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Print & Stamp Lab: 52 Ideas for Handmade, Upcycled Print Tools
Artist and popular workshop instructor Traci Bunkers can turn just about anything into an interesting stamp, printing block, or tool. In this book, she shows readers how to see overlooked, everyday objects in a new way, and how to "MacGyver" them into easy to use printing blocks and tools. Readers learn to create 52 print blocks and stamp tools, all from inexpensive, ordinary, and unexpected materials--string, spools, bandaids, flip flops, ear plugs, rubber bands, school erasers, and a slew of other repurposed and upcycled items. The book also shows how to use those simple tools to make gorgeous, multi-layered prints and patterns that can be used to enhance journal covers, stationery, fabrics, accessories, and more.
- GenresArtNonfictionCrafts
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
28 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 25, 2015
Good book about using things from around the house and (mostly) inexpensive items from the dollar store for art mark making.
July 23, 2021
Great practical ideas using easily found objects, form the basis of the labs. Wonderful to see some finished prints using more than just type of printing/stamping.
April 17, 2018
Bright and fun ideas -- you'll never look at anything in your home quite the same way again, because "how could I print with this" will immediately come to mind and distract from whatever else you were planning to do ;). I was primed for this since I take a lot of close-up photographs of textures in everyday life, so I am used to looking more closely at things that usually escape notice, but this has sharpened that eye for detail with an application in mind beyond looking cool in a photograph. I learned traditional printmaking in school and haven't really done any since, because "I am not an artist", but this has me itching to clear off a work space and get to it, since there's no initial layout of expensive art materials required; I already have everything I'd need. I also learned some new things; I didn't know certain foams could be made malleable and impressionable with heat.
Beyond the eye-opening, it gets a bit repetitive page after page, but I am not quite sure how one could improve it; possibly with some additional instruction when it comes to carving things, but Traci is clearly much more free-wheeling than I am, so the sort of precision I tend to look for is probably best pushed to the back; might do me good to let go of that. I would have also liked on occasion a photo of an intermediate step; I am not quite clear on how the melted foam insulation roller worked, for example.
But this is quite inspirational; well worth it.
Beyond the eye-opening, it gets a bit repetitive page after page, but I am not quite sure how one could improve it; possibly with some additional instruction when it comes to carving things, but Traci is clearly much more free-wheeling than I am, so the sort of precision I tend to look for is probably best pushed to the back; might do me good to let go of that. I would have also liked on occasion a photo of an intermediate step; I am not quite clear on how the melted foam insulation roller worked, for example.
But this is quite inspirational; well worth it.
December 24, 2024
Whetted My Imagination
My Mom was always showing me how any sort of scraps could be used in artistic ways. From toddler years til I left home, she taught me the love of brainstorming about how to reuse & repurpose; bless & rest her loving soul!
Print & Stamp Lab, with all its upcycling ideas and well explained how to DIY projects has me wanting to organize my junk drawer with reuse & repurpose for print & stamp making in mind.
I like the book. It gave me an uplifting creative brainstorming moment, a clean junk drawer and some fond memories of Mom too.
My Mom was always showing me how any sort of scraps could be used in artistic ways. From toddler years til I left home, she taught me the love of brainstorming about how to reuse & repurpose; bless & rest her loving soul!
Print & Stamp Lab, with all its upcycling ideas and well explained how to DIY projects has me wanting to organize my junk drawer with reuse & repurpose for print & stamp making in mind.
I like the book. It gave me an uplifting creative brainstorming moment, a clean junk drawer and some fond memories of Mom too.
June 26, 2020
Imaginative uses of common household objects to make interesting stamps. The impressions are quite stunning. A good source of inspiration, it includes practical information on how to make your own stamps.
February 17, 2018
Great book full of ideas and inspiration on where to find printing tools without leaving home.
July 5, 2020
Creative
Things you never imagine to print with. Things lying around the house or office. Here’s imagination for you. Great ideas.
Things you never imagine to print with. Things lying around the house or office. Here’s imagination for you. Great ideas.
April 14, 2023
Excellent book, I love all the neat ways of using items around the house to make prints
June 23, 2024
Good books for kids to think of art outside the box.
