Thoughts on Calligraphy Ink as a water based wash?

[helios]

So I was sitting here thinking about the impending attempt at a wash on the Jaguar, trying to decide which way to go. I picked up some Tamiya x22 clear gloss that I could use as an acrylic overcoat prior to doing an oil wash. I haven't used the Tamiya over the Testors enamel & lacquers yet, so I'm a little gunshy.

So I started thinking about getting some acrylic or watercolor artist paints to make a wash from, and use those over the Testors lacquer gloss coat, which is a known commodity for me. I started thinking about other water based options...and came across calligraphy inks. Already come pretty thin...and are easily thinnable. I've got have a mind to experiment on an unfinished model I've got laying around that's perfect to experiment on which has been painted and in glosscote. http://www.winsornewton.com/na/shop/inks-and-drawing/calligraphy-inks

Thoughts? Or am I just being crazy? Or should I just roll on w/ the Tamiya clear & oil paint wash?

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Thoughts on Caligraphy Ink as a water based wash?

In the past I used Pelikan brand india type inks and they worked quite well over enamels. I found several brownish inks as well as grey and the black India ink. I have tried some other brands but they don't work very well and not nearly as good as the Pelikan brand.

Also, over enamels I could use a Q-tip with a little 409 to clean off excess and do touch ups without damaging the underlying paint. Only with the Pelikan brand though, other brands I tried just didn't work.

 

[ausf]

I've used them as washes, both India and Calligraphy (don't know if there's a difference). If I remember correctly, they are pretty concentrated, so you need to be careful that you don't go too heavy and they get everywhere, staining a lot of surfaces.

I'm experimenting now on the Vospers MTB. I've been simply adding dry pigments: rust, black, brown and green (for algae staining) to Future. It works really well when done in small areas at a time. I have a puddle of Future, a pile of pigment, dip the brush in the pigment, then load it up with Future and apply. I'm mainly doing streaks on the hull, so I dab on some, then immediately pull down with a rag. After it dries, it can be adjusted or tuned a bit with some Windex on a paper towel.

I guess inks could be used in the Future too.

I'm not sure how this will play on heavily detail areas yet, the MTB is for RC, so I have to have the entire lower hull done and waterproofed before I build the deck, otherwise I'd be snapping parts off it right and left. Once I finish water trials etc., I'll try the same Future/pigment on the deck for consistency.