How-to-Guide Rubber Stamped Domino Art Jewelry Pendants Stamp Dominoes

 

 

 

 

Basics of rubber stamping on a domino or similar hard slick surface such as tile, glass etc.

1) I prefer to use my rubber stamps unmounted (no cushion or block) and lay them design side up on a table or sturdy work surface. (You can do this with your mounted stamps, however cushion makes it harder not smear the image when you apply pressure to your slick domino surface. You need firm, non-shaky, straight up and down hand pressure to do this.) You will also find it easier to control the ink using fine-line artwork, not bold (thick-line) art stamps

                    

2) There is only one ink pad, Stazon, that works really well for domino stamping. If your ink pad is brand new, you may find that it is over-wet and too juicy to produce precise images. Here is some trouble-shooting advice: With your rubber stamp face up on a sturdy table, gently tap your ink pad repeatedly up and down onto the stamp design until you have a thin, even coat of ink across the stamp surface. If you see ink pooling on your stamp or bleeding in between the lines, it's way too wet. Experiment with waiting 10 seconds to a minute before stamping to see if this gives you a better moisture level. Once you've used your ink pad  a while, this should no longer be an issue, though you could always blot it with some paper if you feel it is just too wet. The ink pads I use in all the tutorials below are well-used and over a year old.

 

If this is your first time doing this kind of project remember to take it one step at a time. Don't waste your domino if you made a mistake - immediately rub your surface with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel to remove most of the ink, allowing you to practice again. When you've perfected your stamping, remember to test one domino at a time with new coloring methods or sealers to avoid ruining a big batch as you learn the ropes.

StazOn Ink Pads:
Here's the easiest, quickest method. Decorate your domino in 3 minutes or less! Overwhelmed and not sure where to start? Or limited on time and looking for the quickest way to decorate your dominoes? By using one or two colors of Stazon Ink Pads, you can achieve a simply bold domino just by stamping. Plus, it is not totally necessary to do a sealing step with this method, especially for non jewelry items like magnets and wall art (unless you plan on dipping your domino in alcohol, it will be water resistant).

                                                         

1) Pick out a light ink pad color and rubber stamp your background pattern. Optionally, before stamping, you can colorize the domino surface by randomly dabbing on the StazOn ink. Use a q-tip dipped in alcohol to lighten the ink and rub it into the surface. This ink is usually dry enough to move onto the next step within a minute.

2) Stamp your main image with a darker ink over your colored background. (These stamps are from sheet #Bold-121). Consider additional accents like rubber stamped patterned edges, use a sharpie marker to color the edges, add glitter glue, rhinestones, pearls, stickers etc.

Other Examples:

1)   2)     3)   4)   

1) - Here I used a sponge dauber to apply
Teal Blue to my domino, then Blazing
Red around the edges.

2) - I used a rubber stamp
(from Wood-127 with Jet
Black Stazon ink.

3) - Using a Copic Ciao Colorless Blender marker you can  
lighten the Stazon ink creating highlights. Use any color
marker to fill in these "erased" areas with a new color.

4) - The finished art

 

Another example of this technique using an owl rubber stamp from the animal theme domino set #Anim-126: 

 Many domino size stamps can be used on other game tiles and beads. Drilling and screw eye instructions at the bottom of this page.

Water Based Markers  (This method is also recommended for beginners, but requires time to color.)

I use Marvy LePlume II or Tombow markers. For the purpose of this tutorial I also tried out cheaper markers, such as Crayola, which do work - however for the most professional looking project I would not recommend them due to the limited color range and hard tips. The Marvy or Tombow markers are much nicer because they have flexible brush tips that allow you to blend colors easier, apply the color more smoothly and are available in more natural color selections.

                                                                                   

Step 1: Place your rubber stamp (image side up) on a sturdy table. Ink it with Stazon black ink pad. Grab your domino, and position it above your stamp (with the blank side down.) Press firmly, in a straight down motion, taking care not to wiggle or smudge the ink. Lift straight off.

Step 2: Coloring! 

