"Good black ink to make washes?" Topic

What make of black ink do you recommend?

GW's Nurn Oil can be used right out of the bottle or watered down dependent upon what you need. It completely replaced all of the other ink/wash methods I was using.

I use Tamiya Acrylic Smoke paint for black washing, gets into the cracks really well. Don't overdo it or it will be too dark.

Go on youtube, search "nuln oil" and the first video will be all you'll ever need!

Can I at least say "Luke"? I don't wanna infringe on the no-ads rule…

the army painter ink washes are wonderful , but they don't last long :-(

Dwight – Do you mean they fade on the figure (not 'light fast')or that the bottle doesn't last long enough and you have to keep buying more because its good?

nuln oil

Another vote for nuln oil.

Also, you might try:

youtu.be/7uxfqXql-gg

nuln or nurn, which is it?

Nuln

Thank you, is that available through artist supply stores like Michael's?

Go with any good acrylic artists ink. I used to get FW at Hobby Lobby but I think they have another brand now. Anyway, it's very easy to make. in a 60ml bottle use 1/2 water with flowaid and 1/2 matt medium. Add, 20-60 drops ink depending on how strong you want it to be. Works great and is very economical.

I've seen Windsor & Newton black drawing inks used in a number of shading applications…mixed with medium, water, and/or Future floor finish. I personally went a different direction, using the Magic Dip (Minwax Polyshades Tudor) for shading purposes.

Minwax method = 20 years later & my figures still stink. I ordered a bottle of that nuln oil today. We'll see how that stuff does.

The advantage to using classic, The Dip Technique (Minwax Poyurethane Stain), is that your mini's are not only shaded, but they are also sealed, with a thin coating of polyurethane.

I've Dip'ed 1,000+ mini's, since 1998. I can smell it, in my figure storage container area, but when I deploy them on the gaming table, I do not notice it. Never heard anyone complain of the odor at my gaming table, at home, either. YMMV.

If the odor is offensive, try applying a matte clear coat, to cover it. Be careful not to apply too much matte, as it can frost your mini's. Another option, is to bake your mini's, at 170 F, in a crock pot, set to Low heat, for 30 minutes, to fully cure the polyurethane layers. It won't harm the painted mini, even if it is plastic (most thermal plastics melt at 350+ F). I used to bake my mini's to dry the polyurethane stain in 30 minutes, rather than 3+ days. Cheers!

Sgt, that sounds like a real crock.
;)

I'd be terrified to put my minis in a crock pot, but I've never noticed any problem with Minwax in eithe odor or frosting.

I also water it down and thin it out – uncertain if that affects the situation or not. It has truly been "the miracle dip"!

I've got bottles of black tattoo ink. Just add the ink to Future floor polish.

You can get large bottles for quite cheap and they'll last decades.

You can also use the ink for tattooing.

The advantage to using classic, The Dip Technique (Minwax Poyurethane Stain), is that your mini's are not only shaded, but they are also sealed, with a thin coating of polyurethane.

But that is the same benefit as the Future floor wax, except you are sealed with acrylic. Plus the figures don't smell at all and they dry within minutes. The advantage to the Minwax is the additional viscosity of the material. Perhaps I could add acrylic media to thicken it up a bit.

I've got bottles of black tattoo ink.

How does that compare to India Ink?