Painting over Life drawings with Indian ink – part 2
February 20, 2017 2022-02-22 10:28Painting over Life drawings with Indian ink – part 2
![Paintingover life drawings with Indian Ink part 2 on Artiful painting demos by Sandrine Pelissier](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Painting-over-your-drawings-with-India-ink-part-2-e1486182982235.png)
Painting over Life drawings with Indian ink – part 2
In the last post, I was painting over life drawings with Indian ink and clear gesso with watercolor crayons.
You can see that post here: Painting over life drawings with India Ink- part 1
There are many variations you can try with these techniques, here are a few:
You can use white ink for highlights and India ink for dark areas:
![white ink for highlights and India ink for dark areas](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8601s-600x400.jpg)
To make Indian ink washes on life drawings you will need:
- A drawing on white paper
- India Ink
- A few brushes
- clear gesso (I used Liquitex)
- white ink
![mixing a medium tone of grey with the Indian ink](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8592s-600x400.jpg)
Start by mixing a medium tone of grey with the Indian ink.
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. |
![apply the light Indian ink wash with big gestural strokes on the paper](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8594s-600x400.jpg)
Then apply the light Indian ink wash with big gestural strokes on the paper.
![drips of Indian ink on wet wash](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8596s-600x400.jpg)
![Indian ink drips](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8597s-600x397.jpg)
You can also add a few drips if you want to.
![Indian ink wash on top of life drawing](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_4369s-600x373.jpg)
Let everything dry, you can use a hair dryer to speed up the process being careful not to make the drips move.
The drawing at this stage
![clear gesso over light wash of Indian ink](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8599s-600x400.jpg)
When the ink is dry, you can apply a thin layer of clear gesso. The gesso looks milky when wet but will dry transparent. Let dry
![Ink wash drawings](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8603s-600x400.jpg)
Now you can work on the new gessoed surface and go over some of the shading with India Ink.
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.
![]() |
Liquitex Acrylic Clear GessoThis Clear Gesso makes an excellent high-tooth, stable surface for most media. It dries clear to translucent, depending on thickness. Flexible and non-yellowing when dry. Mix Liquitex Clear Gesso with acrylic paint to create a colored gesso. |
![shading with Indian ink](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8604s-600x400.jpg)
![highlights on figure drawing with white ink](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8607s.jpg)
You can go over the same area a few times to make it darker.
You can go over the highlights with white ink
You can also use colored pencils on top of India Ink:
![colored pencils on top of Indian ink](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8611s.jpg)
![colored pencils over clear gesso](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8613s-600x400.jpg)
Regular colored pencils are also working great on top of clear gesso.
![contour drawing with black colored pencil](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8616s.jpg)
Here I started by darkening a few areas in the shade.
![adding highlights with a white colored pencil](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8618s.jpg)
I went over the contours with a black colored pencil
![Indian ink wash figure drawing](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_4379s.jpg)
Added a few highlights with a white colored pencils.
You can layer India ink on top of your India Ink wash
![layer India ink on top of your India Ink wash](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8635s-600x400.jpg)
You can also use a wash of India Ink that is just a bit darker than the background.
![India ink washes](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8643s-600x400.jpg)
Go over the shade areas with the light wash of India Ink.
![layering Indian ink](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_8646s-600x400.jpg)
You can go several times on the same area to make it darker
![Indian ink painting](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_4389s.jpg)
![Indian ink painting](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_4391s.jpg)
Comments (4)
Caroline
I had problems too so right clicked on the link and told it to open in another page, that worked fine. I have had similar problems on other websites for the last few weeks so its either an update to windows or an update to my browser.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Caroline, I am glad you could make it work 🙂
Diane
cannot get to ‘Painting over life drawings with India Ink- part 1’ no matter how i go. clicked on all paths and did search. help please.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Diane for letting me know! There was a mistake in the link. I fixed it.
You can access the first part of the post here: https://paintingdemos.com/painting-over-life-drawings-with-india-ink/