruction

Carve Stamp Play & Stamp-Making Adventures Workshop™ DVD

julie fei-fan balzer, interweavestore.com

Good instruction is essential when learning a new skill, especially when special tools are involved. If you are totally new to stamp carving, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer’s Stamp-Making Adventures Workshop video (7) is a great place to start. Julie shares easy-to-follow instructions, tons of ideas for creating stamps, along with plenty of tips and tricks to have you carving stamps in no time. Julie’s book Carve Stamp Play (8) is also an excellent resource and covers everything you need to know about making and using stamps.

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Adapted from

May/June 2013

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^makes^yt^oa^um^{r o}p^wsⁿ

with dies and foam

by Danee Kaplan

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discovered this method serendipitously while working through Tim Holtz’s

materials

• Craft foam door hangers

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a compendium of curiosity, Vol 2. In a technique Tim calls simply “Custom
Foam Stamps,” die-cut craft foam is used to make a rubber stamp. The resulting stamp is a basic, one-dimensional shape.

• Steel Rule Dies, capable of cutting thicker materials (I used Sizzix^®Bigz dies and Movers and Shapers.)

• Die Cutting machine (I used a Sizzix Vagabond machine.)

As I set out to explore this technique, the only craft foam I had on hand was a package of door hangers, which happen to be signiﬁcantly thicker than the standard craft foam sheets. I die cut some butterﬂies and decided to see if I could alter the surface of the foam to add some dimension to the stamp. What I came up with gives the look of a hand-carved stamp but is much easier, faster, and doesn’t require any specially purchased carving tools.

• Carving tools: wooden skewer, toothpick, dry ballpoint pen, paintbrush, etc. (I like to use a Tim Holtz^®Craft Pick.)

• Recycled plastic packaging or acrylic blocks

• Adhesive, Aleene’s^®Tack-It Over
& Over glue or double-sided adhesive sheets

directions

optional

• Hot glue

note: I used a die-cut machine, but you could also cut the foam with sharp, heavyduty scissors, working slowly and carefully.

1. Begin by choosing your die-cut shapes. Obviously, not all die-cut shapes will work for this technique. As you select the shapes, think about how the shape would be improved by adding lines to deﬁne areas, to make it look more natural, or to add interest.

detail tips

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Birds, butterﬂies, and animals all look better with added details such as facial features, deﬁned body parts, wings, etc.

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Hearts can be sweet with words written on them (remember to write everything backwards) or be whimsical with added design details.

2. The size of the die will determine how it is positioned on the foam. Play around with positioning the foam on the die in order to cut the shape correctly.

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Houses and cars are enhanced with windows and doors, deﬁned rooﬂines, and shutters.

3. Run the die and foam through the die-cutting machine. Because the foam is thick, it needs a little help to get started. I found it easiest to use the extended cutting pads and start with the die itself 1"–2" from the edge of the cutting pads so that the cutting pads slid into the machine before the bulk of the sandwich. The foam door hangers cut beautifully.

Flowers and leaves are fun and super easy to jazz up by adding veins and texture.

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4. Add lines, circles, dots, hash marks, etc., to the die-cut shapes with the carving tools to enhance the image. Use different tools for different effects. Play around and have fun. If you don’t like how it looks, ﬂip the foam over and carve the other side.

(Figure 1)

5. To make repositionable stamps for use with acrylic blocks, paint a thin coat of the Tack It Over & Over on the back of each stamp and allow it to dry for several hours before adhering the stamp.

6. If you want to permanently mount the stamps, I recommend removing the ﬁlm from one side of an adhesive sheet and applying the sheet to the back of the foam before you die-cut it. Run the foam/adhesive through the cutting machine, remove the second protective ﬁlm, and mount the foam to either a piece of recycled plastic packaging (Figure 2) or to cardboard cut to the appropriate size. You could also use hot glue to adhere the foam to the plastic.

Faux hand-carved version of the simple die-cut stamp
Simple die-cut stamp

This technique is a great way to get extra use out of your die-cutting system, expand your stamp collection, and it’s an inexpensive way to get stamps that are personalized by you.

tip: The stamps clean up well with baby wipes.

quick tips

• Cut multiple copies with the same die and then cut the foam apart to allow you to ink up the various components with different colored inks.

• Mounting the die-cut shapes on acrylic blocks or clear plastic makes it easy to line up the stamp right where you want it.

Figure 1
Figure 2

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Adapted from

®

September/October 2009

the workshop:

^rollbôaûc^tk^thgêrounds

by Linda Calverley

MAKE YOUR OWN ROLLING STAMPS FOR PAPER AND FABRIC

i have been making ﬂat stamps for some time, but the rolling ones are fairly

materials

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new to me. It started when I bought a cheap set of tiny rolling stamps for

• Recycled items to use as rollers: anything cylindrical (such as hard cardboard paper towel tubes or a plastic soda bottle) or wheel shaped (round with a ﬂat edge)

children. I thought I might be able to alter them by ﬁxing my own designs on them, but I admit I failed. However, it did get my creative juices “rolling,” and I came up with ideas using recycled items, bits and pieces from my treasure drawers (junk), and fun foam. Be prepared to get your ﬁngers dirty...and be warned: it can become addictive.

