Ink Washes

The What

Ink Washes are exactly what they sound like: a full-coverage wash of acrylic or India ink applied across the entire surface of the paper. The result is similar to a watercolor wash but far more vibrant and fully waterproof (though not alcohol proof).

The technique involves thoroughly saturating watercolor paper with water, then dropping and spreading ink across the entire surface until no white shows through. The final effect can range from soft, seamless gradients to intentional, brushstroke-driven patterns depending on how you apply the ink. Because acrylic and India inks are waterproof once dry, the background is completely stable and won't reactivate when you layer other mediums on top.

The Why
The permanence of acrylic and India inks makes this technique far superior to watercolor for my purposes. Watercolor backgrounds reactivate when you apply wet media on top, and acrylic markers in particular will pick up and muddy the under-layer. Ink Washes solve this problem completely.

This technique gives me the freedom to create either random, abstract backgrounds or carefully planned scene foundations. I can drop colors randomly and let them bloom organically, or I can build intentional scenes, like grassy fields with green washes across the bottom and a blue sky above, beaches, underwater caverns, or any other environment that suits the piece I have in mind.

My Journey With It
I struggled for a long time to find a reliable way to create beautiful, useful backgrounds. I started with alcohol markers, but they're not lightfast and can eat through paper quite easily. Watercolor was the logical next step, and while it works with tempera paint sticks, it's incompatible with acrylic markers and other wet media. Acrylic and India inks turned out to be the perfect solution waterproof, permanent, and compatible with almost everything else I use. Now Ink Washes are my go-to foundation technique.

The How

Materials:

• Watercolor paper (thick enough to handle heavy saturation)
• Acrylic or India inks (at least 3 colors)
• Spray bottle filled with water
• Flat brush (primary tool, great for coverage and blending)
• Round brush (optional, for more controlled marks and patterns)
• Cup of water (for rinsing brushes between colors)
• Wax paper (to protect your workspace)
• Paper towels to soak up any extra ink and to clean the brush.

Step-by-Step:

1. Lay down wax paper to catch excess water and ink. It won't stick to the paper even when ink dries between them (peals right off!).
2. Soak the paper completely. Spray both the front AND back of the paper with water. Spraying the back is crucial as it prevents warping when the front gets saturated with water and ink.
   • Note: You can tape the paper down if you’d like, but I tend to move the paper around and i’ve never gotten it to not warp when taped down. Wetting both sides has been 1000% more successful for me.
3. Even out the water as much as possible. Using a large flat brush, spread the water across the entire surface of the paper, trying to make it as even as possible. Add more water as needed until the paper glistens.
4. Drop in your ink. Choose your colors (sometimes planned, sometimes random, but at least 3 colors works well) and drop them onto the wet paper in your desired pattern. The ink will bloom beautifully in the water.
5. Spread the ink using your flat brush and keeping color theory in mind, spread the ink across the entire page until no white paper shows through. Everything must be covered.
6. Add more ink as needed. Build up the color and saturation until you're happy with the result. If you add color while paper is still wet, the ink WILL blend.
   • Note: The thicker the ink on the paper, the more glossy it will become.
7. Allow to dry. Thanks to the back-soaking, the paper should dry relatively flat, but will take FOREVER to fully dry.

Tips & Tricks

• The ink won't glue the paper down, making cleanup easy. The downside is that wax paper crinkles and can warp the paper. A good spray on the back and drying on a flat surface helps mitigate this.
  • Note: Since the ink doesn’t reactivate after drying, it’s possible to reuse wax paper!
• I typically use analogous colors for harmonious blends, but if I'm using complements, I make sure to include intermediary colors to prevent mud.
• I primarily use a flat brush applied in horizontal strokes across the paper as this covers lots of surface area while blending colors smoothly. Sometimes the strokes show, creating nice gradients; other times they blend completely. I'll also work diagonally, or create intentional shapes like swirls and patterns.
• You can plan your scenes. For grassy fields, I use various greens across the bottom 2/3rds with horizontal strokes, and a blue sky for the top third. Beaches, underwater caverns, and other environments all work beautifully as planned backgrounds.
• While I prefer the flat brush for its coverage, round brushes and other shapes can create interesting marks and effects worth exploring.
• Important limitation: Alcohol markers CANNOT be used over acrylic or India inks! The alcohol will reactivate the ink. Any alcohol-based art supplies are incompatible with these backgrounds.

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