Advice from some of the best alcohol ink artists on Instagram
Are you curious about starting your journey in alcohol ink art? Have you already worked with alcohol inks for a while and want to know what else can you do to move forward in your journey? This article is a compilation of hard-to-find advice from 13 artists who have created their own styles of art with alcohol inks and are among the most renowned on Instagram. If anyone works with alcohol inks, they know these artists. They have given advice for beginners in the field as well as for people who have been working with inks for a while now. The article has great information for newcomers who want to start working with alcohol inks, or are struggling to work with inks, as well as professionals who want to take it a step forward.
(The world is full of wonderful artists. There are many other amazing alcohol ink artists and we did not cover all of them in this article. If you are an artist and would like to give some advice to others based on your experience, please feel free to leave that in the comments. A big thanks to all the artists who generously offered their whole-hearted advice.)
Please note: The artists are listed in the order the answers were received.
Lone Zimino – “Share your experiences with others, no one can make the same painting as you anyway.”
Lone Zimino
(Denmark)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ziminoart/
Web link: www.youtube.com/channel/UCtW88PwBN1CDgpZI7tHM7lA
For beginners:
Always start with a few drops of ink, you can always build on your painting with more ink, use twice as much alcohol as you use ink.
Do not get frustrated, it is harder than it seems to be.
Always work with ink safely, outdoors or with a mask.
For people who have been there for a while:
Push yourself to new techniques, you learn something new every time you step out of your comfort zone.
Share your experiences with others, no one can make the same painting as you anyway.
Experience the world of mixed media with alcohol ink, you can mix with everything else where there is no alcohol in.
Kimberly Deene Langlois – “Allow yourself to play, experiment, and enjoy the process of creating.”
Kimberly Deene Langlois
(USA)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlydeenedesigns/
Web link: https://linktr.ee/Kimberlydeene
For beginners:
Be patient with yourself and with the inks. Let the inks flow and shape organically at first so you can appreciate the unique idiosyncrasies of this medium. Allow yourself to play, experiment, and enjoy the process of creating.
For people who have been there for a while:
Practice, practice, practice when trying a new technique. Continue to reactivate the inks with alcohol to transform your paintings. Don’t be afraid to make changes if you’re not completely satisfied. You may not always get the result you’re going for, but alcohol ink can sometimes surprise you with magical results.
Polina – “If you think that you cannot do something, this only means that you cannot do it yet.”
Polina
(Russia)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mone_i_mane/
Web link: https://www.moneimane.ru/
There are so many things that I know now about alcohol ink art and about this world and I wish I knew when I started my way in art. So, I'd like to share a couple of my personal insights with you and I hope you'll find them useful.
For beginners:
Practice, practice, practice: don't underestimate the importance of constant daily practice. If you think that you cannot do something, this only means that you cannot do it yet. Keep working, try to find 10-30 minutes for practice every day, be patient and the result won't take long to come.
Listen to yourself: Even if you're only at the beginning of your alcohol ink journey it's quite important to listen to yourself and try to find your strengths. When you feel that some effects turn out better than others make it look like your distinctive feature. Your unique style is being formed from such features.
For people who have been there for a while:
Never stop learning: Even if you're a successful artist who sells their artworks worldwide and well-known in the alcohol ink world, just never stop looking for something new: new ideas, new inspirations, new styles, new techniques, new education, etc.
Don't accept someone else's work as a reference for a commission: I always ask customers to send me some examples of my own works (from my IG account) which they like or want me to create. Even if you're a great artist in alcohol ink technique it's impossible to copy someone else's work. It's going to have your style, attitude and in general have different vibes. So, the customer might get disappointed with the result.
Johanna Koskinen – “Take time to create your own, unique style. Your work doesn't have to, or should look like someone else's: it's your art, your voice and creation.”
Johanna Koskinen
(Finland)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johannakoskinen.art/
Web link: https://www.johannakoskinen.art/
For beginners: