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by Ellie Jakeman September 24, 2024
With October just around the corner, this 'lets think Ink' article aims to help you decide which inks are the best for your project and provide links straight to them.
INK is a solution that contains at least one colourant (dye or pigment) and a Solvent, (plus a few other ingredients for quick drying) it is used for writing, drawing, painting or printing.
Common types of pen Ink include;
More unusual Inks!
Historically Ink goes way, way back to the Ancient World and was used by the Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, some also believe it goes as far back as the 4th century BC and was used by the ancient Indians!. Ink can be traced back over 40,000 years ago! The ingredients and recipes varied according to the particular time and culture and could include such things as lamp-black soot, plant mucilage, Octopus Ink, Cuttlefish ink, naturally occurring sulphide minerals such as Orpiment, (which was highly toxic!) Iron, Lead, Ochre, the roots or bark of plants, graphite, charred bone, and animal or fish glue/gelatin to name but a few!
Today modern Inks are still made up of either a dye colourant, which dissolves in the ink or a pigment colourant which has been created organically or artificially, a solvent, the liquid to which the colourant has been added and a binding agent. Water, Alcohol, Wax, Linseed/ Flaxseed or Soybean Oils are ingredients commonly associated with modern day ink formulas.
When oils are used, inks will dry through air oxidation, and when alcohol is present the ink will dry through evaporation. All of the different formulas are conceived in an attempt to provide us with the most efficient Inks required for our own specific applications.
Ultimately we want our inks to maintain their colour vibrancy, dry quickly, be fade resistant and not smudge! Here at ARTdiscount we believe in quality products for our customers and can offer a great range of Writing, Painting, Crafting and Drawing inks! Right on time for October.
October is usually associated with Inks, this is the month where beginners, improvers and professionals revisit Inks as a medium to develop their skills, push creative boundaries and focus on this diverse medium. Hopefully with our vast product range you will be able to find the perfect ink for your all needs.
Sennelier Indian Ink
Extremely rich, this black indian ink is manufactured with shellac gum giving unique brilliance, brightness and vibration under light.
They can be applied with a brush or ink pen and gives a satin to brilliant film depending on thickness. They dry rapidly and display a high degree of water resistance, without being indelible. These inks are highly sought after for calligraphy, quill drawings, washes, for textile creations and materials research. They can be protected with a pencil fixative in order to increase their light stability.
Available in 30ml, 250ml & 1 litre bottles.
Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks Individual Colours - 14ml Bottles
These Drawing Inks are formulated from a series of soluble dyes in a superior shellac solution. These inks can be applied with brush, pen or airbrush and are widely used by illustrators, designers, calligraphers and artists.
Our intermixable, fast-drying Drawing Inks come in 26 jewel-like colours. Cherished by artists, illustrators and designers, they can be overlaid for new effects and shades and used with a brush, dip pen or airbrush. Best used alongside a good quality watercolour paper such as Bockingford or Langton. This product is featured in our Blog "WHICH GOLD IS GOLD?"
Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks - The Henry Set
These Drawing Inks are formulated from a series of soluble dyes in a superior shellac solution. These inks can be applied with brush, pen or airbrush and are widely used by illustrators, designers, calligraphers and artists.
Our intermixable, fast-drying Drawing Inks come in 26 jewel-like colours. Cherished by artists, illustrators and designers, they can be overlaid for new effects and shades and used with a brush, dip pen or airbrush.
Best used alongside a good quality watercolour paper such as Bockingford or Langton.
Contains 8 x 14ml bottles ink -
Violet, Canary Yellow , Nut Brown, Blue, Emerald, Scarlet, Orange, Black Indian Ink.
Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks - The William Set
These Drawing Inks are formulated from a series of soluble dyes in a superior shellac solution. These inks can be applied with brush, pen or airbrush and are widely used by illustrators, designers, calligraphers and artists.
Our intermixable, fast-drying Drawing Inks come in 26 jewel-like colours. Cherished by artists, illustrators and designers, they can be overlaid for new effects and shades and used with a brush, dip pen or airbrush. Best used alongside a good quality watercolour paper such as Bockingford or Lagnton.
Contains 8 x 14ml bottles ink - Vermillion, Peat Brown, Deep Red, Black Indian Ink, Sunshine Yellow, Purple, Brilliant Green, Ultramarine
Walnut Drawing Ink - 70ml
Tom Norton Walnut Drawing Ink, named for the warm earthy hue of its pigmentation and not for being made of actual walnuts, owes its reputation for supreme quality to its unique formula, which uses premium imported pigment.
Experience the unique characteristics and beauty of the ink used by the Old Masters without the acidic qualities of the old formula that fades, is high acidic and damages paper over time. Tom Norton Walnut Drawing Ink is extremely lightfast.
Use alongside the Walnut Darkening Ink Medium to increase the depth of tone and with the walnut drawing stick.
This warm and deeply toned ink works wonderfully with watercolour paper of any finish.
Walnut Darkening Ink - 42ml
Tom Norton Walnut Darkening Medium® is not only an ink but can also be used as an additive to darken our original walnut drawing ink when a drawing needs that extra “punch”. Some artists will add black India ink to darken the colour of our original Walnut Drawing Ink. This will work but you will sacrifice the unique watercolour characteristics of the ink and lose the ability to lift colour or lighten areas. Adding black India ink also loses the tonality of the beautiful warm walnut colour.
Walnut Darkening Medium® is very heavily pigmented and made with the same binder as the original so it can be mixed with Tom Norton Drawing Ink® without changing its working properties. It can also be used straight from the bottle for a very intense dark brown. Most artists work with it side by side with the original, dipping and double dipping between bottles for a range of light and dark browns.
This warm and deeply toned ink works wonderfully withwatercolour paper of any finish.
Black Fountain Pen Ink - 30ml Bottle
Manuscript calligraphy fountain pen ink is a professional quality ink specially developed for your calligraphy and writing needs and suitable for use with a fountain pen and brush work.
Liquitex Professional Acrylic Carbon Black Ink - 150ml
All of the colours in the Liquitex Professional Acrylic Ink range are intense, bold and colourfast. The range provides a balanced colour spectrum of opaque and transparent colours which dry quickly, are permanent, water-resistant once dry and non-clogging. This makes them ideal for a wide variety of techniques and applications such as watercolour, screen-printing, stencilling, pouring, drawing, calligraphy, fabric-painting and photo-tinting.
Will work well with technical pens, brush, ink brayer, air-brushes and dip pens. Clean Technical Pens thoroughly with the Liquitex Pen Cleaner after each use, especially when using the metallics. The large black does not come with a dropper and is a plastic bottle.
See here for the 30ml version of this ink.
Joseph Gillott Drawing Dip Pens
8 assorted drawing nibs complete with pen holder and storage box
The Joseph Gillott range of fine art Drawing nibs are available in eight different sizes that are suitable for Copperplate calligraphy and other fine writing styles, ink sketching, mapping and drawing. Recognised for many years as the world’s leading brand of drawing pens.
Joseph Gillott Manga Dip Pens
Perfect for sketching, drawing and cartooning. Joseph Gillott’s specialised extra fine Manga Dip Pen sets include two mapping pen nibs, four drawing pen nibs and two pen holders. Perfect for sketching, drawing and cartooning. This superior quality set is ideal for both professional and amateur manga artists.
William Mitchell Copperplate Dip Pens
3 nibs complete with pen holder and storage box
William Mitchell’s Copperplate pens are outstanding quality writing implements for the Copperplate calligrapher. The very fine, responsive elbow, oblique pens are constructed to enable ease of writing with exceptional results.
William Mitchell Left Oblique Round Hand Dip Pens / William Mitchell Round Hand Dip Pens
William Mitchell’s Round hand Dip Pens are the classic tools of calligraphy. Available in ten different sizes, the pens allow a full, even flow of ink when used with the Mitchell Slippon Reservoir and are suitable for all types of edged pen lettering including Uncial, Foundational, Gothic, Roman and Italic hands.
William Mitchell Italic Dip Pens / William Mitchell Left Handed Italic Dip Pens
A chisel point nib ideally suited for Italic handwriting and other calligraphy styles, such as Gothic and Uncial. It is a slightly firmer nib than the Round hand. Set comes with 5 nibs(0.5mm, 0.75mm, 1.00mm, 1.25mm and 1.5mm). 2 Slippon reservoirs for a full even flow, a pen holder and storage box.
William Mitchell Poster Dip Pens
8 Nibs complete with reservoirs, pen holder and storage box
William Mitchell’s Poster Pens are ideal for poster and display lettering with their slightly canted edge to facilitate writing on textured surfaces. Available in eight different sizes, the poster pens’ integral reservoir allows longer, uninterrupted use.
William Mitchell Script Dip Pens
10 nibs complete with reservoirs, pen holder and storage box
William Mitchell’s Script Pens have round upturned points for monocline or unshaded lettering and are especially useful for writing skeletal letters in any style. Equipped with a top mounted reservoir, these pens provide a full, even ink flow on virtually any type of paper.
Faber-Castell Indian Ink Pitt Artist Pens - Hand Lettering (9pcs)
Developed with professional Hand Lettering artists. Ideal for creative Letterings and Letter Art. Including a hand lettering guide with instructions and many tips.
Contents:
Pentel Fountain Pen - Black - Water-Based Ink - Fine
The Fountain Pentel features a unique double-sided 'delta'-shaped nib. This has a longer support on one side than the other, meaning there is a subtle but noticeable difference in writing feel.
Choose to write with one side and it feels more flexible, while the other side will give a firmer response. Over time the nib will wear to the style of the writer, offering a unique writing experience.
Faber-Castell India Ink Pitt Pen Wallet (4pcs) - METALLIC
Pigmented drawing ink. High light resistance. Odour-free, acid-free, pH neutral. No need to pump or shake.
Faber-Castell Indian Ink Pitt Artist Pens - Hand Lettering (6pcs) - PASTEL COLOURS
Pigmented drawing ink. High light resistance. Water-resistant, permanent. Developed with professional Hand Lettering artists. Ideal for creative Letterings and Letter Art. Available as an individual pen or in various assorted sets.
Contents:
Sakura Pigma Micron Fineliners - Set of 8
Pigma ink, invented by Sakura in Japan over 25 years ago, continues to be the most reliable permanent ink on the market today. Used for Archival journals, illustration, cartoon/manga, sketching with watercolours, legal documents, log books, cheques.
Key Features:
Eliminates damage from:UV rays, Chemical degradation, Pollution from contact with oils and other chemicals on papers
COPIC Multiliner SP Pen
The Copic Multiliner SP is a permanent pigment liner with a brushed aluminium finish.
It’s waterproof, marker-proof and lightfast. Since the ink is waterproof yet water-based, it will not bleed or smear if used with watercolours or alcohol-based markers.
Copic Multiliner pens are ideal for sketches, technical drawing, outlines and general writing. For best results use on a smooth surface paper such asWinsor & Newton Bleedproof Marker pads, hot pressed watercolour paper or bristol board.
Uni Posca Extra Fine Markers PC-1M
Uni POSCA Markers contain water-based pigment inks that produce poster-like, vibrant colours. They are lightfast and waterproof and will write on virtually any surface from glass to paper without bleed. Once dry the opaque ink can be completely covered with a new ink application. We recommend giving these pens a try with black paper for a look that really pops or bristol boardfor exceptionally smooth flat application.
Pentel Pocket Brush Pens + 2 Refills
The Pentel Brush Pen is the ideal medium for a variety of stylised design work including calligraphy, cartoon illustration and graphic design.
Especially suitable for the fine art of traditional Japanese illustration and calligraphy, the Pentel Brush Pen allows the user to achieve a quality of expression previously attainable only with the use of a conventional brush and india ink. With a refillable barrel and a brush tip that maintains its shape, Brush Pen gives constant, yet controlled ink flow to produce fine detail and the authentic long, sweeping strokes of traditional oriental artwork. The convenient refill cartridge is supplied with dense black pigment ink which can be used on almost any surface, from artboard to handmade paper.
For best results we recommend a smother drawing surface such as rice paper for traditional style calligraphy and ink drawing techniques or watercolour paper and bristol board for more illustrative projects.
Features: Precise, measured ink flow, High density black pigment ink Water and fade resistant Resilient, Accurate bristles, Leak proof fittings, Clean and convenient to use Refillable.
Pentel Colour Brush Pen
Beautifully vibrant dye based ink in a brush pen with nylon bristles. The ink blends between colours and can be washed with water for watercolour like effects.
We recommend using these brush pens on smooth watercolour paper or bristol board, or a watercolour sketchbook and waterbrush for expressive and colourful artwork whilst you are out in the field.
I have had a strong interest in the visual and creative arts since a very early age. After completing an Art and Design Degree and Post graduate studies I have taught Art and Design, Fashion and Textiles, Textile design , Fine Art print and Illustration for over 20 years. Before teaching I was a freelance artist and illustrator and decided 4 years ago I would return to freelance and commissioned work. I have created many domestic and commercial murals for hospitals and hospices. I work part time for ARTdiscount as a content creator and product tester.
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