Testing inks on acrylic cards

While at the annual LTC retreat, I ran into stamping problems with my Color Field card (right). I created an acrylic base with a Gelli plate and then stamped the chimpanzee with my favorite black ink-- Versafine Pigment Ink. The ink would not dry completely and smeared. Also, the details were fuzzy. Eventually the problem was solved but not without frustration and accepting lower quality. Once home, I decided to test various stamp pads to determine which ink would be better for stamping on acrylics.


Using what I had available: 

• Memento (dye),
• StazOn (solvent), 
• Versafine (pigment), and 
• Speedball block printing ink (water soluble)

My goal was to determine which ink provided:

• full coverage
• details
• pure color

I tested:

• stamp and wait
• heat set
• Krylon matte finish
• workable fixative

Once I applied the stamp, I waited a few minutes then rubbed a q-tip cotton swap across the stamped image. 

Results:

My results pointed toward heat setting Versafine. 

With more practice inking the stamp, I suspect that Speedball block printing ink might become a viable ink.

In Addition:

Typically I sand the surface of an acrylic surface to remove any ridges or bumps left by the tools used to apply the paint. Allows the stamp to make better contact with the surface for full coverage and details.

After this test, I wondered if a gel medium such as acrylic glazing or self-leveling clear gel by Golden would fill in grooves on the surface that the sanding did not eliminate thus providing an even smoother surface for the stamp.

Love to hear what is working for you as I enjoy working with acrylics and I'm always looking for improved processes and better (economical) products.