Ink Resist Technique on Canvas, a step by step painting tutorial : Crow
December 21, 2010 2025-02-04 15:33Ink Resist Technique on Canvas, a step by step painting tutorial : Crow

Ink Resist Technique on Canvas, a step by step painting tutorial : Crow
This is a small painting I did for an Anonymous Art Show in North Vancouver.
I like techniques that allow you to lose up a bit so you can’t control everything about the end result. This is one of those techniques and the reveal is always exciting!
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.

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.
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Holbein Acryla Gouache, 152 Chinese White, 20 mlAcryla 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. |

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

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

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

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

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

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.
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Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Water-Resistant Artists InkFW 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 |

Here some red acrylic with medium.

Another layer of diluted white acrylics.

Then I decide on a blue background, letting some of the underlying reds and oranges show at the edges.
Comments (19)
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
Sandrine Pelissier
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.
mary191466515100
Ok, Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!
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Aimee
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
Sandrine Pelissier
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.
Kathy Jurek
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.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Kathy ! Let me know what you think once you tried it 🙂
lesliepaints
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!
Sandrine Pelissier
Yes, thanks Leslie,
It add a little bit of unpredictability to the process that is much fun!