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Help with Alcohol Inks

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Matt R

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Hello! Good to meet everyone here for the first time! I have been testing out different painting methods and I am really intrigued by alcohol inks, after seeing some of these paintings at a local shop. Being new to painting I don't have much of an idea on where to start and I wanted to ask for some help! Is there any particular substrate that I should start with, such as a primed canvas surface? My dream would be to create something like this artwork: https://www.printivart.com.au/darkened-gold/ - but of course I know that this may be a long way away. But, I guess I need to start somewhere! That website also has what looks like reflective golds which I would love to create. If anyone has used this painting method before and could provide some real life tips that would be great! Thanks again!
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Inks work on watercolour paper, and thick cartridge paper - but I'm no authority on the coloured inks: I think Sylvia Evans has done work with them; I'm sure Alan Bickley has.  Such experience as I have with ink is of Indian, Chinese, and acrylic-based inks (I'd probably drink the alcohol....): looking forward to seeing if you get any good advice, because I'm interested in working with them too - it's just that with acrylic, oil, watercolour, charcoal, carbon pencil, conté crayon, pen and ink, brush and ink, bits of match-stick and ink, gouache, and now about to experiment with casein, I think I've got enough to be going on with.   Which - of course - is never true, is it?  

Sylvia Evans

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Sadly I'm sorry I don't have experience with alcohol Inks.  I like and use Brusho powdered inks.  They mix with water and are great for all sorts of experimentation....like Robert I prefer my alcohol in a glass with ice and a slice... Brusho are great fun. One I did earlier....much earlier. 

Jenny Harris

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Really like that, Sylvia, both the long format and colours. Regarding alcohol inks, I’ve not used them, but a friend of mine uses them on Yupo paper, with some great results.  Would probably work almost as well on a gesso coated surface.  (Brusho looks like fun, but didn’t you find on earlier painting that it’s not lightfast?)

Edited
by Jenny Harris

Sylvia Evans

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Oooooh wonderful ,  have Yupo. 

Tessa Gwynne

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I used alcohol inks at a class before Christmas on Yupo paper. Great fun and lovely effects but afterwards I read that they are pretty toxic indoors especially and so I haven’t used them since. If I do use them again it would be outdoors.

Sylvia Evans

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What lovely effects Tessa.  Must try my Brusho on Yupo.

Tessa Gwynne

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Thanks Sylvia. I haven’t tried Brusho so would be interested to see.
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Alan Beresford

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Posted
hi all, I also use Brusho, all you can use Derwent Intense blocks created in to water to get bright ink colours. here is a painting I painted with brusho.