Q: I do pen-and-ink illustration, but people seem to prefer
color illustrations. How well does ink go over gouache and acrylic? And
what type of paper/canvas should I use?
A: Sennelier produces a wide range of rich, vibrantly
colored ink that layers well and is compatible with watercolor. Gouache
dries to an opaque matte finish and can be rewetted. The combination of
ink and gouache should be used for detail work instead of blending. On
the other hand, acrylic will dry permanently and blending may be
difficult. Some brands of acrylic that are popular with illustrators,
such as Lascaux Aquacryl and Lascaux Perlacryl, are thin and thus can
be used like watercolor.
Canvas is not a good surface for ink, watercolor, or gouache because
it is too rough and does not have the proper surface for these mediums.
On the other hand, acrylic can be painted successfully on any surface.
Consider a smooth watercolor paper with enough strength to hold your
multimedia artwork. Fabriano Artistico makes two wonderful watercolor
papers: 300-lb hot pressed paper, which is very smooth, and Soft Press,
which is smooth with a hint of texture to hold a large wash.
Illustration board is also popular for pen-and-ink drawing, but does
not have the proper sizing to control the water flow for mixed media
without some warping.
--by Camille LaPointe-Lyons