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Basic Embossing with Rubber Stamps
by Lydia Trimmer

Description: How to add creativity to your handmade cards with basic rubber stamp embossing.

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This is a simple technique using rubber stamps and thermal embossing that will add dimension to your cards and artwork. Nothing looks as elegant as a stamped image that has been embossed in gold and has rich color added to enhance your artwork.

You can use rubber stamps and thermal embossing on many different surfaces such as paper, glass, wood, leather, tile and ceramic objects. It's fun to experiment and create your own unique and individual sense of style. Don't be timid and have fun.

The following steps will teach the beginner where to start. Embossing with rubber stamps takes practice and the more you do it, the better your results. Remember your art is unique to your personal style. It reflects your personal experience. It conveys your emotions. So use your imagination! Use color!!

The colors you choose to use with your rubber stamps can convey your personal style and make a statement. Reds reflect warmth and blue can reveal cool and soothing moods. Greens and violet contain both warm and cool elements.

MATERIALS:

Rubber Stamps
Embossing Ink Stamp Pad
Embossing Heat Gun
Embossing Powder or Tinsel
Something to stamp on

Choose a paper or craft object to emboss. Don't limit yourself to just plain paper. Rubber stamping and embossing works well on fabric, glass, mirrors, tiles and terra cotta pots. Experiment with a variety of papers and transparencies, shrink plastic, laminated sheets, wood, and metal.

Ink and stamp your image on your paper or craft object using a slow drying Pigment Ink Pad.

Tap your rubber stamp firmly several times on the Embossing Ink Pad in order to completely ink the stamp. Make sure the rubber is completely covered with ink. Always stamp a new rubber stamp onto a piece of scrap paper for the first time to make sure all areas of the image are well inked. Place your rubber stamp firmly on the paper, being careful not to rock the stamp. Rocking will result in blurred lines. Large rubber stamps require more care in pressing down on all corners of the stamp. Each rubber stamp is different and you will learn how to best stamp each one. Some need more pressure in order to get the perfect image.

The difference between pigmented inks and dye inks is evident in that the Pigment inks stay "wet" longer. Pigment inks do not work well on glossy card stock unless you are embossing the image. There are many choices of slow drying pigment inks with slight tints to dark shades or no color at all.

After rubber stamping your image with pigment ink, sprinkle embossing powder over the image. Turn the artwork and gently tap off excess embossing powder. Use a dry paintbrush to remove any stray flecks from surrounding areas. Do this before you heat the image. If the powder is not sticking to the image in even heavy coats check to be sure you rubber stamp is well inked.

Keeping your embossing powder in stackable plastic containers will allow you to catch the excess powder. Alternatively collecting excess unused embossing powder is easy if you use a file folder or a sheet of glossy paper torn from a magazine under your card stock, then transfer the powder back into the jar. Pick up the paper by its edges and use the centerfold as a funnel to direct the powder back into the jar.

Embossing powders also come in a wide variety of choices, from Ultra Fine to Tinsel. Both the pigment ink and embossing powder are available in many color choices as well as metallic, pearlescent and other unusual compositions.

The final step is to direct hot air from your heat tool over the powder. This will melt the powder and create the thermal embossed effect.

Embossing powder comes in many different compositions. Metallic Powders such as Gold, Silver, Bronze or Pewter can be used with the embossing inks, either tinted or clear. Using slightly tinted or clear ink with Metallic powders will produce a true metallic effect. Although the Metallic Powders can be used with colored inks to achieve truly remarkable effects such as tinted copper and aged pewter.

Embossing powders comes in many Opaque colors as well as soft subtle Pearlized Powders and Clear and also Glitter Powders.

You can experiment by mixing your colors and your effects. Pearlescence are soft and gentle colors that are excellent for pastel effects and baby or wedding themes. Clear Powder gives you image a raised glossy effect and looks stunning on dark papers and objects.

Tinsels or Glitter Embossing Powders can be Clear or Opaque. Gold Embossing Powder with fleck of ultra fine gold glitter in it create a very beautiful and dramatic effect.

Try mixing you powders colors and adding some glitter or confetti in moderation for you own unique recipes!

A heat gun is the easiest method to melt your powders and create the even glossy embossed effect. But if you do not have one alternative sources of hear can be utilized. Do not try a hair dryer this does not get hot enough and will blow the powder off the card. You can try using your oven by placing the card face up on a baking sheet and putting it into a preheated 325 degree oven. Be careful you do not over heat or your card stock will be scorched. A hot iron will also hear the back side of the card and melt the powder.

A hot toaster can be used by moving your card stock back and forth over the top of the toaster until the image is melted. A good heat gun is a worthwhile investment.

TIPS AND TROUBLESHOOTING:

A good tip to help with the static on your card stock is to wipe the card with a fabric sheet before stamping on it, this helps reduce unwanted flakes from sticking.

A time-saving tip when embossing replications of the same rubber stamp image is to stamp and cover several images with embossing powder at one time. This allows you to use your embossing gun on several pieces at once without stopping and starting constantly. The ink is slow drying and several cards at a time can be safely done by using this method.

Using plastic kitchen containers with lids for storage of you powders works well and also makes it convenient to set up and put away your craft. A spoon with a pointed tip is useful in sprinkling the powder onto the card stock.

Good lighting is essential to your rubber stamping success. If your embossing is dull and not raised then you may be overheating it. If the image is lumpy and granular you many not have heated it enough . If the image is incomplete you may need to press the rubber stamp more firmly on the pad and re-ink if necessary, also check to be sure you are pressing all corners of the stamp onto the paper.

If you have completed your image and a line is missing you can purchase an embossing pen to draw the incomplete line. Also you can use a sponge or tissue to dab the embossing ink onto the cardstock to be used as background color or effects.

Have fun, be creative, don't be afraid to use color and enjoy you rubber stamping hobby all year long.

Reprinted with permission.