What Are The Best Inks To Use With Watercolor?

[Drawing61]

I have been experimenting with a variety of inks waterproof and non in some drawings. What I'm looking for are inks that are compatible with watercolor in their behavior, I know that there are many, but also I would like them to be light fast. Also inks that can be applied on top of dried watercolor or ink drawings without bleeding or compromising the original image. I am rather new to the vast world of ink so any advice would be much appreciated.

[SallyLyn]

Carbon Black -do a search for proper name- is often used for drawing with watercolor over. It does not run. It can be difficult if left in a pen too long. There are reviews on it.

 

If you want colors that run to use like watercolor there are more options. I would suggest you wander around the blog of an urban artist ... Do a web search on the words - fueled by clouds and coffee

Dont remember if the coffee is first. The woman often uses certain inks in a water brush. She is very complete and explains why she likes an item or why she has changed to something different.

 

There is also a forum here with ink drawings and they may offer some info.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

I agree with Member SallyLynn that the Platinum Carbon Black has a good reputation, and is a very good starting point. Please be aware that nano particle inks demand greater care in matching to a pen than simple aniline-dye inks, and pens require more scrupulous maintenance. (Platinum markets an EF nib Carbon Pen which I find is really quite nice.)

 

I believe the DeAtramentis 'Document' series could also meet your needs. Unfortunately I do not have the phone number of Dr Jansen to hand, so avail yourself of the Ink Reviews and other online sources. http://www.de-atramentis.com/document-ink-/

 

Please let us know how it goes.

 

Bye,

S1

[majolo]

I'll add to the chorus for Platinum Carbon Black as a very waterproof ink. So far I've had no problems with maintenance of it in the EF Carbon Desk pen either.

 

In terms of water-soluble dye based inks, unfortunately I think that lightfastness is the exception rather than the rule. I think there is more than one thread in these forums with tests of samples exposed to sunlight, and there is a lot of fading--but you should look them up and see what the exceptions are. I may do some of my own this summer, but I have pessimistic expectations.

[grainweevil]

I'm a big fan of Carbon Black too, but with the caveat that if you use a pen that lays down a generous amount of ink, you will likely get some washing off. There's a Sailor version too, whose name escapes me, that seems to have good reports. Still early days as far as I'm concerned, but for a grey I'm finding Noodler's Lexington Gray impressive, and that's while being not exactly a Noodler's fan.

 

It's probably worth mentioning that you'll get largely different requirements for such inks here on FPN, than, say, on a artist's/sketching forum. DeAtramentis Document inks, for instance, haven't caught on here because, as far as I can tell, they will tend to feather and bleed on "ordinary" paper, whereas the artistic community, regularly using paper designed for wetter media, seem much more enthused, especially because they're designed to be mixed. Definitely worth getting onto Google, plugging in some of the ink suggestions here, and then following up what else crops up. Good luck in your search, and make lots of use of the various places that offer samples!

[majolo]

I believe Kiwa-Guro is Sailor's pigmented black. I've also not used it.