Product Review: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads by Ranger Industries

I enjoy creating scrapbook layouts, greeting cards, mini books, and mixed media art, and I rarely create anything without stamping or inking at least some of the papers and embellishments used in each project. As a stamping enthusiast, I have tried numerous ink pads, and Distress Inks are some of my favorites.

Distress Inks are acid-free water-based dye inks that are safe to use in scrapbooks. They are fade-resistant, meaning that if you store and care for your projects carefully, the inks will last for a long time. The ink is non-toxic.

The ink pad itself is made of raised felt. The ink pad is not "squishy" like some ink pads are.

Distress Ink pads are easy to use and store. They don't take up much space; the entire container measures approximately three inches square by three-quarters of an inch high, and they can be stacked on top of each other for easy storage. The actual felt inkpad area measures approximately 2 inches square, a convenient size for both stamping and direct-to-paper applications.

These inks are made in the USA. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price is $4.99, although you can sometimes get lucky and find them on sale.

Re-inkers are available for these ink pads, so there is no need to worry about using up all the ink. It will probably take you quite a long time before you need to re-ink them, even if you use them frequently. I use mine often, and have had them for several years, and I have not yet needed to refresh the ink.

Distress Inks are versatile, and they can be used to create a variety of effects and techniques. The most obvious use for them is stamping, and they work well for this purpose. They can be used with both clear stamps and rubber stamps. You don't need stamps to make effective use of Distress Inks, however. You can ink directly on papers, fibers, ribbons, embellishments and photos. Like the name suggests, you can use these inks to create a distressed look, or to "age" your papers and create a vintage or antique look.

Color is one of the most important aspects of my work, and it was the range of available colors that first attracted me to Distress Inks. The colors are all outstanding, and they generally work well with each other when they are used together in projects.

I own the following colors of Tim Holtz Distress Inks:

Walnut Stain: This is a deep brown color. It looks a lot like walnut ink. I use this color frequently; it is a versatile color and works well on a variety of projects. It works very well layered overtop of the other colors of Distress Ink.

Vintage Photo: If I had to choose only one color of Distress Ink to have in my stash, this is the color I would choose. I use it constantly. Vintage Photo is a rich, warm medium brown.

Tea Dye: This is a rich, warm, light reddish-brown color.

Antique Linen: This is a pale neutral / beige color. The name describes it perfectly. This color of Distress Ink is useful for creating a watermarked effect, and also for layering under the other colors in the palette. It is most useful on white papers or very light papers. It doesn't show up well on darker papers or vivid patterned papers. If you want to create a very slight distressed or aged effect, this is a great color to choose. I don't use this color very often, but I do consider it an important part of my stash and would not want to be without it.

Fired Brick: The name says it all. This is a deep, rich brick red. It is eye-catching and dramatic. Out of all the red ink pads I own, I use this one the most frequently, and I would not want to be without it. This color is a highly recommended addition to any paper crafter's ink stash.

Weathered Wood: This is a blue-ish gray color. I have used it in winter-themed projects and outdoors themed projects. Out of all the colors of Distress Ink I own, I use this color the least. I could live without it, but I have definitely got my money's worth out of it.

There are many other colors too. I would love to own more colors of Distress Ink. Some of the other colors include Peeled Paint, Old Paper, Shabby Shutters, Dusty Concord, Mustard Seed, Aged Mahogany, Tattered Rose, Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Frayed Burlap, Black Soot, Milled Lavendar, Pine Needle, and Dried Marigold. If you have tried these colors, please feel free to comment and let us know how you like them.

I am also impressed by the way these inks blend with some of my other favorite inks and art supplies. I love Tsukineko Walnut Inks, and I have found that Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Tsukineko Walnut Inks can successfully be used together in the same project.

Projects Made Using Tim Holtz Distress Inks:

Click here to see a variety of hand-stamped, inked greeting cards that feature Distress Inks.

Click here to view a clear calendar album which was embellished with Distress Inks.

Click here for project instructions for a snowflake-shaped mini book using weathered wood Distress Ink for definition.

Click here to visit Tim Holt'z blog, where he shares numerous projects that feature his Distress Inks and other products.

Conclusion:

In my opinion, Distress Inks are well worth the money. I paid the full retail price for them, and I easily got my money's worth from them. I am happy to recommend Distress Inks to other scrapbookers, stampers, card makers, and paper crafters.

Thanks for reading this review. I hope you found it helpful. I welcome your comments and feedback. Happy crafting!