Tools: WaterPROOF Inks

I had someone get a bit heated with me for insisting that the right words
be used for waterPROOF and water resistant.
*I can take it*

The reason the distinction
is important is artists need
to know waterPROOF in order to choose the right ink for
our sketches.  It is a horrid feeling to have completed
a sketch then have this (right) happen Noodler’s Heart of Darkness (HoD)… For writers, this distinction might not matter.  I wish that online stores would get this right… most are cavalier about it.

*the above drawing dried overnight before I went back to add watercolors on site*

Waterproof means the ink-paper doesn’t change the qualities,
as long as you let them dry (which is true for water-resistance too.)
The ones I use dry fast enough — I let them sit about a half hour with normal linework.

I consider the ones below waterproof because I’ve tested them myself, and never had a failure (again, if they were dry), are below.

DeAtramentis Document Ink (DeaDoc)

This is a favorite waterproof ink.  There are many color, and they mix nicely.
I recently added Urban Grey to the collection and intend to try Urban Sienna.
The only ink I would never ever put in a fountain pen is their White ink.

Vanness has the best selection but you have to search for waterproof.

Super5 Ink

I adore these inks!  I love their slightly “off” colors — not crayola crayon colors!
I use them more than the DeaDoc inks except for the black,
because I like the effect of the slightly off colors with my watercolors.
I can find all the colors at Blue Rooster Art store in Los Angeles but they ship!
Wet Paint Art carries a few colors… one thing I am disappointed in is that they changed their packaging to a smaller bottle (30ml) but the price went up!

SketchINK

There are many lovely colors, and all my tests show they are waterproof.
I don’t personally like them due to a chemical smell,
but I have one I use because it is a beautiful clear blue.
Vanness carries all of them.

Platinum Carbon Black

I always have a Platinum Carbon Pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges….
I use it all the time!  It is not a BLACK-black because it has a silver sheen which I sometimes don’t want in a more formal watercolor. Dries super fast as linework!

I have heard others mentioned I’ve not tried but here is my advice:
I strongly suggest that an artist try them on every new paper
they will be doing watercolor on before they use them in a drawing
and I do this even with my favorites when I have a different brand of sketchbook.

Noodler’s

I include them here because so many people talk about them as waterproof, and all six I bought moved on many papers, like the image at the top of the page.I am willing to use Noodler’s Lexington Grey
in grisaille work (shadow under watercolor, shown right) because I have a huge droppered bottle, it is a nice grey,  and the little bit it moves doesn’t effect my
watercolor — but I never use it for linework because on some papers I’ve had it move.

Water RESISTANT

 Platinum Cassis Black  and several other lovely inks are water resistant but not waterproof, below… I use them to sketch in the same manner as soluble inks, bottom.

Water Soluble

And of course, I use water soluble inks (below are some favorites)
all the time to make sketches moving the ink as I love to do!

This is the end of my productive rant!

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About dkatiepowellart

hollywood baby turned beach gurl turned steel&glass city gurl turned cowgurl turned herb gurl turned green city gurl. . . artist writer photographer. . . cat lover but misses our big dogs, gone to heaven. . . buddhist and interested in the study of spiritual traditions. . . foodie, organic, lover of all things mik, partner in conservation business mpfconservation, consummate blogger, making a dream happen, insomniac who is either reading buddhist teachings or not-so-bloody mysteries or autobio journal thangs early in the morning when i can't sleep
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5 Responses to Tools: WaterPROOF Inks

  1. Pingback: Tools: WaterPROOF Inks — D.Katie Powell Art – All About Writing and more

  2. Elayne Weiner says:

    Thank you, Kate. You do a Lot of research with ink and I really learn a lot from it. I think you do an amazing job of explaining ink properties and effects. Your work is most appreciated by this subscriber. Also, Mr. Oster should have you on commission. I know you have sold more than one bottle of ink for him with your reviews and demos. You have to me, for sure. Great reviews at Vanness. Best, and be well, Elayne (from FB pen groups, and Instagram.

    On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 5:21 AM D.Katie Powell Art wrote:

    > dkatiepowellart posted: ” I had someone get a bit heated with me for > insisting that the right words be used for waterPROOF and water resistant. > *I can take it* The reason the distinction is important is artists need to > know waterPROOF in order to choose the right ink for ” >

    Like

  3. OdellFunkclould says:

    I think this is what I’ll get for my husband/wife/son/dad/,… a new waterprooflab! I loved the explanations here and thanks so much for your articles. Now I need to choose one of them. the hardest job still. I’ll see what he likes.

    Like

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