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4 Facts for Beginners to Know About Alcohol Inks

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Alcohol inks are fast-drying and highly saturated pigments that contain an alcohol base such as Isopropyl Alcohol 100%. Such inks are ideal for a variety of surfaces, such as paper, glass, clay, fabrics and ceramic, among others. For this reason, alcohol inks are popular among hobbyists and painters. Such inks create stunning art and artwork due to their fluid properties, which generate vibrant colours. Alcohol inks can be used in different applications, such as scrapbooking, stamping, card-making, realism and abstract art.

Here are some facts for beginners to know about alcohol inks.

Safety First 

As the name suggests, alcohol inks contain an alcohol base. Alcohol can cause a reaction when it comes into contact with skin; therefore, you should try to wear protective gear such as gloves and goggles. Furthermore, it is not advisable to work with alcohol inks in confined spaces without adequate ventilation. The alcohol in the paint can cause smells that might make some people light-headed. Therefore, it is always a good idea to work with alcohol ink outside or in an adequately ventilated room.

Surfaces

When it comes to creativity, you want to experiment with different surfaces beyond the traditional paper, which can limit an artist's creativity. Alcohol ink offers you just that — the ability to work on a variety of surfaces, such as wood, metal, fabrics, glass, plastic and ceramic, among others. Both of these mediums offer a host of benefits to your masterpiece. For example, with ceramic, you can always wipe back to white and restart a project as you deem fit. However, remember that you cannot use alcohol inks on an ordinary paper, such as Manila paper. Such papers are often too porous and absorb all the dye. Therefore, you might not get the clean, vibrant artwork that you desire. 

Isopropyl-Based Ink Dries Quickly

One reason why most creative artists use alcohol inks is that the pigmentation dries quickly and cleanly. After finishing your artwork, such as a painting, you want it to dry naturally and rapidly. Besides, alcohol inks enable paintings to dry cleanly without leaving undesired surface residue or spots that might taint the artwork.

Applicators

Another advantage of working with alcohol inks is that you can use different applicators depending on a project. Alcohol inks accommodate different types of brushes that can add texture to a masterpiece. Other applicators include droppers, markers, art sponges and spray bottles, among others.   

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23 April 2020