Artistamp tutorial

GinaVisione’s Arti-stamp Instructions:

There are Many ways to make arti-stamps, including by hand, or with PhotoShop and other software programs.   Gina makes hers in a Microsoft Word document table.

Take a look to see how Gina does it:

1.     On your computer, open a Word document.

2. Set all margins as small as possible, so you can fit in more arti-stamps per page :D.  Think about if you want the full sheet in portrait or landscape orientation, and how many arti-stamps per page you are hoping for (e.g., 5 columns by 6 rows in a portrait orientation)

3.  Insert a table.  If you are making arti-stamps and want to add verbiage on the side/s, add extra rows and columns (and enough space to perforate :D or cut between stamps when finished).   

4.  (Optional) Insert a photo or symbol or image into the top left corner open space (this will be the stamp template you will make in this cell, then copy and paste to the rest of the table cells; so it is good to figure out what you want here first, as much as possible).   

  

5.  Adjust the size of stamp you will want for each column/row in this first cell.

6.  (Optional) If you want to add a faux postage price or other words, symbols, etc. on top of the stamp, insert a small text box on top of the image, likely in one of the corners.  If it is too big, it will make the image move significantly in the cell, so keep it simple and small-ish so the text stays right on top of the image; sometimes you can add more than one text box.

7.  (Optional) If you want verbiage on the side columns/rows, add them here and adjust print size, text direction, and adjust the width/height of this column/row so that you will have enough room for perforating :D or cutting in between the stamps.  

 

8.  Copy everything in this first cell (photo and text box) and verbiage rows/columns only, and paste into the next set of equal amount of cells in the same row.    

 9.  Make adjustments again now in this first row of stamps if needed, since you will then copy the entire row/s, before pasting them into the next set of rows to finish out the page of stamps :D.   

10.  Do you have a beautiful sheet of arti-stamps?!  You should, so...
 
a.  Go to Edit > Select All. Then go to Format > Borders and Shading > None >  OK  to take out the dark border around the rows and columns, unless of course you want to keep them!

b.  and Save the document and print it out!  

You can print them on anything that your printer will handle, but there are also gummed papers you can order (perforated or non-perforated) so you can lick ‘em!

11.  If you want to perforate the arti-stamp sheet, you have options: 

a.  get to know someone with an incredible Perforator :D, 

b.  use an unthreaded sewing machine (this is what I do) at ~16 stitches/inch 

 

c.  use a tracing wheel with a metal ruler   

d.  cut each individual stamp with postage stamp edge scissors

e.  some other option I don’t know about yet! :D

12.  Have fun!!!!!

 Here are a two videos of Gina using her sewing machine to perforate her stamps.