A seal carving apparatus includes a thermal head having a plurality of heat generating elements disposed in lines, and thermal drive control means that performs a control process of selectively and thermally driving the individual heat generating elements while moving the thermal head and a porous material in relative to each other with the thermal head being in abutment with the porous material, thereby forming a seal face on the porous material. The thermal drive control means controls a pulse time width for thermally driving the individual heat generating elements of the thermal head under pulse width modulation control based on gradation image data having a gradation value, thereby forming a seal with a gradation on the porous material.

A seal carving apparatus includes a thermal head having a plurality of heat generating elements disposed in lines, and thermal drive control means that performs a control process of selectively and thermally driving the individual heat generating elements while moving the thermal head and a porous material in relative to each other with the thermal head being in abutment with the porous material, thereby forming a seal face on the porous material. The thermal drive control means controls a pulse time width for thermally driving the individual heat generating elements of the thermal head under pulse width modulation control based on gradation image data having a gradation value, thereby forming a seal with a gradation on the porous material.

A method includes providing an elastomeric stamp including a stamping surface with a first pattern element having a fill factor of 20 to 99 percent and including a continuous region and at least one discontinuous region, the discontinuous region including at least one of: (1) one or more elongated concavities, and (2) one or more interior voids. A second pattern element of the stamping surface has a fill factor of 0.25 to 10 percent, and includes traces with a width from 0.1 micrometers to 50 micrometers. The stamping surface is inked with an ink composition including a functionalizing molecule with a functional group selected to bind to a surface of the ink-receptive material. The inked stamping surface is contacted with an ink-receptive material selected from a sheet or a web for a contact time sufficient to bind the functional group with the surface of the ink-receptive material to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of the functionalizing material.

A method includes providing an elastomeric stamp including a stamping surface with a first pattern element having a fill factor of 20 to 99 percent and including a continuous region and at least one discontinuous region, the discontinuous region including at least one of: (1) one or more elongated concavities, and (2) one or more interior voids. A second pattern element of the stamping surface has a fill factor of 0.25 to 10 percent, and includes traces with a width from 0.1 micrometers to 50 micrometers. The stamping surface is inked with an ink composition including a functionalizing molecule with a functional group selected to bind to a surface of the ink-receptive material. The inked stamping surface is contacted with an ink-receptive material selected from a sheet or a web for a contact time sufficient to bind the functional group with the surface of the ink-receptive material to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of the functionalizing material.

A stamping-face plate holder is provided. The stamping-face plate holder comprises a plate holding member formed with a positioning recess for receiving and positioning a stamping-face plate and a film for covering the stamping-face plate held in the plate holding member. The stamping-face plate is made of a porous material impregnated with ink. The plate holding member consists of a top paper board and a bottom paper board, both boards being integrated by adhering and the positioning recess is formed in the top paper board. The film covers the whole surface of the top paper board and adheres to the top paper board excepting the stamping-face plate held therein.

A stamping-face plate holder is provided. The stamping-face plate holder comprises a plate holding member formed with a positioning recess for receiving and positioning a stamping-face plate and a film for covering the stamping-face plate held in the plate holding member. The stamping-face plate is made of a porous material impregnated with ink. The plate holding member consists of a top paper board and a bottom paper board, both boards being integrated by adhering and the positioning recess is formed in the top paper board. The film covers the whole surface of the top paper board and adheres to the top paper board excepting the stamping-face plate held therein.

A method of producing a synthetic resin stamp includes the steps of mixing 35 to 45 weight % of a polyethylene resin, 11 to 22 weight % of a thermoplastic elastomer, 35 to 45 weight % of a filling material, 2 to 7 weight % of a cross-linking agent, and 2 to 7 weight % of a foaming agent to obtain a molding material; placing the molding material in a molding die; performing a direct pressure molding at 160 C. to 190 C. for 3 to 10 minutes for performing a cross-linking reaction and a foaming reaction to obtain a foamed molded member formed of foam cells; slicing the foamed molded member to obtain a sliced member; and performing a laser engraving process on a surface of the sliced member to obtain the synthetic resin stamp.