Art and Craft Supplies: For Use on Metal, Acrylic and Non Porous Surfaces
Tim Holtz’s Adirondack Alcohol Inks are a versatile addition to any artist’s or crafter’s stash of supplies. These inks are noteworthy because they are formulated for use on non-porous surfaces like metal and acrylic.
The Pros:
The colors are gorgeous and vibrant, and there is a fabulous range of colors to choose from; the colors can all be mixed together to create even more colors.
These alcohol inks give you an easy way to color things that would otherwise be challenging to color.
The quality is amazing.
They dry quickly, and they are permanent.
The inks add a vibrant wash of color wherever you use them; they are translucent, making them ideal for use with clear albums, transparencies, and overlays.
They are also acid free, so if you are creating a scrapbook or other project that needs to be archival quality, Tim Holtz Adirondack alcohol inks are a fantastic choice.
The Cons:
There is a learning curve when it comes to working with these. Expect to spend some time experimenting, and possibly even ruining projects, before you get the hang of working with them.
The alcohol inks have a strong odor; they smell like alcohol.
They should be kept out of reach of children.
Coordinating Tim Holtz Adirondack Products Available:
You will probably need to buy some additional supplies to use with these alcohol inks, so allow for the additional expense when you purchase them. There are several coordinating supplies made by Ranger, including the Adirondack Alcohol Blending Solution, and the Adirondack Alcohol Ink Applicator. Ranger also manufactures Adirondack Metallic Mixatives, which you can use if you want to add shiny metallic highlights to your alcohol inks. While it’s not necessary to buy these products in order to use and enjoy your alcohol inks, you will probably want to have them. If you don’t buy the applicators, you’ll have the added challenge of figuring out how to apply the alcohol inks to your projects. They can be dropped onto your project straight from the bottle, but that doesn’t give you a lot of control over the ink.
Waterbrushes and Adirondack Ink Blending Pens:
There used to be an Adirondack Ink Fillable Pen; I can’t find anyone selling those any more, but now I see there is a brand new product called the Alcohol Ink Blending Pen. I haven’t tried it yet, but it has good reviews overall, and I think it looks fantastic. I’d suggest getting either the blending pen or a similar product if you want more options for applying your alcohol ink.
The blending pen looks like a great choice, but an alternative would be a waterbrush such as the Zig Brush20 Pen. I have some waterbrushes that I got in a swap; I am not sure what brand they are, but they look similar to the Zig Brush20. The pens are hollow so that you can fill them with liquid. I filled mine with alcohol inks, so now I can just paint with the alcohol inks like I would with a watercolor paint. This technique takes a bit of practice, but once you get used to it, it can give you some pretty amazing results.
Project Ideas Using Adirondack Alcohol Inks:
Personalized CD-Tin On one of my older craft websites, I had posted instructions for making an easy personalized CD tin with these alcohol inks. I realize that many of you have now moved on to MP3s, and you probably don’t need a CD tin at this point. But, you can use this general idea for dressing up virtually any metal container, so you still might find the idea useful. I am working on migrating content from my older sites to this one — so eventually I hope to make the instructions for this project available again here.
Conclusion:
I enjoy working with Tim Holtz’s Adirondack Alcohol Inks, and I am happy to recommend them to other artists and crafters. I think they are an excellent value for the money, and I think the many pros more than outweigh the few cons.
Where to Buy Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks by Ranger Industries
There are bunches of different places you can buy Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks by Ranger Industries. At the time I checked various online retailers, Scrapbook.com was offering the best selection. I like it that you can buy either single bottles or multi-packs of these inks from them, and they have a broad range of colors available. Click here to shop for Adirondack Alcohol Inks at Scrapbook.com.
More Art and Craft Supplies by Ranger Industries
By Amy Solovay
About the Author: Amy Solovay is a freelance writer with a background in textile manufacturing. She holds a bachelor’s degree with a studio art minor; and she has also obtained another degree in textile design.
This page was last updated on 5-13-2021.