Stamping Glossary of Terms

Acid Free

Acid will cause discoloration of your work in years to come. It is recommended that all supplies be free of acid to assure long life in your artwork.

Adhesive

Substance that bonds one object to another. Glue, double faced tape, glue dots, etc. are types of adhesives.

Angel Based Company

Many manufacturers of rubber stamps post this disclaimer when they sell their rubber stamps. This means the company will allow you to use the stamp in artwork that you sell, however, there may be some restrictions that you must follow.

Archival

Material that is chemically balanced is considered to be made of archival quality. The term suggests that the product will be durable and last longer than non archival products.

Artist Trading Cards (ATC)

Small cards (usually measuring 6cm X 8cm ) that show off an artist’s work. ATC cards are often traded and collected.

Bleed

A feathery effect that occurs when too much ink or paint is absorbed by the paper.

Blitzer

A tool that looks like a small bulb which sprays the ink from a marker onto a piece of paper. This leaves a small pattern of dots on the paper and can be used for backgrounds or special effects.

Bone Folder

A tool used to impress a fine line in a piece of paper or cardstock. This makes folding the paper cleaner and easier. Although called bone folders,, they can also be made out of plastic.

Brayer

A rubber roller which is attached to a handle. They were originally used by printers. They come in a variety of sizes and hardnesses. The brayer most commonly used in rubber stamping is medium hard (like a car tyre) although acrylic ones have been coming more popular. Use them to spread the ink from a pad across paper, create multi-coloured backgrounds and more.

Brush Marker

A marker that has a tip that resembles a paint brush.

Crafter’s Ink

Multi-purpose, permanent ink with a longer drying time than acrylic paint.

Crystal Lacquer

Liquid glaze that gives a dimensional, glossy look to your work.

Cushion

The piece of foam rubber between the dye and the mount (see dye and mount).

Dauber

A round miniature stamp pad which can be dabbed onto a stamp to apply ink.

Dauber Duo

A dauber applicator with a different colour or shade on each end.

Double Embossing

Colour in a design already heat embossed, using markers coloured pencils or chalks. Brush or sponge clear embossing ink from the pad onto the coloured areas of the design. Pour on clear embossing powder and heat. You have now double embossed the stamped image.

Dye

The part of a stamp that contains the image.

Dye Ink

A water based ink which is permanent on paper. Dye ink dries quickly and is not to be used with embossing powders. Works well on coated papers and porous surfaces but tends to run or bleed on highly absorbent papers. Dye inks are transparent and will fade over time.

Embossing Ink

Clear or slightly tinted. This ink is used specifically with embossing powders. It has the consistency of pigment ink.

Embossing Powder

A fine-grained powder that will melt when heat is applied to it. The powder, when melted, leaves a raised design.

Fabric Ink

An ink used for stamping on fabric.

First Generation

The first stamp impression made after inking. Succeeding impressions are second, third, etc. when made without re-inking.

Fugitive Dye

A dye that is not permanent. It will fade when exposed to light, run when water is applied, and will transfer colour to other items.

Heat Gun

Also called a heat tool or embossing gun; blows extremely hot air that will melt embossing powder. Do not use near photos or other delicate materials.

Layering

Stampers can achieve dimension in their projects by stamping an image, cutting it out and then layering it on top of their work using a "spacer" of foam tape or accordion-folded paper strips to raise the image from the background.

Layout

The arrangement of heading, text, illustration, and artwork on a page.

Lightfastness

Resistance to fading. Dye based inks tend to be "light fugitive" or fast fading when exposed to light, heat or moisture.

Masking

A technique of covering a stamped image to protect it from subsequent applications of colour. A method used to create foregrounds and backgrounds.

Mount

The wood or acrylic part of a stamp.

Mounted stamp

Traditional rubber stamp bought at the store in its finished form, usually mounted on a wooden block.

Paper Tole

Paper tole is an art technique in which part or all of an image is raised from the surface to give a 3 dimensional effect which enhances the natural shape of the image.

Permanent Ink

Is water and bleed resistant and dries quickly. It's great for stamping on unusual surfaces such as glass, wood, plastic and acetate. Most of the time, you will have to use a stamp cleaning solution to get all the ink off of the stamp.

Pigment ink

A thick, slow drying ink. Colours are rich and vibrant even on coloured papers and cards. Will not dry on glossy coated papers unless embossed.

Rainbow pads

Ink pads with three or more colours side by side for multicolour stamping.

Resist Embossing

Apply marker all over area to be stamped. Allow to dry completely. Stamp an image on coloured area using clear embossing ink. Heat emboss with clear powder. Sponge black over design.

Roller stamps

Stamps on a wheel that let you make borders and wrapping paper. Some kinds have interchangeable pattern wheels and are self inking.

Sponging

Adding texture to a surface with sponges of different porosity dipped in paints, inks, etc.

Stamp Positioner

A clear acrylic tool that assists in positioning your rubber stamp art exactly where you want in on the page.

Stamping Mat

A durable foam mat used as a work surface for stamping. The mat "gives" slightly allowing the best ink impressions. Particularly useful for oversized stamps.

Stamping Paint

A highly pigmented, acrylic paint specially formulated to be permanent on a variety of surfaces. This paint has a slower drying time than acrylic paint to allow the user to apply different colours to a stamp for multi-colour impressions. Fabric must be heat set on reverse side to make permanent.

Stippling

Using a big round brush, tap it into ink and tap onto paper.

Stylus

A tool with blunt rounded ends used to emboss paper. (Also known as a burnisher or a dry embossing tool)

Template

A pattern used as a guide to make something easier.

Unmounted stamps

Dies (the rubber image part of a stamp) that has not been glued to a cushion or wood mount.

UTEE

An abbreviation for ultra thick embossing enamel (or powder)

Water Based Markers

Are great for adding colour when it is not essential for the ink to be fade resistant or permanent, similar to watercolour paint. The ink is not water resistant, thus it can be blended with a blender pen or a paintbrush and water.

Wedge Sponge

Used to apply paint to stamps. Load paint or ink onto flat edge of sponge. Pat paint or ink onto surface of stamp. Also used as a tool to sponge colour onto a variety of surfaces such as paper, fabric and wood.

Wet Looks Markers

Are a specially formulated water based marker designed for use with heat embossing powders. The colours are very bright, and the ink is slow drying, which gives the needed time to apply embossing powder. Colour can be added after stamping the image, or directly to the rubber die of the stamp.