A Quick Guide to Using Mica Powders for Stamping

Mar 21, 2023

Stamping is a versatile art form that uses rubber stamps with a colorant to create prints on a surface, often paper. The rubber stamp is often engraved with a specific image, and the colorant can vary from paint to ink to mica powder. Using mica powders for stamping allows the artist to add multiple colors to the stamp art without the colors bleeding together, which can happen with paint or ink. We’ve included a quick guide for mica powder stamp art below.

Assemble Your Supplies

You don’t need many supplies to start stamping. If you’re already familiar with stamping but have never used mica powder, you will already have most of these supplies. If you’ve never tried stamping before, you can find most of these supplies at craft stores.

  • Paper (cardstock is best, color of choice)
  • Clear ink pad
  • Stamp(s) of choice
  • Mica powder(s) in color(s) of choice
  • Clear ink marker (optional)
  • Brushes (optional)
  • Talcum powder (optional)

The optional supplies mentioned above can make stamping easier and more detailed, but you don’t need them if you’re just starting. If you’re an experienced stamping artist, using the optional supplies is a great way to take your art to the next level.

Start the Stamping Process

Stamping is an easy process. While practice will help you get even better at this art form, it’s an excellent option for beginner artists who want to test their abilities.

If you’re using the optional supplies, start by brushing your paper/cardstock with talcum powder. This will make it easier to brush off excess mica powder. However, it’s not required. Mica powder doesn’t immediately stain, so it should brush off easily without the layer of talcum.

Press your stamp onto the clear ink pad. Push down hard to make sure you cover all the grooves. Remove the stamp from the ink pad. You can blot the clear ink on an extra piece of paper for a smoother finish or leave all the ink on the stamp. Press the stamp onto your paper/cardstock and push down hard to ensure all the ink transfers.

Dip your finger or a brush into your chosen mica powder. Rub your finger or the brush over the clear ink stamp so that the colorful mica powder sticks to the clear ink. This will reveal your stamped image. Wipe off the excess mica powder with a dry tissue or clean brush. You can stop here if you want.

Continue Stamping

To make more detailed art, you can use a clear ink marker to color in open spaces in your stamp or add other details. Add mica powder in another color to these details and brush off the extra.

Another option for more detailed stamp art is to place stamps together or on top of each other. For example, if you use a large stamp with a border that has blank space, you could put a stamp with words within that blank border. You can then brush another color or the same color over these words. This works great for cards or framed prints.

This quick guide explains the assembling and creation process when using mica powders for stamping. If you want to attempt the same process, Eye Candy Pigments sells bronze pigment powder. Our range of bronze colors will help you find the perfect pigment every time.
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