Using my home made rubber stamp for butterfly wings on dichro

I finally found my staz on stamp pad and got out my rubber stamp that I made

I want to stamp onto my dichro and then etch it

so far stamped

I will let dry and then cut down so I dont waste much of the dichro and I can use the scrap elsewhere 

I have to find my etching materials  then I can see how it will come out 

I want a lot of the dichro to show through but think that my dots a bit close  - but we will see 

WISHING EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas Everyone !

Still playing with Theresa Collins stamp maker

I thought I would give another try to the stamp maker as it goes so quickly and time over the next few days is slim to none.   I have updated the tutorial but I thought I would do a separate note just to show what I did today.

I took the negative and a sharpie and made my lines thicker ( the open space for the larger areas was letting more light in and the lines did not come out as thick as I would like in the stamp so this was a quick fix )

I went through the process and got a really good stamp

Now this was my second try- cant wait to try it out and prep some glass for etching and cutting 

On the first try I thought I remembered the times 

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS 

On the first try I exposed the back for 30 seconds instead of 3 seconds and the front the 3 minutes 

what I got was an almost exposed stamp 

very minimal impression - you can still see it but it was nearly all solid stamp 

On the second that worked out well I still must have not given it the right amount but it all worked

the 3 seconds are supposed to  be a flash exposure  to give a thin background to the stamp 

It worked but you can see some areas that the backing of the film that the stamp material sticks too shows through (shiny) 

Making your own Custom Rubber Stamps with the Theresa Collins Stamp Maker

Using the Theresa Collins Stamp Maker
Rev Date:  Dec. 23, 2012

Goal - make my own stamps easily

History:  I have made my own stamps in the past - had to make my own magnetic frames to hold the liquid polymer  which was not too bad once I had them all set up - three sizes - small, med and large and created an area that I had uv lights set up - This came in small bottles that you pour and then expose to the uv lights.

http://www.granthams.com/page2.html
I have a lot left  ( bought the big box shown above ) so with the little exposure unit I might use it up as well

Step 1
The first thing you have to do is prepare your artwork
I used photoshop  - I created my wing  - A right and left -   you only have to create one and then mirror it
because I want more dichro to show through I want the white areas to be the actual stamp that will leave the resist. .

 I consolidated them onto one image and saved . 

 I thought if I do two on the image I dont waste space on the stamp - then I can cut my dichro as a square and stamp two wings at a time

 I installed software that came with the kit that sizes it properly for the  kit frame to process  - There are three sizes A6,  A7, A8  (this is a european product so the weird sizing)   - being Small Medium and Large- which is great - you get three sizes to choose from- from one image .  Medium is perfect for my pendants (just under 2") and the small is perfect for my earrings I want to make. I did have to go back and forth with photoshop till I had the placement of the image just right.

Its says you should use an inkjet but I have found I like the toner better and in my past work found something that makes your acetates using toner black and non transparent. (I list this below)

For my first run I chose the medium  size image and printed it onto the acetate sheet  (A7) -

I tilted it so you can see a bit through the black and you need really solid black so the light does not permeate the film and harden the resin.

To ensure a solid black background and lines I use something called  Casey's Ultra Black

I used this with regular acetate (which I will try with these as well later ) for my screen printing when I used to burn screens for glass silk screening 

makes the toner blacker and ensure there are no white spots . The image came out beautifully. You see a solid black background and really black defined lines

dries in minutes  (this shows the image trimmed to size )  I sprayed when it was a full sheet (so I wasted some acetate)  but next time I'll trim down and spray the smaller piece only 

Why do you need a black background:  the purpose is so the uv light only hardens the material that is in the clear areas - so your mindset is that anything that is not black will harden - anyting under the black will stay liquid.

I followed the instructions
I got out the frame and opened it up

Therse frames have magnets to keep them together while processing 

I places image ink side up in a well/depression in one of the frames

place a sachet (stamp) with printing face up (so much easier - no mixing or leaking, or mess ) ,

Picture to follow

 put on the cover (magnetic tray),

Picture to follow

pushed a bit on the top to ensure sache pushed to edges (in my case it did not care as my image was all center and the edges were going to be washed away )

turned on the exposure unit -

Placed tray face up as assembled into the exposer unit  for 3 seconds,

then flipped  over for 3 minutes

turned off unit, pulled tray out  opened tray,

taking the sache out and putting the acetate image and tray to the side - I  trimmed the edges of the sache with scissors, peeled the loose plastic top away (was a bit messy as the area that was covered with the black background was still liquid) ,

applied dish soap to the sache and used the little brush to wash away the material.  Was pretty easy

Once I finished cleaning - it was still sort of pink (the color of the sache)   I put in a little water  tray (provided) with 1/4" of water and turned on exposure unit and left it face up for 2 minutes

- took out and dried.