• Found objects to use as pattern makers, such as heavy lace, string, or open-weave fabric

• Fun foam (funky foam), available in sheets

marking it. When measuring the width, be sure to leave a space at each end of the roller for your ﬁngers. Measure the circumference and cut.

directions

• Scissors—large and small (For small ﬁddly bits, curvy nail scissors work well.)

fun foam

• All-purpose adhesive such as UHU^®
(It must be a strong glue, or the shapes will come off when washed.)

Double check to be sure the foam ﬁts the roller before doing anything else,
1. Measure the amount of foam you will need by wrapping it around and make adjustments as necessary. your selected roller and

• Craft knife • Pinking shears/decorative edge craft scissors

• Revolving punch pliers for different size holes

• Roller paint—acrylic, poster, ink pads, etc.

• Background paints—acrylic wash, watercolor, Brusho (pigment powder), dye solution, fabric paints, etc.

• Paintbrushes and/or paint rollers • Paper and/or fabric to print on • Tape or pins • Plastic to protect work surface

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note: Fun foam is very easy to cut. Strips of fun foam can be cut with pinking shears, a craft knife, or fancy craft scissors, and holes can be made with punch pliers.

to place them on the painted area. It is quite messy and sometimes ﬁnger marks are left in the painted area, but these look like part of the pattern when a topcoat of color is applied. If the roller is hollow in the center, you can guide it by inserting your ﬁngers there.

ideas for

rollers & patterns

rollers: plastic bottles; denture

tablet tubes; wine corks (rubbery ones); thick, strong cardboard from rolls of tape; cylindrical polystyrene; containers from gravy granules and salt; empty thread spools; toy rolling pins; sponge craft rollers with handles; spongy tube pipe insulation; wooden dowels; tins; empty aerosol cans

2. Draw your design directly onto the foam, or draw it on paper ﬁrst and then copy it onto the foam. For a “repeating” pattern the design will need to match at the same place, top and bottom, where the ends meet. To do this, fold over the 2 ends or hold the foam in place around the roller, matching the edges together, and mark the foam where the pattern needs to join. Place a join in the most suitable place. Some patterns don’t need to repeat, they look ﬁne as blocks of pattern.
7. After rolling is completed, and the paint or ink has dried, a colored wash can be applied over the top. Alternatively you could start with a colorwash before you do any rolling on of color.

patterns: lace and trim (the thicker

type works best), zippers, curtain heading tape, netting found on the back of small ceramic tiles, patterned textured fabric such as dish cloths, wallpaper, sinamay mesh or other open-weave fabric, jute, cord, string, purchased foam shapes, knitting, doilies (crochet rather than paper)

8. For an all-over pattern, roll from end to end with the “stripes” of pattern side by side until the sheet (fabric or paper) is ﬁlled.
3. Glue the foam to the roller, matching
9. Most rollers can be rinsed under

the tap after use. If it is a cardboard roller, just wipe it with a damp cloth. where required. Allow to dry.
4. Cover your flat printing surface with plastic, then tape your fabric or paper to it.
1. Look at the lace (or other patterned material) to determine how big the repeat is and find a roller that it will fit. (If not 1 repeat, try 2, 3, or 4 repeats.)

textile patterns

You can use lace, trims, textured fabrics, cord, knitting samples, etc., or even embossed wallpaper.
5. Using a brush, apply color to the patterned area on the roller or just to selected parts. (If your design is large, a paint roller will give you more even coverage for applying paint.)

6. Start rolling at one end of your fabric or paper and work toward the other end. Some of the rollers can be used like a rolling pin. Most need to be guided with your fingers, quite firmly: with each hand, use your index finger above, middle finger to the side, and your thumb guiding from the back. If there is no space on the edge for your fingers, you may have

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2. Wrap the lace around your selected roller and mark where it should be cut.

tips

• Acrylic paints can be used with the stamps, but if you’re printing on fabric, use fabric paint, silk paints, or dyes for the background colors. Acrylics can leave the fabric quite stiff. Thickened dyes are another alternative.
• The paint will last longer on the bigger rollers as they cover a larger area. The paint will become lighter the farther you roll, but there are some nice effects when the paint is quite light. Apply more paint to the roller if it becomes too faint, even if it’s halfway across the page.

3. Cut it to size and recheck that it ﬁts before gluing it to the chosen roller.

4. Use acrylic paint to make your ﬁrst print, and then let the roller dry with the paint left on. Once dry, the paint will act as a coating on the textile and the roller can then be washed

• If some areas don’t print well, you can cut the best areas out for collage, or disguise the bad bits with more stamping on top.
• Experiment on scrap paper to check the amount of paint required for your chosen roller and effect. Add water to the paint as required; it may need to be a little runnier for fabric.

after the next use. This only works on a non-porous roller.
If you want a bigger roller, glue funky

foam onto the cork. Let the edges of the ends meet, but don’t overlap them. (I used this system on an old craft sponge roller: I removed the sponge and glued fun foam in its place. I used 2 layers of foam plus a layer with a foam pattern—3 layers in total.)

note: Knitting

• Build up layers of pattern by using one roller on top of another after allowing the ﬁrst one to dry.

becomes soggy when washed and takes too long to dry, so it’s better to leave the paint to dry on the

• If you really don’t want to get paint on your ﬁngers, make all your rollers using kids’ craft rollers with handles. Remove the sponge and replace it with fun foam, building up the layers to make it fatter and ﬁrmer, but don’t overlap the foam. Decorative paint rollers, wallpaper seam rollers, or lint rollers could also be an option, although I