    

Shading and blending tips:

 

 

 

 

Step 3: Sealing: I use Krylon's Gloss "UV-Resistant Clear Acrylic Coating" in a spray can for this coloring method. Water based markers and inks are VERY  sensitive to most sealers. This one disturbs the coloring the least, and is very good when applied in about 3 or 4 lightly sprayed coats from 3-6 feet away (standing above your project).  Example shown: Little fairy girl rubber stamped with black stazon, colored with tombow water based markers, lightly spray sealed with krylon's clear gloss spray and coated with a glitter glue for a sparkly finish.

                     

 

Alcohol Based Markers

I use Sharpies and Copic brands. Copics are higher quality with better brush tips and come in hundreds of colors, but are expensive (typically $4 to $6 per marker, but last forever and are refillable.) Vs. Sharpies that have harder tips, get thrown away, and are available in less colors, but only cost about $1 per marker.

 

Sharpie marker background coloring with Stazon stamped mushrooms.

Use a lighter color marker, colorless blender, or rubbing alcohol to erase, lighten and even blend the edges of your coloring. You can use these markers to trace an outline around the edges of the domino or to completely color the sides for a more finished look.

Clear Blender Marker here ---- Domino Game Tiles here ---- Rubber Stamp here

*NOTE: Alcohol based markers are my least favorite domino coloring method. You have to be extremely careful to color between the lines or your markers will erase your stamped image. All alcohol based markers will ruin stamped images using ANY kind of stamping ink. You might be able to really gently touch the stamped line, but go over it enough and poof it erases. It is time consuming to be this careful. I think these markers are better suited for paper coloring.

Adirondack Alcohol Inks

These are SO FUN! I love them so much that I am working on an entire page all about alcohol inks with color charts, combinations, tutorials and idea gallery!!! 

Alcohol Inks and felt applicator are available here.

Chalk Coloring - Using Chalk Palettes or Soft Pastels in Compressed Stick Form:

For this technique you need: dominoes, Stazon ink pad, any clear embossing ink pad (such as VersaMark OR Perfect Medium,) coloring chalks of your choice and applicators (typically eyeshadow makeup sponges or a q-tip.)

What chalks do I buy? Any chalk/soft pastels as sticks, or palette form will work. The main difference between these is that the palettes are not as dense, they are air fluffed and often have tiny little bubbles of space in them so the chalk cakes are ready to have the color wiped up with your applicator. Since colors are easily mixed on your applicator, and the shades are so pastel on a domino, there is no real need to have more than basic colors.

If you buy chalks in stick form, you get more for a lower cost, but they are compressed and need to be scratched to loosen up the powder. This is a really simple and quick matter of just keeping a needle/sharp tool nearby to scratch at the stick every once in a while when you are picking up powder on your applicator.

 After your stamped image has dried, tap your domino onto a "VersaMark" (or any clear) ink pad. This creates a slightly sticky clear layer on the surface to hold the chalk color. Use the chalk palette brushes (usually soft tipped eye shadow swabs or Q-Tips) to gently pat color onto your domino. Don't rub it too much or you'll remove the thin coat of versamark that is keeping the chalk in place. The harder you press the lighter your colors will become. Blending will come naturally with practice. Move onto the sealing step asap. Versamark will stay sticky forever, which will attract dust to your art unless you seal it within the day.

Below: Sealed with Clear Krylon Spray

 

Alternately, a Perfect Medium ink pad and a chalk palette work the same way:

After StazOn stamping your image, tap your Perfect Medium (or VersaMark or any clear ink pad) over your domino. This makes the domino surface wet and tacky enough to hold chalk color.

Above stamps from sheet # Tile-120, chalk coloring, markers for the lips and eye color, white gel pen highlights.

Combination of Alcohol Inks and Chalk Coloring Method

 

Resin Seal Pictures

Advanced Techniques For Experienced Crafters

 

Using a heat gun and embossing powders: Here, Emma The Introverted Crafter, has created a domino pendant book using a black domino game tile. You could also try staining any regular white domino with StazOn ink or spray paint for a colored surface.

First she applied versamark (any embossing ink) and sprinkled ultra thick embossing powder over the slick surface. Use a heat gun to melt the embossing powder. While the surface is still hot, add another layer of embossing powder, heat until melted, and repeat that one more time to create a nice thick layer of liquid powder. While it is still hot, press your rubber stamp onto the domino and allow a moment for the embossing powder to cool before lifting the rubber stamp off. This leaves a 3d effect where your stamp pushed into the hot surface. Apply your choice of acrylic paints, perfect pearls or other mica powders, beads and charms.

