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Saturday, March 30, 2024

Ink Art - Part 3

Hi!
Today I just want to quickly show you that you could use stencils with your alcohol ink.


I started with a layer of ink that I put down in sections, lifted the paper to blend the alcohol with the ink to make it fade.


On top of that layer I used my stencils. I used a distress tool with pads for alcohol ink, wet them with my copic ink and applied to the paper. And I did this in different layers.


The ink flows easily underneath the stencil, but I like that the edges are sharp.
For sharper edges, use a drier pad. I like the small circles I got from dabbing the pad on the stencil.

Wishing you a Happy Colorful Easter!
Love
Helen

Friday, March 29, 2024

Ink Art - Part 2

Hello. Helen here again.
Today I will show you some ways to apply the ink to paper.
And what I did for this blogpost.



Let us start with applying the ink to the paper.

My paper, and this is the Swedish one, measures 10,5x15 cm. I have put down one drop of ink. My opinion is that Copic ink flows out a lot. I dry it with my hairdryer.


I pour alcohol on the stain, how much depends on how much ink I want to lift and move. I let it be for about 10 seconds and then I gently start to move it by using my air blower. I push it back and forward a couple of times until I´m satisfied with the result.


If I want to move it more, I pour more alcohol on and repeat procedure.


And I can add on more ink if the colour gets to pale. What I want to show is that the ink (on this paper) leaves a stain. I can´t get all ink of the paper, some has burnt into the paper.


If I first pour some alcohol on the paper and then drop ink into the alcohol and start moving it before it dries I can avoid the stain. Here I have used the air blower again.


Yesterday I sad that you just need some ink, paper and alcohol to try this, no tools. Here I poured some alcohol on and ink in the alcohol. Then I lifted the paper up and bended it in different directions to make the alcohol and ink blend with each other and letting it flow round to create an edge with more colour. The colour will be graduated if you don´t let the ink go over the whole area where you have your alcohol as the alcohol dries.

Here is some ways to work. As you start exploring this technique you will know what happens if you do this or that and by trying you will find out.

AND...
you don´t have to run to the store to by some ink refills (various inks) you could just scribble some ink on a synthetic paper with your markers and then pour the alcohol on that to lift the ink up.


And then I start a project.
My paper is the same, the Swedish one, IBW Syntetsikt papper. It comes in different sizes, but I have cut mine to measure 10.5x15 cm.

I love circles! So I have searched through my cupboards and flea markets for different sizes.
I used a measuring cup, a lid for a bottle and different plastic cups. I placed them on the paper and tried to make a balance between the big circle and the three small ones. 

What I wanted was the white surface in the circle, so I poured the ink next to the edges of the cups and the ink spreads round the edge without any help from me. I used three colours. I left it be for a while to dry before I took away the cups.


This is how the result of just putting the ink on to the paper ended up.


I poured some alcohol on, and I added it in the circle and the first direction I moved it was out from the center, then I move it back and forward to get the different colourings.


After I poured the alcohol on the paper, I let it be for about 10-15 seconds to make it lift the ink and you can see that the ink started to spread.


I hadn´t cleaned my biggest cup from earlier so I got some metallic ink on my paper. The one I used is Jacquards Pinata Color, it comes in various colors. I used Brass as I´m not a fan of gold.


I worked around the circles, added alcohol and pushed the ink in different directions.



What looks like dirt in the upper right corner is the metallic ink and in the right light it will shimmer.


What I like about this technique is that you don´t have full control. And you just have to accept that.
It depends on what person you are, if you can just let go of control, magic can happen. I love how it shifts and lays in several layers. I love when I gets edges with a lot of ink, but I also love the areas that looks like smoke.


I stopped at this point.


I made three pieces. You can se how the metallic ink shines in this picture.

Hope you enjoyed this post. And I wish to see some Ink Art posted on our Facebook soon.
I will be back tomorrow to show you yet other things to use while creating Ink Art.

Hope to see you then.
Love
Helen

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ink Art - Part 1

Hi!
Hope you´re well. Helen here today.


