I’m Debra Jason with Creative Whispers of the Heart, and in this tutorial I’ll walk you through how I painted “Sunning Beneath a Lavender Sky” using alcohol ink. This piece was created for the Alcohol Ink Art Society and demonstrates how a few simple tools, controlled alcohol, and intentional marks can turn vibrant alcohol ink into soft skies and sunlit sunflowers. Follow along as I explain each step, share tips I learned from other artists, and offer troubleshooting ideas so you can recreate this technique in your own studio.
Table of Contents
- Materials
- Introduction: Why alcohol ink for this piece?
- Step 1: Prepare your workspace and supplies
- Step 2: Build the lavender sky with stonewashed and alcohol
- Step 3: Create the first sunflower head using espresso
- Step 4: Add petals with yellow inks and the blowing tool
- Step 5: Refine petals and soften edges
- Step 6: Paint the small central sunflower
- Step 7: Form the disc florets by lifting ink
- Step 8: Add stonewash accents and pen details
- Step 9: Highlight petals with a black Posca pen
- Step 10: Splatter for atmosphere and finishing touches
- Step 11: Final checks and sealing
- Troubleshooting and tips
- FAQ
- Final thoughts
Materials
- Nora paper, 5″ x 7″ (a smooth, non-porous surface suited to alcohol ink)
- Alcohol inks: Stonewashed, Espresso, Sunshine Yellow, Dandelion, Butterscotch (or similar shades)
- 91% isopropyl alcohol
- Tools: coffee stirrer, micro tip applicators, cotton swabs, paper towel
- Blowing tool (air blower / canned air / straw)
- Posca pens: white and black
- Gold gel pen
- Brushes and toothbrush (for splattering)
- Paper towel or protective surface
Introduction: Why alcohol ink for this piece?
Alcohol ink is perfect for creating luminous skies and expressive florals because the inks move, bloom, and lift in ways unique to solvent-based media. For this painting I wanted a soft, lavender sky and three sunflowers that feel sunlit and spontaneous. The unpredictable flow of alcohol ink is an asset here: controlled blooms create petal textures and lifted areas create the tiny disc florets in the sunflower heads.
Step 1: Prepare your workspace and supplies
Before starting with alcohol ink, set up a well-ventilated workspace and protect your surface. Alcohol ink fumes are stronger with higher-proof alcohol, so open a window or use a fan. Lay down a paper towel or craft mat to catch overspray or drips.
Arrange the inks and tools within easy reach: a bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol, your chosen inks, micro tip applicators (or cotton swabs), a coffee stirrer, a blowing tool, Posca pens, and a toothbrush or small round brush for splattering.
Tip: I prefer 91% isopropyl alcohol because it evaporates fast and encourages distinct blooms. Keep a small dish of alcohol and a paper towel for wiping applicators.
Step 2: Build the lavender sky with stonewashed and alcohol
Start with a 5″ x 7″ piece of Nora paper. Drop a few puddles of stonewashed alcohol ink and then a generous amount of 91% isopropyl alcohol. Use a coffee stirrer to move the ink — a technique I learned from fellow artist Terry Jones — and tilt the paper left and right so the inks flow naturally.
As the stonewashed mixes with alcohol it will shift into a lavender hue with hints of blue. Let the alcohol and gravity help create soft gradients and variegated textures. You don’t need to cover the whole sheet; leaving some white space at the bottom helps the flowers sit into the composition later.
Practical note: If you want to pull areas back later, Nora paper lifts beautifully with alcohol, allowing you to lighten or clean up sections. But for this painting I intentionally left the sky partway down the page to create a visible horizon line for the sunflowers.
Step 3: Create the first sunflower head using espresso
For the sunflower centers I used Espresso alcohol ink applied with a micro tip applicator. The first head I shaped like a cone or half-oval — think of the sunflower head as a rounded cone that anchors the petals.
Load a micro tip applicator with espresso and gently place a concentrated amount for the center. The micro tip gives you more control than pouring directly from the bottle and is excellent for detailed shaping.
Step 4: Add petals with yellow inks and the blowing tool
Once the head is in place, drop Sunshine Yellow (or Dandelion) adjacent to the center. Use your blowing tool to push the yellow outward in the direction you want the petals to go. Every time you lay down ink, nudge it gently toward the petal flow; the blowing tool helps create elongated, organic petal shapes.
