Ideas for Custom-Made Rubber Stamps

Don't worry if you can't find the perfect stamp in the store --- just make your own.

There are many kinds of stamps made from rubber, clay, wood and plastic. There are a variety of options for producing stamps, including hand carving and laser cutting. Stamps are often expensive, and it is not always possible to find a stamp with a particular design or pattern. You can make your own stamps in one of several different ways.

Eraser Method

One of the most inexpensive methods for making custom rubber stamps is to cut them yourself from rubber erasers. You can use carbon paper to trace the design onto the eraser. Cut around the design with a small craft knife to create a raised design on the bottom of the eraser. The cut portions of the design only need to be low enough to prevent them from touching the paper when the stamp is used. Glue the eraser to a thin piece of foam, then glue the foam to a wood or plastic block.

Foam Method

Use foam stamping kits to create reverse images of different textured items. These kits are useful for creating background stamps or stamps with more abstract designs. Heat the bottom of the stamp with a hair dryer until the bottom of the foam is soft. Press the foam into the object to create an impression in the foam. Allow the foam to dry, then use it as a regular stamp. The best thing about foam stamps is that you can reheat them and use them to create new stamps at any time.

Clay Method

The most professional way to create new stamps is to use a polymer clay stamp-making kit. The kit comes with a computer software program that you can use to make designs on the computer. From there, you use a special ink to print the designs onto a special negative paper, which produces a raised design on the paper. After the ink has dried, press a square of soft polymer clay into the design to create an image on the bottom of the clay.

Ordered Stamps

Some companies specialize in the production of custom stamps. These companies can work with you to create customized stamps based on an image that you send them or even a written idea. The company usually uses a laser to cut out the stamp from rubber, creating a sharp, professional-quality stamp. This kind of stamp is expensive because each stamp is one of a kind. Customized stamps like that are expensive to produce. However, if you cannot make a certain stamp and really want to have it, ordered customized stamps are useful.

References

• The Artful Crafter: How to Make Your Own Decorative Rubber Stamps