Playing around with alcohol inks

 Happy New Year - 2024!! How amazing, I remember 1986 quite clearly - or parts of it. 

Anyway, I have decided to experiment with alcohol inks. I am a member of a group of lovely people who get together fortnightly to cut and paste paper to make collages. I am not really a collage artist but I enjoy the company and stimulation very much.

This year, we are going to try to experiment with different techniques - I am currently trying alcohol inks to make a background (or usable in another way) paper.

So ... I have just done a first experiment. I have looked up various sites that have given some information and now am playing. I found this one very useful.

I bought some rubbing alcohol from the local pharmacist and found some very old bottles of alcohol ink - I have no idea what I may have used them for in the past. 

I bought some paper specifically for alcohol ink - Yupo. I also had a pad of paper that is bleed proof, not sure what is if for, or why I bought it. 

So, after reading several sites, I started playing. Of course, I didn't take much notice of what I was doing and have used techniques from several places. 

The obvious outcome is that the Bleedproof paper curled. But, apart from that, it was ok. 

TheYuko paper (which I cut into A5 size) worked better. 

A lot of the sites said to use a hair dryer (they didn't mention what heat to use but I assume it is cold). I didn't use that as I was only starting to play. I used a straw. 

Warning: you inhale a lot to blow, be aware of the alcohol in the air!! I am hoping I won't develop a headache (as one of the sites warned).

One thing I noticed, the inks dry fairly quickly. 

I am not sure what I will do with this paper, if anything. But I will experiment a bit more tomorrow. 

It might be useful as a background or I could cut it up and use it in my collages, time will tell. I am just glad to have started experimenting again!!

I may use some of the papers to do some doodling - or not. It is that time of year when you have some ideas but may not follow up on them. I am just glad that some ideas are coming up!!