Variegated metal sheets and gold leaf flake technique:

Stazon ink pads in multiple colors were used over the metal foil covered domino. Rubber stamps shown here are from sheets Pend-108 and Flor-107. You can check the art supplies page to see what types of metal leafing foils and adhesives are currently available.

There are NO inks on these metal sheets, they come manufactured with the rainbow effect as a heat reaction on the metal.

Metal leafing foil with the tie-dye stripe patterns are called "variegated leaf" and you can find them on Amazon. I applied the variegated metal sheet to my domino using glue that stays tacky after it dries (you can also use double sided tape). The multi colored flakes of metal, other gold leaf and glue products, can be found on the art supplies page.

Similar Stamping Surfaces / Alternative to Domino Game Tiles:

Keep your eye out for any type of flat beads, tiles, screw washers and stuff from the hardware store, or other game pieces that could be used for rubber stamping. Lexigo letter game tiles are also great for the same techniques used on dominoes. You can find these and other types of game tiles and other flat beads to rubber stamp and decorate here.

 

Other Coloring Techniques, Paints and Things to Try:

Creating colored backgrounds before stamping: In addition to using blank white dominoes (then just coloring over your stamped image with permanent markers or chalk) you can also make a variety of fun backgrounds for your stamp art. #1,2 & 3: were created with Alcohol Inks. #4 is a blank domino stamped with color box chalk ink using a crackle pattern rubber stamp (from this stamp sheet.) #5 used the same crackle rubber stamp over a few coats of green acrylic paint. #6 is a brush on glitter paint. #7 has a few coats of gold acrylic paint sealed with one step crackle glaze. #8 has a base coat of green acrylic paint, a layer of "weathered wood" crackling medium and a light green acrylic paint top coat. Last is covered with a few coats of plain olive green acrylic.

Metallic peel off stickers over pitch black and stream alcohol inks. 

 Easy finishing steps without drilling:

Attaching a pendant bail, magnet or pin back with glue.

Here I used large silver or gold plated bails (bails and jewelry making supplies here.) I've had good results with E-6000 brand glue, but you can use any glue that is rated for metal to plastic bonding.

Flat sided beads can be glued to the sides of your domino for hanging. Another option would be to wrap the edges with wire or ribbon.

Finishing steps with drilling:

I own a dremel hand drill and a c-clamp for the side of my craft table. This makes drilling holes into your domino very easy. You can put more time into elaborate designs by using craft wire in many holes, or simply tie a ribbon in a single top hole.

I drill prior to decorating when using thicker media such as gold leaf or embossing powders. If you are using the chalk method and spray sealing you should be able to drill afterwards if you want to use your artwork as a guide for hole placement.

Drilling Your Domino

 1) When attaching a screw eye to your domino, drill a hole slightly smaller than your screw (for my 10mm long screw eyes I used the 2nd smallest in the Dremel set.)

2) Place a tiny dot of glue (such as super glue or E-6000) to the end of your screw eye and gently screw it into the hole using your fingers. Do not force it. Make sure the hole is straight, widen or deepen the drilled hole if it is too tight. The teeth of the screw should just barely dig into the domino.

3) Place your choice of jump ring, ball chain (or earring hooks when using mini dominoes) onto the screw eye's hole for hanging :)

Troubleshooting: For the most secure adhesion, I would gently screw in the screw eye, then unscrew it and blow out the plastic dust from inside the hole before adding the glue. Typically this connection is very secure for normal wear and unless you purposefully counter-clockwise unscrew the screw eye it will remain in place. The screw teeth can provide better breakage protection from tugging than glue-on bails that rely on the glue to stay in place. Remember that screw eyes are very thin metal, so if you force it with too much pressure by turning the loop you may snap the top loop right off.

Art Nouveau woman rubber stamp with Stazon black ink pad over acrylic painted domino. Chalk sponged red areas, drilled and hung with wire for a Christmas ornament.

 

 

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