With so many different black ink pads at our disposal, deciding which is the best option for a project can get a little confusing. Let’s shed some light into this black situation by examining each one of these inks individually and identify what their strengths and purposes are so you’ll never have to second-guess yourself again.
Before getting started, let’s identify all of the players.
- Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad
- Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad
- Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad
- Black Exclusive Inks™ Pigment Pad
- Black StazOn™ Ink Pad
All of the black Exclusive Inks™ stamp and pigment pads come in a sleek patented case. The innovative case features an in-lid stamp pad, keeping the ink at the surface and ready to use, as well as a convenient magnetic closure. The raised pads are approximately 3¾” x 2½”, making them larger than average and more versatile.
Although they are very similar in appearance, and are all technically black, each ink is formulated from scratch to produce unique stamping results. We discussed these inks and how to use them with our very talented Art Studio and came up with the following:
1. BLACK EXCLUSIVE INKS™ STAMP PAD
The Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad is a water-based dye ink. Our artists like using it for stamping sentiments and other images that will not be colored over with markers or watercolor. It is ideal for cardmaking, tags, and other everyday uses.
2. ARCHIVAL BLACK EXCLUSIVE INKS™ STAMP PAD
The Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad has the deepest black ink out of all our black inks. It is a solvent-based permanent ink. Waterproof, lightfast, fade-proof, and archival. We recommend using this ink for scrapbook pages and for stamping on vellum. Archival Black is ideal for stamping images and sentiments with staying power.
3. INTENSE BLACK EXCLUSIVE INKS™ STAMP PAD
The Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad is intense not because of its color but because it is a non-smearing, fast-drying, solvent-based permanent ink. Like its Archival Black counterpart, the Intense Black ink is also waterproof and archival. If you want to add color with watercolor or alcohol markers, however, Intense Black is the way to go.
4. BLACK EXCLUSIVE INKS™ PIGMENT PAD
Next, there’s the Black Exclusive Inks™ Pigment Pad. The major difference between this ink and the others is that it is a pigment-based ink. Pigment inks dry permanently on porous surfaces after heat-setting. It takes a little more work to use a pigment ink, but the results are definitely worth it! We recommend adding clear embossing powder to your stamped images, and heat setting them with a Heat Tool, to create beautiful glossy raised images and sentiments.
5. BLACK STAYZON™ INK PAD
Last, and certainly not least, is the Black StazOn™ Ink Pad. This pad offers a fast-drying solvent-based ink designed specifically for use on plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, laminated paper, coated paper, leather, and other non-porous surfaces. Even though this ink is technically “fast-drying,” it can be wiped off a truly non-porous surface within minutes after it is applied, using a Stamp Shammy and StazOn™ Cleaner. This is great to keep in mind because the majority of non-porous surfaces tend to be slippery and can be difficult to stamp with accuracy. Once the ink completely sets, however, it will yield permanent results. (So, make sure to keep that Stamp Shammy nearby! 😉 )
We want you to be able to take all of this information with you wherever your stamping takes you, so we’ve created the following chart, including photos of our artwork examples, for you to download and print.
Download US/CA version, here.
Download AU/NZ version, here.
We even left enough space in an empty second column for you to stamp a solid heart and outline from the My Acrylix® Erin’s Hand Stamp Set using the individual inks to have real visual examples. (Clear Super Fine Embossing Powder was added to our Black pigment ink and heat set in order to create the glossy raised images shown.)
With this quick and simple breakdown, we hope you will make all of your future black ink decisions with clarity and confidence! Please let us know in the comments below if you found this blog post helpful today. Happy stamping! <3
Recipes:
4¼” x 5½” Happy Birthday Card (Vertical)
C1782 My Acrylix® Party Balloons Stamp Set, X7245B Craft On Paper Packet, X6028 Black Cardstock, X6027 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2812 Raspberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4221 Mink Twine, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape
12″ x 12″ Memories Saved Page
D1848 My Acrylix® Craft On—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X7245B Craft On Paper Packet, X6008 Lemon Cardstock, X5984 Pixie Cardstock, X6027 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7248 Craft On Picutre My Life™ Cards, Z4059 Crafty Loose Sequins, Z4057 Craft On Rubber Shapes, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z341 Glue Dots® Mini Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape
4¼” x 5½” Thinking of You Card (Vertical)
C1794 My Acrylix Floral Delivery Stamp Set, X7246B Sweet Girl Paper Packet, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X6022 Smoothie Cardstock, X6027 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4243 Watercolor Paper Pad, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z341 Glue Dots® Mini Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape
12¾” x 8¾” Welcome Home Frame
E1043 My Acrylix® Solid Classroom Alphabet Stamp Set, X5994 Ballerina Cardstock, X6016 Pixie Cardstock, X6018 Raspberry Cardstock, Z8000 Black Exclusive Inks™ Pigment Pad, Z4057 Craft On Rubber Shapes, Z2088 Clear Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z341 Glue Dots® Mini Dots, Z3503 Cricut® Artbooking Digital Collection, Cricut® You Are Here Collection
Cricut® Shapes:
Artbooking
1¼” #M4235A
You Are Here
1¼” #M282C66F
5″ x 7″ Bride & Groom Frame
D1849 My Acrylix® True Love—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X6003 Fern Cardstock, X5988 Peach Cardstock, X6016 Pixie Cardstock, X5993 Sage Cardstock, Z888 Black StazOn™ Ink Pad, Z4059 Crafty Loose Sequins, Z4064 Stitched Flowers Thin Cuts, Z341 Glue Dots® Mini Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Die-cutting Machine
This is an awesome source of information….and Thank You Thank You for providing readers a downloadable chart so that this info can always be close at hand. This has opened my eyes about the different ‘black’ inks that I was unaware of……..just so helpful. Thanks again!
OMG!!! Thank you thank you thank you. This is the best. I cannot tell you how many times I have asked, received answers and then need to go searching for the answers I received on the difference in our black ink. Did I say thank you!? Thank you!!!! I am printing this, saving a copy, sharing it. Thanks again!!!
This was very helpful. Thank you, Karen
Great, helpful post. Really like the download chart.
Perfect explanation of the black inks. The printed reference will be used at every demo I do ….another of many reasons I love love love this company!!!!
Yes! I needed this so badly. Thanks for putting together such a detailed list and printable!
This was very helpful! I didn’t know the difference in several of those! Thanks!
Thank you so much for the info! I knew there were specific reasons for each black color but now I have a great little chart to refer back to 🙂
Wow thank you SO much for educational black ink teaching… and especially for printable reminder!!
This is brilliant! Will definitely be printing out to keep close at hand. Thank you CTMH 💜
I knew some of the differences between the the black inks, have now learnt some more about the black inks and the chart is excellent. Thank you!
What are the recommendations for cleaning the stamp after using the different types if inks? I use the old scrubber system and I’ve tried the shimmy. Even with Stazon cleaner they still have ink on them. Pigment ink is the worst!!