Readers Respond: What Do You Think About Digital Stamps

Responses: 27

By Kate Pullen, About.com Guide

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I have made small pocket sized coloring books for my nieces and nephews using digital stamps. This was really easy to do on my computer, but I used real rubber stamps to decorate the cover!
—Guest Jacki

I have a bunch of free Digital Stamps on my blog also.. www.stretchnbubbles.blogspot.com
—Guest Alison

I can see it from both sides.. as the owner of DewDrop Crafz, selling both polymer and digi - I can see the ease of not having to get the PC and printer out - with the polymer BUT can also see the ease of use with the digi images.. less storage and the ability to resize or flip the image.. I think there will always be hardened stampers.. but Digi images are rapidly appearing in the crafting world..
—Guest Nikki

I had not given these much thought, until now, but being able to manipulate them, then turn them into a sticker would be useful.
—StarrpointHost01

It's a bit labor intensive but if you fall in love with a certain digi stamp image but want a traditional rubber stamp you can either print directly onto thin foam sheets (if your printer can handle it) or print it on paper, glue it to the foam sheet. Cut out the image from the foam (for very detailed images this can be time-consuming) and glue it to a wood block of the appropriate size. Use as a regular rubber stamp. If the stamp wears out, just print up a new image and repeat.
—Guest JJ

I found digis about 2 months ago and love them. I don't emboss too much so it is not a hinderance. However, there are many times I wish I could flip the stamp I have or make it larger or remove some part of it. This is all possible with digis- I am an artist and have always wished I could make my designs into stamps. I am trying to learn how to do the digi thing since it is an easier and more cost effective production.
—Guest stel

I have been a stamper for years and I think the digi stamps are just as good. If you are good with computers then you can figure out how to use them in just about any way! I use copics with mine and never had streaking problems, you just need to use upper end white cardstock when printing them.
—Guest Katy

I am also biased because I own the digi shack (Digi stamps and more) but digi's are so much fun. There are so many pluses to them. You can make them any size you want, you can flip them, turn them and angle them. You can use almost any coloring medium on them and like it's been mentioned, the storage is great. Digi's are really not that different from traditional rubber in that you stamp the rubber stamp and then color, well with digi's you print then color. If you have a good software like AI or Corel you can do even more with digi's. Also, if you go to crops all you need to do is print out your favorite images to bring with you and color them there. There's no transporting of bulking wood backed stamps or acrylic blocks. I store all my printed images in sheet protectors in a binder separated by theme and all I just grab and go! There are so many digi companies popping up, the possibilities are endless. A lot of companies have free images to test out too.
—Guest The Digi Shack

If you use the right paper & sprinkle embossing powder on quickly after printing, you can emboss anything from your printer (from digital stamps to text or photos...anything you print!) I have tutorials with all the details on my blog here: http://melstampz.blogspot.com/2009/03/its-digi-easter-lps-chick-card-scallop.html Hope that helps you have fun with digis! :O) mel
—Guest Mel

I have been an avid stamper since the mid eighties and think the digital move in stamps is wonderful! I love that they can be re-sized and altered more easily than rubber, but the best thing to me is the storage it saves and categorizing your images is a breeze! I have found that if you have trouble with your ink smearing when you color your digital image, you can heat set it with your heat gun and if it still smears lightly spray with a fixative or with an aerosol hairspray. I have successfully colored with waterbased and alcohol based markers, water color, colored pencils blended with odorless mineral spirits, and chalks. I'm happy to help anyone who needs it! usyungs@gmail.com
—yungs

..of course I'm biased as I own Lindsay's Stamp Stuff (a digital stamp company) I also own thousands of rubber stamps that I would never part with! I think the main benefit to be able to get specific designs at a low cost, they take up no space and you get a perfect impression each time. For instance I love my House mouse stamps, esp the big ones. but often I need to stamp it 3 trimes before I get a perfect impression (and I want it to be perfect since I take so long to color them) so there I was te time, paper and ink and with a digi I can make it the size I want and click print, easy peasy and since I like to color with alcohol based markers or colored pencils and solvent the printer ink does not smudge. I think for stuff like swirls and stuff you like to stamp over layers in a finished card traditional is the way to go. It's all good IMHO!
—artstudiosofbangor

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Kate Pullen
Rubber Stamping Guide