I was watching Codies tip on coloring rock casting.He uses something called India Ink over the raw sienna.What is it,I allways use black paint thin for the wash.Is there a reason to use Idia Ink and where do you get it.Thanks BOB
Black India Ink should be found at AC Moores or Micheals, or any art supply store that carries inks for writing- especial calligraphy and copperplating.
I just use black craft paint, but I also have a much less costly bottle of black ink made in China. I could be entirely mistaken, but it seems to me ‘real’ India Ink has ingredients that may not hold out well for a wash. It seems to dry shiny on parchment and papers when I have seen the real thing in drawings. Even if I am wrong, plain old black ink will do just as well.
-Crandell
My question was what is the advantage of using India or Ink period.I have allways used just black paint thin down.I try to allways use water based product if possible.Thanks for your reply’s.BOB
India Ink (or Indian Ink in British English) has been used in India since at least the 4th century BC. The advantage is simply that the common AI wash … or Alcohol and India ink is … ‘quicker’ the a mix of black paint and water. The alcohol will evaporate much faster then water. There is the additional advantage in that warping in paper and thin wood is lessened when using an AI wash rather then paint and water.
The other advantage for using alcohol instead of water, is that it flows into cracks and crevices better than water.
I believe the main reason for using ink is that it is a much finer pigment and dissolves thoroughly in alcohol thereby giving a much smoother or more even tint. Paints have larger pigment particles and therefor will be more likely to leave spots or small (and I mean very small!) dots of black on the surface. For some applications like a wash on wood models, this is more important. Then there is the cost factor, though not that big a deal.
Bob
My own experience, or rather my own impressions, is that india ink is almost truly black. Black paints often have a strong blue element to them which comes out in surprising ways when diluted. Relatively little india ink in an alcohol mix can effectively darken ballast and scenery.
Dave Nelson
India Ink works quite well - Although it is getting rather expensive(Michaels/Hobby Lobby). I picked up some cheap water based acrylics at Hobby Lobby and there was one called ‘Lamp Black’… I thinned it down with water and tested - looked good after some more thinning. I have since thinned it with alcohol and it makes a great ‘wash’ for my rock castings. In fact, I use ‘Trail Tan’ for the basic wash on the rocks and then use ‘Lamp Black’. It is much cheaper than India Ink.
Jim
Well. That is a good idea … especially since … (from Wikipedia) “Basic India ink is composed of a variety of fine soot known as * lampblack *, combined with water to form a liquid. A binding agent such as gelatin or, more commonly shellac, may also be added, to make the ink more durable once dried.”
And the additives would account for the shiny surface of some India Ink drawings I saw in my yewt…er…youth.
-Crandell
I wrote a while ago earlier in the spring regarding India Ink- I picked up a bottle of “Higgins” brand “Fountain Pen India”. This is a 2.5 oz bottle for about $5.98 at Michaels Crafts. On the bottles that I saw on the shelf, some were labeled as non-waterproof and some were waterproof. I chose the non-waterproof, on the assumption that there might be some additional polymers or similar additives in the waterproof type that would inhibit mixing with alcohol. I am no chemist, but I think I made the proper choice. Others should be aware of these differences in India inks- perhaps there are additional characteristics that another modeler might comment on. My 2 cents!
I noticed when I used the India ink wash on a building, the effects were irreversible. With diluted black paint, if I over do it, I can always re wet it and wipe some off. I think my bigger problem is tending to over do it![:D]
secondhandmodeler.
From what I understand from my readings on weathering and washes, the trick is to use an extremely weak wash. Just a few drops drops of your colouring base, (paint or Indian Ink) just enough so that you can see some colour in your wash. You then use multiple washes until you get the shading that suits your eye for your particular lighting scheme. This way, you can add more washes to subtlety darken certain areas as required. You can always add more wash, but if you go to heavy with the colouring, it is difficult to reverse the procedure.
Please note. These are my impressions gleaned from what I have read in numerous books, articles and Forum Threads and not from my experience. I am not at that stage as yet, but it all seems reasonable to my way of thinking.
Good luck.
Blue Flamer.
Always buy waterproof India ink and the alcohol should be 90% or more as sometimes the additives do strange things. You don’t need very much ink in the mix. On plastic it will come off somewhat with alcohol. If you use dullcote you can get white residue if you coat with AI mix (I use Model Masters Flat Clear and have never had that problem again).
If I am reading this correctly ? For use on a painted building you would take some alcohol and add a few drops of the ink - mix and paint the solution on the building. I want to get a weathered effect and highlight the concrete block of the kit.
I am almost ready to try this effect.
You can use it for a multitude of … uhh … uses. Think of it this way. natural light is much MUCH more intense the what we have in our houses. That’s why we have to use light colors to highlight areas and dark colors to create a shadow effect. The AI wash helps in that ‘shadow creation’ effect. It makes ‘more intense’ any detail. A good example is around panel lines and rivets. Application of AI wash will tend to ‘pool’ around the rivets and edges … thereby creating what looks like a shadowed area. This works the same for scenery also. One trick is to spray over the area with alcohol … then take your brush … load with th AI wash … and just touch the tip of the brush to crevices, rivets, panel lines etc. The AI mix will be ‘sucked off’ the brush and into those areas.
From my experience, what you say is correct. I just tend to be impatient when waiting for things to dry. I figured I would go big or go home! The buildings I’ve done since my experiences with India ink have been a little more subtle. Maybe I should try the ink again instead of the diluted craft paint.
Corey,
You can get most of it off by wiping with a soft rag in moistened with clean alcohol. As a side note, this can become an interesting technique in and of itself. That is, applying the wash and then wiping it of with an alcohol soaked rag. You’ll get most of the ink off but a few traces will remain in the cracks which can be an interesing look in some cases.
Lance Mindheim
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