Think Ink
by Maria Nerius, Craft Concierge

• Acid Free Ink: Some inks are labeled as acid-free, meaning the ink is safe for scrapbooking.
• Alcohol Ink: This ink is alcohol-based rather than water-based. Often used straight from the bottle onto glossy surfaces in art techniques.
• All or Multi-Purpose Ink: Inks that act as both a dye and a pigment ink.
• Archival Quality Ink: Acid free and photo safe. This is the ink to use in memory albums and scrapbooks.
• Dye Ink: Water-based and solvent-based are available. Dye ink dries quickly and cannot to be used with embossing powders. Works well on coated papers and porous surfaces but tends to run or bleed on highly absorbent papers. Dye inks are transparent and will fade over time.
• Disappearing Ink: This ink is usually tinted with a pink or blue hue and can be used to stamp or draw an image to use as a guide or pattern that can be embellished. The ink will “disappear” when water is used to dampen the ink or some disappearing inks fade out over time as the ink evaporates.
• Chalk Ink: Dye ink that appears chalky when dry; must heat set.
• Embossing Ink: Clear or slightly tinted. This ink is used specifically with embossing powders that are melted with heat setting the ink.
• Fabric Ink: Designed to help create a permanent image on fabrics. You must heat set this ink for permanency.
• Inkpad: Felt or foam, square, rectangular, or pie slice, this holds the ink with an airtight lid.
• Kid’s Inks: Made to be washable and non-toxic for extra safety when stamping with children.
• Metal Ink: Can be used on most non-porous surfaces (metal, glass) with permanent quality.
• Metallic Ink: Usually a pigment ink that has shiny or metallic hue.
• Permanent Ink: Water-soluble or solvent-based are available. This ink dries by evaporation not by absorption like dye or pigment ink. Stamps must be cleaned immediately with solvent when using solvent-based permanent inks. Once dry this ink will not smear.  Sometimes referred to as watercolor ink, since the liquid used when watercoloring will not cause it to smudge.
• Pigment Ink: Water-based and solvent-based available. This ink is thicker than dye inks. Very slow to dry and excellent for embossing. Works best on uncoated paper. Will not fade if embossed. Most pigment inks are opaque.
• Re-inker: Bottle of ink used to re-ink an inkpad, but often used straight from the bottle in techniques without the pad.
• Resist Ink: Clear ink that once dry or heat set can be chalked, powdered and inked, but will resist any of these materials, leaving a clear image.  Used for batik effect.
• Shadow or Distressed Ink: Pale or antique hues of transparent dye ink for shadow stamping or sponging.
• Transfer Ink: Used to transfer images from one surface to another.
• Watercolor Ink: This ink is used when water or watercolors are going to be added to an inked image. This ink dries quickly and will not bleed.
• Sealer or Finish: Not an ink, but a paint medium, this is used to seal ink on a surface or seal the surface before inking to prevent bleeding. A sealer is also used to protect the inked surface.
• Other “Inks”: Other media used in stamping, such as acrylic paints and glazes.