Experimental Portraiture with Ink, Tea and Alcohol
A course by Carne Griffiths, Artist
Discover how to paint dynamic portraits with a variety of methods and materials as you explore your creative flow and embrace the element of surprise
The journey of painting can be just as important as the end result; as you let go of control, you open the door to unexpected results. Artist Carne Griffiths’ focuses on his senses and spontaneity when painting, allowing his materials to steer him. His work has appeared globally in exhibitions, on covers of the New York Observer, in Hunger magazine, and in brand projects with Peroni and Microsoft, among others.
In this course, Carne shows you experimental methods to create striking portraits with ink, tea, and alcohol. Explore sketching techniques, abstract mark making, and dynamic splashes and strokes. Let your creative flow guide you.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 13 downloads
What's included in this course?
Meet artist Carne Griffiths as he tells you about himself, and discusses how his art has developed, including the experimental principles he brings to his work. He also shares his influences and what has inspired the development of his unique aesthetic, followed by an overview of what to expect from the course.
Carne introduces you to the materials for the course, explaining the basics of working with ink, tea, and alcohol. Then look at the importance of stretching and preparing paper onto a board or aluminum frame. Learn the principles of drawing and basic linework as the foundations of your portrait. Then, experiment with abstract marks, creating patterns, and exploring botanical motifs with your different materials. Find the ideal place to add glass effects within the painting in the form of shards and refractions.
With Carne’s guidance, start sketching your final portrait. Work with different techniques in pencil, add ink, then build on your sketch with a combination of tea and alcohol in splashes and strokes. Assess the balance of your piece, then build up tones and contrast before applying the techniques from earlier to add your floral and glass elements.
Discover how to embellish your piece with gold leaf as an optional extra. Carne shows you how to remove your completed portrait from the frame and create a hand-torn edge. Discover best practices for scanning and archiving digital versions of your work for future use. End the course with tips on how to use images for creating, presenting, and selling prints.
- 100% positive reviews (492)
- 11,453 students
- 17 lessons (3h 53m)
- 13 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a layered portrait from a photograph, combining both free, expressive painting with detailed linear work, and using ink, tea, and alcohol.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is aimed at anyone that is interested in exploring a new approach to painting.
Requirements and materials
No previous knowledge or experience is required to take this course.
In terms of materials, you will need a fountain pen with two or three colors of ink, some tea, and alcohol. The teacher will also be using gold leaf as an optional extra.
Reviews
Carne Griffiths
A course by Carne Griffiths
Liverpool-born artist Carne Griffiths had a fascination with drawing from childhood, and went on to study at the Kent Institute of Art and Design where he began to explore the possibilities of experimentation and surrealist principles. After graduating, Carne spent 12 years at M. Hand & Company, first as an embroidery designer and understudy before becoming one of the directors, working on high profile projects with Chanel, Burberry and UK stage musicals, among many more. However, Carne missed having full control over the creative process, and left the company in 2010. It was then that he began drawing and creating works in fountain pen ink and water, and accidently dipped his brush into a glass of brandy.
This led to experimenting with tea, and soon Carne developed a natural style of painting that brought his expertise and interests together. In the same year Carne established his own studio, and since then has exhibited globally, including at the Royal Academy, and the London Art Fair, amongst others, with solo exhibitions in Brighton, Hong Kong, and Milan. His work has appeared on several covers of the New York Observer, seen him collaborate with British photographer Rankin for a six page feature in Hunger magazine, and he’s worked with brands including Microsoft, Peroni, and Lakes Distillery.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
About Me
-
Influences
-
-
U2
Techniques and Rituals
-
Materials
-
Basics of Ink, Tea and Alcohol
-
Principles of Drawing and Basic Linework 1
-
Principles of Drawing and Basic Linework 2
-
Botanical and Pattern Elements
-
Glass Effects and Refractions
-
-
U3
Starting Your Portrait
-
First Sketch and Adding Ink 1
-
First Sketch and Adding Ink 2
-
Experimental Liquid Techniques
-
Linework and Tone
-
Floral Elements with Ink
-
Patterns, Abstract Marks and Glass Effects
-
-
U4
Embellishing and Sharing Your Work
-
Drips and Runs in Gold Leaf
-
Removing Frame and Tearing Edges
-
Scanning and Archiving
-
-
FP
Final project
-
Experimental Portraiture with Ink, Tea and Alcohol
-
What to expect from a Domestika course
-
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
-
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
-
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
-
Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
-
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
-
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
-
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
-
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You'll learn how to create mixed-media portraits by combining drawing, inking, gold leaf, and botanical elements, using experimental techniques with materials like ink, tea, and alcohol. The course covers mark making, proportion, paper stretching, image transfer, and archival presentation methods.
This course is designed for intermediate artists who already have some basic drawing skills. Beginners may still benefit, but prior experience with drawing and materials will help you get the most from the lessons.
You'll need drawing paper, pencils, fountain pens, calligraphy ink, ink, tea, alcohol, gold leaf, brushes, gum tape, and a scanner for archiving. A reference photo, plant samples, and basic framing materials are also recommended.
Yes, the course teaches gold leaf application techniques, including preparing paper, applying gold size, handling transfer and loose leaf, and burnishing for detailed gilded effects in your portraits and illustrations.
Yes, you'll learn foundational portraiture skills such as mapping facial features, using proportion guides, basic sketching, and transferring images to ensure structural accuracy in both life drawing and from reference photos.
You'll explore observational and imaginative techniques to draw botanical elements, integrate floral motifs, and use these to enhance the flow and complexity of your mixed-media portraits.
The course covers continuous line drawing, automatic drawing, ink flicking, lifting, layering washes, creating negative space, and using unconventional materials like tea and alcohol for unique mark making and textures.
I highly recommend Experimental Portraiture with Ink, Tea and Alcohol (- a course by Carne Griffiths)! Explore a fresh approach to painting - especially if you love the joy of watching a portrait come to life using both art tools and simple household materials. It removes the fuss and the fear of a blank page, helping you slip into a creative flow and experience the excitement of making something that wasn’t there before. Thank you, Carne Griffiths! Thank you, Domestika!
I love the loose freedom of expression using the variety of tools and teas, inks, coffee etc. It’s just so much fun.
I really loved the use of different materials and the explanations for how he uses each.
Very good, informative course. Love it!
Excelente curso.
Practico y motivador.