Stamping

Stamping, also called Rubberstamping, is a craft in which some type of ink made of dye or pigment is applied to an image or pattern that has been carved, molded, or vulcanized, onto a sheet of rubber. The rubber is often mounted onto a more stable object such as a wood or an acrylic block produce a more solid instrument. The ink coated rubberstamp is then pressed onto any type of media such that the colored image has now been transferred to the media. The medium is generally some type of fabric or paper. Other media used are: wood, metal, glass, plastic, rock.

The image may be embellished by the addition of chalks, inks, paints, fibers and a variety of other ephemera and embellishments.

Many techniques are used in the art of stamping to create a variety of effects. Also, other materials besides rubber may be used to produce a stamp.

In addition, use of the stamping technique has become widely popular with the new scrapbooking craze. The variety of stamps available allow for different looks to any given page. Special ink pads can be purchased that allow for embossing and there are pens that can be used to ink stamp pads with a variety of colors for a multi-color look. Stamping is also often used in handmade cardmaking.