Painting Techniques to Use with Alcohol Ink
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There are so many techniques that you can try with alcohol ink which is basically a combination of alcohol and pigment. You can create so many unique effects with this and there is a variety of surfaces that you can try this ink on. Therefore, you have a lot of options and flexibility when using this medium.
You can buy alcohol ink online through reputed sellers. Check for stores that have a majority of positive reviews and brands that many people have given good comments about. You can experiment in so many different ways when it comes to alcohol inks. There is the ink lift technique where you can have a lot of fun. You have to select the ink colours that you need and a surface that is best suited for the work. Once the ink is poured onto the surface, you can use a drinking straw or a hairdryer to spread the ink all around the surface. You can also try tilting the surface to get more coverage. You can use a stencil whether it is flowers or animals or a unique pattern and press it onto the artwork before the ink dries. That same stencil can then be carefully lifted and pressed against a sheet of paper where you can see the outline of the stencil with the beautiful combinations of the ink.
Alcohol ink calls for more free-flowing art but you can make it a little more structured using a brush. You can dip the brush in the colour of ink you prefer and paint as you normally do using brushstrokes. You can also splatter ink onto the surface by flipping the brush. You can also use wax paper to create interesting effects. Once you have poured ink drops over the surface, you can press on the ink drops using the wax paper so that it creates a unique texture on the surface. If you have several stamps of different patterns and designs, you can use them in combination with the alcohol inks. You have to select a surface and ink colours first. The ink has to be poured onto the surface. You can then dip a stamp in the inks and stamp them on the surface to create a beautiful pattern.
You may have seen alcohol ink paintings that have lovely ripples. You can achieve this ripple effect using a hairdryer. You can mix the inks and the blending solution in a cup and pour it onto the surface. You have to then take a hairdryer and direct its heat to the ink from one angle while tilting the surface towards the hairdryer slightly. You can also mix more colours and repeat the same. You can try the hairdryer at different angles to see the effect it creates. Cotton buds can also create a smooth pattern with alcohol inks. Once you have poured the alcohol inks onto the surface, the cotton buds can be used to move the paint across the surface and create a gradient effect.