I really had no negative things to say about the kit other than the little plastic water  tray was broken  but I can go to the dollar store and find something that will work - so no end of the world problems

I think I need to make the lines on the wing thicker as they are there in the stamp but really not too deep -

I'll have to do a stamping test to see if I really need to change it -   but that will follow - I'll update this as I go along

I took my negative and a sharpie and made the lines on wings to make them wider so that I could get a better definition

Looks thick but because all around is more open than the smaller areas the light shines through more so  I wanted a more defined line - bust as always play and test 

The results were amazing and very happy with them - the thicker line was the way to go  was more defined so that when I stamp I'll get more resist onto the dicro with a more defined line for etching.

Stampmaker -My new toy has arrived

It came in the mail yesterday - I have not  had a chance to open or read the instructions as yet
I got as far as taking it out of its  plain brown shipping box - lovely presentation box.

I want to sit and read what I need to do and then make my own stamp - the one I really want is a butterfly wing for stamping resist onto my dichro wings ,  so I'll do a step by step so everyone can see how easy it will be to make your own stamps
I cant wait to start .

Waiting for Stampmaker

Just waiting for my  Teresa Collins Stampmaker  to come - this is one I stayed up all night to get 50% off and there happened to be a glitch  - but I did get one - should be coming any time as I think they shipped on Dec 8  -   so now I want to think about what patterns to make - I did by some of the daylight packs with the intent of making butterfly wings for stamping on my dichro for etching to make it easier as I do them by hand

right now typing without a splint and boy does it hurt but if I dont use it the wrist is never going to be better

Playing with Big Kick

I still cant do too much with my hand but I keep trying to use it - especially scissors are hard

I brought the big kick back into the house  

to try out since my copper was sitting and starring me in the eye on the kitchen table

I cut a strip of copper (no wider than the pattern folders

  and drew a couple of hearts free hand

 and used some basic fiskars scissors


rather than the metal shears (which can be used as well)   and they worked just fine on the 24g - My hand was not too  bad at all - hurt alittle but the more I do the better it will get - need to get the muscles back into shape

following the instructions (which are quite simple and very clearly written on the actual machine base) I was able to run them through

I am very impressed with the impressions made - this is not etching but embossing the metal 

very fun and simple 

the 24g is really  good to work with - I like the ability to cut the metal easily with scissors 

I dont have the dapping block in the house and I may take a trip up just to do them and give them some 3d effect but other wise this is a good tool that I have added to my workshop  and would recommend it  

the pricing is reasonable for the big kick  and the patterns you can collect one at a time 

I have certain ones and want to get a few more that I have my eye on but the actual store did not have them so I'll have to order on line 

I want to try even thinner foils with this  such as aluminum and brass (you can get these at the craft store ) 

unfortunately being sick and broken wrist have halted me bringing in stuff to work with in the house during the winter (I at least got my liquids that would freeze into the house )  

I want to work more with this equipment 

Craft Store Crawl - Feel Like crawling

Wow - I am tired - wiped out from my travels today

Had to get gas

stop at my local co-op for rabbit food

then  I hit Tuckers Pottery  by 9am and picked up some glazes and clay as I want to make some beads and pendants.

Then hit BeadFx and dropped off some copper sheet for a friend to pick up and grabbed one of the vintag folders  and a few other things.

Then I made it to Tandy leather where I grabbed a couple of items - (those cool punches )
 bit did not get the conchos with gears  - they had moving parts and if I wanted to use my silicone molding material it would get stuck so I held off - but found three designs I really liked (use the silcone and then when metal clay or clay is dry cut out centers) good sizes for pendant and earrings
1"   1.5" 1.5 x 7/8"
then I could put a bead or glass center in

from Tandy I was off to Lee Valley - where it was packed and I really didnt see anything I wanted - but I have to check out classes for more pen turning

by this time it was 12:30 and decided to go to Lonestar for lunch

after lunch I went to Desserres  where I was able to pick up a few craft things for my older granddaughter for christmas

then I ended my day by visiting Macmillan orchards (frozen foods)  and then made my way home  (hour drive)

Of course once home I had to bring everything in and collapse