Is there any way to make those alcohol inks that scrapbookers and crafters use?

Question

Is it possible to just mix liquid ink (like from caligraphy pen cartridges or ink used by artists) with rubbing alcohol for a similar effect? Has anyone tried making their own alcohol inks? I love the look of them, but I don't want to pay $10 or more for three little bottles. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Alcohol-based inks are intensely-colored, transparent, acid-free, alcohol-based colorants (dyes). I don't know what else you could use, but here's one thing that someone suggested at my site:

I've made my own alcohol-based inks with a square of pre-colored watercolor sheets (they come in a 2x5" booklet with a yellow cover...) ...and some alcohol in a film canister.....works pretty well since the watercolor sheets are also translucent and saturated. Carolyn

I also found this exchange:

I saw on one of the sites that you can make your own Alcohol inks by mixing half Rit dye and half rubbing alcohol.
if they dry out you just reconstitute
easiest ink is tempura paint powder ... add alcohol
or glycerin til you get the consistancy you want
... i put mine into plastic containers or bottles
...if you use glycerine you can (hot) emboss

you can also mix it them with those glycerine inks that come in tiny jars


You can also add particulate things into or onto the alcohol inks ... like mica powders or real-metal powders, chalks, etc

Don't forget that you can mix the alcohol ink colors just like you would mix paints to get many additional colors (though Pinatas will be clearest... Adirondacks are already "toned" down). And it often doesn't take much ink at all to do a lot of things since the color is so intense.

(There are also alcohol-based markers --Prisma, etc.).


HTH,

Diane B.