Carving Stamps Into Rubber

Here are a few tips for those of you ready to take the 'plunge' into carving.

Written by
                           
(Chris Puls)

Supplies: (None of these are very expensive unless you get a really nice magnifying glass)

Carving Material:  All the carving I do is done on PZ Kut, available at http://www.stampeaz.com (I'm not affiliated with them, just love the product)  I have tried other mediums, but didn't like how crumbly and thick they were (in the case of Master carve and Speedball 'pink stuff') or how hard they were to carve (in the case of plumbers gasket and pink erasers.)  I really like how easy PZ Kut is to carve and it holds up to fine detail really well without crumbling.  It's thinner than some of the other carving mediums (except gaskets), but I don't usually put backings on my stamps.  They have held up to temperature extremes and being water logged while in my letterboxes in the woods for over 2 years and LOTS of stamping just fine.  Each PZ Kut sheet is 10" x 4 3/4" sheet, which makes lots of stamps.  It's 1/4" thick.  I recommend the Grade B white.  The minor imperfections are barely noticeable (minor bumps and grooves and color flecks.)  The orange stuff is "OK," but its color can make it difficult to look at while you carve and it is hard to tell where you have carved and where you haven't.  It does have a slightly different feel than the white rubber, too.  If you use the orange, I recommend stamping a light color over your design so the surface is a different color than the inside making it is easier to see where you have carved.

Sheet of white PZ Kut and carved piece of orange PZ Kut. The scan doesn't show just how bright the orange is!

 

Tools: I use a #1 Speedball blade in a Speedball handle (available at most Hobby Lobby's and Michael's).  You can try to ask a clerk for Linoleum carving tools or Speedball tools, but usually they have no idea what those are even if they have them in the store.  The tool is kind of teardrop shaped (fat at one end and tapering to the point) and its maroon colored plastic.  You can buy them and the blades at Stampeaze.com as well.  Others use an Exacto to carve, but I haven't had as much luck with it.  I always seem to undercut the rubber I want to leave on the stamp - which is not good. <grin> Shown below is an Exacto blade (the silver tool on top) and a Speedball handle with a #1 Speedball blade inserted.

The Speedball blade has a "V" shaped cutting edge and it is meant to be pushed through the rubber, like a wood carving chisel (not pulled like a knife.)  Be sure to look as closely as you can at the blade when you are buying it (I know this is difficult to do through the plastic packaging or if purchased on-line). Sometimes the blades have tiny burrs or a rough edge which is not good and will tear the rubber instead of cutting it.  Some carvers use a sharpening stone on their blades, I just buy new ones if my blades get dull (they are not expensive and you can carve a LOT of stamps before that happens.)  I use an Exacto blade to remove the carving from the main chunk of rubber and to clean up the edges of the stamp (under the magnifier) after I'm done carving.

 

Magnification:  It's very hard to carve what you can't see clearly.  My eyesight is fine but I always carve under a magnifying glass.  Any kind you don't have to hold will do.  I prefer the type that clips onto the table and has its own light.  Other options would be a fly tying glass or a jeweler's type (that you wear on your head.)  I don't recommend the type that hangs around your neck and rests on your chest though.  The movement from your breathing can make you dizzy :-)  The type of magnifying glasses that you buy from the drug store and wear are not nearly as powerful as a tabletop magnifier so I don't recommend them either.  Using a good magnifier will make a HUGE difference and should not be skipped regardless of how good your eyesight is.

 

Light:  A good light source is a must!  Any floor lamp or table lamp that allows you to direct the light onto the work surface below the level of the magnifier will be fine.  If the light is going through the magnifier lens, it can cause bright spots on the carving material that are hard on your eyes.  If you don't already have one, just look for a small clip on light or desk light with a flexible 'neck'.

 

How to get the image on the rubber:

First, pick out the image you want to use (or draw one.)  You can find images in clip art programs or by going to google.com and selecting "Images" then type in something you like.  Be cautious of copyright issues if you plan to sell anything stamped with the image or if you want to post the image to the internet.  If you find an image you like, but it is protected, you can use image altering software (like Photoshop) to change the image enough soit becomes your own. The three images below are copyright free and excellent examples of graphics for beginning carvers.

