ArtiStamps Creators

Great stamps!

made some new artistamps tonight.

A couple of recent ones from Bruce Henderson

a new small set i'm working on.

A new set of rubber stamped artistamps I'm working on.

love that fluxus wave sheet b.g.!

salve !

I have been chattering away in the mini-mail art group and somehow found myself with a little project that may be of interest here.

I was reminiscing about the days when people cut out imitation stamps from papers and magazines, drew stamps by hand or used collage or photocopies all hand perfed with needles or sewing machines.

Wonderful things are being done with computers and home printers but I miss the element of hand made, the random and the experimental.

So I have hatched a project.  send me any hand made artistamps, singles or sheets; on envelopes or enclosed inside.  Anything as long as there is an element of the hand made.  If I get a dozen or so I will come up with some sort of paper documentation for every one.  No deadlines. No themes. No rules!

address is 128 Micklegate, York, YO1 6JX U K 

Have fun and surprise yourselves.

Feel free to download and use...

I do not indulge much in archive activity except when it comes to Artistamps.  I keep them all and can never bear to part . . 

When, in 2003, Guy Bleus designed a REAL mailart stamp for the Belgium post I decided it was ok to include the occasional real live stamp amongst the arti stuff so I began a page of 'fake artistamps'.  I do not go out searching for them but another arrived this morning; Lego from France. Crazy!! (and no real perfs either)

new artistamps!

Several options come to mind: rubber stamps might work if you have some or, perhaps better still, grab your scissors and head for a pile of magazines. 

Other than that you could add the type with a computer gizmo such as 'paint' or, if you really wanted to collage, type what you want to put into the computer , print it out whatever size is needed, then cut and paste . . .

I'm sure other people will have suggestions too.

You make it sound like a chore Carolyn - it is supposed to be a pleasure.  You could just use pen and ink - or pencil even - though not a biro.  For heavens sake, not a biro!  Whatever you do, practice first before you mark the originals. . . 

just had a quick play . . .

Carolyn, of course I missed an obvious source for the 2 cents you wanted - clip it from a stamp (preferably a used one) then the theme of 'collage' and 'mail' carries through everything.  Keep at it. . .

It's been awhile. A new set of rubber stamped artistamps I've been working on.

The world of artistamps is, so I have found, generally free of the silliness attached to mainstream politics but I notice that there are a growing number of Trump stamps about.  They are unanimously 'anti', as one would expect, but, I ask myself, what about the 'pro' Trumpers?  Surely there must be a stamp or two for the other side?  In answer to myself I post an image of a stamp, apparently a real one, from 2016; A wonderfully pompous creation that, I am hoping, is meant to be ironic (but I doubt it).  Imagine it on some mail! How are we meant to satirize such a creature? If only we humble arty-types could have access to the necessary technology and resources so as to make such lavish productions ourselves.  Dream on people, dream on.

I think you'll find that is a bogus stamp (but some philatelists think artistamps are bogus). For years certain philatelic scammers have produced 'collectable' stamps in the names of poor or disputed administrations who are unlikely to prosecute. There were several featuring Monica Lewinsky supposedly from Abkhazia, .

 I found this on eBay and thought it might be of interest. 

BAUDHUIN SIMON PIG DADA ARTISTAMPS LEMON MAIL ART 20 x 30 cm 2005

https://ebay.us/Gpb0lD

 I found this on eBay just now.

ANNA BANANA Artistamps 6 del 1998 originale Mail Art Italian projec...

//ebay.us/guOD7O

I clicked on all 3 links and got the same, IUOMA error msg. 'group not exist'

i think something went wrong when Mary Anne posted the link. I think this is the one she posted:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANNA-BANANA-Artistamps-6-del-1998-original...

I thought perhaps the work of Michael Thompson deserves to be noticed.  He has produced many interesting sheets of stamps and uses them on correspondence, first day covers and even imitation junk mail.  Look him up on the internet.

The link to Anna Banana stamps on Ebay doesn't seem to want to cooperate so I put an image of them here.  Anyone interested should maybe have a search for themselves?  I found them by searching ebay for 'artistamps'.  They are not exactly cheap!

those are great Mary Anne. Especially loving the ones from Hong Kong.

Oh, welldone William. and thanks.  My computer skills are always a little hit or miss . . .

I am glad you appreciate them.  I only chose at random the first examples I came across so take a look at his site: michaelthompsonart.com

I have been having a poke about looking for Trump artistamps.  There are quite a good few but nearly all 'anti' so I was pleased to find today some 'pro', at least I think they are judging from the other items the same seller has on Ebay.  It isn't too obvious.  There are five different but I will only show one, just for the archive so to say, because I am thinking that a lot of people would not allow them the description 'artistamp'.

thanks for sharing carolyn. great to see this and the stamps.

a half-sheet of artistamps for a little project i'm working on.

Found this whilst poking around the internet.
Maybe it is of interest . . .
https://www.photostamps.net.au/

Recently shared this on Facebook - my very first sheet of artistamps. Made with a vintage photo from my personal collection.

Printed on ungummed stamp sheets I picked up at a garage sale. The stamp sheets are from 100proofpress.com (they call them 'postage paper'). I haven't purchased anything from they, but I'd like to.  Their rubber stamps look FAB!

I'll be photocopying this artistamps sheet, and signing / dating each one. If you'd like one please let me know. Perhaps you'd like to trade? 

*I haven't purchased anything from THEM...

Hi, Jayne. I used to purchase from them and have naught but wonderful results to recall, HOWEVER, that was probably 30-yr ago.

i've been really happy with the perforated paper from 100 proof press as well as with their line of stamps. i've never used the templates with them so i'm not sure how well they work, but suspect there'd be no problems with them.

If you want REAL gummed stamp paper, perforated or not, you must try Bill Porter's Olathe Post shop online.  He's a long-time IUOMA member.

We Brits miss out on all these products because of postage cost.

Thanks for the kind words, Robin!

Mary Anne I had the paper from 100 Proof Press mailed to me here in Taiwan along with a stamp order and it didn't seem that excessive in cost. I usually ordered unmounted stamps so it wouldn't be too pricey.