With so many different types of inks out there, it can be difficult to know which ink to use for your project. Never fear! I’m here to help you sort through the different types of inks so you will know exactly which one to use for your special projects!
Classic Stampin’ Ink Pads
You can never go wrong with the Stampin’ Up! Classic Ink pads. Available in 50 colors to match our cardstock, ribbons, and embellishments. These water-based inks are perfect for all your general stamping needs. They dry quickly and clean up with just water. Refills are available. You can purchase them individually or by color family. Color families include Neutrals, Brights, Subtles, Regals (our core colors) and In-Colors (which are only around for two years).
Stampin’ Up! also offers 1″ square Stampin’ Spots, either uninked (Ink with Classic Stampin’ Ink refills) or a set of 8 classic colors. These are perfect if you aren’t sure what colors to choose or you just want to start small and build your collection over time.
Memento Ink
This waterbased dye ink is perfect for all your general stamping needs. Available in Tuxedo Black, this fade resistant ink works great on cardstock and is a must when coloring with Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. This ink won’t stain your stamps and cleans up with water. Refills are available.
Stazon Ink
Stazon Inks are permanent, waterproof, and fade resistant (archival). Available in Saddle Brown and Jet Black, these inks are perfect for stamping on both cardstock and non-porouus surfaces such as plastic, wood, tile, and more. You need to allow the ink to dry before handling or you can heat set it with a heat tool. This ink is a must when watercoloring as it won’t run. Clean up with Stazon Cleaner. Refills available.
VersaMark
VersaMark is a clear, pigment ink that is perfect for achieving a tone on tone look. Stamp on any color cardstock for soft, subtle images and sentiments. VersaMark is a must for using with a variety of embossing powders – stamp image or sentiment in VersaMark, cover with embossing powder, remove excess, and set with heat tool for a shiny, three dimensional look. Clean up with water. Refills available.
Craft Ink
This fade resistant pigment ink is available in Whisper White. Use it to stamp on dark colored cardstock. This is a very thick ink and you will need to purchase a refill in order to ink up the stamp pad. Honestly it’s not my favorite ink. I find it difficult to work with as I’ve never achieved a good, clean stamp with it. My go to for stamping white on dark colored card stock is to use VersaMark with white embossing powder. I feel this gives a much cleaner and sharper finished result. Clean up craft ink with water or Stampin’ Mist.
The Choice is Yours
So now you know a little bit more about the different types of inks availalbe from Stampin’ Up! I hope you found this helpful in answering your questions. You can purchase any and all of these from my Stampin’ Up! store by clicking here. Don’t forget to use the current host code (displayed at the top of the page) and keep track of your Foxy Points. Collect 10 Foxy Points and earn a free $50 shopping spree on me. You can learn more about my frequent shoppers program here.
You can also print my free bonus Ink Pad Guide to keep as a handy reference on your desk.
Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment and let me know how this article helped you! Happy Stamping!
