How to make a custom stamp for clay, wax or ink

To make a custom stamp, type your text or upload an SVG logo or photo, and the generator turns it into a printable stamp with a matching handle. You print two parts — the stamp block and a push-in handle — then press the stamp into clay, polymer clay, dough or soap, ink it for paper, or press it into wax for a seal. The key is a mirrored design and the right relief depth so your imprint comes out clean and reads the right way.

What you can make

One printed stamp covers a lot of crafts:

• Clay and polymer clay — makers' marks on the back of ceramics or jewelry.
• Dough and cookies — pressed patterns and words (see the food note below).
• Soap — a logo pressed into cold-process or melt-and-pour bars.
• Ink on paper — a return address, a logo, or a craft-fair brand mark.
• Wax seals — an initial or emblem pressed into sealing wax.

Choose your input

The stamp generator takes three kinds of input:

• Text — type a word or initials and choose a bundled font, then set the letter height. Great for makers' marks and monograms.
• SVG logo — the crispest result, since the outline is already vector-clean.
• Photo — a high-contrast image traced with the threshold and smoothing controls; invert if your art is light on dark.

Keep designs bold and simple — fine hairlines and tiny gaps don't press cleanly at stamp scale.

Shape the stamp block

Pick the block outline — rounded rectangle, sharp rectangle, or circle — and set the corner radius and size to frame your design with a little margin. A circle suits a monogram or wax seal; a rounded rectangle fits a logo or address.

Relief and mirror: the settings that matter

Two controls decide whether your imprint comes out right:

• Mirror — leave this on (it's on by default). A stamp presses a reversed copy of its face, so mirroring the design is what makes the imprint — and inked prints — read the correct way around.
• Relief height — how far the design stands off the block. A deeper relief presses a cleaner, more defined mark; keep it moderate so detail doesn't smear.
• Invert relief (image input) — decide the look: with it off, the design stands out on the stamp and presses into the surface (a recessed imprint); with it on, the background stands out so your design prints raised. Choose based on whether you want the motif pushed in or standing up.

The handle

The generator adds a mushroom-style knob that plugs into a socket in the block, and it prints as a separate part. Set the knob's diameter and height for a comfortable grip — a bit taller for a firm press into stiff clay, wider for a big stamp. After printing, push the handle into the block's socket (a dab of glue makes it permanent).

Print it

You'll print two pieces: the stamp block and the handle. A few tips:

• Print in PLA or PETG for a rigid stamp. Print the block with the relief facing up for the sharpest detail, no supports needed.
• Want a softer, rubber-stamp feel? Print the block in TPU (flexible filament). A flexible face conforms to the surface and inks more evenly — great for paper and uneven clay. Print TPU slowly and, on a Bowden setup, expect it to be fussier than PLA; the rigid handle can still be PLA.
• Use a fine layer height on the block so letters and edges come out crisp.
• If you'll press into dough, remember no 3D print is certified food safe — treat it as brief contact, wash by hand, and see are 3D printed cookie cutters food safe? for the full picture.

Using your stamp

• Clay and dough: press straight down with even pressure and lift cleanly. Lightly dust the stamp with cornstarch, or chill polymer clay a little, so it releases without sticking.
• Ink on paper: tap the stamp on an ink pad and press evenly — a slightly textured print is normal for FDM stamps and reads as handmade.
• Wax seals: let the sealing wax cool for a moment so it's set but still soft, dust the stamp or chill it, and press briefly. Don't press a PLA stamp into very hot wax — PLA softens with heat and can deform.

FAQ

Text or image — which should I use?

Use Text for words, initials, and monograms with a chosen font. Use an SVG logo for the crispest graphic, or a high-contrast photo traced with the threshold control.

Why does my design look mirrored on screen?

That's correct — the stamp face is mirrored so the imprint (and any inked print) reads the right way around. Keep the Mirror option on, which it is by default.

Can I make the design raised instead of pressed in?

Yes. With an image input, turn on Invert relief so the background stands out and your design prints raised in the clay rather than pressed in.