November 4, 2011
This is a brilliant book to get ideas for what to use to make your own stamping and printing tools. Traci Bunkers sees potential in ordinary, cheap materials - many of which can be found in most households - and creates very cool things out of them. I read a lot of craft and art blogs but still found many refreshing ideas, like garden keeling cushion, drain strainer, pill dispenser and pipe insulation. One thing's for sure: I will never look at anything in my home the same way again; my rubber bands, ear plugs, pencil grips and buttons can be art tools, too.
In Print and Stamp Lab, there are 52 labs divided into 4 units (printing blocks and stamps; moldable foam stamps; rollers; stencils). The book is very well laid out and photographed; the instructions are clear enough even for complete beginners. In fact, one "problem" I found with the book (plus an editing error? - same text on pages 16&17) was that the content page is self-sufficient for many of the ideas. After all, there are only so many ways you can stamp/print with stencils and stamps. The instructions for the labs are hence often repetitious. I found some of the tips a bonus but thought the book would have benefited from more completed project photos, although that may have been difficult as the book has the same format as Quarry's other Lab books.
The projects shown do give an excellent idea of what can be done with the tools created using the book. The patterns can so easily be used to make customized fabric, paper, stationery and more arty stuff - just let your imagination run!
In Print and Stamp Lab, there are 52 labs divided into 4 units (printing blocks and stamps; moldable foam stamps; rollers; stencils). The book is very well laid out and photographed; the instructions are clear enough even for complete beginners. In fact, one "problem" I found with the book (plus an editing error? - same text on pages 16&17) was that the content page is self-sufficient for many of the ideas. After all, there are only so many ways you can stamp/print with stencils and stamps. The instructions for the labs are hence often repetitious. I found some of the tips a bonus but thought the book would have benefited from more completed project photos, although that may have been difficult as the book has the same format as Quarry's other Lab books.
The projects shown do give an excellent idea of what can be done with the tools created using the book. The patterns can so easily be used to make customized fabric, paper, stationery and more arty stuff - just let your imagination run!
November 4, 2011
This is a brilliant book to get ideas for what to use to make your own stamping and printing tools. Traci Bunkers sees potential in ordinary, cheap materials - many of which can be found in most households - and creates very cool things out of them. I read a lot of craft and art blogs but still found many refreshing ideas, like garden keeling cushion, drain strainer, pill dispenser and pipe insulation. One thing's for sure: I will never look at anything in my home the same way again; my rubber bands, ear plugs, pencil grips and buttons can be art tools, too.
In Print and Stamp Lab, there are 52 labs divided into 4 units (printing blocks and stamps; moldable foam stamps; rollers; stencils). The book is very well laid out and photographed; the instructions are clear enough even for complete beginners. In fact, one "problem" I found with the book (plus an editing error? - same text on pages 16&17) was that the content page is self-sufficient for many of the ideas. After all, there are only so many ways you can stamp/print with stencils and stamps. The instructions for the labs are hence often repetitious. I found some of the tips a bonus but thought the book would have benefited from more completed project photos, although that may have been difficult as the book has the same format as Quarry's other Lab books.
The projects shown do give an excellent idea of what can be done with the tools created using the book. The patterns can so easily be used to make customized fabric, paper, stationery and more arty stuff - just let your imagination run!
In Print and Stamp Lab, there are 52 labs divided into 4 units (printing blocks and stamps; moldable foam stamps; rollers; stencils). The book is very well laid out and photographed; the instructions are clear enough even for complete beginners. In fact, one "problem" I found with the book (plus an editing error? - same text on pages 16&17) was that the content page is self-sufficient for many of the ideas. After all, there are only so many ways you can stamp/print with stencils and stamps. The instructions for the labs are hence often repetitious. I found some of the tips a bonus but thought the book would have benefited from more completed project photos, although that may have been difficult as the book has the same format as Quarry's other Lab books.
The projects shown do give an excellent idea of what can be done with the tools created using the book. The patterns can so easily be used to make customized fabric, paper, stationery and more arty stuff - just let your imagination run!
August 5, 2011
I reviewed this excellent book a while back on Amazon.com & decided to share my thoughts here as well.
"One of my superpowers is that I can turn just about anything into an interesting stamp, printing block, or tool," writes Traci Bunkers, author of this thoroughly enjoyable and highly creative how-to manual that lays out cool printmaking projects for every week in the year. Each project comes with clear instructions, detailed materials lists, well photographed examples, and expert tips. Perhaps the most important thing that Traci brings to this book is a spirit of adventure, an artistic license that offers the reader permission to have fun and get funky with colors, textures, and patterns.
