Daler Rowney FW Artists’ Ink, have you tried them yet? For this post, Karlee Gould, will be testing them out with some calligraphic techniques.
FW Artists’ Ink
FW Artists’ Ink is made with a high concentration of pigments and a base of acrylic resin. This recipe has a better resistance to fading than traditional dye-based ink giving each of the range of colours a 3 or 4 star permanence rating.
FW ink is available in 38 different shades including 6 shimmering colours which give a pearlescent effect.
Putting FW Ink to paper
“I’ve chosen a white, an olive green and a shimmering red which gives a pearlescent effect. A good thing to note is that these inks need a good shake before opening, so the pigments distribute evenly.
The first thing you notice about opening any of the FW Inks is that there is barely any smell. You get a slight chemical fume with some acrylic products, but there’s no real odour with these unless you have your nose right over the top of the pot.”
“There’s a fairly thick feel to this ink, although maintains a flow really well. The white ink in particular is very opaque, and if you need to water them down you can do so quite easily. It’s possible to dilute them without lumping, separation or any compromise to the ink itself. There also doesn’t seem to be any extra waiting time for the ink to dry.”
“The Olive Green is a very strong colour, and seems to have the same level of opacity as the white. It is best used on a light coloured paper as opposed to dark, and looks quite amazing on pure white.”
Pearlescent effects from shimmering colours
“The Shimmering Red is a very interesting ink! I didn’t expect it to work very well on dark coloured paper, but in fact, it works even better than on pale ones. At first I was using it to accent other inks on pale papers, but it really flourishes on colours like navy blue and black. I did notice that this shade seems to be a little more fluid than the others, although this did not stop them from mixing together well.”
“The pink tone that the Shimmering Red exudes is quite stunning. If I were able to rename it, I think I would call it Shimmering Pink instead. It’s quite subtle and beautiful, rather than a super ruby red colour. Instead I’m getting this gorgeous kind of pale fuchsia with a pearl finish.”
“One tip when using the shimmering colours: once you are finished using it, be sure to squeeze all the ink liquid out from the pipette before closing, and storing in a dark cool place. This is to be sure the powdered shimmering red pigments don’t collect inside, and block the pipette.
More reasons to love FW Ink
“The caps have these handy pipettes which help you distribute the ink as you need it and replace the cap quickly. This is particularly helpful with calligraphy dip pens because it doesn’t require an inkwell, which means you get far less rogue droplets all over your work space. It also means the inks don’t change consistency as you work.
“When the inks are mixed together they merge very well. They all have the same silky consistency so it provides endless options for mixing. The White and the Shimmering Red work very well together and create a shimmering opaque white which is amazing on very dark coloured papers.”
“My favourite thing about using these inks is that once they’re dry they don’t budge a little bit, even when you get them wet. They’re permanent so they make sure anything you put down is going to stay down, and won’t wash away if any unfortunate accidents should happen.”
“For me, one of the best things about FW inks is that every single colour is completely Vegan. Vegan and planet conscious Artists, like myself, have the entire colour collection at their fingertips, including all the whites and blacks, so these inks are a must-have medium for me”
More about Karlee
Karlee’s work includes a wide range of techniques from watercolour, calligraphy and illustration to digital art. Her practise is entirely vegan and eco-friendly, so all the products reviewed and used by her will be cruelty-free and suitable for use by vegan and vegetarian artists.
You can find all Karlee’s posts published in the GreatArt online magazine by clicking here!
Karlee is currently working on compiling all of her creative work into a new online home. For the time being you can view her digital work and contact her here!
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