Stamp carving

I carved a few stamps this weekend. Carving is so relaxing to me!

Large pattern stamp

Somehow I thought I could turn this stamp so that all the patterns would match. Either it can't be done or I can't figure it out. I am spatially impaired so it's not surprising! This was easy to carve. I freehand drew the pattern on a piece of pink carving material that I had around. It carved beautifully, so I need to head out with my Michaels coupon and see if I can find it there.

Smaller stamps

These smaller stamps were a pain in the neck to carve. Not because they were small but because the material crumbled as I worked, leaving irregular edges. It is a creamy color, but I don't know what kind it is. I especially like the spiral and the second one in the right column.

 Julie Fei Fan Balzer has a new book out, Carve Stamp Play: Designing and Creating Custom Stamps, and I have added it to my book wish list. (I linked my wish list on amazon, just in case anyone is searching for the right gift for me. Just saying')

My next projects are another luna moth stamp, about half the size of the first one, and a moon gazing hares. There seems to be a moon theme emerging here. Hmmmm.

I love comments! Feel free ...

Luna moth ghost prints

After I stamped my newly-handcarved luna moth stamp in my Images art journal, there was still plenty of ink left on the stamp. I made a ghost print on a piece of scrapbook paper ...

First ghost print -- scrapbook paper

And I made another ghost print on the back page of the journal …

Second ghost print -- journal page

I was using a brand new ink pad (Stazon Teal Blue) and I really smacked in on the stamp, otherwise I would not have got two such clear images.

Luminarte has a new color in their Silks Acrylics Glazes line called "Moss Green". It looks pretty close to a luna moth color, but it's a glaze. Still looking for an opaque option.

Find some time today to do a little something creative and nourish your spirit; you deserve it.

Carving a luna moth stamp

I have had this stamp material with a luna moth drawn on it since April, when I attended Pamela Underwood's "Living with Images as Companions" workshop at her beautiful Turtle Crow Studio in Austin. I finally decided to tackle carving, and learned two (probably more) things.

1 -- It's not that hard and it does not take very long. I spent a total of 45 minutes carving it.

2 -- It's going to take some practice to develop this skill.

3 -- I could get into this! Carving is relaxing and meditative. I listened to Ray Montagne on Pandora and got into my zone.

I am satisfied with the stamp, but it has lots of warts that don't show up well in the photo. Curves are tricky. Removing stamp material cleanly from the edges of the image takes concentration and practice.

Mostly finished

Finished stamp with a few pen details -- stamp pad was a bit dried out.

Now to figure out where to get a luna-moth-green stamp pad. Any ideas?

Update: Someone asked me how I will stabilize this stamp. I don't plan to stabilize it -- I place it flat on a table and ink it, then place the paper on the stamp. It's about 6" tall, and storing a block of wood or piece of foam core that large would take lots of space.