Good images to start with are coloring book images.  You can find free images on-line and resize them in Word or a photo editing program (or on a copier.)  I recommend starting with a simple black and white line drawing or blocky image to get some practice.  An image with a lot of both black and white space with wide lines is good.  It's not as easy as it looks and does take some practice, so don't get discouraged, though some people seem to have a natural talent for carving and take to it easily.  Most people start out with carvings that look like they were chiseled crudely from stone, I did!  :-) Avoid images that have grey or color, since it is very difficult (or impossible) to carve "shades" or grey areas.  To use an image with multiple tones, try tracing it so you can pick out what will be solid and what areas will not pick up ink (and will let the color of the paper show.)

** Easiest way to carve shades of grey (visual pun):

 

There are multiple ways that the image can be transferred to the rubber.

1. Draw the image directly on the block.  Text needs to be reversed for this method but using the other methods below will reverse the text automatically.  Regardless of the transfer method, if the text on the block is not reversed, it will print backwards.  Keep in mind that you just can't get as clear and well defined lines using a pencil or sharpie as you can with a computer generated black and white  image.  If the edges of your lines are blurry, it is hard to tell exactly where to carve and your lines may end up wavy or not as straight as you might like them.

2. Print the image on a copier or printer, trace the lines of the image with a pencil, put the image face side down so the pencil lines are on the rubber and then rub all over the back of the paper with a pencil lead or bone folder.  The pressure will cause the pencil lines to transfer to the rubber.  It can help to go over the pencil lines on the block with a pen or permanent marker to reduce smudging.  Note that tracing the image and then scribbling all over the back to transfer it will produce darker lines than if you scribble on the back and then place the scribble on the rubber and try to use the tracing of the image to transfer just the parts of the scribble that you desire.  This method has the same drawbacks as the direct draw method.

3. Print the image on a copier or printer, place it printed side down on the rubber, dab some plain acetone (cheap nail polish remover) on a small spot on the back till the paper is wet and press on that wet spot with your finger for about 2 seconds.  I found it's easier to work in finger-sized sections because the acetone dries so fast.  I think the pressure really helps get the ink transferred once the acetone breaks its bonds with the paper.  Repeat the process until the whole image is transferred, being sure not to move the paper until the process is complete.  Note: due to the composition of some inks and printing processes, not all will transfer using acetone so I recommend trying a small sample on some scrap rubber.  If your image doesn't transfer well (or at all), you might want to try a different copier/printer.

 

Acetone Transfer

 

 

 

 

 

Acetone Transfer (dog image) vs. Iron Transfer (word)

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Print the image using an old copier or printer, place it face down on the rubber and heat with a clothing iron through the paper.  Be sure paper is covering all of the rubber the iron will touch, even if you need to add another blank sheet of paper on top (or you will get rubber burnt onto your iron -yuck!)  Use a setting just a bit cooler than the cotton setting and put pressure on the back of the image.  It's the heat AND pressure that get the ink to transfer permanently to the rubber.  It will only take a few seconds because it doesn't need to get too hot (if you have the right print ink.)  Move the iron around a bit (lighten pressure when you move it, then reapply the pressure, so you don't move the paper.)  You can check the transfer by peeling back a little of the paper to be sure the image transferred.  If it did transfer but didn't do so completely (missed a spot or two), try more pressure and a few more seconds under the iron.  If nothing is transferring or it's very faint, you have the newer ink... go find an older copier. :-)  The image should be a clear and bold (dark) transfer.  The proper ink is getting harder and harder to find because most ink seals itself to the paper now.   But if you can find the right ink, this will give you the darkest and sharpest transfer.  Because this does not work with all inks or printing processes, I recommend trying a small sample on some scrap rubber.  (Yellow paper was used here for contrast)

 

5.  Print the image on an overhead transparency and right away (before the ink dries) place the image face down on the rubber carefully so the ink doesn't smear.  Rub gently to cause the ink to transfer.  Remove the transparency and let the ink on the stamp dry over night or several hours before carving.  I haven't had much luck with this method, but it may have been because of the type of transparency sheet I was using.  I haven't had a chance to experiment with other types of transparency sheets.  The great thing about this method is the ability to place an image exactly where you want it on the rubber.

 

Once you get the image onto the rubber, you can decide if you want to remove all of the black OR all of the white.  If you remove all of the white, when you stamp it, your image will appear just like it was on the original paper (or as close as you can make it.)  If you remove all of the black, when you stamp, it will be a reverse image (like a negative) of the original.  Usually, carving away the black is easier, but it's up to you how you want to carve it.  If you carve away the black lines/parts, then the edge of the stamp will be part of the design.  You'll want to cut it away from the main piece of rubber carefully since those edges will show.  If you carve away the white background and leave the black parts of the image, then the outside edges of the rubber are not as critical.  After I finish carving, I usually try to cut away the edge rubber as close to the design as possible to reduce the chances of the edge getting/transferring ink when it's not supposed to. 

