ALCOHOL INKS 101

SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED

Alcohol inks can be an inexpensive, fun way to create. Above you can see some basic supplies:

(Left to right) a small palette, sprayer bottle, dropper, alcohol inks, 91% alcohol, stamper and pads,

permanent markers, cottons swabs, small brush - NOT A GOOD ONE - a straw. I SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED PLASTIC GLOVES - this can get messy. On the right is a ceramic tile. You can also use ANY NON-POROUS SURFACE, such as yupo, plastic (light switch plates), or shiny metal.

There are several good brands of alcohol inks, and I don't have a preference. Tim Holz Adirondak, and Jacquard Pinata are two I've used. You can buy them at a craft store or on Amazon. The Pinatas can be purchased in a 9 or 10 pack, and that seems to be a good value. Most of the Tim Holz are sold in packs of 3.

Below is an good way for beginners to start:

ALCOHOL INKS WITH PERMANENT MARKERS

You can just scribble on some marker and just make a design. But I've included here a way to create an abstract sunset. When using markers, don't put alcohol on the tile first. The inks will not come out of the marker if you do. 

 First, using two colors of blue, make some horizontal lines on 1/2 of the tile. 

Spritz with alchol to make it run--keep it at an angle to it can run.

Then, when that has dried, on the other side, use yellow, orange and red markers.

Cover the blue (like with plastic) to protect from alcohol spray, and spritz those colors.

Again, angle the tile so the colors run together. 

Next, when that is dry, wipe a circle clean with alcohol on a swab, then color in some 

orange and yellow for the sun. Swip some narrow pieces of the blue water with a swab.

Color in with some yellow. Then spritz slightly to let the colors run.

Finished. You can go over this with blue marker or other color that needs to be touched up.

EFFECTS

Spritzing lightly with alcohol makes these tiny white flecks in the painting.

This pink one has gold mixitive in the left hand side. Mixitives are heavier,

and they can be mixed with the ink directly or dropped on or swirled in.

STAMPING blends all the colors together.

ALCOHOL INKS

 When using the alcohol inks, you can spritz the surface with a little alcohol first so that the inks move around a little better. Drop a few drops onto the tile. (A LITTLE DAB WILL DO YA)

You can blow the ink around with a straw. But these inks DRY QUICKLY, so you don't have a lot of time.

Adding a few more inks and blowing with a straw. See the red-orange circle in the bottom left pink area? That is made just by dropping the ink into another color. They tend to push against the other color, not really mixing much at this point. 

Spritzing with alcohol again. It creates textures. 

Taking my stamper and stamping all the colors together. 

I dropped some yellow into that. Then "painted" the rest. To paint, you drop a little ink into a plastic palette. At this point you can mix colors and/or add mixitives in the palette. I dipped the brush into green ink and "painted" leaves onto the dry red surface. Thin the paint or clean your brush and palette with alcohol. 

USING A FIXATIVE

When you are done, your piece is already waterproof. But to preserve it, you can put a fixative on it.

You want to make sure your fixative is GLOSS, not matte. The Polycrylic on the left is a heavier duty finish. The acrylic sealer on the right is fine if you are just using it as a decoration. 

There's a little trick if you don't want to get more spots on your piece. Hold the spray 18 inches or so from the piece and LIGHTLY spray. This will help hold the color in place. If you try to heavily spray on the first pass, you will likely move the ink, because a lot of these sprays contain some alcohol. After about 15 minutes (or whatever the can directions say) you can apply a heavier spray. If using for a trivet, either use the polycrylic or several coats of acrylic.