Rubber stamp fonts are a versatile tool for anyone interested in card making and other paper crafts.
Available Font Choices
Alphabet rubber stamp sets come in a variety of font choices. For example:
- Serif: Serif fonts are fonts that have small architectural details on the edges of the letters. Times New Roman is a serif font.
- Sans-serif: Sans-serif fonts are plain block letters with no added embellishments. Arial is an example of a popular sans-serif font.
- Script: Script fonts look like handwritten text. Some script fonts have a very formal appearance, while others are much more casual.
- Decorative: Decorative fonts are fonts that don't clearly fit into any other category. They are best used for headings and titles, since the ornate details of decorative fonts can be somewhat difficult to read.
Wood Mounted vs. Clear Acrylic
After you've decided what type of font you'd like to purchase, you'll need to choose between wood and acrylic stamp sets. Wood mounted stamps are what most people think of when they hear the term "rubber stamping." Wood mounted stamps are a favorite among crafters because they produce highly detailed images. Each letter in an alphabet set is mounted on an individual block, with a guide printed on top of the block to help you align your text evenly.
Clear acrylic stamps are sold on a thin plastic sheet. They must be mounted on a clear block before using. Clear acrylic stamps are a great choice for stamping text, since you can easily see the position of the individual letters. The stamps also take up much less space in your craft room, since the same mount is used for each letter.
Buying Rubber Stamp Fonts
Alphabet stamp sets are readily available at large craft stores such as Hobby Lobby, Joann Crafts, and Michaels Crafts. The direct sales companies Stampin' Up and Close to My Heart also carry a number of rubber stamp alphabet sets. Visit their websites to find a consultant in your area.
If you prefer to shop online, you can purchase rubber stamp fonts from the following websites:
- Recollections offers a wooden stamp set of upper and lower case script letters and numbers plus an exclaimation point and a question mark.
- Educations Insights makes jumbo size rubber stamps which are easier for children and adults with motor-skill difficulty to handle.
- Bunch of Fun sells several different wood mounted rubber stamp sets. The selection includes traditional block text as well as a number of more whimsical fonts.
- Oriental Trading has a small assortment of alphabet stamp sets. These stamps would be an affordable option for kids craft projects.
Stamping a Clear Image
For the novice crafter, stamping clear images is a challenging task. There's nothing more frustrating than investing in a new set of alphabet stamps only to discover that you're stamping illegible text. To stamp a clear image, remember the following tips:
- To avoid making a mistake on an irreplaceable project, practice stamping on scratch paper first. This will give you a chance to make sure you have your technique and letter placement correct.
- When applying ink to an alphabet stamp, place the stamp on a flat surface image side up and apply the ink from left to right. This technique will prevent over application of the ink-a common cause of blurry text.
- When stamping an image, hold the stamp by the sides and press down in the middle. Don't rock the stamp back and forth.
- If you see small marks around the edge of your letters, your stamp set may not have been trimmed properly. Use a sharp craft knife to cut away the excess material.
Rubber Stamped Computer Fonts
While rubber stamping can be great fun, sometimes it's simply more convenient to use a computer font that mimics the look of rubber stamped text. If you're looking for free rubber stamped computer fonts, check out these great choices;
- Rubberstamp is a quirky and unique font looks like slightly off centered typewriter letters.
- Mailart Rubberstamp is a free font with a fresh and contemporary look.
- Stamped is a grunge-inspired font that mimics the look of rubber stamped letters. However, only the uppercase is available.
- Rub This is a slightly grungy font that includes both uppercase and lowercase letters.
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