Painting with Alcohol Inks - what supplies do I need?

A great advantage of painting with alcohol inks is that - in contrast to acrylic pouring - you do not need a large work area or a special hobby room. It is sufficient to protect the work surface with a large newspaper or foil and to provide sufficient ventilation. All the materials can also be quickly stowed away in a box and take up little space.

Would you like to try painting with alcohol inks for the first time and not yet invest so much money in equipment? Then we recommend our Alcohol Ink Starter Set. In this set, we have put together the basic equipment you need to start painting with alcohol inks: Alcohol inks, alcohol ink paper, isopropanol and other useful accessories. The alcohol ink starter set is available in four different colour combinations.

With an Alcohol Ink starter set, you can already achieve great results. However, the vibrant colors, their fascinating reactions with each other, and the resulting gradients will surely inspire you to try even more techniques and colors. If you're unsure which shades harmonize or create exciting contrasts, we’ve prepared perfectly coordinated color sets for you. Each set contains three colors, with which you can create stunning creations. For even more special effects, we recommend using our metallic tones.

For even more impressive results, you'll need a flow medium: you can choose between isopropanol or our Blending Solution. Both ensure the colors flow smoothly and blend together, creating breathtaking transitions and dynamic patterns. Give it a try and discover how these mediums will unlock the full creativity of Alcohol Inks!

The individual alcohol ink colours can be mixed with each other. You can also make them more transparent with Blending Solution or dilute them with isopropanol. Small squeeze bottles, which you can easily fill with the help of a mini funnel, are ideal for this. Everything is included in our bottle sets.

To create fascinating effects, try this: Fill a spray bottle with Alcohol Ink, isopropanol, or a mix of both. This allows you to gently spread the colors over your painting surface. Drop the Alcohol Ink directly onto the special Alcohol Ink paper and use a pipette to add isopropanol precisely. Then, use a hair dryer or a small air blower to control the movement of the colors – this way, you'll achieve dynamic patterns and captivating gradients.

Small pharmacist's bottles with glass pipettes are particularly practical. These are easy to fill and enable precise dosing of the alcohol inks. But you can also achieve great effects with spray bottles.

And of course you need an alcohol ink painting surface. All non-absorbent surfaces are suitable. The best results are achieved on special alcohol ink paper. This is not really paper at all. It is synthetic and usually made of polypropylene. The best known brands are Yupo and Lanavanguard. On these special papers, the Alcohohl Inks can flow into each other wonderfully, you can swirl them or use a hairdryer. You can also paint realistically with alcohol inks. Photo paper, for example, is very suitable for this. You can even paint with alcohol inks on canvas. The only important thing is that you prepare it with gesso or acrylic binder. By the way, wallpaper skin is also an inexpensive alternative.

Let your creativity run free and decorate candles, ceramics, modelling clay, stones, lanterns or shells with alcohol inks. You can also decorate colourful tiles or glass panes with alcohol inks.

With Alcohol Inks, you can create both realistic and abstract artworks. Use mixing palettes to combine colors with precision – this is particularly helpful for achieving subtle gradients in realistic details or harmonious color transitions in abstract compositions. You can even paint on canvas; just make sure to prepare the surface with gesso or acrylic binder.

Unleash your creativity and decorate candles, ceramics, modeling clay, stones, lanterns, or seashells with Alcohol Inks. Colorful tiles or glass panes are also perfect for vibrant designs – your possibilities are nearly limitless!