Work in small bursts: add alcohol, then blow petals downward toward the corner of the paper. For the second sunflower head, apply Espresso for the center and then use Dandelion to pull petals towards the first flower so they interact visually.
Tip: Rotate the paper while you work. Sometimes a petal blooms better when the ink is blown from a different angle, and turning the sheet allows the ink to flow naturally while you maintain control over the direction.
Step 5: Refine petals and soften edges
After petals are roughed in, refine them by selectively applying alcohol on a micro tip applicator to move and soften edges without introducing new color. Light touches with alcohol can reshape a petal, reduce blobs, or thin edges so the petals have varied textures and translucency.
To soften the horizon line between the sky and the flower area, dip a cotton swab in alcohol and gently sweep across the dividing edge. Circular motions help break up harsh lines and let the sky bleed slightly into the white area, creating a more natural, atmospheric transition.
Important: Use very light pressure. Alcohol dissolves and moves the inks easily; heavy pressure can overwork or muddy areas. Dab excess alcohol off your applicator on a paper towel before touching delicate petals.
Step 6: Paint the small central sunflower
With the larger flowers forming, add a third, smaller sunflower near the center to create balance. For this tiny flower I used a micro tip applicator with Espresso for the head and then tiny touches of yellow for the petals. I avoided using the blowing tool here because I wanted precise, short petals that wouldn’t rush into the larger blooms.
Work with light touches: ink on the applicator and a gentle tap creates short, defined petals. If some color does start to spread more than desired, use a micro tip with only alcohol to pull it back to shape.
Step 7: Form the disc florets by lifting ink
One of my favorite techniques is lifting alcohol ink to create little disc florets in the sunflower centers. Using a clean micro tip applicator dampened with alcohol (not fully saturated), dab the center areas to lift pigment back to white, forming circular florets.
On the first head the circles came out nearly perfect: just a light touch lifts the color and leaves bright white dots. On subsequent heads you may need to wipe the applicator on a paper towel and reapply alcohol to achieve the same result. The goal is to lift just enough to create textured tiny circles without creating large blooms.
Tip: Dab the applicator on a paper towel between lifts so it’s damp rather than saturated. This reduces accidental spreading and keeps the lifted dots crisp.
Step 8: Add stonewash accents and pen details
After creating the white florets, I wanted to introduce a cool contrast in the centers. Using Stonewashed alcohol ink on a micro tip applicator, I dotted into the lifted circles to add subtle bluish accents. Though sunflowers don’t normally show blue or purple in their centers, this splash of color heightens interest and ties the sunflowers to the lavender sky.
Once the ink is dry to the touch, use a white Posca pen to add more tiny dots and florets. I like the opacity of the white Posca for crisp highlights. Then, use a gold gel pen to add tiny, warm metallic marks among the white dots; these are subtle but give a sunlit sparkle to the center.
Step 9: Highlight petals with a black Posca pen
To define and stylize the petals, I added accents with a black Posca pen. I either followed existing dark lines or drew gentle, random strokes to suggest petal veins and inner shadows. These linear marks increase contrast and make the petals read more clearly against the lavender background.
Work intuitively: some petals get only a hint of black, others a stronger outline. The goal is to enhance the shape and movement rather than create stiff outlines. I like how these marks read as “three sunflowers sunning under a lavender sky” — soft, graphic, and lively.
Three sunflowers sunning under a lavender sky.
Step 10: Splatter for atmosphere and finishing touches
For the final atmospheric effect, add splatters along the horizon and between the sky and flowers. I tried several approaches: a toothbrush, a small round brush, and a combination of both. Sometimes the alcohol on the brush will create round alcohol spots rather than colored splatters, so you may need to adjust technique or ink consistency to get the effect you want.
Technique: Load your brush lightly with Stonewashed ink, then tap it near the edge of the sky so tiny dots land on the paper. If the toothbrush produces mostly alcohol spots, add more concentrated ink and try again. I also used a brush to dab along the sky edge before tapping with a toothbrush to increase the number of colored splatters.
Splatter placement is intentional: concentrate more splatters toward the horizon and fewer near the petals to keep the flowers legible. Less can be more — a few delicate specks read as distant dust motes or morning haze and add depth.
