Hey everyone! In today’s Quick Tip Tuesday, I’m sharing a reel featuring two of my handmade foam stamps working across multiple layers.
I often get comments from people saying their foam stamps don’t seem to lift nearly as much paint off the gel plate as mine do. A few things can make a difference:
- Keep your paint layer thin. If the paint is too thick, the stamp won’t lift enough paint to leave a clear impression.
- Offload excess paint first. I often stamp into the wet paint, then onto a scrap piece of paper, before coming back to the plate. That helps remove excess paint and gives a cleaner impression.
- Press firmly, but don’t rock. A straight, confident press gives cleaner results. Rocking can smear the edges and behave unpredictably.
- Stamp condition can matter. Older foam stamps may not always lift as crisply as newer ones… although one of the stamps in this reel is one of the very first ones I ever made, so age isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker.
One important thing to keep in mind: foam stamps aren’t meant to behave like masks or stencils. They usually leave some paint behind, and that leftover texture is part of the charm.
In this particular print, the layering created some really beautiful neutrals using Light Green Permanent, Prism Violet, and Transparent Red - in that order. (All from Liquitex Basics) Different color combinations will behave differently, of course, but this one created some especially lovely surprises.
Have you had better luck with foam stamps when your paint is thinner? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you.
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