The three main components of stamping are the stamps themselves, the paper, and the ink. Stamps can be place on wood mounts, or acrylic mounts. Acrylic mounts are newer, and a popular version are the clear mounts, which let you see precisely where to stamp. If you are a beginner, a clear version will give you more ability to see exactly where you'll be stamping, helping you to eliminate mistakes. Because of smudging issues with acrylic stamps, its important you get a high quality stamp, which will give you the clearest image and the cleanest lines.
Wood mounts with natural rubber stamps are extremely popular, and the natural rubber will soak the ink very well and give you a very crisp and defined image. However, rubber mounts can take up a lot of space when storing. If you are planning to use wood mounts, you may want to consider buying unmounted stamps, as there are many advantages. Unmounted stamps can be purchased in sheets, and there is a cost savings as you are purchasing more than one stamp. Another cost savings, if you order online, is the cost saved with a lower shipping weight. Unmounted stamps are very versatile, they are backed with a static cling mounting foam, or magnets, and then can be mounted on either wood or acrylic blocks.
While there are many choices, you may want to try different techniques at first, and find out which ones your most comfortable with. However, different stamps work better with certain applications. Foam stamps, for example, work well on fabric. If you are planning to insert a rubber stamp as part of an in-depth, multi-layered scrapbook design, you may want to go with a clear acrylic stamp, so there will be no mistakes. Natural rubber stamps work well for card making and other small paper projects.
