Things You'll Need:
- Clip art book or original art
- Photocopier
- Iron
- Graphite paper
- Ballpoint pen
- Rubber stamp block
- Carving tools
- Craft knife
- Adhesive
- Wooden block
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Step 1
Choose and transfer your image to the rubber block.
Whether you use clip art or original art, you have a couple of different transfer options. One way is to photocopy the image (also a great time to enlarge or shrink to fit) and then iron the image onto the block at medium-hot heat for just a few seconds. Another option is to trace the image with a ballpoint pen and some graphite paper, or you can draw your design directly on the stamp block. For simple designs, a freehand drawing is the quickest way to start. -
Step 2
Decide between a positive or negative image.
For a positive image you will carve around the image you transferred, so it will be what gets inked and printed. For a negative image you'll want to designate some sort of frame around the image to act as a boundary. Circles and squares are the easiest, but get creative depending on what your image is. My stamp that will be created from the image in the photo will be half positive and half negative for contrast. -
Step 3
Use a v-shaped cutter to cut the outlines of your shape.
Make the first cuts slowly with the v-shaped tool. Hold the tool like you would a pencil and push away from you, the point of the v at a gentle angle to the surface of the rubber. Try to make the outlines as few cuts as possible to keep the best edge attainable. Shallow cuts can be made to add shading lines if you are feeling daring. Start with good, clean edge cuts--any imperfections will show up on your finished image. -
Step 4
Use a u-shaped or round gouge on larger sections or for very wide lines.
Carve away more of the areas not to be inked to prevent accidental edges showing up. Shallow-cut stamps will tend to give blurry images when inked and stamped. Carve deeply, but do not go all the way through the block. -
Step 5
Cut around your image with a craft knife.
Cut close to the image to prevent any extra edges that might pick up and transfer ink later on. Remove any excess rubber from around the shape you've cut. -
Step 6
Glue the stamp to a wooden block to use as a handle.
Wood is the traditional choice because it tends to lend more even pressure when the image is stamped, but any even-surfaced object will work. You can even use repositionable adhesive to share one block with many stamps and save space in your storage unit. My stamp in the photo actually fits on a mini deck of playing cards!
Comments
opalpearl3 said
on 11/14/2008 Great article. I love rubber stamping but have never tried making my own stamp. Thanks for the information.
scrapsoflife said
on 9/30/2008 Stamp blocks will be found most large arts and crafts stores (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Peal and others like them) or fine-arts shops like Utrecht. Check out the hardware store or construction sites for leftover bits of lumber that will make good bases. Specialty stamp stores online may have the nicer, polished and turned ones but it really isn't necessary. Just sand the pieces down to avoid splinters. Building blocks work great, too.
spankyandcranky said
on 9/29/2008 I've been wanting to do this ever since I first became interested in stamps during my school years. My only question is where should I look for rubber stamp blocks and wooden blocks and what is a fair price to pay for those?
dianatudor said
on 8/26/2008 Definitely 5 stars article. Thanks for showing the right directions and proper tools for rubber stamps carving. I generally used a simple cutter and a small knife because I didn't knew what else to use.
Congrats!