Alcohol Ink Baubles

    If you do a search on YouTube for Alcohol Ink Art, you will find I'm sure a good number of tutorials to watch.  I included one of them in a blog post a few days ago.  However, if you have the chance to find someone to teach it, I strongly suggest doing that.  The fun is in the laughter and in the ooohs and aaahhs at each other's creations.

     Above all, safety first.  Work in a well-ventilated room because of the fumes from the alcohol.

   There are a few different techniques, and what I found worked best for me was putting alcohol on the paper (or ornament) first, then the color.  From there, you can wait for it to dry before adding another color with a drop or two of alcohol or put the second color on before the first (and alcohol) dries.  Note:  one drop of ink goes a long way, and if you are heavy-handed with your drips and drops, it can take longer to dry.

    Since I was making four different balls, I practiced with my color schemes on the paper first, finding what I liked most.

    You can buy the alcohol inks, and metallic inks, individually or as sets.  For the purpose of ease, and because I couldn't get Michael's website to cooperate, I'll add links here of examples I found on Amazon.  However, you can ask at your local art supply store also.  The brands I've included links for are simply suggestions of what to look for, not necessarily what we used.

    You may also want to work over disposable puppy piddle pads to absorb any drips and drops that will happen to keep you from getting the inks all over everything that you don't want to be inked (like clothes, furniture, carpet, nosy cats).

1.  [Non-absorbent /non-porous paper] Yupo is a brand name that the instructor suggested, but any paper specifically designed for alcohol inks will work.  You can also use these to make cards, or prints to hang.  We used the paper to practice techniques first.

2.  Ideas for what to decorate:

• We used glazed ceramic ornament balls.  You can also use matte ones.  Be sure to take out the metal topper before starting to paint.
• Plain white coffee mugs, Since they are sealed with a spray varnish (more on that farther down) I would probably tape around the rim while painting and sealing it to keep the inks and varnish off the lip edge. 
• Flat ornament discs (you can put a name or message on the reverse side with a Sharpie pen, which I would do first and bake it to set the pen ink.)
• Square ceramic tiles (think coasters or trivets).  
• You could probably also use clear glass balls.  A cousin asked about plastic ornaments, and they would probably work, just not be as vibrant.  It would be interesting to try to do interior paint on a clear glass ornament, maybe a very thin layer of alcohol on the inside, then put in drops of metallic paint to roll until dry before layering a little more alcohol and colors on top of that.
• I would not use anything that will be used to serve food (such as a plate) unless it is going to be strictly decorative. 
  

3.  91% or higher proof alcohol.  I did ask if vodka could be used, but the jury is still out on that, and if you decide to use vodka, use the cheap stuff.  Drink the good stuff.

4.  Alcohol inks, such as [this set of colors] or [this set of metallics] is just a suggestion.  You can also buy them individually if you like, however, there is more fun in multiple colors.

5.  After they were dried, everything (paper and ornaments) was sprayed with a light coat of [Krylon Kamar Varnish].

   We had set them upside down in florist foam bars to dry and set while being sprayed.  It made it easy to handle them, and one of the women actually used the foam bar to hold them while she decorated them.

   We had the option of wearing disposable gloves, but I think everyone discarded theirs after a while.  The ink can be messy, but it comes off fingers and skin easily with a little bit of alcohol.

    It was a super fun project, and I have a feeling it will be one I do again!