As an experienced printmaker, I was a bit skeptical whether this book was right for me, but I find Traci's projects engaging, her instructions clear and precise, and there's a little something on every page to inspire me to kick it up a notch and have some fun. She offers practical tips about foraging for materials in every unlikely "art supply" store you can imagine --from Home Depot to the Dollar Store-- and provides excellent suggestions for upcycling tired, old items into beloved art pieces.
"One of my superpowers is that I can turn just about anything into an interesting stamp, printing block, or tool," writes Traci Bunkers, author of this thoroughly enjoyable and highly creative how-to manual that lays out cool printmaking projects for every week in the year. Each project comes with clear instructions, detailed materials lists, well photographed examples, and expert tips. Perhaps the most important thing that Traci brings to this book is a spirit of adventure, an artistic license that offers the reader permission to have fun and get funky with colors, textures, and patterns.
As an experienced printmaker, I was a bit skeptical whether this book was right for me, but I find Traci's projects engaging, her instructions clear and precise, and there's a little something on every page to inspire me to kick it up a notch and have some fun. She offers practical tips about foraging for materials in every unlikely "art supply" store you can imagine --from Home Depot to the Dollar Store-- and provides excellent suggestions for upcycling tired, old items into beloved art pieces.
June 2, 2010
The book is broken into four sections: printing blocks & stamps, using moldable foam, rollers, and stencils. Traci Bunkers uses everyday objects in her projects - "upcycling." I have new respect for those foamy kits I've got laying all over for my kids.
I think she's very creative and reading through the projects got me itching to try them. This book will be a fantastic resource and source of inspiration.
I think she's very creative and reading through the projects got me itching to try them. This book will be a fantastic resource and source of inspiration.
March 6, 2013
Excellent, inspiring book for making your own patterned surfaces using stamps or other print-making tools. I love the way the book is set up, giving a very basic breakdown of materials and specific ways of using them for those of us who are starting at square one, and yet leaving lots of room for trying your own thing to see what works best for you. I really like this author/artist. Would totally recommend to folks who like making art.
May 27, 2013
Good ideas for making tools and created neat printed papers/gifts. I thought it was more of a stamp carving book and while I got some good money saving ideas like cutting up kneeling cushions, and flip flops, etc. which I intend to do; I wanted more specific ideas and learning sessions on how to carve and make the stamps not the tools. I misunderstood what the book was and may have ordered the wrong book. I like this series of books and have rave reviews about all of them.
Read
July 10, 2011A how-to book of 52 ways to print, using materials from around the house and the local dollar/hardware store. Nothing mind-blowing in the detailed ideas, but I can see how the techniques could be translated into something I'd be more interested in. More of a flip-through than a follow-along-how-to for me.
July 28, 2011
Really cool ideas for how to stamp with recycled materials but wow, this book is poorly edited. Pages 16 and 17 have the EXACT same info., word for word. Someone screwed up at the printers, haha. Also, I was frustrated that the author advocated acrylic vs. less toxic ink but overall an inspiring craft book.
December 19, 2015
I love the lab series and this is one of my favorites. The techniques in the book will be applicable by a wide variety of ages, although I think it is best suited to a new printmaker or elementary aged students. There are many easy-to-do techniques that can be incorporated into mixed media art or used alone.
August 1, 2010
I'm on the lookout for original technique books, and this one had me scouring each and every page. Who knew that a heat gun, foam marshmallows and paper clips could do THAT?!?!?!?!?!? A definite must-have. Really gets the wheels turning!
November 15, 2010
Lots of great ideas! I will be adapting some of these techniques to fabric printing. I'm excited to try some of them.
November 4, 2010
After reading this, I went straight to the hardware store for stamping fodder. Really cool ideas, well photographed.
September 5, 2011
Got this book from the library. I may have to buy it. It was loaded with fresh ideas on how to make your own stamping, stenciling and printing tools.
September 10, 2012
Great, simple, doable ideas. Not just how to make the stamps, how to use them to create great patterns.
July 24, 2013
awesome resource!
August 6, 2016
Very cool and unique ideas!
May 8, 2019
Great ideas for stamps and patterns from inexpensive materials. Most pages look like backgrounds from art journals, which just wasn’t what I was looking for. Would work well for making stamps and designs with kids or teens, probably.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews