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A great way to make your own alcohol ink is to mix fabric dye like Rit into 99% Rubbing Alcohol. Make sure to use this higher percent, the 70% has water in it. (I found the 99% alcohol at Costco.) Stir the mixture and let sit for awhile to let the solids settle out. (I think the solids are mostly salt.) Pour the clear dye off the top without stirring up the solids, and you've got as much cheap alcohol ink as you could possibly want!
__________________ Cindy Lietz, The Polymer Clay Tutor
Beginner Tips and Pics at: How To Make Beads
"I learned by making mistakes... Now you don't have to."
I used the powder because that is what I had. Try the liquid first. Can't see why it wouldn't work even better! (Unless there is a bunch of water in the liquid.) Definitely worth a try though.
__________________ Cindy Lietz, The Polymer Clay Tutor
Beginner Tips and Pics at: How To Make Beads
"I learned by making mistakes... Now you don't have to."
Along the same lines you can also make your own alcohol ink applicators. Take and old rubber stamp with a handle and warm the stamp part with your heat gun so you can peel it off. (Keep the rubber stamp, it's still useful!) Stick on a piece of Velcro (loop side) to the rubber stamp. Now cut up a bunch of felt pads the size of your stamp, out of white craft felt. Stick one of these felt pads to the Velcro and tada... a cheaper alcohol ink applicator!
__________________ Cindy Lietz, The Polymer Clay Tutor
Beginner Tips and Pics at: How To Make Beads
"I learned by making mistakes... Now you don't have to."
This is a tried and true recipe that I did years ago when alchohol inks were coming out. The only thing is that it leaves a sandy feel mess after the cs dries from the alcohol and dye. You don't get that shiny gloss look either from the dyes. You need to take a cloth and really rub off good the sandy or solids from your cs.
I used the liquid Rite Dye, didn't leave as much grity feel on the glossy cs.
Just my .2� worth.
arubberstamper
I mostly use the alcohol ink to tint translucent polymer clay for making beads, so that 'grit' doesn't really matter. My guess is that the 'grit' is dye solids and salt and if it was filtered better it wouldn't have that problem. I'm thinking that pouring it through a coffee filter would probably do the trick!
(This is all probably a pain to some of you that would rather just buy the ink, but you can make loads of it for super cheap. Great for sharing and no worries about using as much as you want!)
__________________ Cindy Lietz, The Polymer Clay Tutor
Beginner Tips and Pics at: How To Make Beads
"I learned by making mistakes... Now you don't have to."
Just curious, would this work with using SU dye re-inkers?
Anybody fancy giving it a try, I would but I don't own any of the Dye reinkers yet.
Barbara.
Check out this thread. Forums at Splitcoaststampers Scroll down to post #7 by texasjodylynn. Read what she did with SU! dye reinkers and alcohol. Follow the link to her blog to get all the info! How neat (but remember that items made with alcohol aren't archival - of course neither is dye ink, but alcohol sounds worse!).
This is a tried and true recipe that I did years ago when alchohol inks were coming out. The only thing is that it leaves a sandy feel mess after the cs dries from the alcohol and dye. You don't get that shiny gloss look either from the dyes. You need to take a cloth and really rub off good the sandy or solids from your cs.
I used the liquid Rite Dye, didn't leave as much grity feel on the glossy cs.
Just my .2� worth.
arubberstamper
has anyone tried pouring the ink through a coffee filter to keep the solids out?
Rubbing Alchohol and dye inks is the recipe for making color wash and sprayable inks so I don't know what the difference would be. Throw in a little pearl ex and you have a glimmery color wash.
Rubbing Alcohol and dye inks is the recipe for making color wash and sprayable inks so I don't know what the difference would be. Throw in a little pearl ex and you have a glimmery color wash.
Wow cool! I guess that would be the same as what they call 'Glimmer Mist'?
__________________ Cindy Lietz, The Polymer Clay Tutor
Beginner Tips and Pics at: How To Make Beads
"I learned by making mistakes... Now you don't have to."
Yes it is but I still like glimmer mist better (I think it is all in my head). I am not sure if I mentioned or not but you need a drop or two of ppa or some type of glue so that is sticks to whatever you spray it on. I used diamond glaze since I didn't have any ppa
DAh can you tell I had my three grandbabies (3,2, and 1 year old). Glimmer mist is made with water. Pearl ex or some type of mica, water, and a little ppa or some form of glue.
After reading all the great tips on the alcohol inks I was wondering if anyone has ever tried easter egg dye with the rubbing alcohol to make your own??
my husband has used food coloring for his artwork while a starving art student in college.
I also on a review for an inexpensive air compressor for decorating cakes on Amazon where a lady was using the food coloring that came with the air compressor/cake decorating kit on her home made cards. Non-toxic and it stains. Not archival I'm sure but whatever works, I suppose.
LOVE these tips!!!! I haven't dove into the alcohol inks yet, because I never dabble, but tend to jump in headfirst...I BUY EVERYTHING, use it once, then move on. So, rather than start another drawerful in my stampin' corner, I sit back and watch the alcohol ink threads. This, however, has me interested... hmmm.... thanks a lot!
Just curious, would this work with using SU dye re-inkers?
Anybody fancy giving it a try, I would but I don't own any of the Dye reinkers yet.
Barbara.
I've been blending Clearsnap Ancient Page with 91% Isoprophyl alcohol for ages...works fine. I rarely need a solvent-based stamping ink, so this is what I use when I do need that type of ink. Very handy to mix the amount needed in the color needed.
__________________ My mucky fingers always smudge the furniture - a sign of great productivity ;) My Blog Designer for ProMarker pens, Tattered Angels and Tonic Studio
I've been experimenting with making my own alcohol inks. So far, they are extremely easy to make. I used a Procion MX dye - first prepared as a color solution by mixing the powder with distilled water. Then I mixed a bit of the concentrate with 91% isopropyl alcohol.
It seems the biggest fix is to let each step sit for at least a few days. Now I have to figure out the concentration levels to make each ink far more intense. Any ideas?
Alcohol Ink Recipe
glimmer mist recipe
