How to Paint With Ink & Watercolors

Watercolors are ideal paints for beginners and children.

Watercolor and ink paintings have a uniquely beautiful look. You can use watercolors to make a soft subtle background or layer them for a vibrant eye catching effect. Ink, which can be found in any color of the rainbow and a few more besides, is predominantly used to outline and "ground" the ephemeral look of watercolors. Popular examples of this type of painting include most Japanese landscapes and many modern flower paintings.

Instructions

1. Dilute your watercolors by adding water until you reach the desired shade. You can also create an ink wash using this method, but ink washes tend to be somewhat more pigmented than watercolors, so they are usually used to create grey shades that are less overpowering than black.

2. Paint one layer (a wash) at a time and wait for it to dry before adding a second layer or using a different color, unless you want your colors to mingle and blend.

3. Dry each layer using a hair dryer with a low blast so that it doesn't blow your paint around. You can also simply wait for the paint to air dry but it can be time-consuming.

4. Use undiluted ink sparingly as a way to highlight, add interest, or draw the eye to an important feature in your painting.