How to Rubber Stamp on Acrylic Scrapbook Albums

Clear acrylic albums are popular supplies for scrapbooking and art journaling. Acrylic surfaces differ from paper, but you can rubber stamp on acrylics if you have the correct supplies. This article discusses some supplies and techniques for stamping on acrylic albums.

Inks For Rubber Stamping on Acrylic Albums:

Stazon Ink:

So far, StazOn ink by Tsukineko is the best ink I've found for stamping on clear acrylic albums. StazOn is a solvent-based ink, and it is formulated for use on non-porous surfaces like acrylics and plastics. StazOn usually dries on acrylic in several minutes.

StazOn ink is available in a rainbow of colors. Some of the colors are opaque, and some are not. I prefer the opaque colors for stamping on clear acrylic albums, because I have found that it is easier to get a clean stamped impression with the opaque colors. I do love the other colors of StazOn too though.

Please view my other articles on associatedcontent.com if you'd like more information about StazOn ink; I have written a product review with more details.

Brilliance Ink:

Brilliance ink is a dye ink made by Tsukineko. It is formulated for use on shrink plastic, vellum, acetate, shiny paper, and similar surfaces. Acrylic is not technically on the list of compatible surfaces that work with Brilliance ink. However, it does seem to work OK on the acrylics I've tried it with. It's anybody's guess whether or not Brilliance inks will last long-term on acrylics, but the samples I've tested so far are holding up fine. There is a possibility that the images stamped with Brilliance could show wear after time passes, but I haven't run into problems with that yet. In my opinion, it is worth the risk for the projects I do; I shoot my photos with a digital camera, so I am not terribly concerned about "archival" at this point. The Brilliance color palette is outstanding; Brilliance is one of my favorite inks, and I love having the option of using pearlescent colors on my acrylic albums.

If you want to use Brilliance ink for rubber stamping on your clear acrylic album, I would advise testing a small area first to see how it goes. Test in an area where you can cover the stamped area with paper if you don't like the results. It is also wise to avoid stamping on areas that you know will be subjected to excessive wear, like the covers of an acrylic album.

Another suggestion: you can stamp with Brilliance and then attach a clear transparency or clear embellishment overtop of the stamped area. That extra layer will help to protect the stamped image from damage and wear.

Inks That Won't Work on Acrylic Albums:

Most ordinary dye inks and pigment inks are formulated for use on paper, and will not work on acrylic.

Considerations For Stamping on Acrylic Albums:

Any image that you stamp on one side of an acrylic album page will be visible from the other side of the page, and also from all the other pages that come before it in the album. Plan accordingly.

Masking Technique For Stamping on Acrylic Albums:

Masking is a popular technique with rubber stampers, and you can easily use a masking technique when you stamp on acrylics albums. The trick is to use a Masquepen tool. The Masquepen fluid is a water-based latex solution that will adhere to acrylic or paper until you're ready to pull it up. Stamp your first image and let it dry. Then mask the area that you want to cover using the Masquepen. It will take a moment to dry. After it is dry, stamp your second image. When you are finished, peel off the latex from the Masquepen. It is easy to remove.

Summary:

Rubber Stamping on clear acrylic albums is fun and easy if you have the right supplies.
StazOn is the best choice for ink, and Brilliance ink is also worth trying.
Most other inks formulated for use on paper will not work well on acrylic albums.
You can use a Masquepen with acrylic albums for masking techniques.

Happy stamping!