by Patti Estep Leave a Comment
Enjoy this fun and easy list of 7 alcohol ink projects for gift making and home decor. If you haven't worked with this beautiful art medium you will be amazed at how stunning the effect they have on many surfaces.
I've used alcohol inks for many crafts, gifts, and home decor. They are very easy to work with and the creative results never fail. I especially love the vibrant transparency nature of the ink and today I've rounded up some of my past projects to give you an idea of how they work, and inspire you to create your own.
What are Alcohol Inks?
Alcohol Inks are highly pigmented alcohol based inks. They dry fast as the alcohol evaporates leaving the pigment behind. They can be diluted with isopropyl alcohol that allows the colors to blend and can also be used to remove the dye.
Join Our Newsletter List!
Be the first to receive new posts and get access to our Subscribers Only Page.
How to Use Alcohol Inks
This beautiful paint medium is best used on non-porous surfaces to allow the inks to bleed and move to create beautiful art. Yupo paper, a non-porous paper made from plastic, is typically used for paintings. However, you will see in the list below that I have used ceramics, plastic ornaments, metal, and other non-porous materials to create interesting items with alcohol inks.
Durability of Alcohol Ink Projects
The projects that I have made with alcohol inks were sprayed with a sealant that helps protect them. I believe they are not lightfast, meaning they made fade if exposed to prolonged sunlight. All of my project ideas are indoor projects so this has not been an issue.
Alcohol Inks and Safey
This pretty paint medium is made with alcohol so as you might suspect it is hazardous. It's flammable and gives off some fumes. The dyes will stain your hands so you will want to wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area and cover your workspace. You can also refer to this safety data sheet from one of the manufacturers for specific details. In addition, this video shows you specific precautions that you may want to take when using alcohol inks.
I hope the following list gives you all kinds of ideas for crafting with alcohol inks. Make beautiful art and home decor for yourself or to give out as special unique gifts.
7 Things You Can Create with Alcohol Inks
Alcohol inks are a great art medium that easily allows you to create one-of-a-kind pieces of art and many other fun projects like the ones listed below.
Alcohol Ink: Stunning Jewelry Dishes to Make and Gift
This was the first time I tried alcohol inks. I made these colorful jewelry dishes to give to my family and friends for Christmas. They were a big hit and you won't believe how easy they were to make. There's even a short video showing how I made them.
Alcohol Ink Trivets - Easy, Functional Art with Friends
After the jewelry dishes, I wanted to share this fun art medium with my friends. So one weekend my girlfriends and I created beautiful hot plates or trivets using large ceramic tiles.
How To Marble Paper with Alcohol Inks - 2 Ways
Many people use alcohol inks on yupo paper to create cards and canvas for beautiful paintings. However, they also work great with this fun shaving cream trick to create marbled paper for crafting on watercolor paper.
How to Use Alcohol Inks on Metal to Create Stunning Gift Tins
Alcohol inks also work great on metal. These pretty tin sliders were used to hold solid perfume. But first, they were decorated with alcohol inks.
How to Make Fired Alcohol Ink Ceramic Tiles
Basic ceramic tile works well with alcohol inks but did you know that you can use fire to create unusual yet beautiful abstract art?
Alcohol Ink Pumpkins for Easy Fun Fall Decor
The shiny finish on faux pumpkins is a great surface to using alcohol inks. Just another way to dress up your fall decor.
Alcohol Ink Ornaments That Look Like Colorful Blown Glass
Inexpensive plastic ornaments turn into beautiful stained glass looking ornaments for the tree with a little help from alcohol inks.
« How To Make Acorn Napkin Ties
Deviled Eggs - A Classic Party Finger Food Recipe »
About Patti Estep
Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.
