You can use most ink pads for direct to paper, try screwing up some paper and then smoothing it out and wiping an ink pad over the paper brilliant effects can be created, Big and Juicy pads are great for brayering, using ink dusters or just colouring stamped images with, pads that are slow drying such as brilliance are good for heat embossing as they stay wet for long enough to pour the embossing powder on. Stazon inks are perfect for stamping on acetate, shrink plastic. Chalk inks give a softer image and i use them for edging cards etc. I love Versafine for very detailed stamps as it gives a better coverage in my opinon.

Most inkpads can be used for stamping an image HTH a bit