Artnic Ink Pad: 96 Colors, Easy to Emboss
Artnic is Tsukineko's pigment ink pad in 96 colors, on sale since 1982. The S pad is 34 × 34 × 20 mm and the Midi 58 × 58 × 20 mm. It dries in 10 to 15 minutes, so it embosses well. Tsukineko lists S at 380 yen (about US$2.41) and Midi at 550 yen before tax.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Tsukineko Artnic S (AS-***, 96 colors) and Artnic Midi (ANM-***, 9 colors)
- Brand
- Tsukineko
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Pigment ink (water-based, with oil-based metallic colors) on a pad in a plastic case
- Released
- 1982*
- Price range
- $under $5 per stamp or ink pad
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Tsukineko Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Tsukineko's product page lists sizes, part numbers and prices but no country of manufacture. Its company history lists a factory in Yoshikawa, Saitama (built 1986) and a US subsidiary in Redmond, Washington that began production in 1994, so check the label on your copy. Price: example listing. Released: Tsukineko's Artnic page says the line has sold since 1982.
- How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Tsukineko says Artnic has been loved worldwide since its 1982 release, with 96 colors of fade-resistant pigment ink.
- The S pad is 34 × 34 × 20 mm with a 24 × 24 mm face; the Midi is 58 × 58 × 20 mm with a 37 × 37 mm face in 9 colors including four neons.
- It dries slowly, in 10 to 15 minutes on recycled postcard stock, which makes embossing with clear powder easy; the fast-drying Golden Glitz is not for embossing.
- Four metallic colors are oil-based, and Golden Glitz and the metallics show on black and dark paper; some inkjet papers discolor them.
- List prices before tax are 380 yen (about US$2.41) for S, 550 yen (about US$3.48) for Midi and 600 yen (about US$3.80) for a pigment re-inker; the page gives no country of manufacture.
What is Artnic?
It is a long-running pigment ink pad with a very wide color range. Tsukineko says the line has been loved around the world since it launched in 1982, and that its 96 colors allow subtle color expression with ink that resists fading. It is aimed at beginners as well as regular stampers.
What sizes and prices are there?
S and Midi pads, plus re-inkers. Tsukineko lists the following before tax.
| S | Midi | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 34 × 34 × 20 mm | 58 × 58 × 20 mm |
| Inking face | 24 × 24 mm | 37 × 37 mm |
| Colors | 96 | 9 |
| Part number | AS-*** | ANM-*** |
| List price before tax | 380 yen (about US$2.41) | 550 yen (about US$3.48) |
Prices are Japanese list prices at 158 yen to the dollar. The Midi’s colors are Cardinal, Brown, Black, Vermilion, Golden Glitz and four neons (yellow, pink, blue and green); the neons cannot be refilled.
Why is it easy to emboss with?
It dries relatively slowly. Tsukineko gives 10 to 15 minutes on recycled postcard stock, so the print is still wet when you add clear embossing powder. Inkjet paper takes up the ink too quickly for embossing, and the quick-drying Golden Glitz is not suited to it either.
What about the metallic colors?
Golden Glitz and the four metallics suit black and dark paper. Gold, Silver, Copper and Bronze are oil-based, unlike the water-based colors, and Tsukineko warns they can show poorly or change color on some inkjet papers. Golden Glitz dries fast and looks metallic even on inkjet paper.
How do you refill it?
With an Ultimate re-inker. The pigment re-inker is 25 mm across and 73 mm tall at 600 yen (about US$3.80) before tax, in 92 colors; the metallic one is 740 yen (about US$4.68) in four. Tsukineko makes inkers to order. If your stamp is bigger than the pad, hold the pad and tap it on the stamp.
For other long-lived pads in this range, see Memento Dew Drop and VersaMark.
How does it compare with other Tsukineko pads?
It is the widest color range and the best-known embossing pad. The Memento Dew Drop has 36 colors and dries in seconds, so it will not hold powder, and the VersaMark is clear. Artnic’s S face is 24 mm square, the same as the Delicata S and VersaCraft S, so small stamps fit all three.
The Midi is a larger case that Tsukineko calls stylish and easy to handle, with a 37 mm square face, which fits a stamp up to that size without tapping.
Where is it made, and what does it cost?
Tsukineko’s page doesn’t give a country of manufacture. The company history lists a Yoshikawa, Saitama factory and a US subsidiary in Redmond, Washington. At 380 yen (about US$2.41) before tax the S pad is in our $ band (under $5).
Frequently asked questions
How many colors does Artnic come in?
96 in the S size, per Tsukineko, and 9 in the Midi, which adds four neon colors that have no re-inker.
Why is it good for embossing?
It dries relatively slowly, 10 to 15 minutes on recycled postcard stock, so the print stays wet long enough for clear embossing powder.
Does it work on inkjet paper?
Not for embossing, since inkjet paper absorbs the ink fast. Golden Glitz dries quickly and shows a metallic look on inkjet paper, but some metallics discolor on certain inkjet papers.
Which colors suit dark paper?
Golden Glitz and the metallic colors (Gold, Silver, Copper and Bronze), per Tsukineko. The metallics are oil-based.
What if the stamp is bigger than the pad?
Tsukineko says to hold the pad in your hand and tap it lightly on the stamp.
Can you refill it?
Yes. The Ultimate Pigment re-inker is 25 × 73 mm at 600 yen (about US$3.80) before tax, in 92 colors, and the metallic re-inker costs 740 yen (about US$4.68) in four colors; the four neon Midi colors have none.
How much does it cost and where is it made?
Tsukineko's list prices before tax are 380 yen (about US$2.41) for S and 550 yen (about US$3.48) for Midi, in our $ band (under $5). The page doesn't state a country of manufacture.