Types Of Ink Pads And Their Purpose Of Uses: Explained easy!
Want to stamp something on fabric? Create a design on paper? Or handcraft the lettering of a signboard? For any of that – you use ink pads. They’re the most valuable item for this kind of job.
Yet, you may don’t know that there are many types of ink pads, with each kind being useful for a specific purpose.
Here, we’re going to teach you about the different types available and how each may help you out, depending on what you’re looking for.
So, are you ready to learn how the different ink kinds may or not help you out? Then read on!
What Are The Different Types Of Ink Pads?
There are tons of ink pads available in the market. But choosing the ideal one is mostly about knowing what you’re using it for.
Here we explain how each type works and how you can get the most out of it:
Dye Ink Pad
Probably the most common and popular – the dye ink pad. You can find this one almost anywhere, and it works wonders on practically any surface.
However, you’re more likely to use dye-based ink pads on paper than anything else. They’re super soft and smooth, and provide a wide array of colors you may not have the time to choose from when needed.
Some dye ink pads come in linen surfaces, and others come in sponges. There are tons of sub-types in dye inks to choose from. Luckily, they’re all pretty easy to use and will leave a mark almost anywhere.
The main advantage of dye ink pads is how good they look on different surfaces. And their disadvantage is how easy they wear off with sunlight exposure, water, or time.
Water-Based Dye Ink Pad
If you’re a fan of stamping, then you’ll love the water-based dye ink pads. These come with a more transparent color than standard dye pads, yet they offer the chance to mark slightly on almost any surface – mainly paper.
If you use water-based dye ink pads on cardstock, you’ll see how amazing they are. But they still work better on light and white colors – as they’re transparent and somewhat tricky to mark.
Another advantage is how easy they are to use. You can spread them around more efficiently than any other ink type. At the same time, they wear off fast and tend to bleed if you use too much.
Distress Ink Pads
You could also say distress pads are water-based ink pads, but they offer a slightly slower drying process. At the same time, they mix amazingly well with water and other distress inks – making it easy to create unique effects when needed.
The main advantage of distress ink pads is their ability to emboss stuff. While you can’t do this with standard water-based pads, distress inks do offer this chance which makes them more practical.
Waterproof Dye Ink Pads
In case you want something that’s utterly resistant to moisture, then you want to avoid water-based inks and distress inks. Instead, you will go for waterproof dye inks.
For making any type of stamping or embossing that you don’t want bleeding or smearing, this type of pad works like no other. However, they’re harder to remove and clean, so making a mistake with waterproof dye ink can be final. And it gets worse when you consider how fast they dry.
Luckily, they are the most durable and resilient type of ink you will find. So there are tons of different things you can do with them that other ink pads can’t handle.
Pigment Ink Pads
If you find dye inks a little thinner than you need, then you can always use pigment ink pads. What sets them apart is the glycerine base, adding the extra thickness and color richness. This also makes the water and fade resistance, plus somewhat more durable than standard dye pads.
At the same time, you won’t find them in linen pads but in sponge foam pads. That makes them easier to use and dries them up faster as well. Sadly, it empties out faster, so you’ll have to refill ink pads more consistently than any other.
The primary pigment ink pads use is stamping, but they also work wonderfully for embossing. They work well on card stock and similar surfaces, so you have tons of different applications for this type of ink pad.
Hybrid Ink Pads
You liked the convenience of dye pads and the strength of pigment pads. In that case, the best option for you would be a hybrid ink pad.
It combines the properties of dye and pigment pads, working on a wide array of surfaces, yet offering the chance to clean up easily. At the same time, they offer a richer color than typical dye ink, but slightly more transparent than pigment ones.
You can use these anywhere. But they work exceptionally well for stamping on card stock.
Solvent Ink Pads
For those who want the most practical type of ink, solvent will do the job. This kind of pad adheres to almost any surface, including plastic, metal, glass, and even wood. It sticks amazingly well and provides a permanent result in most jobs.
You won’t find solvent ink pads ideal for fabrics that need constant cleaning. But it still works amazingly well anywhere else. Especially with the usual transparent colors, then solvent ink pads become a go-to choice for almost any stamping or embossing enthusiast.
Chalk Ink Pads
You could say chalk ink pads work just like pigment inks but provide a more porous finish. That means you won’t get the usual smoothness than pigment pads offer – but something chalkier.
These types of pads are not as popular as pigment or dye-based inks, yet they’re still pretty useful for anyone who wants to make durable and unique-looking designs.
What truly sets chalk pads apart is the durability they offer. You can find them resistant to smearing, fading, and even moisture. And sure enough, they leave a unique chalky finish behind that looks fantastic on almost any material.
Specialty Inks
Among the different types of ink pads, specialty inks are probably the most varied of all. You can find these like embossing inks –specially made for embossing. Then you can discover watermark ink pads, which leave a watermark on card stock and allow transparent designs.
Glue ink pads provide excellent stamping capacity with their adhesive. And glittery ink pads combine the adhesiveness of glue pads with a shiny set of particles for unique designs.
You can use specialty inks for specific purposes that other ink pads don’t offer. This increases their versatility but makes them less useful for general use.
Conclusion
As you can see – there are so many types of ink pads that it can be pretty difficult trying to pick the ideal one.
Luckily, you have enough options to pick from – so it shouldn’t be much of a problem. Just make sure it is something that matches what you need, and that will be enough.
