6 Creative Clear Stamps Ideas for Journaling and Scrapbooking
HAY, how art you? Three years ago, I made a video sharing six tips and hacks on using wooden stamps for creative journaling. It’s been a well-loved video on my channel and I’m so thankful for that! Back then, I received a comment asking for a Part Two video on clear stamp ideas, but I did not own any clear stamps at that time. Three years later, I have expanded a small clear stamp collection, and I have been finding ways to use these transparent treasures creatively. Some ideas in this article are also relevant for wooden stamps, so feel free to take the ideas and apply them to your own stamp collection. I’ll be dividing this article into two sections: first, a few tips on using clear stamps, followed by ideas to use them creatively. Without ado, let’s get started!
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Clear Stamps ideas Demo Video
Watch the following video for the demonstration of all the tips and ideas in this article.Â
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Clear Stamps Tip #1: Use a Grid Block
Thanks to the transparent nature of silicone stamps, it is much easier to align letter stamps to create a neat word compared to using wooden stamps. To make the process even easier, use a stamping block that comes with grid lines. You can place the stamps neatly along the lines. They help you create horizontal, vertical and even diagonal alignments. You can also use the grids to guide your spacing for neater stamping.
Clear Stamps Tip #2: Re-Stamp Easily
Since the stamps and stamping block are see-through, don’t worry about re-stamping if your first print is too light or incomplete. Simply align the stamp and the print as closely as possible to complete the print. Take a few moments to check by viewing from the side angles before stamping it. Mistakes are much easier to fix compared to using wooden stamps!Â
Clear Stamps Tip #3: Use Brush Pens as Ink
This tip was in my wooden stamps video as well. Did you know that you can use water-based brush pens to ink your stamps? Just colour the stamp with the pen tip to ink it. You can broaden your ink colour choices a whole lot if you own many brush pens of different colours!
Clear Stamps Ideas #1: Make a Page Border or Background
Clear stamps usually come in a set with a cohesive theme. I find that it is easy (and therapeutic) to create a page border or background using stamps from the same set.
Also, since the stamping block is clear, you get to see where the prints are going more precisely than when you are using wooden stamps. This makes laying out your border or background a much easier task.
Clear Stamps Ideas #2: Gradient Effect
Since re-stamping is really easy using clear stamps, you can create a cool gradient effect by stamping the same stamp a few times. I tried out this effect using the same ink colour, but changing the section of the stamp I’m inking each time. This method also works if you use different ink colours for each print.
Clear Stamps Ideas #3: Layered/Shadow Effect
You can also achieve a layered or shadow effect using the re-stamping method. Instead of stamping at the same position, adjust your stamp until it is slightly apart from the first print. The leftover ink leaves a lighter print, which makes it look like a shadow from the initial print.Â
You can also do the same using two contrasting ink colours for a louder look.
This is a fun method that works well for stamping words too!
Clear Stamps Ideas #4: Mix and Match
Besides using stamps from the same stamp set, feel free to mix and match the stamps in your collection to achieve a unique print. For example, I find that my postal set works really well with my floral set to create floral postal stamps.
Since the stamps are transparent, you can just place one set over another to check if each stamp’s size and shape can complement each other. It is really satisfying to find two stamps from different sets that are a perfect match!
Clear Stamps Ideas #5: Selective Inking
Sometimes, you can choose to ink your stamp selectively to obtain a different design. For example, I can ink the border on this label stamp to turn it into a frame. Then, I can combine it with my butterfly stamp to create a faux butterfly specimen. Even a small part of your stamp can be inked on its own to make a print.
I don’t have a full stop in my alphabet set, but when I need it, I just ink the dot on letter i or letter j to print it.
Clear Stamps Ideas #6: Multi-Colour Effect
The beauty of using brush pens as ink is that you can colour different parts of a stamp create a multi-colour effect. The fine tip of the pens make it easier to colour parts of the stamp accurately.Â
Don’t you think that multi-colour prints are so much more fun than single-coloured ones?
More creative craft Ideas
And that’s all for today’s sharing on using clear stamps, with three tips and six creative ideas. You can also mix and match the various methods to come up with your own unique prints; it seems like nothing is ink-possible!
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