ear to ear, but I’m definitely beaming now. I hope to be able to do justice to this colourful subject, because painting with alcohol ink is simply amazing!
Writing this book was great fun. It also proved to be a very intense period of painting. I barely saw the summer of 2019, especially as I also held my first major exhibition of paintings in alcohol ink and acrylic that year. So how did I get into alcohol ink?
In 2016, I came across alcohol ink at a craft workshop with my friend. Instead of using the ink to stamp like she did, I painted with the alcohol ink and started playing around with it. I left my abstract designs behind and only remembered them much later. Through Instagram, I felt inspired and encouraged by the works of many like-minded people in the US. Painting with alcohol ink is really random and abstract, as if from another world, and I wanted to continue and develop it even more.
Originally, I studied communication design and worked as a self-employed freelancer for companies and agencies. I gave all that up to start my blog “Krigelkragel”, specialising in painting advice and inspiration, and DIY projects involving painting. With the blog, I want to make learning to paint simple for everyone through instructions, workshops and online courses.
Paintings don’t have to be perfect - it’s more important to have fun. When you’re not under pressure, creativity comes naturally and makes things beautiful. Hence the name “Krigelkragel”, which means ‘scribble‘ in my native German.
To paint with alcohol ink, you don‘t need any classical training in art. In fact, you don‘t have to be able to draw or paint at all. You can start completely freely and let the alcohol ink paint along with you. You’ll create beautiful, abstract images with it. It’s fascinating how chance becomes a factor.
Even if you’re a pro in one or more creative fields, alcohol ink can offer you thousands of new possibilities. It combines very nicely with other techniques and media, and will enrich your art.
I’ve packed a lot of my knowledge about alcohol ink into these pages. You will find more detailed explanations in my online courses but this book will work as a beautiful reference that opens the door to a new creative world!
Have fun with the book as you explore the amazing art of alcohol ink.
“PAINTINGS DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT - IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE FUN.”
BASICS
WHAT IS
Alcohol Ink?
As the name suggests, alcohol ink is alcohol-based ink; yet what seems so simple is actually the gateway to a huge, creative and infinite universe of painting, always full of new ideas and possibilities. However, before we begin our journey of discovery, there are a few things you need to know in advance!
DON‘T WRITE – PAINT!
Alcohol ink is a very fluid paint medium, usually used to paint abstract, colourful images, and the techniques I will describe in the following pages could be said to fall into the category of ‘fluid art‘. The principle of fluid art is to paint in a ‘flowing’ and completely wet state. Alcohol ink is moved over the painted surface with air using a hairdryer, hot-air blower, airbrush or similar. It’s fascinating how chance plays a role in every painting.
This form of painting originates from the US, where alcohol ink is used for rubber stamping, in the world of card-making and scrapbooking, was used in a different way.
PAINTING WITHOUT PRESSURE
It‘s no wonder that the technique is so popular. With alcohol ink, anyone can create beautiful, abstract paintings without any classical training in art. You don‘t even have to be able to draw or paint in proportion, or have the loveliest handwriting. Everyone can do it, including you.
AMAZING VERSATILITY
You may be wondering, ‘And where are we heading with it now?‘. The answer lies in the complexity and versatility of alcohol ink. In this book, I'll show that with alcohol ink you can paint not only in an abstract style, but in many other ways too. You can paint objects with it, colour in illustrations, and combine it with hand lettering. Finally, I‘ll show you how awesome alcohol ink is for DIY projects, painting on to a variety of surfaces other than paper.
WITH ALCOHOL INK, THERE’S A LOT HAPPENING ON THE PAPER!
Join me!
“WITH ALCOHOL INK, ANYONE CAN CREATE BEAUTIFUL, ABSTRACT PAINTINGS WITHOUT ANY CLASSICAL TRAINING IN ART.”
Key
Information
Modern painting with alcohol ink differs in many respects from well-known, traditional painting techniques. There are new painting surfaces, new tools, new effects and specific knowledge needed for working with alcohol ink. You’ll find this important basic knowledge on the following pages.
INKS
Alcohol inks usually consist of highly concentrated dye and therefore a little goes a long way. The colours available cover the entire spectrum, and are extremely intense. These inks are transparent to semi–transparent.
As