I believe you have seen all kinds of Ink Art already but I will show you today what I use, and if I help just one of you I´ll be happy.

When I saw this on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest I was like:
what kind of paper do they use?
what kind of alcohol do they use?


I´ve tried different papers. I´ve heard that some use photo paper. The one I tried didn´t work, let me tell you that. The colour just burnt into the paper. I´ve tried different synthetic papers.

The first one was a Swedish brand, cheaper, a little harder to lift the ink from the paper to move the ink.
The other one is LanaVanguard Yupo Paper. And my impression was that the ink was easier to move, even if it had dried.

You don´t have to use papers. You can apply it on most hard surfaces such as glass, porcelain, tiles, plastic, metal etc.

The alcohol I use is called IpaClean IPA1000 (Luxorparts). What you shall look for is a liquid with at least 92% alcohol in it. To clean my markers I use Transotype Cleaner. It works as well with this technique but here in Sweden it´s really expensive so I wouldn´t use it for this.



You really don´t need special tools to try this.
What you need is just some paper, ink and alcohol and you´ll go far with that.
But I will show you what I use.

Some smaller, handy bottles for alcohol. You could also use them if you mix your own colours.
Different types of brushes.
A pipette. Some feel they get mor controll with that.
An alcohol ink distress tool with pads. Wet it with ink and apply to the paper.
Plastic lids. I save the lids for my creme fraiche and use them to pour ink on to mix or to pick the ink up with a different tool or to make patterns with.
Plastic cups. To hold ink or alcohol in, but also to make patterns with. Search for different sizes and shapes and save them.
Air blower. This one comes from Ranger and Tim Holtz brand. I just love this one. Don´t go for anything smaller. The amount of air it can hold is better than a small one. It´s easy to squeeze and you get different effects if you squeeze loose or hard.
Hairdryer. You dry the ink and you move the alcohol and ink with it. A more powerful blower is harder to handle, so go for one with lower power.
---
I haven´t tried it and I will not do so: don´t try your heat gun for this! Both ink and alcohol are very flammable!
---
Straws. Blow your ink and alcohol. This is a cheap way to just try if the technique is anything for you.
Be aware that you may inhale fumes.
---
Papercloths. To absorb liquid.
Toothbrush. Could be used to apply dots of ink on the paper or for cleaning other tools.

Of course you could add as many tools as you wish, but this is what I most often use.


And for the ink... of course it will be Copic and I use my Various Ink.
I find Copic as soft, dull and not so vibrant and more transparent than some other alcohol ink.
And as they are so transparent I find the lighter tints too light or pale so I use the darker tints.
But it all depends on what result you want in the end. Try for yourself and play with the colours.

Tomorrow I´ll show you some pieces I made.

Love
Helen

Monday, March 18, 2024

Butterflies

Hello Copic fans, Rosi here!

I'm here today with a Spring girl drawn by Krista Smith.

My skin color combo is E0000, E000, E00, E11, E21. I always start with E0000 all over the skin.
I go over my E11 with E21 in order to darken my shadows. I do the same twice.





Her hair is colored with E31, 33, 35.





I decided to make some background today so I made some trees and bushes.
I started with G21 drawing little circles with the side of the marker, leaving some blank spaces.


Then here and there again with the same colour.


Then here and there with G24.


Her top is coloured with RV63, 66 the upper side and with little dots at the bottom side RV91, 93, 99


And blending again with G21.


The butterflies RV91, 93, 99 blended with Y000




The sky is colored with BG000 and BG10.


With E41 I added some brunches to the trees .


Isn't she adorable?
So that's all from me for today.
Rosi

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Heart

Hi everyone. 
With the March post I wanted to evoke the color of Spring.

Tutorial:

Drawing with Copic multi-liner


R000,E00 and E02 for the complexion


E35, E37, E11 and E49 for the hair


YG01 and YG63 for the top


G02 and G29 for the eyes. C1 for the shadow


E04 and W9 for the mouth


YG41, G21, 0 and G02 for the background


After making the highlights with a white gel pen, this is the final result.

Thanks for looking
Bye bye 
Antonella