Tips for Getting the Best Impressions with Your Clay Stamps

A great stamp is only half the equation. Here's how to actually use them well:

Get your clay timing right. Too wet and the stamp sticks and drags. Too dry and you'll get cracking around the impression. Soft leather-hard is the sweet spot — firm to the touch but still cool and slightly yielding.

Dust the stamp. A light dusting of cornstarch or a quick brush with a damp sponge between impressions prevents sticking. Some potters keep a small dish of cornstarch right on the wheel for this.

Press, don't wiggle. Steady downward pressure, then lift straight up. Any side-to-side movement smears the detail.

Support from behind. When stamping the wall of a thrown piece, always support the inside with your other hand or a rib. Otherwise you'll deform the form trying to get a clean impression.

Test on a scrap first. Especially with a new stamp, do a test impression on a clay scrap to see how deep to press and how the design reads.