Working with Inks

14 x 11 inches, Ink, "Into the Wind"

                                                                                 

     Off and on I like pulling out inks to work with.  This painting "Into the Wind" was done with shellac based ink.  
     There are 4 types of inks I work with, india ink, walnut ink, acrylic ink and shellac ink.  Each ink has different characteristics.  India ink is classic, moderate work time, dries permanent and depending on the company making it, moderate to course pigment texture.  Walnut ink is a brown color, fine texture and works much like watercolors, in that it does not dry permanent, so it can be lifted after applying.  Acrylic ink I like best when working in mixed media.  Acrylic ink comes in many colors, fine grain, mixes well with regular acrylics, watercolor paints or pencils, and dries permanent.  Shellac ink is grainy, permanent, and dries quickly.
     Shellac based is something new for me, although it has been around a long time.  I am really loving the texture and bit of a shine it has when it dries.  Shellac ink dilutes well just like all the other inks for creating toned washes.  But what I like best about this ink is the very fast drying time. I just love the challenge of getting the brush work down fast, keeps me from over thinking the process.  I haven't tried it with mixed media yet so I have some thing to look forward to.
    Having something new to try really keeps me going, and with art there is always something new to try.
Mary