A few Art Tutorials from my YouTube Channel
Online Courses
Making + Mindset
Let’s paint some watercolors, make some prints, and get better at drawing with practical approaches, the right tools, and a pinch of enthusiasm. Then we’ll create some beautiful art. And let’s also adjust our mindset for more frequent, fun, and successful creative time!
Free Video Tutorials
In addition to BelindaTips.com online classroom, you can also explore my YouTube channel. Take your time watching tutorials on watercolor glazing techniques, linocut carving set up, three color relief printmaking, building a collagraph plate, inking in the a la poupee method, making a monotype, etc.
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I am new to printmaking and see that you use AKUA intaglio ink. Is this the best ink for print making? What are other comparable water-soluble inks? Also I don’t understand when one uses the Akua intaglio ink and when one uses Akua’s liquid pigment. I have some of each of the inks but they are taking FOREVER to dry. I have used them on print paper and fabric. I have heat set the inks with an iron but the inks still stain my fingers. Lots of questions so am not sure why Akua is the best for paper and/or fabric. I’m hoping you can clarify.
Many thanks,
April
Hello April, Welcome to printmaking! You’re about to have a ton of fun, and I hope your adventures in the studio leave you coming back to play often and successfully!
I do like Akua inks, as well as Caligo Safewash intaglio inks by Cranfield for drypoint, collagraph, and etchings. One is soy-based, the other is linseed-oil-based. Both dry permanent, and wash up with water. I can’t speak to Akua or Caligo relief inks, since I haven’t done any block-printing with them yet. Akua Liquid pigment is great for monotypes. Download this handy Akua User Guide for more details on their inks: https://www.speedballart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Akua-User-Guide.pdf You might also subscribe to their youtube channel for tips and tricks if you’re a visual learner: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI2oh8CBzbcS8ezun5KPWVA
Akua inks dry via absorption, so if your paper has any sizing in it, or it’s made from Japanese wood fiber, instead of cotton, drying time is prohibited by the resistance to absorption. Same on your fabric – is it cotton or polyester synthetic fabrics? Which paper did you use? And what form of printmaking are you trying?
Belinda, your tutorials are amazing and are turning out to be great summer teacher training! I have not tried Akua, but just may have to based on all the beautiful results I keep seeing. As for inks that another commenter asked about, I can speak to using Caliga Safewash relief inks since my students use these inks for block printing in the high school art studio all the time. They print beautifully. In the monotype course I took at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, we also used the Caliga relief and etching inks for painterly monotypes, painting directly onto a plexiglass matrix. These inks are wonderful, but I found the etching ink to be a bit easier to use for monotypes, since it is less viscous, especially if painting something representational. Even so, I still ended up adding plate oil and Vaseline to reduce the viscosity even for the etching ink. This gave it the consistency I need . for painting with a brush. You would probably need to add more of these ingredients for the relief inks to get the same consistency. Best part about these inks is their rich color and ease of cleanup. Plain ‘ole dish soap is all you need, and if you can set your tools in a bucket of warm water with soap for at least 30 minutes (this is what I have my students do at the end of class), no scrubbing is necessary. Alternatively, dilute the ink with a bit of cheap vegetable oil to thin before washing if you can’t soak – great for tables that must be clean for next class. Dry time can vary and really depends on the space you’re in. At SAIC, my prints dried overnight with the Caliga, but in the high school studio, it can take up to a week, depending on how much ink you use, layering, ventilation, weather, etc.
You are such an inspiration. Because of your amazing tutorials, I have made some fulfilling editions of intaglio with watercolor and prima color pencils. Now I am going to buy a set of Nupastels. Do you recommend using a fixative on top of intaglio with watercolor and Prismacolor nupastel? (i.e., Sennelier fixative for soft pastels?) Thanks!
Hi Anna, Thank you for the great feedback. ❤️ Happy Days in your printmaking adventures!
Macadamia White Chocolate are my favorite cookies.
I am just learning about glazing.Your pictures dance and shimmer on the paper.
Do you wait for each layer to dry completely in between?
Hi Rhonda, If we hadn’t just trimmed the Macadamia tree to half its size, I’d offer you a bag of nuts! But on the next batch, I’ll bake something for you. 🙂 Yes, each layer dries before adding another. They’re laid in thin enough that they dry quickly – even in a coastal town. Thanks for the compliments!