let's talk ink pads!

Other. I only use archival inks for basic stamping on layouts (no cardmaking, mixed media, or other arts) & buy the small (cube/DewDrop) size of Tsukineko ink brands:  Like you, my favorite everyday ink is Versafine (pigment) in Onyx Black. I also use VersaColor (pigment) for various colors, VersaMagic (pigment/chalk finish) in Cloud White & Midnight Black for stamping on vellum or directly onto photos, & VersaMark (oil-based) for watermark/tone-on-tone & embossing. 

ETA:  See also 2Peas Favourites List - Inks

Another vote for Catherine Pooler ink pads. They are awesome! Perfect images every time!

I'm happy with my Gina K inks and Altenew cubes. I haven't had any problem with the cubes drying out. For small sentiments I prefer Altenew obsidian, for all others I use Versamark. I do wish the VersaFine CLAIR came in more colors; it's another favorite.

Lawn fawn

I am happy with the Gina K colors, I probably haven't used them enough tho to give a good opinion. I found the Altenew a bit blotchy. I went all in on the Pinkfresh inks and am happy with them for images and layering. At first I thought some of the colors seemed dull or washed out, but give a minute to dry and it seemed to brighten up and fill out more.

I only use Ranger for distress, stencils, messy things - so not really looking for crisp there.

I still also just like Memento and Versafine inks, they seem to do job just fine in most situations.

This is reminding me that I need to go thru a throw out some old inks I don't use anymore. I do want to try the Catherine Pooler too.

I agree. Versafine is the best. I wish they offered more, too.

I have altenew, catherine pooler and pinkfresh ink pads.

Catherine pooler feels great while inking stamps mainly because their ink pads are made of foam and not felt. But stamping is not smooth as others for me.

Altenew inks are good too but their lighter colors seem more splotchy. I find their overall color choices not as fun.

Pinkfresh inks feel same like altenew ones but their colors are a bit more vibrant. But again...some of the lightest colors could be a bit splotchy. 

I tend to use altenew and pinkfresh ink pads more and just stamp my images twice by using a stamp platform. It usually works. 

For black, I love gina K amalgam and used pinkfresh detail black. I love both but for finer images, detail black by pinkfresh is good.

ETA...I only have 4 lawn fawn ink pads but they are my least favorite. 

My most used ink is Versafine Onyx. For colored inks I use TH Distress and Oxides. With a stamp platform the Distress Inks are more usable since I can reink and restamp for a better image. I have a few Hero Arts and SSS inks that work just fine.

Love versafine, memento and ranger both distress ink & oxide.

I've had very bad luck w/Gina K being splotchy.

I’m a big fan of the Versafine Onyx. I bought a lot of the Versafine Clair inks and the colours are gorgeous.

I use Versafine Onyx Black for all of my outlines.

Most of my dye inks are CTMH. I've had them for many years and have only bought one reinker. They were formulated especially for clear stamps before clear stamps were the norm (that's how old they are!). I would love to try the Catherine Pooler inks.

Anna Griffin dye inks are made by someone else, I believe, but I have been very happy with their crispness and coverage.

Tsukineko Delicata makes amazing metallic ink pads

To piggyback on this thread, does anyone have a recommendation for their favorite pigment ink? I have all the oxides, and enough dye inks to satisfy most of my projects but the other day I was trying to make an ink effect that I thought would only be accomplished with pigment inks. Are the oxides enough for most people or do folks have some other brand also?

Did you ever get the Concord & 9th ink pads? Do you like them? I love the colours but I have found they suction onto my stamps, I guess because they are foam? Not an issue really, I guess mostly user error and lack of experience.

As indicated above, I only use inks (specifically those manufactured by Tsukineko, such as VersaColor & VersaFine) for basic stamping on scrapbook pages. Neither Distress nor Distress Oxides are ideal for my purpose. Check out Tim Holtz videos for demonstrations on the differences between Distress & Distress Oxide inks. HTH