About my art
Of the various mediums I’ve worked with, alcohol inks have grabbed hold of me in a unique way. Somehow they fill me with joy every time I “capture” a painting! Maybe it’s because of their unpredictability and energy. Though this medium lends itself to the abstract and impressionism, I do enjoy its mix with representational art.
One thing about alcohol inks is that they don’t want to be controlled…they just want to flow!…and this has been a huge benefit for someone like me who tends towards perfectionism. Painting with them has encouraged me to relax and enjoy the process of creativity, bringing much joy into my art journey.
Ink journey
My alcohol ink journey began as a result of looking for projects for kids camp…this became hands down their favorite project…and eventually led me to take several classes from other alcohol ink artists whom I admire…Karen Walker, Alexis Bonavitacola and numerous YouTube instructional videos from various artists.
Alcohol inks have, by far, been my favorite medium to create with. I continue to practice with them as well as creating mixed media art with them.
About alcohol ink
Alcohol inks are acid-free, dye based, transparent, highly pigmented and very vibrant, and because they’re mixed with alcohol they dry quickly. Like watercolor uses water, alcohol inks use a blending solution of mostly alcohol. Because they’re fast drying they are used on non-porous surfaces or else will just be absorbed into the surface.
Methods of painting – Some of the ways include using brushes, using air (blowing with straw, canned air or compressor), or just letting it flow.
Surfaces – We use non-porous surfaces, the most popular being Yupo paper and tile. The possibilities are numerous although some need to be prepped for the ink to flow well.