How to Mix Dye for Ink

Create your own ink from commercially available powdered dye.

Create your own homemade ink with powdered fabric dye available in craft stores, drug stores and supermarkets. Powdered dye is inexpensive, goes a long way and makes a vibrant ink. Use your homemade dye ink to refill stamp pads or paint on polymer clay before you bake it. This ink works well for embossing. Scrapbookers and painters can create custom colors that may not be available in stores. Experiment to see what unusual colors you can make.

Things You'll Need

• 1 box powdered fabric dye
• 1/4 tsp. 90-percent isopropyl alcohol
• 5 tbsp. glycerin
• Plastic bowl
• Plastic spoon
• Gloves
• Newspaper

Instructions

1. Put on gloves to prevent staining your hands. Lay out newspaper on your work surface. Set a plastic bowl on the newspaper.

2. Carefully pour an entire packet of powdered fabric dye into the bowl. If mixing colors, use an amount equal to one packet.

3. Add 1/4 tsp. of 90-percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol. A higher concentration is fine as long as it's at least 90 percent.

4. Stir the alcohol and dye mixture until it's thin and creamy.

5. Slowly add 5 tbsp. glycerin 1 tbsp. at a time, stirring constantly.

6. Pour your dye over a used stamp pad or a small piece of foam rubber cut to fit the inside of a small plastic box with a tight-fitting lid. If you want to paint with your dye, store it in a glass or plastic bottle.

References

• Can Teach: Recipes: Paint, Dye and Ink Recipes
• Polymer Clay Tutor: Alcohol Ink Techniques and Recipes for Polymer Clay Artists
• Budget 101: MYO Embossing Ink

Resources

• Learn to Draw and Paint: Basic Color Mixing Rules