Art Spectrum Inks(0)
An Australian-made, acrylic-based ink known for its intense colours, lightfastness, and smooth flow, we stock both of Art Spectrum’s quality ink ranges: Pigmented Inks, and Liquid Spectrum Inks. To get the most out of your inks, be sure to also pick up a bottle of Liquid Spectrum Extender/Medium!
Buy Art Spectrum Acrylic Inks and Art Supplies
Brilliantly coloured, fast-drying, lightfast, water-resistant, and non-toxic, Art Spectrum’s range of acrylic inks are the high-quality inks loved by beginner and professional ink artists alike. Highly versatile, these inks mix well with epoxy resin, and can be used to create transparent washes, layered tints, or bold fields of colour.
These artist-quality inks are also Melbourne-made, meaning that you’re supporting a local Aussie business every time you purchase Art Spectrum inks and supplies.
What’s the Difference Between Art Spectrum Pigmented Ink and Liquid Spectrum Ink?
Art Spectrum Pigmented Inks and Liquid Spectrum Inks are both acrylic-based inks, meaning they won’t fade the way traditional, dye-based inks do. Where they vary most is in pigment concentration.
While Art Spectrum Pigmented Inks still boast bold and brilliant colours, Liquid Spectrum Inks have twice the pigment concentration of standard ink ranges. This strong pigmentation allows these inks to be diluted to watercolour-like washes or used undiluted to retain their vibrant colouring.
While Pigmented Inks come in both opaque and transparent colours, the entire Liquid Spectrum range is transparent.
How to Use Art Spectrum Inks
Art Spectrum Inks can be used with a variety of different tools, including brushes, calligraphy pens, airbrushes, and colour shapers. These inks can also be diluted with water for varying levels of colour intensity and near-watercolour effects.
These highly versatile inks adhere to almost any clean, dry, and non-greasy surface, including:
What is Acrylic Ink?
Think of acrylic inks as acrylic paint at its highest level of fluidity
These inks contain pigment particles and act a lot like acrylic paints, meaning they’re bold, lightfast, and long-lasting. When applied to a surface such as paper or canvas, the ink lies on top of the surface and becomes trapped in the fibres, forming a physical bond.
Acrylic inks are typically waterproof, archival, acid free, and they also have the longest lifespan of all inks, making them an excellent option for artwork that needs to stand the test of time.
What’s the Difference Between Pigment and Dye-Based Inks?
Made from water-soluble dye and a vehicle such as gum Arabic, dye-based inks soak directly into the surface they’re applied to. This means that rather than forming a physical bond on top of the surface as is the case with acrylic inks, dye-based inks form a chemical bond and become a part of the material.
Dye-based inks have a very low lightfast rating, meaning they need to be protected from prolonged light exposure to preserve their vibrant colouring. This also means they’re unsuitable for outdoor surfaces.
Most dye-based inks are inherently transparent.
What is Liquid Spectrum Extender/Medium?
Liquid Spectrum Extender/Medium can be used to restore water resistance and adhesion to heavily diluted Art Spectrum Inks. You can experiment with it by adding a minimum of 10% of this medium to your ink wash.
They can also be added to gouache or watercolour paints to create varying levels of water-resistance. For your safety, ensure adequate ventilation and wear a mask if using Liquid Spectrum Extender/Medium as a spray
Can You Use Art Spectrum Inks in an Airbrush?
Both Art Spectrum Pigmented Inks and Liquid Spectrum Inks work well in an airbrush.
Liquid Spectrum Ink can be used straight out of the bottle, though you can also dilute it with water. Please note that as these inks are fast-drying and acrylic based, so you’ll need to clean out your airbrush thoroughly after use to ensure that it doesn’t become clogged with dried pigments.
If your inks have dried inside the airbrush, we recommend cleaning it out with Liquid Spectrum Cleaner.
Show Us Your Ink!
If you’ve been experimenting with Art Spectrum’s range of quality acrylic inks and art supplies, we’d love to see your work. Here at Riot Art & Craft, your creativity is our passion, which is why we enjoy seeing what out incredible art community can do with our products.
Don’t forget to tag us @riotartandcraft when posting on Instagram so we can see your work!