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Ink Resist Technique on Canvas, a step by step painting tutorial : Crow

Here is the finished painting : Crow
Painting technique / Popular posts / Step by step demonstrations

Ink Resist Technique on Canvas, a step by step painting tutorial : Crow

This is a small painting I did for the Anonymous Art Show in North Vancouver :

A great concept, this exhibition organised by the North Vancouver Arts council consist of around 600 paintings of a 8×8 inches size. Click on the picture to go to the Arts Council website.

No artist name or title is visible and all the paintings are at the same price of 100 dollars . So this is a great mix of artist that could be well-known or just starting and people will choose what painting to buy only by looking at the work itself: a great idea!

So I made this painting for the show and had to wait until the show is over ( a few days ago) so I could post this demo.

Ink Resist Technique on Canvas, a step by step painting tutorial : Crow

Starting with pictures of crows I made a drawing directly on the canvas, adding some designs in the background.

using tempera paint for resist technique

I used tempera paint as a resist and mixed a little bit of blue watercolor to see it better on the canvas. You could also use gouache.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

Holbein Acryla Gouache, 152 Chinese White, 20 ml

Acryla Designer Gouache is a fast-drying, opaque acrylic based watercolor paint. It’s water soluble while wet, and water-resistant, matte and opaque, even over dark surfaces. Great for grounds and layering.

using tempera paint for resist technique

The blue watercolor stained the canvas a bit but that wasn’t a problem in that case.

painting tempera resist

I painted with my watercolor-tempera mix the parts I wanted to keep white, leaving the darks unpainted.

pouring India ink on canvas

After the paint has dried, I poured India ink on the canvas.

spreading ink on canvas

I spread it around carefully with a very soft brush then let it to dry again.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

Speedball Super Black Waterproof India Ink

“Super black” means its blackness will be very permanent and fadeless. Contains 100% carbon black pigment. Also free-flowing, non-clogging, and waterproof.

rinsing off tempera paint resist

Then the fun begins, I held the canvas under the tap letting the water rinse off the tempera paint. Do not scrub because the ink would wash away

glazing white acrylic

After the canvas has dried I increase the contrasts by painting the light areas with a mix of white acrylic and medium.

acrylic paint diluted in water

I then try different colors, for the background, here trying on some acrylics and inks diluted in water.

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

 

Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Water-Resistant Artists Ink

FW Artists Ink is an acrylic-based, pigmented, water-resistant ink in a range of 38 colors, all of which have either a three-star or four-star rating for permanence. FW Artists Inks work well with airbrushes, dip pens, technical pens and brushes. – Primary Colors Set

glazing red acrylic with medium.

Here some red acrylic with medium.

glazing white acrylics.

Another layer of diluted white acrylics.

Ink Resist Technique on Canvas, a step by step painting tutorial

Then I decide on a blue background, letting some of the underlying reds and oranges show at the edges.

You might also like this video where I am explaining the ink resist technique:

4/5 - (4 votes)

Comments (19)

  1. mary191466515100

    Hi Sandrine,
    Quick question, O just got done with painting the canvas non-ink areas with pentura. parts are naturally thicker than other thinly painted areas. will the thinner painted areas need to have a thicker coat or if fully covered but not thick areas still resist the indian ink?
    Thanks,
    Mary

    1. With this technique, you won’t get a totally “clean” result and that is part of the attraction, so you might get some ink in the resist areas. I guess the thicker the layer of tempura the less ink will go through.

      1. mary191466515100

        Ok, Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

  2. […] crow, ink resist on canvas step by step demonstration […]

  3. […] crow, ink resist on canvas step by step demonstration […]

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  11. […] crow, ink resist on canvas step by step demonstration […]

  12. Sandrine,

    Thanks for sharing this. I’m actually working on a watercolor ink resist today on paper and was just wondering what it would look like on canvas with acrylics. I found your post and the answer is fantastic.Thanks for the inspiration and insight!

    Scarlet Owl

    1. Thanks Aimee, feel free to post a link to a picture when you are done if you want to, it would be interesting to see other examples of this technique.

  13. Thank you so much for this demo. I saw a painting done with this technique and I had no idea how it was done. Your post has been very helpful. I am looking forward to trying it.

    1. Thanks Kathy ! Let me know what you think once you tried it 🙂

  14. Very interesting technique not too unlike a gouache resist. I really like the results that could not be achieved without the look of the resist. Thank-you for a new idea, Sandrine!

    1. Yes, thanks Leslie,
      It add a little bit of unpredictability to the process that is much fun!

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