Can anyone explain briefly how to rubber stamp and then 'emboss' it with the 3D shiny raised outline?

Question

My sister's friend made her a gorgeous stamped greeting card and all along the stamp lines she did something to make the outline of the stamp on the paper to make it raised, shiny, 3D. I would love to learn this process but haven't found a simple explanation. My sister told me that her friend had to use some type of powder and then had to blow hot air on it with an embossing tool-is this correct? Is it expensive?

Answer 1

You have to use a special embossing ink and embossing powder. And yes you do need a heat gun. They come in a range of prices and sizes and shapes. You would need to just go to a hobby store and price one. You ink your paper and before the ink dries, shake the powder on and tap the excess off then heat set it.

Added: What I have found easier and cheaper, is to get a little bottle of clear crystal fabric paint and after I stamp my image, I go over the lines with the fine tip of the paint. It draws the color of the regular ink you use up in to the paint and it is raised, plus you get the pretty crystal glitter shine. I bought the Polly Mark Dimensional fabric paint, but you can use any brand you like. It only cost about 99 cents. Just be sure to buy the little bottle, because the tip is real fine so that you can get a fine line or add pressure and get a thicker line...Might be worth a try before you spend the extra money on a heat gun and special ink and powder...This is how I made my Christmas cards this past year. They turned out beautiful.

Added..More: After the request to be added to your contacts, I took a look at your profile...I LOVE TO GARDEN ALSO!! It has turned into something my children love to do with me. It is just such a peaceful learning experience for us all. Thank you.

Answer 2

You need to buy embossing powder and a heat tool called a 'heat embossing tool'. Both are available at big craft stores like Michael's and Hobby Lobby, or all over the internet.
Ink your rubber stamp with any slow drying ink (chalk-type or pigment) sprinkle the embossing powder over it while the ink is still wet, and shake off the excess. The powder will stick to the ink, but it needs to be heated. Use the heat tool, a blowdryer WON'T work, it doesn't get hot enough, and you'll make a big mess! Immediately the powder will melt. When it does move the tool around so you don't burn your paper, until all the powder is melted.
I suggest you get a container of clear (make sure it is NOT Ultra Thick, that's for something else) so you can change the color of ink, and still have lots of powder. The powder can be put back into the jar, so it goes a long way.
If you don't plan on doing it a lot, it can be expensive, just wait for the weekly coupons and you can get the tool of 40%off (@$14) and the powder runs about $4 a jar.
Have fun!

Answer 3

I would just add a few things to what Starwoo said:

The "slow-drying" ink she mentioned can be purchased as special pens, or brushes, or as stamp pads.
But other inks and materials are slow-drying too (so they're also sticky for awhile) ...like the ink from ballpoint pens, and glycerin (buy at the drugstore and apply with a toothpick or brush, or saturate a pad for stamping), and pre-colored pigment-based ink pads I believe. So you can draw freehand with the inks/glycerin, or use ordinary stamps on a stamp pad with one of those materials, to create the designs.

The special "embossing powder" actually melts when the heat is applied later, and eventually forms a continuous pool (which will be slightly raised when it's cool and hard).
Be aware that other fine glitter or "powders" won't work, though they often come in similar little bottles, etc.... you'll need to use "embossing powders." They come in all kinds of colors, as well as metallic or pearlized versions, etc, and they can be mixed together to create new colors or effects.
The color of the ink or paper won't matter because the embossing powders are all opaque I think so they'll hide any colors underneath.

You can create the heat in several ways:
... The cheap way is to swish the inked and powdered paper slowly across the surface of a hot iron, or sway it just above a light bulb (paper doesn't burn till it's 450 degrees F, but you could get that hot if you don't keep it moving). If you're using a thicker paper like cardstock, it would take longer for the heat to get through to the powder.
...The other way is to use *blown* heat from some kind of heat gun (the type that's purchased in a craft store is called an embossing gun, while the one purchased in a hardware store is usually just callled a heat gun and gets a whole lot hotter than an embossing heat gun --though in a pinch you could hold it farther away or use underneath the paper, I guess).

This is great fun to do for little gift tags and things too (I like to use colored papers as well), and stationery, cards, announcements, or just anything.
You can also color in the empty areas, or do other colors and/or designs (always one color at a time), or cut them out and use elsewhere, etc.

Btw, this type of "embossing" is different from the *impressed* kind, often called "dry embossing." In that case, a small ball-headed tool is pressed and dragged over a the back of a piece of paper, etc., which is sitting on a soft-ish base... that allows the embossing tool to make an indention wherever it draws, so that the whole area inside any indented lines will appear raised when viewed from the front side of the paper.

HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 4

I have the pleasure of demonstrating this easy technique all the time. You've already been told, but here's a checklist of what you'll need:

1) Craft or Pigment ink (slow drying, longer lasting colors.)
2) Embossing powder (2 types are available - regular powder for large patterned stamps; detail powder for fine line type stamps)
3) Cardstock, Vellum, or Heavy paper
4) Heat or Embossing tool/gun (there's a large variety available, but remember the old saying, "You get what you pay for!")
5) Tray or large scrap paper to catch excess powder
6) Embossing Buddy (this is the most helpful item, but not something you'll find just anywhere. It has a fine, light powder in it that helps "demagnitize" or "destatic" the paper.)

a) Rub cardstock with Embossing Buddy
b) Stamp your image with the Craft ink
c) Lay your cardstock over the tray
d) Liberally sprinkle the embossing powder on the stamped image.
e) Shake off excess
f) Heat the powder with the embossing gun being careful not to scorch the cardstock. Watch the image as it changes from a dry powder to a glistening or shiny image. Good lighting is essential. Let it cool

There you have it - a beautiful embossed image!

HTH,
Joni <><

Answer 5

Make sure you use the thicker, slower drying ink, known as "pigment ink" this sort of ink will not dry very quickly on its own. Other faster drying inks, "dye inks" will dry very quickly and your embossing powder will not stick to them. You have to "heat set" pigment ink for it to dry, or to emboss: sprinkle "embossing powder" generously over your stamped image (clear, colourless embossing power will make the finished image the colour of the colour of the ink that you use, if you use coloured powder the finished result will be the colour of the powder, not the colour of the ink you originally used to stamp your image), pick up the card and tap off the excess powder onto a blank sheet of paper and put back into the container of powder, there will now be powder stuck to the stamped image only. You can buy heat guns for craft use fairly cheaply (a hair dryer will not work as it blows too hard and will probably blow the powder off the card before it melts) another option its to use a pop up toaster (I've not tried the iron methods as described in other answers to your question so cant comment on their effectiveness), push the toaster down and hold the card, with the powder side up about two inches above the toaster and move it around over the heat coming from the toaster, take it away from the heat as soon as you see the power melt, you can scorch the card if you are not careful but it doesnt take much practice to get the hang of it. Just make sure you move the card around over the top of the heat to try to evenly heat the whole image you want to emboss. Hope this helps!!

Answer 6

you need to buy a slow drying embossing ink, and a bottle of embossing powder, they come in soooooooooo many colors, you can get started for about ten bucks for an ink and a powder and a small stamp, you need a sheet of paper to work over, stamp the ink on the card or whatever you are making, and then pour on some embossing powder, cover all of the ink lines even if its clear embossing ink. then let it set a few moments, then pick up the card and shake off all the loose powder onto the sheet of paper, use a dry artists paint brush to remove any excess powder from the part of the card you didnt purposely want the embossing on, some dust from it will stick on the flat parts of the card. then lay the card aside a moment and pinch the paper at one end and use as a funnel to put the powder back into the little jar, put the lid on, now go and heat your iron up to a cotton setting. when its hot. lay the card on it, with the embossing powder area up, not touching the iron, the iron heats the back of the paper you are doing this on and the embossing powder melts, as soon as it all looks shiny, take it off the iron. and there you are. the embossing tool is called a heat gun and is about 20 dollars, so the iron will suffice unless you really get into this kind of thing. you can combine it with regular stamping and with hand embossing with another kind of tool, a light box, and a brass stencil. you can email me any time for more info if you wish, but Michaels arts and crafts can explain the process. you can get dollar stamps at michaels to play with , then if you really enjoy it, you can jump right in with the really good stamps, enjoy. you can start now and have your christmas cards all ready, oh and michaels sells blank cards too. you can also get most of the stuff at some of the walmarts, Joanns fabric and crafts larger stores, the powder comes in lots of colors, glitter, and a clear shiny.

Answer 7

It is called embossing and what you do is use an ink pad called veramark and utee emboss powder. It is a really nice effect and although the heat gun can be costly at first, about 20 dollars, but use a half off coupon and then its only $10.The emboss is clear and you can use a colored ink or just colored paper. You ink the paper, then powder and use the heat gun, but be careful it does get hot. and you repeat the process two more times....it becomes raised and shiny. doing it once is fine too. I hope this has helped. remember coupons diffinetly help.

Answer 8

Oh my - embossing is simple- you have to stamp with a pigment ink pad - it stays wet longer- after stamp you can use embossing powder scoop over image you stamped be sure to do it over something so you can save your embossing powder with and put it back in your bottle. Take a heat gun hold it a little ways away for card and heat - you'll be able to see the image turn the shinny like you want - be sure to hit all the image with the heat gun. Heat guns get hot use with care the first time you use it. you might want to hold the image with a clothes pen to save your fingers til you get used to it.-
Hope this helps ask me more if you need to.
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God Bless
Chris

Answer 9

You wanted a brief explanation, So here's how it'd done and the supplies you'll need.
supplies; stamp, embossing ink pad, embossing powder and heat gun ( about 13-15 dollars..look for sale or coupon for less cost)
Technique: stamp on the design using the embossing ink.
Sprinkle on embossing powder, shake off excess.
Apply heat, watch for the powder to melt, creating a raised design.