Tips & Tricks : Inking on Painted Ornaments

Drawing on your painted ornament might seem strange but it is not uncommon for painters to use pens and color pencils to help add detail or final touches to their paintings. Adding stripes to a tiger or spots to a leopard can be easier when you use a pen or fine tipped marker to do it.

In the video above I use a pen soft brush India ink pen to finish off the tiger ornament. The ornament was painted with the watercolor set that we include with our kits and was allowed to completely dry. It is important to note that whatever you want to use you should test on a small area first to see how it interacts with the painted surface and with the wood itself. Some pens and inks bleed and will spread in the wood grain.

Protect Your Artwork by Sealing It! - Adult Help Needed for Kids

Once your artwork completely dries you can spray with with a clear acrylic spray to help seal it. When using a spray can be sure to be in a well ventilated area and not to over spray the ornament too much. It is always better to spray holding the can back from the art about 10-12 inches and making a couple lighter passes to prevent drips.

Acrylic VS Watercolor

You can ink over both these paints but it is important to note that acrylic paints can have more texture than watercolor. Both these paints can also interact with different marker types differently. The best way to figure out what combination you like best it to try it out. Every artist has their own preference.

Pens & Markers to Try

Roller Pens - these are the pens with the little balls at the tip. While some artists love roller pens I would not suggest them when drawing over paint because paint particles can get into the roller and block it.

Gel Pens - these slow to dry pens are normally used in stationary and often come in fun colors. These can work on a painted surface well but you need to be careful not to smudge them.

Alcohol Based Markers - a common coloring type these can be wonderful and blend well with each other but you need to be careful when combining it with paint as the alcohol can cause the paint to bleed or thin.

Classic Markers - the kind of markers you used in school growing up can still be used for art outside of school! These markers are not as opaque (good at covering well) as a permanent marker but are safer for children to handle.

Permanent Markers - these markers are normally great at covering but need to used in a well ventilated area. Normally not recommended for young children because of their staining ability.

Paint Markers - instead of ink these markers actually disperse paint. They can clog or dry though so be careful on how you store them.

Inking Pens - these often have a felt-like tip and produce a smooth and consistent line.

Tips

Make Sure the Paint is Dry

Sometimes we can be in a rush, but paint is never in a rush to dry. If you try to draw in wet paint the paint can damage your pen or cause the ink to bleed.

Test a Small Area!

You might not like how the ink from your pen or marker does with the paint you used. For example alcohol markers might cause watercolor to bleed and ball pens might not be smooth cross acrylic. To test you can use the back of your ornament or loom to test a small area before committing.

Well Ventilated Areas

Depending on the pen or marker you use some can have hazardous fumes. The pen or marker you use will let you know if it needs to be used in a well ventilated area.