Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

terri · Mar 24, 2024

SquarePeg said:
The fumes from the 91% isopropyl alcohol used to activate and the ink and move it around can cause headaches (which I’m prone to with any type of fumes) and also respiratory issues if you breathe too much of it in. I had an exhaust fan in the window and wore the mask about half of the time - it’s pretty comfortable and no foggy glasses. Plus I’ll be ready for the next pandemic.

Okay, gotcha. Mask up and keep the exhaust fan on and the fumes should be controlled.

I've barely heard of alcohol inks, let alone their application process. You make it look easy! You could be right about this being your new medium.

These are all eye candy.

SquarePeg · Mar 24, 2024

terri said:
For some reason I thought it was a type of #6 brush.

I had to think about it. I e never seen it used as an acronym before.

terri said:
Okay, gotcha. Mask up and keep the exhaust fan on and the fumes should be controlled.

I've barely heard of alcohol inks, let alone their application process. You make it look easy! You could be right about this being your new medium. These are all eye candy.

I saw something I liked on Instagram and went down a rabbit hole of YouTube tutorials the past couple of months. Today was the first time actually trying any of it. I just joined an Alcohol Ink Facebook group and am amazed at the beautiful work people are sharing. I was only thinking of it for abstracts and florals but some of these paintings are amazing. I hope to learn more.

snowbear · Mar 24, 2024

Yes, jack of all trades. thats the one I take with me when I travel with the wc pencils.

Alcohol in concentration is nasty.

SquarePeg · Mar 25, 2024

One more from yesterday. I think this one might be my favorite. My hands are aching today from using that manual blower to move the paint around. I may need to get an airbrush! Going to try using a small hair dryer or canned air first.

terri · Mar 25, 2024

SquarePeg said:
One more from yesterday. I think this one might be my favorite. My hands are aching today from using that manual blower to move the paint around. I may need to get an airbrush! Going to try using a small hair dryer or canned air first.

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Love the purple! I'm liking all the little details, too,

SquarePeg said:
One more from yesterday. I think this one might be my favorite. My hands are aching today from using that manual blower to move the paint around. I may need to get an airbrush! Going to try using a small hair dryer or canned air first.

View attachment 272864

in addition to these big bursts of color. The little tiny droplets are so neat, and I like them in color as well as the more monotone ones, These all have such a beautiful flow and run.

I'm excited that you're excited! :lol:

There's nothing like the thrill of trying a new medium and discovering that, not only does it suit you just fine as far as set-up, but that you almost immediately see that you have a real knack for it.

It's going to be fun to watch you go.

SquarePeg · Mar 25, 2024

terri said:
Love the purple! I'm liking all the little details, too,

in addition to these big bursts of color. The little tiny droplets are so neat, and I like them in color as well as the more monotone ones, These all have such a beautiful flow and run.

I'm excited that you're excited! There's nothing like the thrill of trying a new medium and discovering that, not only does it suit you just fine as far as set-up, but that you almost immediately see that you have a real knack for it.

It's going to be fun to watch you go.

The clear drops happen when the isopropyl alcohol is splattered or misted into the ink. I love the effect. Going to try not to over use it. The colored drops I did watercolor style by tapping on a paintbrush covered with the colored ink. The set of cheap craft paintbrushes really came in handy so I didn’t ruin any of my good brushes.

SquarePeg · Mar 26, 2024

I wanted to try controlling the ink a bit more. It’s worse than watercolor

. Definitely has a mind of its own. I managed after several tries to get this poppy close to what I wanted. It’s a much bigger piece of paper than the others. I should have used pink instead of yellow. I’m not crazy about the final color. Also need to figure out what to do about backgrounds.

terri · Mar 27, 2024

You're getting beautiful results. I have no problem with those colors, I love the bits of yellow. Beautiful!

The edges on all of these are so good - very defined.

What media can these inks and the alcohol be used over? Watercolor, acrylics? Nothing oil based, I suppose.

It seems like you're going to have to lay down your backgrounds first and then add your actual subjects. Those defined edges will look amazing over a background!

SquarePeg · Mar 27, 2024

terri said:
You're getting beautiful results. I have no problem with those colors, I love the bits of yellow. Beautiful!

The edges on all of these are so good - very defined.

What media can these inks and the alcohol be used over? Watercolor, acrylics? Nothing oil based, I suppose.

It seems like you're going to have to lay down your backgrounds first and then add your actual subjects. Those defined edges will look amazing over a background!

Great questions and I have no idea! Will have to do some experimenting. When you put fresh inks down and add the alcohol it pushes out any existing ink so it may be tricky. I painted in some of those edges to shorten the petals that got away from me

then wiped off the extra ink which would have also wiped out any background that was in place. Maybe better to do the backgrounds after? But then you risk ruining it.

Half my attempts I have ruined a good piece trying to fix something minor.

I had a perfect flower all finished when I noticed I had splattered some darker ink in a few tiny dots on one of the petals. I tried to remove it with a Q-tip and the petal was ruined so I tried to do a new petal over the existing one and that did not come out good and also ruined the center so then I had to do another petal and a new center and ended up ruining the whole thing, I was very upset with myself because it was my best flower so far. And I hadn’t even taken a pic of it. Ended up wiping off the whole thing and starting over - which at least is possible so that’s a bonus.

snowbear · Mar 27, 2024

You might have a problem with watercolor and guache. I'd be interested if they work on acrylic. If so, then there's acrylic ink. India ink might be OK but you're limited to black (as far as I know).

COPIC (R) markers are alcohol-based - probably the same ink. I only know about the COPIC markers from someone using them to color cork or mylar bodies for fishing lures. I haven't gone down that hole, yet.

SquarePeg · Mar 27, 2024

snowbear said:
You might have a problem with watercolor and guache. I'd be interested if they work on acrylic. If so, then there's acrylic ink. India ink might be OK but you're limited to black (as far as I know).

COPIC (R) markers are alcohol-based - probably the same ink. I only know about the COPIC markers from someone using them to color cork or mylar bodies for fishing lures. I haven't gone down that hole, yet.

Yes you can draw with copic or any alcohol based markers and use isopropyl alcohol to move the color if you’re on a non porous surface like the plastic poster board or a glossy ceramic tile or glass.

SquarePeg · Mar 28, 2024

Today I watched a YouTube demo where the artist used acrylic paint over the alcohol ink and then finished up with some markers to do some fine detail. If you’re interested, check out the Facebook group Alcohol Ink Painting - some truly gorgeous work posted there.

SquarePeg · Mar 29, 2024

Ok need some input. I can’t seem to ever get the stems and the bottom of the paintings to look good. I’m not going for realism, just trying to balance the weight of the larger flower. Nothing w done here works IMO. Suggestions for improving this or ideas for next time?

terri · Mar 29, 2024

That middle flower is awesome!!! Beautiful work! It really looks 3D.

Okay. The stems...@snowbear might be better suited for a reply here, because I tend to struggle with this, too. But since you're not going for realism, I'm not convinced it matters all that much. Here, the visual impact of the flower is what grabs the eye.

But, I know what you're asking. It could look in better proportion if maybe the very top of the stem was less thin stem, and more pedicel. (Yes, I had to look that up.) The pedicel is the top part of the stem that widens out into a V-shape, and that thicker visual effect might be enough.

I've played with having stems come from the sides of the flower, too, to be able to add some length.

I'd look at a lot of photo references, too, for placement ideas. But again...it's not for realism! The gorgeous flower is the star.