Ink
For airbrush we recommend Amsterdam Acrylic Ink. This ink has already been diluted and can be applied immediately, without thinning.
Amsterdam Inks have been tested with a 0.2 mm needle. In the colours white and metallic, the pigment parts are larger and we therefore recommend a 0.4 mm needle to prevent jamming.
No, Talens Indian ink and Talens Drawing ink are not suitable for tattoo application. These products are exclusively formulated and intended for applications on paper.
For tattoo application these products are not tested, neither in terms of technical aspects nor in terms of health aspects. Besides this, more and more countries have special legislation for tattoo colourants.
The above-mentioned Talens products do not fulfil these requirements. For these reasons, we label these products with the wording "Not for tattoo".
The carbon black pigment in Indian Ink is extremely fine, less than 2 microns (1 micron = 1/1000 mm). These particles are in constant motion in the ink, continually bumping into one another. The special preparation method of the ink ensures that they do not form lumps . If a large amount of water is added too quickly, however, the binder (shellac) that surrounds the particles dissolves. The particles then clot to form larger particles and sink to the bottom. When, therefore, the ink is diluted, the water should be added slowly and mixed to prevent this from happening.
In theory, all somewhat absorbent and grease-free grounds are suitable for ink, although the final choice depends on the technique used.
If only a drawing pen is used, a harder and smoother type of paper is recommended. The pen would otherwise get caught in the fibres or structure of the paper.
If the ink is applied with a brush or washed with (large amounts of) water, watercolour paper will prevent the paper from bulging too much.