Ways To Make Alcohol Ink Tiles

By Joshua Reynolds


There are a great many mediums that creatively inclined individuals might choose to utilize to produce something wonderful. Each one has its own unique set of characteristics and suitability for various surfaces. For those who like the appearance of marbled, or multiple colored backgrounds, creating alcohol ink tiles could be a fun and interesting endeavor.

The facts that it is forgiving, quickly dries, is made with concentrated pigmentation, and is free of acid, are what make this product stand apart from others. It comes in a range of vibrant color that can be diluted to provide the versatility to achieve a scale of hues for different techniques. This medium is not intended for porous surfaces because it is liquid and would saturate the material and look muted.

To begin the project, one must first amass all the required materials and any embellishments they might wish to add. Ceramic pieces will be the working surface, and they come in many varied sizes and shapes, both in matte or gloss finish. The choice of the which specific items to purchase is entirely up to the artist as the techniques can be adapted to virtually any format and circumstances.

The medium can be purchased in packs of three complementary colors, or as single bottles. Metallic additives which can create a luminous or polished finish, a blending solution, and customizing pigment for making unique tones, can help add versatility to the inks and enhance the final project. Additional tools needed for this project include a clear sealant, felt, compressed air, coffee straws, gloves, refillable makers, and stamping applicators.

The first method is adding felt to the bottom of the stamp applicator and applying only a couple drops of the chosen colors to the pad. The next step is to dab the ceramic piece repeatedly until the intended pattern and coverage are obtained. Do not be alarmed if felt strands are left embedded in the ink, as that is the nature of the material, because they can be easily removed once the medium is sufficiently dried.

Another option is dropping the colors directly onto the surface, which gives the artist control over exactly where they go and in what amount. They can be blended together using the stamp pad, a gloved hand, a straw, or compressed air. Adding one or more droplets of blending solution will dilute and disperse the hues, giving the item a very beautiful fracture effect.

Yet another avenue is to have a bowl of water and add a bit of the medium to it, which will float along the surface. Slowly dipping the ceramic item into the container will pick up the colors as it passes through the liquid. This is a different type of marbling look that may be left as it is or altered using the variety of tools on hand.

Every technique's look may be altered as preferred, by dispersing or diluting the inks with blending solution, tapping with felt pads, using canned air or blowing through straws to move the colors around, or detailing it with markers. Due to the forgiving nature of the medium, the user can wipe remove and reapply it repeatedly until they are fully satisfied. In order to preserve the achieved look, it will be necessary to cover it with three thin layers of clear coat sealant.




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