stamping tools Archives - Linda Germain

Easy to make library pocket for sketchbooks

mark making, sketchbook ideas, stamping tools / Linda Germain / December 3, 2024

I have been enjoying adding little pockets to my sketchbooks. I thought you might like it too. So here is a quick video:

Supplies that you will need:

index card or 4″ x 6″ paper
scissors
glue
art supplies to decorate

You can fill your sketchbook pockets with tiny art work, blank paper or other notes.

I often decorate with hand stamped marks, crayon, watercolor and markers. If you want to learn how make ting foam stamps, then check out the details of my online class, Stamp Making + Mixed Media Books. All the lessons are available now. This technique is great for making holiday tags, cards and small bits of wrapping paper.

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Stamping backgrounds

mark making, stamping tools / Linda Germain / November 7, 2024

I used my tiny handmade stamps to print some over all backgrounds. It is an easy way to get started in my sketchbook when I am feeling distracted.

I made a bunch of unique stamps with sticky backed foam. I like to ink these small stamps with broad tipped markers. This way I can ink the stamp with more than one color.

Making several impressions with out re-inking allows me to make impressions with a range of value from light to dark. This makes for an interesting print.

Because these marks are hand printed, I can apply pressure to different parts of the stamp to get darker or lighter prints. The imperfect and incomplete trees above were created with just the one stamp. If you would like to explore this low tech method of mark making then check out the online class Stamp Making + Mixed Media Books.

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Join Me – New Class – stamp making

artist book, collage, combined techniques, monotype print, sketchbook ideas, stamping tools / Linda Germain / October 14, 2024

I am excited about the new class that starts October 25th. This class is about:

Making small stamps out of sticky backed foam
Slipknot book form
a gelatin print lesson and
a bit of collage

I love this combination of techniques. There is something for everyone. So you can choose a focus that fits your interest at this time.

The slipknot binding is great for sketchbooking, because it can be flipped and folded to always lie flat. It takes a bit of thread management to link the pages together, but it is a pretty easy book form.

I am including a gelatin print session so you will have prints to respond to with collage and stamping.

The collage lesson is just to get beyond the blank page.

Read all the details and join us in Stamp Making + Mixed Media Book Workshop.

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Stamp some marks

foam plate printmaking, mark making, mark making tools, mixed media printmaking, stamping tools / Linda Germain / October 11, 2024

Why I like to work with tiny foam stamps:

They are fast and easy to make. You just need sticky back foam sheets and something to stick it to. I like to use recycled styrofoam produce trays. But you can use sturdy thin cardboard too.

The stamped image can be simple but still impactful. Sometimes geometric shapes and patterns are enough. I like to keep the stamps small so they are easy to ink and print.

It can be addictive to make piles and piles of stamps. And yet they take up very little space and are quite easy to store.

I like to keep a sample book with a record of stamps that I have already made especially the word stamps.

They are easy to ink and print. I like to use broad nibbed markers. This avoids the need to buy a bunch of stamp pads that just dry out too fast. I can even use more than one color at a time.