Like paintbrushes, painting with ink and water is a skill that can be acquired, developed, and honed. The process starts with a thought and an idea, followed by a choice of medium, a bit of prep work, and finally, an attempt at expression.
Though the two media look and feel quite similar, they do not share the same history—or even the same purpose. The primary difference between ink and water on the canvas is that one is used as a pigment and the other as a medium.
Painters have their own secrets when it comes to creating their masterpieces. There are those who use oil paint, while others use watercolours. Some like to work on canvas, while others prefer to use wooden boards. It all boils down to where the artist’s heart is.
Here are the top tips in painting with ink and water:
- Acquire the right tools and get it ready.
It’s easy to confuse the beginner with the painting process’s tools and supplies. When starting out, you may feel overwhelmed initially, especially when working with a limited palette. It’s important to get the tools and supplies you need and to make sure you have the right tools for your goals.
- Remember not to dip straight into the bottle.
One of the most common mistakes painters make, whether they are amateurs or professionals, is to dip straight into a bottle of ink or water to use for their painting. Instead, painters should dip the brush into the ink or water then slowly push it through the bristles of the brush. This allows the ink or water to soak into the bristles and paint more evenly.
- Make use of different papers.
A lot of people use tubes of paper and then just cut them up into all different sizes. However, this can be a wasted effort, as you can find a lot of patterns and designs, but it isn’t necessarily your style. For example, you can mix up the paper colours in a tube, but you can’t do that with paint, as there are no different paints to play with. To get the best out of your paper, you should cut them up into different sizes, and the best way to do this is by using stencils.
- Explore and experiment.
There is a treasure trove of ideas, techniques, and ideas that can be used to explore and experiment with the medium of ink and watercolour. It is as easy as opening your eyes and looking around. The boundaries are endless, but at the core of these pages, you will find some of the great starters and some very insightful ideas.
- Don’t forget to dilute.
The dilution of the pigment itself is really important because it’s the colour of the water. Watercolour is a science, and while it may seem easy to throw some colour in a bucket of water and mix it with a paintbrush, it is important to remember that you are mixing a pigment with water, not water with pigment. That means that a different amount of pigment will be needed for different amounts of water. The colour you see is not the colour that you painted. Diluting your ink is a risky business, and you’ll have to be careful when handling the paint. However, it is really worth it in the end, as the paint mixture will have a much better effect than if you simply applied it to the canvas in one single lump. And as every artist knows, a little dilution means that you work more smoothly and get more control in your strokes.
Painting with ink and water is not something you would expect to have to do. But the techniques and techniques that artists, painters, and vandals have used since the dawn of time still apply today.
Watercolour paint is a beautiful medium to work with—don’t get me wrong. It’s easy to get to grips with and has a lot of potential for creativity, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re new to the medium, the best advice I can give you is to go, play with it, and see what works for you.