Regarding deeply etched rubber stamps, how to make them?

Question

I'm new at this. I found a piece of glassware covered with bubble bumps. When people want a texture stamp would they want a stamp that has the bumps sticking out (which would make indentations in the clay) or would most people want the rubber stamp to have indented bumps (holes) so that when the person used it they would end up with bumps on their clay? Also does anyone know where to buy the rubber to make rubber stamps?

Answer 1

Well, often good "stamps" can be made as innies or outies of the same pattern... just depends on the effect you want.
Technically, I guess, for a bumpy surface, the first "stamp" you'd make would be called a *shallow mold,* and if you then made a stamp of that shallow mold its reverse version would be called a "stamp" since it's a duplicate of the original.

Since you mentioned "clay," you might also be interested in looking at the stamp that was made by one polymer clayer from just such a bumpy glass:
http://www.desiredcreations.com/howTo_CAReptSkinMG.htm
(here it's used to "distort" layers of different-colored clay so that a "mokume gane" technique can be done, rather than making a mold though)


As for where you can buy rubber to make stamps, there are various ways to go:

You can buy real rubber (or the other stuff that's often sold to rubberstampers these days), then "carve" your own
You can buy one of those rubbery white block erasers if if the pattern isn't too large, then carve your own stamp with small gouging tools.
You can make your own stamps with uncured rubber or "clear polymer" with various kits and special lights and equipment.
You can make your own stamps with polymer clay, then bake in a home oven.
You can make your own stamps with a two-part silicone molding material.
You can make even make some stamps with things like certain glues.

Or... you can draw (or photocopy or print out) the patterns or images you want, in the size you want, on a 7x9" sheet of white paper, then send them to "ReadyStamps" where they will make you a sheet of stamps of the drawings you sent, and they will also include (if you request it) two other versions so you can have molds too.

Check these pages at my site for info on making all kinds of those molds and stamps, and more info on ReadyStamps:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/molds.htm
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/stamping.htm

And this page has more on making the "photopolymer plate" stamps:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/paints.htm
(click on *Photopolymer Plates*)

HTH,

Diane B.