Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad: Colors, Water & Sizes
Tim Holtz Distress Ink is Ranger's water-based, fade-resistant dye ink, made to give paper an aged, vintage look and to react with water. A full-size pad has a 3 × 3 in (76 mm) case and a 1 15/16 in (49 mm) raised felt. Vintage Photo is a best-selling brown, and Ranger makes its inks in New Jersey.
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Product facts
- Product
- Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Vintage Photo (3 × 3 in case)
- Brand
- Tim Holtz Distress
- Brand origin
- United States
- Made in
- United States*
- Material
- Water-based dye ink on a raised felt pad, in a plastic case
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per stamp or ink pad
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Ranger Industries, Tinton Falls, New Jersey (maker of the Tim Holtz Distress line). Made in United States: Ranger's About page says it keeps all its inks manufactured in the USA at a facility in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and tags the Distress Ink pads "Ranger Made" on rangerink.com. The pad pages themselves don't name a country. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Ranger lists every full-size Distress Ink pad at a 3 × 3 in (76 mm) case with a 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in (49 mm) felt.
- Ranger's Distress Ink Pads collection listed 73 colors on October 22, 2026.
- Vintage Photo (DIS-19527, UPC 789541019527) had 3,277 Amazon ratings averaging 4.7 stars on October 22, 2026.
- Mini pads have 1 × 1 in (25 mm) felts and are sold four to a kit.
- Ranger, founded in 1929, says it makes all its inks in the USA at its plant in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.
What is Tim Holtz Distress Ink?
It’s a water-based dye ink from Ranger, made to give paper an aged, vintage look. Ranger describes Distress Inks as “water based, fade resistant, dye inks formulated to create aged vintage effects on papers and other porous surfaces” that react with water while keeping their color.
Crafters use the pads three ways: stamping images, blending color onto card edges and backgrounds with a foam tool, and adding water to make the dye bloom, drip or lift. The line is designed by the mixed-media artist Tim Holtz and made by Ranger Industries of New Jersey.
Tim Holtz Distress Ink pad specs
| Spec | Distress Ink pad (full size) |
|---|---|
| Ink | Water-based dye, fade resistant (Ranger) |
| Case | 3 × 3 in (76 mm) |
| Felt | 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in (49 mm), raised |
| Colors | 73 on Ranger’s collection page, October 22, 2026 |
| Vintage Photo | Ranger TIM19527; Amazon model DIS-19527, UPC 789541019527 |
| Mini pads | 1 × 1 in (25 mm) felts, four to a kit (Amazon listing) |
| Refill | Distress re-inker, one per color |
| Made in | USA (Tinton Falls, New Jersey) |
The raised felt lets you swipe the pad straight onto paper and reach large stamps. Ranger doesn’t publish the pad’s height or weight.
How does Distress Ink react with water?
The dye stays water-soluble after it dries, so water moves it again. Mist a stamped or blended panel and the color softens and spreads; flick drops on and each one lifts the dye, drying with a darker rim.
That’s the look Ranger designed it for, and it also means Distress Ink isn’t for outlines you’ll paint over. For those, a permanent ink such as Ranger Archival Ink stays put under water.
Which Distress Ink colors should you start with?
Start with the browns that give the aged look: Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Antique Linen, plus Black Soot. Amazon lists those four together as a kit of minis.
Vintage Photo is the best seller of the group. On October 22, 2026 its Amazon listing had 3,277 ratings averaging 4.7 stars, and ASINsight’s June 2026 report, a third-party estimate, ranked it third among all Distress Ink listings. Add brights later; with 73 colors, minis are the cheap way to try them.
Distress Ink vs Distress Oxide: what’s the difference?
Distress Ink is a transparent dye; Distress Oxide adds pigment, so it is more opaque.
| Distress Ink | Distress Oxide | |
|---|---|---|
| Ink | Water-based dye | Dye and pigment |
| Look | Transparent, glows on white card | Opaque, shows on kraft and dark card |
| With water | Moves, blooms, lifts | Goes chalky, “oxidized” |
| Full-size case | 3 × 3 in (76 mm) | 3 × 3 in (76 mm) |
| Price band | $5–20 | $5–20 |
Oxide figures come from its guide. Many crafters own both: Distress Ink for clean, glowing blends and water effects, and Oxide for color on dark card.
What else do you need to use Distress Ink?
A blending tool, smooth white or manila card, and a mister. A foam blending tool moves ink from the pad onto card in soft layers.
For crisp stamping, a stamp positioner such as the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform lets you re-ink and stamp again in the same spot. Dye inks like this one and Memento Tuxedo Black both sink into paper, but Memento is meant to sit under alcohol markers, not water.
What are the downsides?
It isn’t permanent, and it fades if you need archival work. Ranger calls it fade resistant, not lightfast or archival.
Water-based dye can also feather on soft, absorbent paper, and the color you see on the pad is darker than on card. On October 22, 2026, Ranger listed a full-size pad at US$6.99, in our $5–20 band.
Where is Tim Holtz Distress Ink made?
In the USA. Ranger, founded in 1929 and family owned since 1975, says it makes all its inks, embossing powders, paints and glues at its facility in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. Its site tags the Distress Ink pads “Ranger Made”.
Frequently asked questions
Is Distress Ink waterproof?
No. Ranger makes it to react with water, so a mist or drop of water moves and lifts the dye after stamping. For a waterproof outline, use a permanent ink such as Ranger Archival.
What is the most popular Distress Ink color?
Vintage Photo, a warm brown, is among the best sellers: it had 3,277 Amazon ratings on October 22, 2026, and ASINsight's June 2026 report ranked it third among Distress Ink listings. Antique Linen, Walnut Stain and Black Soot share a popular mini kit with it.
How many Distress Ink colors are there?
Ranger's Distress Ink Pads collection listed 73 color pads on October 22, 2026. Ranger adds and retires colors over time, so the count changes.
What size is a Distress Ink pad?
The full-size pad has a 3 × 3 in (76 mm) case and a 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in (49 mm) felt, per Ranger. Minis have a 1 × 1 in felt.
Does Distress Ink show on dark cardstock?
Not much. It's a transparent dye, so it shows best on white or light card. For kraft or dark card, Ranger's Distress Oxide adds pigment and is more opaque.
Can you refill a Distress Ink pad?
Yes. Ranger sells a matching Distress re-inker bottle for each color; drip it onto the felt and let it soak in.
Is Tim Holtz Distress Ink made in the USA?
Yes. Ranger says it makes all its inks in the USA, at its facility in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.
Sources
- Ranger Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Vintage Photo, TIM19527 (water-based, fade resistant dye; case 3 × 3 in, pad 1 15/16 × 1 15/16 in; read October 22, 2026)
- Ranger Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads collection (73 colors, October 22, 2026)
- Ranger Ink: About (founded 1929; all inks manufactured in the USA in Tinton Falls, New Jersey)
- Amazon: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Vintage Photo (DIS-19527; UPC 789541019527; 3,277 ratings; read October 22, 2026)
- Amazon: Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pads, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Black Soot (four 1 × 1 in pads)
- Amazon: Tim Holtz Distress Ink re-inker, Vintage Photo
- ASINsight: Best Selling Distress Ink (US, June 2026; third-party sales estimates)
- Amazon Best Sellers: Scrapbooking Stamps (read October 22, 2026)