Thank you for your report!
We have received your report and it is currently under investigation by a forum moderator.
Using brush pens with diluted ink or paint
Welcome to the forum.
Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.
Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.
Hang on Studio Wall
This is a Studio member-only feature!
Join our Studio membership and save your favourite Painters Online content, from gallery artwork to step-by-step guides, to your own online mood boards. Create your go-to place for inspiration and learning. Plus, members can also enjoy a range of exciting features including monthly art videos and a digital magazine library.
If you are already a Studio member, simply login to your account.
Not a Studio member? Why not try our free 30-day trial - no commitment, no credit card required
Message
Posted
I'd like to fill a brush pen with water mixed with ink or a pigment. I'd use the brush to paint half tones when I'm drawing with a black fibre tip pen .
Black fountain pen ink doesn't give a good mid grey as it seems to be bluish grey when diluted with water. I've tried black acrylic ink without much success. A dilute solution gives a very pale grey which isn't any use. If I add more acrylic ink to the water, the ink seems to clog the brush fibres. This reduces the flow of water throught the brush, and the marks made on the paper are paler than the diluted ink in the brush pen.
I could paint half tones using a small box of watercolours, although this is messy and inconvenient if you're standing up to draw. I've used a soluble grey pencil to draw shades over the ink drawing and then washed water over it. The pencil gives a mottled grey rather than a smooth grey.
I wondered about filling a brush pen with a mix of water and black from a tube of watercolour.
Has anybody any suggestions please?
Posted
Try it and see - it ought to produce a pale grey, provided you mix quite a lot of paint: watercolour is very easily diluted. Or, have you thought of dilute Chinese ink - something else to buy, I'm afraid, stick ink and an ink-stone, but it is lovely stuff - very delicate and extremely versatile, it can be dense black, or very pale and transparent.
Fountain-pen ink has its fans, but I am not among them, for painting/drawing purposes anyway. The stuff you can buy in the high-street stationers can turn into an extremely nasty colour if diluted... if you are going to use it, then I would suggest a calligraphy ink, or Waterman fountain-pen ink. Or Kaweco, if you can find it (German brand - strong stuff).
Or, and I often find myself recommending this, Chromacolour acrylic paint - Mars Black, or Payne's Grey for instance. Buy it in the pot, not tube. It dilutes extremely well and won't clog the pen/brush, though as with all acrylics you would need to wash it out with plain water after use.