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Scrapbook Services and Supply, LLC
(504) 812-2261
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RUB-ONS

    What IS a rub-on?
    Ink printed in reverse on a special backing paper that allows it to be
    transferred—by rubbing— onto another surface. The rub-on may be
    an alphabet, symbol, word, or image.

    Why should I use a rub-on?
    Rub-ons are an excellent choice in place of stickers because they
    appear to be printed or painted on the surface to which you apply
    them.  They are rich and elegant-looking, and offer a lot more
    flexibility and variety in how and what you apply, as opposed to a
    whole word or image in a sticker.  For instance, you can use just a
    piece of an image, or just one alphabet in a word, if that is all you
    want to use to complete your design and make it more personal.

    What surfaces can rub-ons be applied to?
    The majority of rub-ons can safely be applied to paper,
    transparencies, vellum, hand-made paper, leather, wood, plastic,
    acrylic, ceramic, tiles, stones, pottery, and most fabrics.  You may
    even find other surfaces they work on—be daring and experiment!

    Is there a special way to handle rub-ons?
    Yes!!!  You NEVER want to hold a rub-on package directly over the
    rub-on itself, because the heat of your fingers or hand will soften
    the ink, and the rub-on will begin to transfer to the protective
    bottom sheet.  Instead, hold the rub-on package by the top or side,
    where you will not be directly on top of the image.  When handling
    the rub-on outside of the packaging, hold it gently on the side of the
    image.  Tweezers are often very useful, because some of the
    manufacturers print the images very close together, making it
    difficult to handle without putting your fingers over the images.  
    Plus, tweezers are extremely helpful in more precise placement of
    rub-ons, particularly for crafters who have trouble with fine motor
    skills, or tremors.

    How should rub-ons be stored?
    Rub-ons are extremely sensitive to heat, so always store them in a
    temperature-controlled environment, like your home or craft room.  
    NEVER leave rub-ons in the heat of your car—whether inside your
    tote, the trunk, or even just in the back seat!  And definitely do not
    store them in a closet in the bathroom, where the heat and humidity
    will ruin them.  (Yes, there have been people who found this out the
    hard way by storing their scrapbook supplies—and even
    photographs—in bathroom closets, only to take them out and find
    them all stuck together!  Oh, no!)

    How do I choose a good rub-on, and know it will transfer
    properly?
    Purchase your rub-ons from a reputable retailer that you know has
    fresh stock.  The reason for this is because rub-ons—being made of
    ink—have a tendency to dry out over longer periods of time, and
    once they have dried out, they usually will not transfer completely, if
    at all.  This is the main cause of frustration for rub-on beginners,
    and the reason why rub-ons that come from certain clearance stores  
    don’t always work.  If they have been on the store’s shelves or in a
    warehouse for a long time, the chances are pretty high that they
    won’t transfer properly simply because they have dried too long.

    How can I tell if a rub-on is fresh or should be safe to purchase?
    You can spot an old or damaged rub-on immediately, if you know
    what to look for.  A fresh rub-on that should transfer quickly and
    easily will be one that appears bright (if colored) or very dark (if
    black, brown, or dark blue, green, or purple).  If any part of the rub-
    on appears to have a light spot in the image with the rest of it being
    brighter (or darker), then you can bet that the rub-on has already
    dried a good bit and has begun to transfer off the backer sheet onto
    the protective bottom sheet.  You can also see this happen with
    fresh rub-ons if someone mishandles them, and the heat of their
    hand accidentally begins the transfer process.  So, regardless of
    where you purchase them, you still want to look closely at the
    images to make sure the rub-on was handled properly before you
    picked it up!

    What tools do I need to apply a rub-on?
    I think the best way to apply a rub-on is with a bone folder,
    although some manufacturers now make rub-on tools.  Also, a lot of
    rub-ons come with little wooden or plastic applicator sticks in their
    package.  You can use the stick provided, or a bone folder, or even
    the back of a small spoon.  You do NOT want to use a knife,
    especially one with a serrated edge!

