Dye and Pigment Inks for Papercrafting
Dyes
- Dye inks dry quickly and work well on all paper types. Many dye inks will fade over time, except for archival dye pads, which are permanent and fade resistant. Some matte papers may absorb dye inks too quickly to apply embossing powders, so do not forget to test your paper.
- Pigments
- Pigment inks are thick and slow-drying. Thus, pigments inks are ideal for embossing projects. You will find more vivid colors in pigments than in dyes. Pigment inks will not dry on glossy surfaces unless they are embossed or sprayed with a fixative.
- Hybrids
- There are a number of hybrid inks available that combine the features of dyes and pigments. Hybrids have the intensity of pigment inks and may dry as quickly as a dye ink or somewhere between dye and pigment. Many small craft stores will have a sample pad to demonstrate the ink's properties.
- Inkpads
- Generally dye inkpads are hard, cloth- or felt-covered pads. Pigment pads are usually made from durable soft foam pads. Inkpads may be flush with the container or raised. Raised pads are more convenient for inking stamps larger than the pad surface. Inkpads come in different sizes and shapes. The smaller sizes and wedge or small rectangular shapes are great for direct-to-paper techniques.
- Be certain that your stamps or other applicators are clean before applying to your inkpads to keep your colors "pure". If you want to use many inkpad colors on a stamp at once, use a paper towel to smooth off the other colors "contaminating" your inkpad. (You can also color directly onto the stamp with water-based markers to get a multi-color impression.)
- The most popular inkpad manufacturers also make refills to re-ink your pads so that you will not have to buy replacements very often.
- Use that ink!
- Create your own decorative papers! Determine what the best paper weight is for the decorative paper you want to make, then use the direct-to-paper technique or a water-to-paper technique to make your custom paper. Or, use a paper-making kit to make your one-of-a-kind paper.
