Make maximum use of your rubber stamp collection by combining stamped images to create your own unique designs. Stamped images can be combined to create abstract images, to tell a story or simply to create unique designs. Either stamp the images direct onto paper or onto paper or cardstock and then cut them out and adhere to background paper known as stamp, cut and stick. The images can be colored in your favorite way such as with chalks, marker pens or paints. This is a great way to make unique handmade cards or for other projects.
Simply take a look at your stamp collection and let your imagination run wild!
Simply take a look at your stamp collection and let your imagination run wild!
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Medium
Here's How:
- Combining stamps is a great way to maximize the use of your existing stamp collection. Other benefits include:
- Many people find it easier to work with several small stamped images rather than a single large one.
- Stamps including many fixed elements do not lend themselves to being varied or adapted, whereas a selection of smaller stamps that match the elements of a large stamp, can be arranged in an endless variety of ways.
- Mistakes are easier to rectify. If a large stamp is incorrectly stamped the whole image has to be discarded. When working with separate elements only the mis-stamped elements need be discarded.
- Take a look at your stamps and see which stamps work together. This might be stamps that follow a theme, for instance flowers or animals, or completely random stamps for an abstract design.
- Practice stamping some images onto scratch or waste paper and experiment with different layouts and arrangements. Cutting the images out and arranging them on plain paper is a good way to try different layouts.
- After deciding which rubber stamped images to use, stamp the images either direct onto background paper or stamp the images onto paper or cardstock and color and cut out for arranging onto the background paper.
- Finish the project as required. The cat dreaming of fish design in the picture was made using a cat (Magenta) and fish (See D's) which were stamped onto paper and colored using pencils. The images were then cut out and attached to the background. The background paper used in this project were created using the bubble printing technique.
Tips:
- Keep any unused images or test images, writing the name of the stamp on the back. These will be useful when trying out different stamp combinations for future projects.
- A quick drying dye ink is useful for this technique as it allows images to be colored or cut out immediately. If pigment inks are used, heat setting or embossing will quickly dry them.
What You Need:
- Rubber stamps
- Inks as required
- Paper or cardstock
- Background paper if required
- Glue and other supplies
