Stamping Ink Differences
- Chalk stamp ink is acid-free and fast-drying. Chalk stamp ink is good for a variety of surfaces, including paper, leather and wood. If you have a heat-set tool, you can use it with chalk ink to make the ink permanent. Use chalk ink to create backgrounds and borders with regular stamping, as it provides a softer-toned look that complements bold colors. The inking surface for chalk stamp is a sponge or other porous surface that can absorb the ink powder.
- Pigment ink is very thick, and it does not fade, making it an ideal ink to use for scrapbooks or other projects intended for preservation. Use pigment ink on clay, mica, paper, shrink plastic, wood and many other surfaces. If you emboss the image, pigment ink will also work on coated paper. Most pigment inks are acid-free.
- Permanent ink is water-resistant, making it ideal for non-paper surfaces, such as glass, wood and plastic. It is also bleed resistant. You can use it on paper, but be careful that the ink does not permeate the paper and leave ink on the table or surface you are working on. Permanent ink requires a special stamp cleaning solution to get the ink off stamps. It is not recommended for children's stamping projects, since it stains their fingers and clothes.
- Dye ink is water-based. Dye ink is permanent only once stamped on paper, which is the only medium it works on. Dye-based ink is the most popular kind of stamping ink, as it is very cheap and works for general stamping projects. However, dye ink fades over time. Dye inks are hard to use for embossing because of how quickly they dry.