Ink Comparison

While I'm at it I thought I would show you the difference between some of the inks available through Kaszazz.

ANCIENT PAGE

Ancient Page is a dye ink. It is light-fast (won't fade), permanent, waterproof (excellent for using when watercolouring images), and acid free. It is available as ink pads and also as cartridges to use in the Rollagraph and Jumbo Rollagraph handles. It stamps an evenly coloured, bold, solid image. Because it is a permanent ink, it can be a bit difficult to clean off rubber stamps, but Ancient Page also makes a stamp cleaning pad that will get rid of any stains. The dense foam pad is raised well above the plastic casing to ensure an evenly coated stamp with minimal effort. Stamp pads are available in a full size $8.95 or mini pad $5.95 as well as combination colours (8 in each) in a petal point shape $37.95. Each colour has a refill bottle available too.

VIVID!

Vivid! is an acid free dye ink also. It is water soluble, slightly transparent and fast-drying. It creates great bold stamped images but can not be used when watercolouring or using any liquids (e.g. mini-mister) as it will bleed on the paper. Like the Ancient Page inks, the dense foam pad is raised well above the casing to ensure it is easy to coat the stamp. The Vivid! inks are available in a full sized pad $9.95 as well as a mini $5.95. Re-inker bottles are available for each colour.

Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK

Distress Ink is acid free and a unique blend of water-based dye ink. Because they are a dye ink they soak into the paper and give a realistic aged/weathered look. The pad had a raised felt surface so you can use them direct to paper, or ink up a blending tool to colour the paper. These inks are usually talked about when blending (one or multiple colours together) but they do stamp equally well. The more ink you add, the deeper/brighter the colour. When the ink sits on the rubber stamp it tends to bead a little, meaning you don't get an evenly coloured image - however that is what these inks were developed for. They will bleed and blend when misted with water and a range of techniques can be used with these to give subtle, bold, smooth or mottled effects depending on how they are applied and treated. These inks come in the range of colours that match the re-inker bottles, embossing powders and distress stickles to ensure each element compliments each other. The pads come in a 2" square (casing is 3" square) $11.95.

COLORBOX INK

These are an acid free pigment ink, which unlike a dye ink which is absorbed into the paper, pigment inks sit on top of the paper. They are a thick, opaque ink with the colour pigments (tiny particles) suspended in the ink. I don't have any of these inks, so I can't comment on how they stamp (as well as not having a photos). The Colorbox inks are available as a mini sized pad $6.50, cat's eye $4.45, in metallics ($7.95 and $4.95 respectively), and in a paintbox (12 colours in each) $35.95.

COLORBOX FLUID CHALK

Colorbox Fluid Chalk inks are a blended ink. They give the visual appearance of a chalk/pastel finish in a fast drying archival quality ink (will last in your albums and are acid free). The ink gives a matt finish to the stamped image, and blurs the outline slightly to give a soft effect. These inks are one of my most used inks because I just love the finish they give. The pad is made of foam and is raised well above the casing for easy application to the stamp. The pads come in a full size $10.95, mini $6.45, cat's eye $3.95, as part of a combination of colours (5 in each) stacked queue $21.95, cat's eye set (5 colours + stylus) $22.95 or in an option pad (8 colours in each) $37.95. Refill bottles are available for each colour.