Hi Tara,
It's funny...I asked this very same question when I first started on
this talk list. I got a bunch of helpful responses, but I'll just speak
for myself here.
Inverse stamps are just as appropriate as any other style of stamp. The
fact that the stamp is hand-carved is what is special. However you want
to carve it is up to you. Some images do look better as inverse stamps.
However, realize that with inverse stamps most of your images will have
a boxed look.
Utilizing inverse stamps with regualar stamps can make for a creative
expression. And, as the Drew crew showed me, mixing inverse within a
regular stamp can be even cooler!
I've carved a couple of inverse stamps, but personally I prefer the
regular method b/c I like to carve away the excess stamp material in an
artistic way. That's just me though.
Just do what you feel is best and good luck.
Mark

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Tara" wrote:
> Hi everyone...I've been plotting and planning while awaiting my
> stamp carving kit and I've searched and scoured the web for whatever
> examples I could find. I have seen one very cool twist, inverse
> stamps. The stamp-in-the box's "random stamp image" has one or
> two...and it got me wondering if these might be easier to carve.
> Anyone have any experience with this? It seems like it would be
> simpler to carve out the image, than to carve all of the space
> around it. I think that I've chosen a very tough stamp, but I really
> want to do it.
> Thanks :D
> Tara

I've done both. I tend to find in my mind, and this does not apply to
everyone I am sure, that the stamps that I carve, where I am not carving in
"inverse" come out much cleaner, to me.

Some people are able to wield a Xacto Knife with the finesse of a Jedi
Knight and his light saber. I, however, can only use the Xacto knife to
carve the larger chunks away from the finished stamp.

Speaking on this, I have an FAQ/Tutorial on making a letterbox, from start
(Creating the stamp) to finish (Creating the physical letterbox) and it's
goign to be up and online within the week. I've also got a tutorial coming
online on using a Chartpak AD Marker pen (Blender Pen) to transfer images.

Steve of Team Rayvenhaus

> I have seen one very cool twist, inverse stamps.

Go for it. Lots of stamps out there are inverse stamps. (Actually,
I like to call them 'negative image' stamps, but that's just me.)

In some ways, they're easier to carve, but in other ways, they're
much more difficult. I know, it sounds paradoxical, but it's true!

Technically speaking, they're easier to carve, but it's a lot harder
to actually make them look good. If not done carefully, the stamp
will look blockish, simple, and something less than impressive. How
do you do a good job with a negative-image stamp? I can't really
explain it in words very well, but as you find them you'll see what
I mean. Some look absolutely amazing while others fall flat.

Good luck!

-- Ryan

Thanks to everyone who has responded so far to my inverse stamp
carving question. I've decided what I'm going to do about my
dilemma: carve my stamp both ways, and choose whichever looks
better! :P I'm kind of a perfectionist, and if I'm going to be
leaving my same "Tara Was Here" mark forever and ever I want to be
completely happy with it and I don't want to begin letterboxing
until I am. I have a feeling that I am going to enjoy carving
stamps too, it sounds like a lot of fun :D I already have an idea
for another stamp, a bookcrossing logo stamp that says "media mail"
as well for all of the bookcrossing I do as well. Are there any
other bookcrossers out there? I discovered letterboxing from the
bookcrossing site recently.
Tara

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "rscarpen"
wrote:
> > I have seen one very cool twist, inverse stamps.
>
> Go for it. Lots of stamps out there are inverse stamps.
(Actually,
> I like to call them 'negative image' stamps, but that's just me.)
>
> In some ways, they're easier to carve, but in other ways, they're
> much more difficult. I know, it sounds paradoxical, but it's true!
>
> Technically speaking, they're easier to carve, but it's a lot
harder
> to actually make them look good. If not done carefully, the stamp
> will look blockish, simple, and something less than impressive.
How
> do you do a good job with a negative-image stamp? I can't really
> explain it in words very well, but as you find them you'll see
what
> I mean. Some look absolutely amazing while others fall flat.
>
> Good luck!
>
> -- Ryan

I've done some experimenting with inverse stamps. Some with
better results than others. I agree with Ryan that in some ways it
requires more artisanship to carve a good inverse stamp even
though it is easier.

I have a letterbox I used one in that I liked (it's in La Jolla, near
San Diego). I couldn't decide which way I liked an image better
so I carved it both the regular way and as an inverse stamp.
Then I stamped them right next to each other and again under
them, but in the reverse order. I liked how the stamp came out.
It was kind of like a four-pane stained glass window.

-Cadenza

I happen to really like the 'blockish' look of the inverse stamps. :-)
The first stamp I carved was a 'normal' stamp, but most of the rest
have been inverse. I did one that way after having trouble making the
first stamp look decent and stuck with it because I found that simple
designs were often very striking when done as an inverse - the stamp
remained sturdier as well. I will probably wind up doing stamps of both
sorts, but who knows.....

Each LBer is going to like different things about carving, so let's all
just carve stamps we like and not worry about ranking techniques.
Hopefully, the fun of the hunt means that finding *any* stamp (even
mine, lol) is a good thing. :-)

pezpam (hoping the weather holds next weekend so we can get out and
plant now that we found a place my daughter can hike!)


On Saturday, May 1, 2004, at 10:58 PM, rscarpen wrote:

>> I have seen one very cool twist, inverse stamps.
>
> Go for it. Lots of stamps out there are inverse stamps. (Actually,
> I like to call them 'negative image' stamps, but that's just me.)
>
> In some ways, they're easier to carve, but in other ways, they're
> much more difficult. I know, it sounds paradoxical, but it's true!
>
> Technically speaking, they're easier to carve, but it's a lot harder
> to actually make them look good. If not done carefully, the stamp
> will look blockish, simple, and something less than impressive.

I don't think I ever thought about it quite like this..I think the image will
determine whether it works best cut out or cut away from. The stamp I just
carved has a background of trees which are solid, but the image in the
foreground is cut away. I guesss I could have done it the other way, but the
background of trees seemed to be a nice frame for the foreground boat.

As with the other posters, the dark background does make an inverse image
blocky, so maybe try to make the background into a pattern of some sort, or
add an interesting edge?

Lisa


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Tara" wrote:
> Hi everyone...I've been plotting and planning while awaiting my
> stamp carving kit and I've searched and scoured the web for whatever
> examples I could find. I have seen one very cool twist, inverse
> stamps. The stamp-in-the box's "random stamp image" has one or
> two...and it got me wondering if these might be easier to carve.
> Anyone have any experience with this? It seems like it would be
> simpler to carve out the image, than to carve all of the space
> around it. I think that I've chosen a very tough stamp, but I really
> want to do it.
> Thanks :D
> Tara