Robert Dutton says anything is possible when you work with Derwent’s Inktense range of Blocks, Pencils and Paint Pan Travel Set.

Top features:

  • Versatile
  • Can be used wet or dry
  • Can be used for drawing and painting
  • Quick and easy to use
  • Bright, permanent colours
  • No dust
  • No smudging
  • Lightfast
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Where to buy

Derwent Inktense can be purchased direct from Derwent by clicking here and from other art shops and online retailers.

You can also order from Jackson's Art Supplies by clicking here.

About Inktense

I’ve been using Derwent Inktense colours since 2006, especially Inktense Blocks, their versatility in being both paint and drawing medium at the same time is beneficial, both in the studio and for outdoor use.

They are perfect for artists who want to travel light, to work quickly without too much studio set up and who don’t want the hassle of acquiring all the kit needed to paint with traditional water media, or acquire an extensive range of drawing media.

Video from Robert Dutton's Youtube channel

Discover the Derwent Inktense range

1. Inktense blocks

Inktense blocks can be used successfully on their own to achieve effects similar to soft pastels but with a major advantage: they are dustless and, with a little water added can be made to extend the colours.

Once dry, coloured washes remain permanent and bright; this is a real advantage that watercolourists will find attractive as under-painted washes do not move and colours mixed are the exact colour of choice, without lightening.

Available individually and in sets of 12, 24, 36 and 72

ORDER YOUR INKTENSE BLOCKS HERE

Put your blocks to the test with Angela Gaughan

Red Panda, Inktense on Daler-Rowney Watercolour board, (30x42cm) by Angela Gaughan

CLICK HERE TO PAINT A RED PANDA USING INKTENSE BLOCKS

2. Inktense pencils

Inktense pencils are from the same pigments as the blocks (with nothing extra added), and perfect for artists requiring greater precision. They are water-soluble and can be sharpened to really long points with a craft knife without breaking.

Available in sets of 12, 24, 36 and the full 72 colours, both pencils and blocks fit snugly in sturdy slotted plastic trays inside robust, lightweight tins.

The slotted trays protect each colour from damage or unnecessary wear when travelling or storing, or in use.

Available individually and in sets of 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72

ORDER YOUR INKTENSE PENCILS HERE

Put your Inktense pencils to the test with Angela Gaughan

All Played Out, Inktense on watercolour board, (30.5x43cm) by Angela Gaughan

LEARN TO DRAW A BORDER COLLIE USING INKTENSE PENCILS

3. Derwent Inktense Paint Pan Travel Set

These ingenious compact boxes are great for outdoor and small studio work.

They contain either 12 or 24 water-soluble Inktense Pans in a lightweight, well-made plastic paint box and Derwent’s popular water reservoir brush.

Colours are quickly activated, hold well on a loaded watercolour brush and are easy to mix because of their great pigmentation. I particularly liked the way the colours glazed one over the other easily and wet layers stay put when you work one over the other. As a result, cleaner glazing techniques are achieved throughout the Inktense range.

The paint box fits easily into your pocket or sketching bag. It is a very useful painting companion for quick plein-air studies on all sorts of textures and surfaces of paper.

The pure, vibrant, highly pigmented colours are well thought out. The set is also useful when close to hand in the studio – I found it especially useful for preliminary studies.

The small pans are a bit too small for large-scale work, but you can work round this if the colours are pre-mixed in larger palette wells used alongside the box.

ORDER YOUR PAINT PAN SET HERE

An instinctive response

Summer’s Glow, River Nidd, Yorkshire, Derwent Inktense Blocks on Canson Moulin du Roy 140lb (300gsm) Not watercolour paper, (38x56cm)

For Summer's Glow, River Nidd, Yorkshire, above, I was able to create every subtle nuance of this scene with ease using a wide variety of techniques akin to watercolour painting with the fabulous Derwent Inktense Blocks.

How to use the Inktense range

1. How to create your own tints using Derwent Inktense

To create your own tints, use a sharp craft knife or scalpel to obtain fine shavings that you mix together.

2. How to mix Inktense colours in a palette

For larger pre-mixed washes, increase the water-to-pigment ratio of shaved Inktense Blocks for the desired tint.

This is extremely useful for larger scale work

3. How to mix Inktense in a tray

For water-media techniques on a grand scale, Inktense Blocks can be dissolved in wells of water and very quickly mixed to create large, sumptuous volumes of lovely pre-mixed colour.

Final thoughts

I love the fact that Derwent Inktense Blocks are square and have sharp edges, so I can use them to draw with or wet them to make ink, and paint with them in washes.

They feel good in the hand, which inspires quick, responsive and instinctive drawing and painting at the same time – just how I like it.

You can apply colour directly to the paper from the tips or on their side to create all sorts of interesting marks and they blend easily, too.

Lots of traditional drawing techniques can be achieved with Inktense Blocks, with the advantage that no fixative is required between layers.

Inktense doesn’t smudge readily (if at all), which is a big advantage when travelling or storing your work.

Also, you can quickly achieve a more fluid look to your painting by adding water with a brush to your drawn Inktense marks. You cannot wet soft pastel in the same way and hope for the same sparkle or clarity of colour.

Vigorous applications saturate the area with rich colour, creating dense, strong flat tones. Working other colours in a similar way, one over the other, increases this effect for seamless blending.

The colours in the Inktense Paint Pans are 100% lightfast.

Once used, you’re hooked!

Every time I use Derwent Inktense I discover how creative and useful they are – especially in my mixed-media work. I’m sure you will, too.

To purchase visit the Derwent website.

Sometimes we may include links to online retailers, from which we might receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate links do not influence editorial coverage and will only be used when covering relevant products

About Robert Dutton

Robert teaches pastel, acrylic, watercolour and mixed-media techniques at his workshops and art holidays.

For more details about Robert’s paintings, workshops and holidays, see www.rdcreative.co.uk


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