These are some of my recent, hand-carved stamps. Most were created during the printmaking challenge that I had in July. The other ones were carved during my own, personal time. Carving really isn't that hard at all. Besides a basic carving kit + paper, all you need is patience mixed with enthusiasm + you're well on your way! Now, I want to take you through my process of carving out the large flower stamp. (I guess this is kinda like a tutorial, BUT I'll be sharing workflow tips + a general step-by-step.) As you can see here, I've started the flower stamp without taking the initial photo! Ooops! The second piece of rubber on the right side of this photo is my alternating chevron stamp. The first step is to transfer your design to the rubber/linoleum. (The black pen marks are the parts that'll be carved away.) DO NOT try to carve small details first! You'll only be working against yourself. Instead, carve away larger areas FIRST. Once your design is carved out, cut the larger portion of the rubber block. Keep this piece to make smaller stamps! Now, we're ready to load the stamp with ink...but wait - let's admire our handiwork, first....*sigh* Isn't she lovely?! Ok, back to business! I'm using an old phone book as my "inking plate". Roll out some water-soluble, block printing ink. The consistency should be very smooth. This basic stamp carving kit has everything you need. The ink is distributed evenly across the entire surface of the stamp. Does yours look like this? If not, take your brayer and roll off the excess paint, then apply excess paint to a piece of scrap paper. Time for a test print! Burnish (or gently apply pressure) to the back of the stamp. My rubber stamp is pretty thick in size (half an inch), so, I'm able to lift it and stamp it onto a piece of scrap paper with a fair amount of ease. Another option is to mount the stamp onto a block of wood, for easier handling. What a beautiful impression! This test print is helpful when determining what areas I need to carve away. I think the center area needs a little more attention...carve more hairy lines and it's a wrap! So, there you have it! Not too bad, right? Now, I'll need to figure out what projects to create with my *brand new* large flower stamp. Comment below to leave me your suggestions! SHOP THIS TUTORIAL: ** BASIC STAMP CARVING KIT ** ** PRINTMAKING PAPER **