How to Create a Gradient With India Ink

Check out Hilda Palafox’s step-by-step guide for creating a color gradient using India ink

India ink has been used for centuries in illustration and calligraphy all over the world. According to Mexican artist Hilda Palafox (@poni), creating a color gradient is a basic and very useful exercise to practice when learning to master the brush and ink.

Here, Hilda explains how to master this illustration technique and create a monochromatic color spectrum with ten hues, from gray to black.

Step 1. Materials

When painting with watercolors, you can easily control how much paint you apply to your brush by how long your spend rubbing the bristles against the block of color. This isn’t the case with India ink, which has a very strong pigment. For this exercise, it is recommended that you use a round number 4 paintbrush given that it can hold lots of water. You will also need a thin number 2 brush (to add ink to the water), a mixing palette, water, India ink, 200 Fabriano paper, and a napkin.

Step 2. First Rectangle

Use your round brush to transfer water to one of the wells in your mixing palette to form a puddle. In another separate well, add ink. With the number 2 paintbrush, transfer a drop of ink to the water and stir it in until it has mixed in. Apply a small amount of the mix to the round paintbrush and use it to paint a rectangle on your piece of paper.