To add ink or not to add ink? That is the question.

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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I have to admit, I sometimes don’t know the right answer to this question. Most often my style is to work in watercolor and add details in ink. But sometimes I hesitate to add the ink details.

When I think about, the occasions where I question adding ink, are when I’ve added a lot of details in watercolor – a lot of layers. Sometimes the decision is easy. The painting looks finished, like these donuts. Other times I’m not sure – like the cupcake above.

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Adding the ink is definitely a different look. Just watercolor is softer and sometimes more realistic looking. Adding ink looks more illustrated, more whimsical. Like this cup of cappuccino and this ice cream sundae.

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One thing is for sure – once a line of ink is added, there’s no turning back. I often think of scanning and printing a painting and adding ink details to the printout. This way I can make sure I like it before touching the original painting.

12 thoughts on “To add ink or not to add ink? That is the question.”

  5. I have the question too. Lately I have been doing pencil sketches and I like them in pencil but ask myself should I add watercolor. Right now I’m leaving them in pencil and will go back later and decide about the color. I’m
    glad to hear other comments.

    Reply

    1. Damita, I used to work a lot in pencil. I found that if the drawing had a lot of pencil shading and detail, and I added watercolor, it could get a little muddied. So I used to hang the pencil drawing in a bright window, lay a piece of watercolor paper over it and trace it. Then I would remove the watercolor paper from the window and paint that. This way I had the same drawing, but now I added the details and shading in watercolor instead of pencil. 😀

      Reply

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