Customize and personalize rubber stamps by carving stamps to add hand stamped details to an image. This is a variation on the rubber stamping technique of 'kissing'. This is when a solid stamp is inked and a second inked stamp is used lightly pressed on the surface to leave detail. In this technique, instead of using a commercially produced stamp to add detail, small stamps have been custom carved.
This technique is perfect for adding detail to an animal image. In the image shown, plain Fat Cat has been given some stripes and turned into a tabby cat. This technique provides a great degree of flexibility as the same image can be used with or without stripes and using a variety of color combinations. I carved tiny stripes for this project, however I could have carved spots or other shapes to produce different adaptations. This is a great way to add a wide range of variations to a rubber stamp.
Materials Required
- Solid stamp (here I have used a stamp that I carved myself from a free stencil that is one of many free stencils that About.com Guide to Painting, Marion Boddy-Evans, has available).
- Small amount of carving material. An off-cut from another stamp carving project would be fine or a small eraser.
- Craft knife or carving tools
- Inks
