How to Color Hanna Stamps

Adding color to your Hanna stamps gives them a completely different look.

Hanna stamps offer a wide variety of clever characters and designs. There are many ways to add color to Hanna stamps. Finding the technique that fits your vision will take practice and a little creative experimenting. By combining techniques, colors and textures, you will be able to create versions of Hanna stamps that reflect your artistic talents.

Things You'll Need

• Hanna stamps
• Ink pads
• Paper
• Fine-point color markers
• Acrylic paints
• Small foam brush
• Paper towels
• Color pencils
• Watercolor pencils
• Fine-point artist's brush
• Watercolor-proof paper or thickly textured paper

Instructions

1. Choose a Hanna stamp and a stamp pad. Tap smaller stamps against the stamp pad to cover them with ink and color. Tap the stamp pad against larger stamps for better ink coverage. This is the most basic method of coloring Hanna stamps.

2. Choose fine-point color markers to color the stamp. The advantage of using color markers is that more than one color can be used at a time in a very controlled manner.

3. Color the Hanna stamp with fine-point color markers and add one or two drops of water to the stamp. Blot the stamp quickly with a paper towel and stamp to achieve a soft, blurry look.

4. Paint an even coat of acrylic paint with a small foam brush on the Hanna stamp for a thicker, more textured look. This works well on larger, chunkier-styled stamps.

5. Mix water and acrylic paint to make a "wash." Paint an even coat of wash with a small foam brush on the Hanna stamp to obtain a watercolor effect.

6. Choose a larger Hanna stamp and a color stamp pad. Tap the stamp pad against the stamp until the entire design of the stamp is covered by ink. Stamp the design on paper. Allow the ink to dry. Choose colored pencils to fill in the design.

7. Tap a stamp pad against a larger Hanna stamp until the entire design of the stamp is covered in ink. Choose a watercolor-proof paper or one that has a thicker, textured finish. Stamp the design on the paper. Allow the ink to dry. Choose watercolor pencils to fill in the design. Brush a small amount of water with a fine-point artist's brush on the colors of the design to turn them into watercolors.

Tips & Warnings

• Try a variety of techniques; print the design in acrylic paint and add an acrylic wash.

• The acrylic paint method is not recommended for very detailed stamps.

References

• Nettaly: Rubber Stamp Issues
• Rubber Stamping Fun: Rubber Stamps

Resources

• Northwoods: Coloring Tutorial
• Stampland Chicago: Techniques
• Monkey House: Inks