There are a lot of black inks in the stamp and paper craft market to choose from for your projects. Black ink is a staple in many stamper’s craft stash because it’s the only color that is used on a fairly regular basis. With so many black inks to choose from, you often see that people have more than one black ink pad because different brands can be used for different techniques. I’ve rounded up some popular black inks below as well as the black ink pads that I’ve have tested and tried myself. Here are the best black inks to use for your next stamp or paper craft project.
For stamping:
When you need a ink that stamps with good, even, full coverage, the inks below work great. Some are dye inks, some are pigment, and generally speaking pigment inks provide better coverage, however they do take awhile to dry. So it depends on personal preference. For a nice clear and vivid black sentiment, I reach for the Versafine or Memento Luxe the most, but I know that I have to reserve a few minutes to let it dry. If I want a quick drying black ink, then I reach for the others listed below.
- Ranger Archival – Jet Black
- Gina K Designs – Black Onyx
- Versafine – Onyx Black
- Lawn Fawn – Jet Black
- Memento Luxe – Tuxedo Black
For non-porous surfaces
By non-porous surfaces for paper crafters, we typically mean acetate. Acetate can be quick to stamp on which is why a permanent ink is absolutely necessary. Of the three below, Staz-On is my go to, however, it does have a strong over and is notorious for staining stamps. When stamping on acetate, I highly recommend using a stamp positioner tool such as this one to 1) make sure it’s aligned properly 2) in case you have to stamp the image/sentiment twice
For Ink Blending
Ink blending with black ink has become popular due to the trend of galaxies. I recommend Black Soot in either Distress Ink or Distress Oxide ink for the best ease of blending. These inks also react with water and could be used for watercoloring, if desired. For a lighter ink blend, I recommend blending with these stencil brushes. For more intense coverage, I reach for these blending tools.
For Coloring with Alcohol-Based Markers
Coloring stamped images is also popular with paper crafters. Most stampers use alcohol-based markers and that’s why I recommend the two below for coloring. I’ve stamped images in these inks and very rarely do they smudge or interfere with my coloring. (I color with copic markers for the most part). Recently, I do find myself reach for Lawn Fawn’s Jet Black more because it gives such a crisp image.
For Watercoloring
When watercoloring stamped images, you’ll want a black ink that is waterproof, which is why I recommend the three below. Once these inks dry, it is permanent. The inks below typically stain your stamp but shouldn’t affect your stamp. For even better results with these black inks, you can heat emboss it with this clear embossing powder to keep your watercoloring contained.
Honorable Mentions:
Here are some other inks in my stash that I also like to use as well (primarily for regular stamping).
- Hero Arts Black
- Altenew – Jet Black
- My Favorite Things – Black
- The Ton Stamps – Black
- Catherine Pooler – Midnight
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