Rubber stamps are wonderful and can be used in all sorts of craft projects, but they can also be expensive, and you’re limited to whatever images are available. No worries. You can easily make your own stamps with materials you probably already have around the house.
You will need: Art gum eraser (one for each stamp you make); transfer paper, carbon paper, or pencil graphite; X-Acto knife (with new blade); pencil and pen; stamp pad
Draw an image, making it iconographic and bold. Size it to fit the eraser. When you’re pleased with the design, make a mirror image of it. To do this, tape the image against a window during daylight (or use a light table if handy) and trace it on the other side of the paper.
2. Transfer the image. Transfer the image onto the eraser using a transfer medium (if you are using graphite, rub inverse before tracing). Tape the image (and transfer medium, if used) to the sides of the eraser to hold firmly in place. Once the image is transferred, go over it with ink to make it sharper.
Carefully cut away the eraser from around the image. Work on small sections at a time. Try to keep the depth of cuts about the same. Inspect the stamp to make sure all excess material has been removed. If you become impatient, take a break. Don’t rush!
TIP: Crosshatch or mark all areas to carve away so that you don’t get confused and cut something you weren’t supposed to.
Illustrations by Dustin Hostetler
When you’re finished carving, test the stamp. Shallowly carved areas may mess up the impression, or the image may not look right. You may want to add details or make changes.
Once perfected, stamp the new image onto self-adhesive label paper and affix to the top of the eraser to show the stamp’s image and to properly orient and align the image when stamping.
That’s it! Now you have a little replicable piece of art you can use to decorate greeting cards, letters, postcards, wrapping paper … you name it.
Gareth Branwyn is a regular contributor to CRAFT and writes widely about do-it-yourself technologies. He also runs the personal tech website Street Tech ( streettech.com).
References:
Archives