Tutorial on-10 Easy Steps for Making Your Own Inexpensive Stamps for Mixed Media Art

If you do not have many stamps in your personal art stash or ones with the right image, no need to fret.  I have been experimenting with making my own stamps to use not only for Mixed Media pieces but for my Card Making.

Here are the steps to make your own Fun Foam Stamps.

Material:
Graphite Pencil
Very Sharp Exacto Knife
Surgical Scissors (optional)
Cutting Board
Liquid Roll On Glue
8" x 10" 1/4" Plexiglass cut down in half or quarter pieces or Foam Core Board (Scrap)
A simple outline drawing of the Stamp Image traced in Black Pen
Tracing Paper
2-Sheets Fun Foam (1-light color and 1-darker color)

1)  Make a simple outline drawing of the image you want to make into a stamp.

2)  Trace the Image by REVERSING the drawing.  

3)  Place the drawing either on top of a light table or place and tape onto a window.  Now tape a sheet of Tracing Paper on the Image and Trace over with the Graphite Pencil. 

4) Take the Tracing Paper and place directly on top of the Light Colored Fun Foam.  Rub your finger nail gently over the Transfer Paper Image.  This should transfer the Graphite Pencil to the Fun Foam.  Check the Fun Foam Image before removing the Transfer Paper.

5)  Carefully Cut Out the Fun Foam around the Outside of the Image.  Then Use your Exacto Knife and make Light cuts into the Fun Foam where you want details of the drawn image to show on the Stamp.  Like the veins of the leaves or details in the flower petals.

6)  Now Use the Liquid Glue and adhere to the Darker Fun Foam sheet.

7)  Once the Glue is throughly dry, cut away any excess Fun Foam.  Then Use your Glue and adhere to the Piece of Plexiglass.  I was able to buy my piece at a Home Improvement store.  They even cut the sheet into half or quarter pieces for free.  I like the plexiglass over the Foam Core Board because it allows you to see where to place the stamp onto the paper.

8)  Let the glue throughly dry.  Now it is time to test your new stamp.  I used different colored chalk stamp ink on this test.

9)  Place the stamp on a sheet of paper.  Press firmly and completely around the stamp image before picking up the Plexiglass.

10)  Once the image is satisfactory, then it is time to finish coloring in the image.  I used Colored Pencil on this stamp.  

I then made The Clementis Flower image the focal point of this Birthday Greeting Card.

HELPFUL HINTS:  If you are not comfortable drawing freehand, you can always use a coloring book page for an image.  

UR-TURN:  Share any helpful tips or tricks you may have found not mentioned here.  Also, what were your favorite images?

Until Next Time.

Many Blessings,