How to get the best print from your rubber stamp

Getting the best possible result from your rubber stamp can take a little bit of practice - make sure you take some time to get a feel for your stamp, how much ink it needs and the amount of pressure you need to apply.

Our number one tip? Practice on scrap paper before you start using it on your final surface. And, use our tips below to get the best possible impression you can with your rubber stamp.

1. Make sure you’re using ink that is suitable for your surface. Our standard ink pads [like the one used here] are water-based and suitable for stamping uncoated paper, cardboard and even fabric. There are a bunch of inks out there that are designed for a other surfaces.

2. Inking your stamp is an important step, and it can take some practice to get a feel for the right amount of ink. A couple of light taps of your stamp onto the ink pad is enough ink for a stamp this size and design, if your stamp has more printable area, you’ll need a bit more ink to cover the surface. Pushing your stamp too firmly into the ink pad can over-ink your stamp and you’ll end up with excess ink in the negative spaces. Before you stamp, flip the stamp up to check your coverage. If there there’s not enough, lightly tap the your stamp on the ink pad again OR if there’s too much ink, you might need to remove it and start again.

3. Once you have your stamp suitably inked, flip it over and line it up with your surface. Lower the stamp onto of your surface as evenly as you can. Use light, even pressure - if you press too hard the stamp wall will meet the paper as well and make a smudgy print. Lift the stamp and there you have it! A beautiful, hand-stamped image.