TIPS FOR USING PEN & INK

TIPS, techniques & how-to's

When you're working in ink, you want your color to keep its intensity and flow well, without lumps or blots.

Liquitex Professional Acrylic Ink is the ideal consistency for all pen and ink techniques - dip, quill or technical pens. Smooth flowing, quick drying and water-resistant once dry, it guarantees fine line details and broad washes of color, which can be worked over easily, without smudging or bleeding. Made with lightfast fine art pigments rather than the usual dyes, it's also completely permanent and resists fading in the light.

TIPS

  • To prepare a pen nib for drawing, soak it first in household vinegar. The vinegar will remove any unwanted residue and will etch the nib slightly, making it more receptive to the ink.
  • Do not heat pen nibs. Applying heat will make them brittle.
  • Use the dropper attached to the Acrylic Ink lid to fill dip, quill and technical pens. This allows for easy control of the ink and helps prevent spillages.
  • First sketch out your image with a graphite pencil until you are satisfied with it, then apply inks to the outline and fine line details. Rub the pencil lines away with a soft eraser before applying an ink washes
  • If an ink blot occurs, quickly and carefully remove as much as you can with a tissue or other absorbent cloth - while wet the ink is still water-soluble. Any dried ink may be scraped away with a sharp knife or covered with white ink.
  • Soak used pen nibs and brushes in Liquitex Professional Pen Cleaner for a thorough ink-free clean