Ink and wash techniques, or ink washes, are methods used to create particular effects in an ink drawing. They are generally created with a brush and India ink, but any application that combines ink and water is technically considered an ink wash. The most common use of this technique is to create gradual gradations of color or value. Washes are used frequently in creating skies, water and value changes that are in the background of a composition or in objects that recede into the distance.
Washes
Wash techniques, or washes, are used in many different artistic mediums. They are used most often in watercolor or ink drawings, but any use of a pigment with a liberal amount of solvent is considered a wash. A wash can be applied to a dry surface, but many wash techniques involve applying pigment to an already wet surface. Wash techniques can be used to create gradual value or color changes or interesting special effects.
Wet-on-Dry Ink and Wash
Ink and wash techniques, when used on a dry surface, offer the artist a lot of control over the flow and value of the area being filled in. Artists will often dilute the ink with varying amounts of water in several different containers before starting to draw. This allows for more control over the lightness or darkness of the tint and makes recreating particular values easier. If these dilutions are not prepared ahead of time, the artist will control the wash by varying the amount of ink and water she uses each time she loads the brush.
Wet-on-Wet Ink and Wash
A common technique for applying washes is to first wet an area of the drawing surface with water, then apply the ink to the wet area. The ink will naturally flow to the areas that are wet, and it will not flow to the areas that are dry. This method offers the artist less control over the flow and movement of the pigment, but when done properly, it can create smooth, gradual changes in color and value or beautiful effects.
Uses for Ink and Wash
Ink washes are used to create hazy, atmospheric effects or gradual color and value changes. The style of art that most commonly uses these washes are Asian landscape paintings. Wet-on-wet washes are perfect for creating the cloudy skies, misty mountains and vague, distant land formations associated with this ancient art form. Wet-on-dry washes are used to illustrate objects in the foreground that are meant to be crisper and more in focus, or to create shadows or more uniform changes in color and lightness.
