Search
Search the archive, three years of Inklings.
Ask the Artist
Our Artist in Residence, Dina Kowal, answers your questions
October 29, 2014
Q: Mary asks: "Can I color or watercolor on top of alcohol markers with water-based markers or Distress inks?"
A: Sure! Water soluble markers and alcohol markers can be layered in either order, because neither solvent affects the other. You can watercolor with Distress markers over alcohol marker coloring, or add details to a watercolor with alcohol markers. Just follow manufacturer's recommendations for your specific products and make sure your base is completely dry before working over it with another medium.
October 22, 2014
Q: Kate asks: "I just got my first set of stamps and matching dies and there are no directions. Do I cut or stamp first?"
A: I stamp first. Cut the die from another sheet of paper to create a template, and lay the opening of the template over your stamped image so that it's perfectly framed. Tape the template in place, and nestle your die right into the opening. Tape the die down for a little more security, and make your cut.
October 15, 2014
Q: Shelley wants to know: "Can you use watercolor pencils and Inktense pencils together?"
A: You can use watercolor and Inktense pencils together. When I use them together I tend to do most of my work in watercolor pencil first, then add finishing touches with Inktense pencils where I want the color and shadows to be darkest. Remember that the Inktense colors are very intense, transparent, and permanent when dry, while watercolor pencils can be a little lighter, more opaque, and will tend to lift and reblend when refreshed with water.
October 8, 2014
Q: Sandy wants to know: "When I use colored pencils, sometimes the pencils leave lines. What is the technique for eliminating these lines?"
A: With wax or oil based colored pencils, the pressure you color with can make a big difference. Light pressure, sharp pencils, and layers of color will eliminate lines. Another way to eliminate lines is to blend the colored areas with a solvent. There are different types of solvents that can be used (an alcohol blending marker, or mineral spirits, rubbing alcohol, or baby oil applied with blending stumps), and also some methods of blending that are done without solvents (such as burnishing with a blending pencil).
October 1, 2014
Q: Mary wants to know: "Have you ever painted with alcohol reinkers?"
A: I've used alcohol markers to create a palette for painting, which would have the same results. I scribble the colors I want onto a ceramic tile, and pick up the ink using a waterbrush filled with rubbing alcohol. I found that the auto-flow of the waterbrush worked best; when using a paintbrush dipped into rubbing alcohol, the alcohol evaporates too quickly to get good coverage. I like creating soft backgrounds around my colored images with this technique, dotting in the lightest color, then adding darker shades in toward the image.
