"Winsor and Newton White Ink" Topic

I've been aware of the ink wash technique for a long time and I use it now and then especially on dark blue and dark green uniforms to make them look more 3D. These ink colours are normally fairly translucent so you can't really paint with them.

I've just used some of this, however,

link

…to paint the frogging on plastic Airfix hussar uniforms. To say I am blown away is understating the matter. It goes on from the bottle in beautiful, thin, opaque lines, it doesn't clog the brush, and it doesn't run all over the place because you watered it down too much trying to make it flow.

I don't really 'do' pure black or white on figures anywhere but I'm going to make an exception here.

Recommended.

What base color do you use? White?

It works over any colour apparently. I've been doing white braid over very dark, almost black, hussar pelisses and dolmans. The white is completely opaque.

Would you happen to have any photos of the figures you have painted using this? I am interested to see how this looks.

Yes, pictures please.

I will take some when I am back at the bench.

A little over six bucks shipped from Amazon for 14 oz. bottle. Ordered one.

Just to be clear, you are using the ink as a straightforward paint, not as a wash? I have a number of W & N inks (no white)that I use for washews, and they do need need some dilution, but still can't imagine using any of them for straight paint.

Great tip! I would like to see the final result, though I suspect it works as described.

Will the shellac carrier yellow, over time? Do the other inks yellow over time?

Thanks for sharing -- I can use a white wash for mini's I'm working to finish. Excellent timing! Cheers!

I struggle with Flickr but this gives the gist. The third photo looks a bit yellow but that's the macro effect – the white is titanium white. Only the braid is white ink.

Yes, you just apply straight from the ink bottle and it's completely opaque, even over the darkest blue I use, in one pass of the brush. Apply like a paint, and it sits where you put it. Go over the ragged edges (where the pelisse sleeves are) with W&N Violet ink and it vanishes completely.

I have to see if the yellow's as good for RHA braid.

These are WIP obvs and will look better when finished but this is to show what you get with the improbable white ink. Who knew of such a thing.

The packaging says "All coloured inks are impermanent with the exception of black and white"!!

Great, thanks for the tipping us off to your discovery, 4th!

😲. 4th that's incredible. Thanks for making us aware.

I ordered a bottle as well. Thanks for the tip – it will be fun to try.

Got me thinking now …

Looks like something for me to try. Thanks

Bought one. For less than a Chik fil A sandwich, its worth a try!!

The gold and silver are stupendous too. They look like liquid precious metal.

FWIW I've been using white FW acrylic ink the same way since the 1990s. I also use it as an actual ink sometimes, dipping a calligraphy pen to write names and data on the bottoms of miniatures. It dries white, hasn't yellowed in over 20 years, and flows very well. Like the Winsor & Newton white, it's very opaque.

Can you paint over it if need be, or does the ink bleed through?

You can paint over it without any problems .

Great suggestion, and thanks for sharing the pics. I'll be ordering that for sure.

Be wary of the metallics, although they are lovely to use.

I used to use the Silver Ink for silver braid etc. I then varnished some figures with W&N Galeria Matt and the silver lifted and spread across the varnished areas. It looked as if they were wearing sequins.

I usually gloss varnish with Humbrol Clearcote Gloss and then matt varnish and this prevents the problem.

Reading my post above, I realise that I should have said that on that occasion I had not gloss varnished beforehand and had applied the Galeria Matt directly on to the painted surface.

For anyone looking to try to upgrade some of their paint effects check out the range of whites from W&N. FYI see
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Some are deliberately formulated to take the edge off bright colours (such as in highlighting), opaque, or even transparent.

I usually dip plastics in Klear / Future after painting them and finish with a coat of matt varnish. If using the dark or metallic inks, the Klear basically dissolves them, so I have had to varnish first, then Klear, then revarnish. Klear has no discernible effect on the white ink, however.

That's interesting.

I've had the same problem with Future and brush-on Testors Dullcote destroying my acrylic ink washes, stains, lines, etc.

Does it help if they're allowed to cure for a few days? I had a hypothesis that fully cured acrylic ink might not dissolve, but I've yet to test it.

- Ix