Ink print guide

How to make clear ink fingerprints

A fingerprint heart is only as clear as the two ink prints it starts from. Our Imprint cleans up real ridges but never invents them, so a few minutes of care here makes the biggest difference. Here is the simple way to get a print the creator will mark as Good.

What you need

A washable, non-toxic, skin-safe ink pad in black or another dark colour. Craft stores and office supply stores carry them; look for those words on the label. Follow the ink pad's own safety and cleanup directions.
Plain white printer paper (smooth, not textured).
Wet wipes or soap and water for afterwards.
Optional: our printable press-here sheet (PDF) with two labelled boxes.

Three steps

Ink lightly. Tap the fingertip on the ink pad two or three times, just enough to darken the skin evenly. Too much ink fills the valleys between ridges and turns the print into a blot.
Press firmly, lift straight up. Place the finger on plain white paper, press straight down with light, steady pressure, then lift straight up. Do not roll, slide, or press again on the same spot. Make a few prints and keep the clearest.
Photograph flat in daylight. Let the ink dry for a minute. Lay the paper flat near a window in even daylight, hold your phone straight above it, and keep the whole print in frame with white paper around it. Avoid flash and shadows from your hand or phone.

Common mistakes

Too much ink. A dark, solid blob with no lines means the ridges filled in. Blot the finger on scrap paper and try again.
Pressing too hard or twisting. Heavy pressure flattens the ridges and twisting smears them. Light and steady wins.
Pressing twice. Lifting and pressing again creates a double image. Use a fresh spot instead.
Shadowy or angled photos. Shoot straight down in even daylight; tilted photos stretch the print and shadows hide detail.
Cropping the print. Keep the whole impression in the photo with clean paper on every side.
Textured or coloured paper. Paper grain looks like noise next to fine ridges. Use plain white.

Printable press-here sheet

Print the one-page press-here sheet on plain white paper. It has two boxes, Print 1 and Print 2, so each person has a clear spot, plus the short tips above. It is handy for a gift recipient, too.

Then make your heart

Open the creator and add both photos. They are processed in your browser and are never uploaded. The preview is free; you only pay when you love it. Received a gift certificate? Redeem your gift code first.