O.K…Ive read a lot on here about using india ink for weathering…well I am going to try to weather some of our rolling stock…but here is the crux…what is india ink and where do i get it??? thanks for the in put JW
ChessieFan,
India Ink is simply plain old Ink as used to be used in fountain pens etc… a couple of different companys put it out, I personaly use Bombay brand India Ink… You can normaly find it in art and or craft stores like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc…
Hobby/Craft stores sell it a bit cheaper than pure art stores, in general…
Hope that helps.
Peace.
Coyote
I just bought some at a Michaels craft store, but you may find it at staples or office max.
bill
Remember, you are using the ink in a weathering wash. Mix a couple of tea spoons of the ink into 80% isophoryl alchohol from the drug store and use it as a wash. It gets into all the nooks and cranies of a model and gives depth to the detail. It works very well on rock faces to give depth to the rock texture.
I’m not trying to be critical, but Simon’s suggestion to use a “couple of teaspoons” is a little much. I would try 10 to 12 drops in a pint of 70% isopropyl alcohol first…I’ve not heard of 80%. Usually alcohol is either 70% or 90%. I’ve found that the 70% is best for plastic models.
The reason I’m suggesting 10 to 12 drops of india ink is because there will be models where you will want just a light wash of india ink. You can always add another coat if you want a darker model and you can always make your wash darker by adding more india ink to it. Experiment, experiment, experiment.
Hope this helps.
Mondo
I found India ink at Wal-mart in the crafts area, so check there, too.
Another idea on the mixture is to mix different consistencies. I have three bottle (small discarded pill bottles, with different consistencies. Simply titled light, medium and dark. I then further control it with the number of applications.
Cletus
Hi guys. I found black ink at the store. Are there any other colors made? Or do you all just use black?
Just do not use ‘Jet Black’ as it dries to a blue-ish hue.
India Black by Higgins works for me. About 4cc to 1 pint of 70% isopropyl alcohol
Mark B
Hi. there are several colors made but be careful of the brown which tends to turn a reddish purple
Another excellent product is Badger’s Air Opaque colors. They used to have a weathering assortment. They can be thinned with water or alcohol and can be used in an airbrush or as washes. Check for them in art supply stores.
WOW thanksa guys for all of the input . This hass helped me alot and im going to get some now that im in the know. thanks to all whom have helped out and given their input…thanks J.W.
Wow, this has been a really helpfull thread. I never really knew how the india ink was used before. Can someone give me an idea on price though. As someone who still uses fountain pens I know that the ink I use can be $8 an ounce or more. I hope the prices are better for plain old india ink.
Jesse
What kind of ink are you using?! I also use a fountain pen, but I use rgullar ol’ Parker blue ink in my Mont Blanc pen for about $3.-.