 

Carving tips:
Don't dig the tool in too deep.  The surface of the rubber should not be covering the top of the blades (the top edges of the 'V'.)  You don't need to dig canyons, you can always remove more, you can't put it back, so start with no more than a single depth of the tool and if you need to, you can go back and do another depth.  Using a magnifying glass will help keep you from digging too deep (because even when it looks deep under the glass, it's really not.)

The closer together the remaining lines are to each other, the shallower you can carve.  The farther apart the lines are (more open space between them), the deeper you need to go.  The reason for this is if you have a large space carved away with no lines near it, when you push on the back of the stamp (if it isn;t mounted on a solid backing), the rubber will flex toward the paper in that spot and can transfer ink where you don't want it.  Really fine detail barely needs to scratch the surface.  Using dye type inks (as opposed to pigment type) can help fine detail show up better.  Pigment inks can sometimes "fill in" the fine detail knicks and scratches.

If you want to smooth out the ridges left by the tool, turn the 'V' on it's side and use the flat edge (one side of the 'V') to scrape the ridges flat.  Some people like to leave these lines so they pick up ink and the final image looks rougher and hand carved.

 

 

Use the exacto to cut closely around the final image.  If you have carved away the black of the image, the edge you cut around the stamp will be visible in the final stamped image, so you might want to 'dress it up' by carving an unusual shape or scalloping the edge (or just leave it as a square).  If you carved away the white, the edge you cut with the knife won't be visible (just the edge lines of the carving).  It helps to cut as close to those lines as you can to minimize the appearance of the edge of the stamp in the final image.

 

 

 

To get a 'point' at the end of a stroke (like if you were carving the image of a hand, you would need pointed ends to the strokes done between the fingers where they meet the palm), lift the tool out of the rubber slowly as you move it toward the end of the stroke, finishing the stroke with the tool barely in the rubber.  Or you can start at the point, using the natural "V" of the blade.

Stamped in red for contrast
Original carving was on a scrap that had been stamped in pink

If you want a flat end (like when you carve into a corner or where one line intersects another at right angles), leave the tool in the rubber until you get to the very end and then lift it straight out.  The rubber will 'pop' out cleanly leaving a 'square' end to the stroke (just don't get your tool too deep/buried when you do this).  This technique works for PZ Kut. I can't guarantee it will work with mediums that are more crumbly.

For corners, I recommend cutting into the corner along both of the lines that intersect.  The rubber will then come out cleanly all the way to the corner.  In other words, cut along one of the lines till the blade reaches the other line and the corner/intersection.  Remove the tool by backing it out of the rubber and cut along the second line until the blade gets all the way into the corner and releases the rubber cut the first time.  Voila! Clean corner.

 

 

If you want a smooth line, keep the tool level and in the same position as you smoothly push it through the rubber in as long a stroke as possible.  If you wiggle the tool back and forth as you cut, it will cause a wavy line (which can be good if that's what you are going for)

 

 

 

As you cut along a line with one side of the blade, be aware that the other side of the blade is cutting too!  In the example at the right, if I was carefully watching the right hand side of the blade to be sure I stayed against the straight line, I might not see that the left side of the blade was taking off the tops of the curves.

 

 

 

 

To cut out circles and curves, turn the rubber instead of the tool.  Depending on the surface you are working on, it might make it easier to turn the rubber if you place it on top of a piece of paper.  It's easier to turn the rubber than to contort your hand as you make the circle.  If it's the inside of a really small area (like inside some letters (A, P, R, etc.) then remember, you barely have to knick the surface.  You might also want to consider using the tip of a large gauge needle as a blade (see below.)  If you do, be sure the angle of your cut doesn't undercut anything you want to remain on the stamp.

Finished curve stamped in red

Bag of needles

Out of the protective case

View of the tip

Carving by using the tip of the needle as a knife:
(the edges of the tip are very sharp)

 

 

 

The best way to get better is to start by carving slowly and correctly.  If you rush the carving, you'll start to develop bad habits.  If you always take your time and use good habits, the speed will develop naturally though practice.  Carving can be very "Zen-like" if you relax, have patience and have fun.  Carve images you love.

Good Luck with the carving! But beware, it's addicting!

Chris Puls

 

 

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Copyright 2006 Chris Puls
Last revised: April 09, 2006 .
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