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Sometimes knowing what coloring tool to use can be a bit confusing. At Stampin’ Up! we have a multitude of coloring choices and tools. Here is a handy guide to tell you what each kind is and how best to use them.

Water Based Dye Inks

Our Classic Stampin’ Pad

These inks are great for stamping techniques and can be used to watercolor by pressing the pads onto a nonporous surface then picking up the ink with an Aqua Painter over images stamped in a non-water based ink like Stazon. These inks are great for stamping on card stock but will generally not stamp well on other surfaces. With their transparent colors, they work best on white and light color card stocks. They dry quickly so are not good for embossing.

Ink Refillers

This is the same ink in our classic stampin’ pads above. They are for reinking the stampin’ pads however there are a multiple of other uses for them. Put some drops in a water or alcohol filled spritzer or add drops on a painter’s palette and use with aqua painter. Just search Stampin’ Reinker on Pinterest for a bazillion ideas.

Write Markers

Filled with the same ink as the stampin’ pads these markers have a flexible brush tip for painting or brush lettering and 0.5 mm fine tip for writing and to add small details.

Non-Water Based Colors

Archival Ink (Stazon)

permanent solvent ink, making them the obvious choice for watercoloring techniques. Can be used on many surfaces and not rub off such as plastic, metal, shrink plastic, rubber, leather, polymer clay, laminated paper, coated paper, uncoated paper, photo, glass, porcelain, terracotta, cellophane

Stampin Blends

Alcohol based markers Unlike water based markers the Stampin’ Blends can be blended together to create a gradient between the shades thus creating shadow and highlighted areas in the image. By applying a darker shade of a color to a lighter shade of the same color and using the tip of the markers to mix the two together, a colorist can achieve a smooth blend between the lightest and darkest colors in the grouping.

Watercolor Pencils (my favorite)

These pencils have a medium that give the artist the best of both worlds of painting and drawing. They are similar to colored pencils but behave differently when water is added. This is because colored pencil pigment is held by a waxy or oil-based binder, while watercolor pencils have a water-soluble binder.

Brusho Crystals

These are a dry powder based medium. They are amazingly versatile watercolor ink crystals that can be used in a myriad of different ways. Totally intermixable, Brusho Crystal Colours can be used on paper, canvas, or even wood. Sprinkle them directly on a wet surface and watch intriguing organic patterns appear almost like magic. Or sprinkle Brusho Colours on a wet brush, painting knife, or texture tool to create a variety of gorgeous effects. You can dissolve them in water and apply them with a spray bottle, or add them to embossing paste for colored texture.

Versa Mark

Create tone-on-tone or watermark effects. This ink appears a few shades darker than the cardstock it’s stamped on. It’s perfect for resist stamping and heat embossing. Use with Heat Tool to adhere Stampin’ Emboss Powder to stamped images.

Embossing Powder

Turn stamped images into a glossy raised designs. Just stamp image with VersaMark Pad, sprinkle powder over design then use the Heat Tool to melt the powder.

Coloring Tool

Aqua Painter

No need for a brush and cup of water –Aqua Painters hold liquid for easy watercoloring.

Blender Pen

Combine the flexibility of watercolors with the convenience of markers. These dual-tipped pens are filled with specialized solution to blend ink easily. Use with Watercolor Paper or Shimmery White Cardstock and Classic Stampin’ Ink. The tip cleans off with just a stroke or two on scrap paper, so you don’t need a different pen for each color.

Color Lifter