Instructions on How to Make Rubber Stamps
If you can't find the right rubber stamp for your next scrapbooking or paper crafting project, try carving your own. Once you learn to hand carve stamps, you won't have to comb the aisles of your local hobby and craft stores in search of a rubber stamp that will perfectly complement your latest scrapbook layout or card design. You don't have to be a skilled artist to create an attractive stamp, but you do need a steady hand.
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Things You'll Need
- Carving surface
- Tracing paper
- Scissors
- Tape
- Popsicle stick
- Linoleum carving tool
- Rubber stamp ink
Instructions
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Place the block onto which you will carve your stamp on a piece of tracing paper and draw a pencil outline around the block. Remove the block and cut out the tracing paper shape, leaving a 3/4-inch border around the pencil outline. Cut about 1/2 inch from each corner of the tracing paper to make miters.
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Draw the stamp design on the tracing paper. Your design should fit inside the outline and should not feature any fine details. Designs with thick lines and minimal details are easiest for beginners to carve.
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Arrange the tracing paper, design-side-down, on top of your carving block. Line up the pencil outline with the edges of the block, fold down the excess tracing paper and tape it in place.
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4
Rub over the surface of the block with the flat side of a Popsicle stick. Apply moderate pressure as you rub and work back and forth over the surface of the block several times. This will transfer a reverse image of your design onto the carving surface. Remove the tracing paper from the block and touch up any faint spots on the design with your pencil.
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Carve out the design with a linoleum cutting tool. You will cut away the parts of the block you don't want to print and leave the parts you want to print intact. Hold the cutting tool in your dominant hand and grip the edge of the block facing toward you with your weaker hand. Push the cutting tool forward into the block and gently slide it forward. Avoid digging the blade too deep into the material; just skim off a thin layer of material. While cutting, always hold your weaker hand behind your dominant hand.
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Ink your carved stamp as you would any other rubber stamp and print it on a piece of scrap paper. If your stamped image leaves lines of ink in areas where you don't want them, carve back over those areas to clean up your stamped image.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use linoleum blocks made especially for block printing to make your own rubber stamps, but the surface is hard and difficult to carve. Choosing a more pliable high density rubber block will likely save you some frustration. If you're making a small stamp, you can also try carving your design onto a rubber eraser.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Rubber stamp image by Bartlomiej Nowak from Fotolia.com
