How to Create Vibrant Illustrations with Acrylic Ink: Tools, Surfaces and Pro Tips

by Rima Z

If you’ve ever been drawn to artwork with bright, glowing colours and smooth, flowing textures, there’s a good chance acrylic ink was involved. Acrylic ink behaves beautifully, dries relatively slowly compared to acrylic paint, and it can give you colours that are almost impossible to achieve with watercolour or traditional acrylic paint.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve played with acrylic ink a little and want to improve, this guide walks you through everything you need to know in a simple, approachable way. I’ve also included answers to the most common acrylic ink questions beginners ask on the internet. Let’s dive in!

What exactly is acrylic ink?

Acrylic ink is a superfluid, highly pigmented form of acrylic paint. Imagine taking the boldness of acrylic and the flow of watercolour, then bottling it into something smooth, bright, and incredibly versatile. That’s acrylic ink.

A quick comparison:

• Watercolour: delicate, transparent, not waterproof

• Acrylic paint: thick, opaque, waterproof when dry (and dries very quickly too)

• Acrylic ink: fluid like watercolour + waterproof like acrylic + insane colour intensity (which I like very much!) + ready to use straight out of the bottle

Common question: Is acrylic ink the same as alcohol ink? Nope! Alcohol ink is solvent-based and very staining, whereas acrylic ink is water-based and generally lightfast.

What you’ll need (the beginner-friendly list)

The good news? You don’t need a lot to start making beautiful art or illustrations with acrylic ink. Here are what you'll need to start creating with acrylic ink,

1. Acrylic Inks

Any reputable artist-grade brand works well. Look for inks that say lightfast, pigmented, or professional.

Some reliable favourites: Liquitex, Daler-Rowney FW (this one is my favourite!), Amsterdam Acrylic Ink.

If you just started with acrylic ink and don't want to invest a lot of money in inks, I suggest buying one or two single bottles of ink to try them out. Or you can also try a budget set, such as Mont Marte Premium acrylic ink set of 12 colours (20ml). This set offers a value-for-money option for beginners.

2. Brushes

Because acrylic ink is liquid, it works beautifully with:

• Round watercolour brushes (great all-rounders)

• Synthetic brushes (durable and less prone to staining)

• Calligraphy or Chinese brushes (expressive and flowy)

Tips: Don’t use your favourite natural-hair brushes, acrylic binds to hair quickly and can damage your expensive watercolour brushes.

3. Pens & Nibs

If you like adding linework, acrylic ink works amazingly with:

• Dip pens

• Ruling pens

  
  

4. Mixing Tools

A tear-off paper palette or a plastic mixing well is perfect. I personally don't use fancy mixing palettes with my acrylic inks. Many inks come with droppers, which makes controlling colour really easy, and you won't need a pool of ink on your palette; a tiny drop usually goes a long way.

5. Cleaning & Protection

• Get a jar of water at the ready for washing brushes. Also, prepare another jar of water to dilute your ink if you want to create transparent washes.

• Paper towels

• Masking tape (optional, I don't use this for my work)

• Scrap paper for testing colours

  
  

Best surfaces for acrylic ink (and why they matter)

One of the most common beginner questions is: What paper should I use for acrylic ink?

Here are the best options:

Watercolour Paper - the safest and most reliable

• Handles wet washes without warping

• Hot-press = smooth surface (great for detailed illustration)

• Cold-press = textured, excellent for more expressive art

  
  

Mixed Media Paper - great for sketchbooking

It’s slightly less absorbent, so colours stay bright and sharp.

Canvas or Panels - for bold, vibrant results

Prime with acrylic gesso first. Colours stay on the surface and look extra intense.

How to paint with acrylic ink (step by step)

Here’s a beginner-friendly workflow you can use for most illustrations.

1. Start with a light sketch

Use:

• HB or 2H pencil

• Coloured pencil

Avoid soft graphite; it smudges under washes.

2. Lay in light washes

Think of this like “colour blocking.”

Use:

• Wet-on-dry for clean shapes

• Wet-on-wet for soft gradients

• Dropping ink into a wet surface for dreamy effects

Common question: Why do my colours look dull after drying? It may happen if you added too much water! Use more ink for richer colour.

3. Add depth with layers

Undiluted acrylic ink dries fast and becomes waterproof once dry, so layering is where it shines.

Order your layers like this:

1. Light colours

2. Mid-tones

3. Shadows

4. Final details

If your colours are turning muddy, you’re probably blending before the bottom layer has fully dried.

4. Add details or linework

Once everything is dry, add:

• Brush details

• Dip-pen linework

• White gel-pen highlights

• Acrylic markers for punchy outlines

  
  

5. Seal it (optional but recommended)

A varnish will make your colours pop and protect your piece.

Choose:

• Gloss varnish for intense shine

• Matte varnish for a softer finish

• I recommend using cold wax as you would for your watercolour painting.

Common question: Does acrylic ink dry matte or glossy? Acrylic ink typically dries to a matte finish, especially when applied in thin layers like watercolour. But they can dry glossy depending on the application; a thick drop of ink may dry to a glossy finish.

How to make acrylic ink colours look vibrant

Here are a few simple things that make a big difference:

✔ Use undiluted ink for your brightest accents

Pure acrylic ink = instant glow.

✔ Let layers dry completely

Dry layers = clean, sharp colour. Wet layers = mud, so don't fiddle with your wet layers.

✔ Be mindful when mixing complementary colours

Red + green, blue + orange, purple + yellow = muddy very quickly.

✔ Experiment on scrap first

Acrylic ink often dries darker or richer than expected.

Avoid these common beginner mistakes

You’re not alone, every beginner (myself included) hits these at first:

• Letting acrylic ink dry in your brush - Always rinse right after every use. I always soak my synthetic brushes in water from start to finish to make sure no ink is left in the brushes.

• Over-diluting with water - Over-diluting may work if you want to achieve transparent washes; however, it is recommended to use more ink if you want your art to look fresh and vibrant.

• Not shaking the bottle or shaking it too softly - Pigment settles at the bottom of the bottle, give your ink a proper shake before every use!

Quick answers to popular acrylic ink questions

• Do acrylic inks fade? Artist-grade inks are usually very lightfast.

• Can I use acrylic ink in an airbrush? Yes, you may need to thin it slightly. But I recommend using ink that is formulated specifically for an airbrush machine to avoid clogging.

• Is acrylic ink waterproof? Once dry, yes!

• Why does my paper buckle? Use thicker paper or tape your edges down.

Final Thoughts

Acrylic ink is one of those mediums that rewards both experimentation and patience. You can create soft, gentle washes or bold, graphic illustrations; all with the same set of tools. It’s fluid, fun, and forgiving once you get the hang of layering.

If you love vibrant colour and expressive mark-making, acrylic ink might just become your new go-to medium. Happy creating!