Step 11: Final checks and sealing
Once satisfied, let the piece dry thoroughly. If you plan to display the work, consider a light spray fixative designed for alcohol ink (test on a scrap first) or mount under glass. Because alcohol ink sits on non-porous surfaces, it can be susceptible to smudging; sealing will protect the vibrancy and surface marks.
Before sealing, step back and review contrast: add tiny white dots with the Posca to increase sparkle, or a few more black strokes for petal definition. Keep changes minimal so you preserve the airy quality of the skies and petals.
Materials recap
- Nora paper (smooth, non-absorbent)
- Stonewashed, Espresso, Sunshine Yellow, Dandelion, Butterscotch alcohol inks
- 91% isopropyl alcohol
- Micro tip applicators, coffee stirrer, blowing tool, cotton swabs
- White and black Posca pens, gold gel pen
- Brushes and toothbrush for splattering
Troubleshooting and tips
Controlling blooms and avoiding unwanted spreading
- Dab your micro tip applicator on a paper towel before lifting. A slightly damp applicator lifts better than a saturated one.
- When reshaping petals, use alcohol only on the applicator to avoid introducing new pigment.
- Rotate your paper rather than changing the position of your hand; this allows the ink to travel naturally with gravity and helps prevent accidental over-blowing.
Splatter troubleshooting
- If your toothbrush creates mostly alcohol spots, add more concentrated ink to the bristles or use a brush with thicker ink application.
- Practice onto scrap Nora paper to dial in the right pressure and ink load before splattering the painting.
Working with color variations
- Stonewashed can read blue, lavender, or purple depending on dilution. Use this to your advantage by layering small amounts and letting alcohol shift the hue.
- Introduce small unexpected colors (like blue in the flower centers) to create harmony with the sky and add interest.
FAQ
Q: What surface did you use?
A: I used Nora paper — a smooth, non-porous surface that allows alcohol ink to move, bloom, and lift. If you don’t have Nora paper, a similar synthetic paper or Yupo-like surface will work.
Q: Which alcohol is best to use with alcohol ink?
A: I used 91% isopropyl alcohol for this piece because it evaporates quickly and encourages distinct blooms. Lower percentages (70%) evaporate slower and can produce softer transitions; both are useful depending on the effect you want.
Q: How do I prevent colors from muddying when they touch?
A: Work with intention and small amounts. Use the blowing tool to guide pigment, and use alcohol-only applicators to thin or lift without adding new color. If two pigments mix undesirably, lift with a damp applicator and reapply color selectively.
Q: Why did the toothbrush not splatter color properly?
A: Sometimes the toothbrush will release mostly alcohol or produce errant alcohol shapes if the bristles are too wet with solvent. Try loading the toothbrush with a more concentrated ink mix, or switch to a small round brush and tap gently to get colored splatters. Practice on scrap surfaces to find the right technique.
Q: How do you create the perfect circular florets?
A: Use a clean micro tip applicator lightly dampened with alcohol and press straight down for each dot. The first flower often yields near-perfect circles. For subsequent dots, dip and dab the applicator on a paper towel so it remains slightly damp rather than saturated; this prevents excessive blooming.
Q: Should I seal my alcohol ink painting?
A: If you plan to handle or display your piece, sealing is recommended to protect the surface from smudging. Use a spray sealer rated for alcohol ink or consider framing under glass. Always test fixatives on a separate piece first to ensure no color shift.
Final thoughts
Alcohol ink painting rewards experimentation. For “Sunning Beneath a Lavender Sky” I relied on a few essential tools — stonewashed, espresso, several yellows, alcohol, and micro tip applicators — plus a willingness to let the inks do some of the work. The combination of blown petals, lifted florets, and pen details created a piece that feels both spontaneous and controlled.
My favorite part of working with alcohol ink is the balance between intention and surprise. Techniques like lifting with alcohol, dotting with a Posca pen, and selectively splattering give you multiple levels of control: global movement in the sky, mid-level shaping in the petals, and micro-detail in the centers.
Give these steps a try and make the process your own. Change colors, experiment with different blowing pressures, and adjust the amount of alcohol — each variation will teach you something new about how alcohol ink behaves. If you enjoy this approach, consider joining communities and watching other artists to borrow techniques and expand your toolkit.
Thanks a million for exploring this process with me — happy inking!
Debra Jason
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