    How do I properly apply a rub-on?
  1. Carefully open your rub-ons and remove them from their package.
  2. Hold the sheet of rub-ons gently by the edges, then cut out the one
    you wish to apply.  The reason for this is so that when you are
    rubbing it on, you don’t accidentally rub over another image that you
    don’t want to use yet.  And, because just the heat of your hand or
    fingers will soften the ink, you don’t want to hold your entire page
    of rub-ons down with one hand while you apply a rub-on from the
    middle of the page—this is a sure way to waste rub-ons and ruin
    your project in the process!
  3. After cutting out your rub-on, carefully position it on your project
    where you want it applied.  If possible, try to cut only the rub-on
    out of the top (backer) sheet, leaving the clear, protective bottom
    sheet intact.  If you have to cut the top (backer) sheet in half or in
    pieces to get to the image you want, you can gently secure them
    back onto the bottom protective sheet with a small piece of
    removable tape.
  4. Use removable tape (which you can get from us) to tape your
    alphabet, word, or image onto your project so it doesn’t move while
    rubbing/transferring the image.  Otherwise, you may end up with
    crinkles in your image if it slides a little while you're applying it.  
    Simply place the tape directly across the entire back of the image, so
    you can rub over the whole thing. Remember, it is printed in
    REVERSE on the TOP (backer) sheet, so you want to tape across the
    correct side—not over the rub-on ink itself!
  5. Once your rub-on is taped to your project, place your fingers or
    even the palm of your hand on top of the rub-on for a few seconds
    to allow the heat of your hand to soften the ink, which will help it to
    transfer more quickly.
  6. Next, use your bone folder or rub-on tool to gently rub over the
    image; rubbing too hard will leave indentations in the surface you're
    applying it to.  As the image transfers, it should become cloudy or
    milky, looking at it through the backer paper.  If it still looks
    bright/dark, it probably hasn’t transferred all the way.  You can try
    warming it a little longer by putting your fingers or hand over it, or
    just rub a little longer—but NOT harder! PLEASE do NOT use a heat
    gun to heat it! Heat guns get too hot and will ruin the rub-on; just
    take your time and go slowly at first until you become more familiar
    with them.  Lift an edge of the tape and backer paper to check its
    progress, and when the image has transferred completely, remove
    the tape and backer paper.

    What happens if the entire image did not transfer?  
    If the entire image did not transfer, simply place the rub-on back
    into place, lining up the edges of the image that remain on the
    backer sheet with the parts of the image that did transfer.  Again,
    apply the heat of your hand over the image a little bit longer, then
    rub over it until it finishes transferring.

    What happens if a rub-on will NOT transfer, but I REALLY want
    to use it?
    Every once in a while, this will happen.  When it does, you can trim
    around the image carefully, then apply adhesive to the back of the
    backer sheet (yes, over the ink!), and just adhere it like you would a
    transparency.  You can use adhesive made especially for
    transparencies, vellum, or acrylic (Vellum Glue Dots work very well);
    or you can run it through a Xyron and because it will put adhesive on
    the entire back of the piece; you should not see any delineation of
    where the adhesive has been applied.

    Can a Rub-On be removed if it gets messed up, or doesn’t work
    well with my project?
    Usually, you can “erase” it, with an adhesive eraser (which you can
    get from us).  You have to be very careful, and gently rub in ONE
    direction, actually pulling the ink off with the eraser.  Then clean the
    eraser as it picks up the ink, so you don’t smear it.  NEVER rub the
    eraser back and forth over the rub-on, because it will definitely
    smear it, and may make it impossible to remove.  Or, you could put
    a sticker, flower, or other embellishment over it, to conceal it.


Laissez le bon temps roulez, cher!
Dee Luquette-Famularo
Owner, Papercraft Specialist
Rub-on
Sample