At first glance, digital stamps and clip art seem practically identical. Both digital stamps and clip art are digital images that can be downloaded and incorporated into other projects. The main differences are listed below. See Digital Stamps for more information.
Black and White Images
The main difference between digital stamps or digi stamps and clip art is that digital stamps have specifically been created with the stamper in mind. This means that the images are typically black and white outline images that allow stampers to add color and other embellishments as required. Clip art is often created as a 'finished' design that requires little in the way of further embellishment.
High Resolution
Digital stamps are available with a high resolution – typically 300 dpi – which means that they give high quality printed images. While some clip art is available with a high resolution, other pieces of clip art have been designed for web use which means that they have a lower resolution, giving a lesser quality printed image.
Specialist Websites
Digital stamps or digi stamps are typically sold by specialist websites who also offer help and advice to stampers. It is simple to find suitable digital stamps on these sites as they specialize in them, whereas clip art sites offer a wide range of digital images, some of which may not be suitable for use as digital stamps.
Using Clip Art
While there are some drawbacks, clip art certainly can be used as an alternative to digital stamps. Here are some tips for finding clip art images that are suitable for using in digital stamping projects:
- Look for high resolution files. 300 dpi or above is the ideal resolution for digital stamps.
- png files have a transparent background making them ideal for using on colored or patterned paper.
- Check copyright or license agreement if you plan to make items for sale using clip art images.
