Tool Time – Versamark Pad and Marker

What would I do without my Versamark Pad and Versamark Marker?   If you follow my tutorials you know that I love to use the Emboss resist technique.  Versamark is the main ingredient for heat embossing images when using Dye Based inks.  Dye based inks are thin in nature so they need something added that will help the embossing powder stick.  Versamark is definitely the stuff to make it stick.

Note:  To heat emboss with Dye based inks, load your stamp with Versamark and then load the stamp with ink before stamping.  Then you are able to add your embossing powder and heat with your heat gun.  Your image will now resist ink.

Note 2:  You can also stamp your image with ink, color it with markers and then color over it with a Versamark Marker and then heat emboss your image with clear embossing powder and a heat gun.  Your image will now resist ink.  I use this method a lot in my tutorials, love it!  

Tip 1, when coloring over your image with a Versamark marker, start coloring on the lightest parts of your image and work to the darker areas.  I clean the tip of my marker during this process a lot just by coloring on a scrap piece of paper. 

Tip 2, don’t worry when you are coloring over an image and the Versamark looks like it is drying on your card-stock.  Even though it looks dry it still contains it’s stickiness properties and your embossing powder will stick fine.

Here is a picture of my two Versamark pads.  I keep one Versamark pad (the clean one) just for stamping with Versamark alone.  When you stamp with Versamark by itself it makes a watermark looking image of the stamp on your card stock.  In other words, the stamped image will be a little bit darker in color than your card-stock.

I also keep a pad to use with inks (the yucky looking one on the left).  I use this pad when I am loading my stamp with Versamark and then loading it with ink before stamping.  I’m not real good at cleaning my stamp between stamping multiple images that I want to heat emboss.  🙂  Looks pretty bad, but still works fine.  🙂

I’ve been asked over and over if loading the stamp with Versamark and then loading it with ink will harm you ink pads.  I have not seen any ill effects on my ink pads and I have been using this method for around 2 years.

Also, I don’t try to refill my Versamark pads and markers, I just by new ones.  I know there are methods for refilling them, but I chose not to.  I don’t use my clean looking pad much so I start using it with inks and use the brand new one for watermarking alone.    The tip of my marker usually looks pretty ratty after a while.  So I just buy a new one and throw the old one away. 

Furthermore, I don’t own stock in Versamark, I just love this product!

Here is a link to my tutorials if you would like to check out how I use Versamark in the majority of them:   https://zindorf.splitcoaststampers.com/tutorials-ive-written/

I hope you have found this information on Versamark helpful.

Emboss resist on fellow stampers!!!!!

Until my next post. . . . . . . . . . .

Hugs,

Michelle