One of my top most asked questions from fellow artists and calligraphy beginners on Instagram is, “what kind of white ink do you use?” My answer is always the same: Dr. PH Martin’s Bleedproof White. I have tried a bunch of different white inks, but I continue to come back to the Bleedproof White! I love how crisp it is, but also appreciate it’s varying opacity when more water is involved.
Seriously, it’s the best. It’s thick and goopy at the start, but just add water and it can be exactly the consistency you need. It does take trial and error, and it will vary depending on where you live! When I’m at the beach in Massachusetts, I need a lot less water because the air has a ton of moisture. When I’m out visiting my sister in Colorado, I have to add a lot of water.
If you are trying to using it for a paintbrush, you’ll want to add more water, so it spreads and moves quickly. But if you are using it for a nib, you’ll use a little less. So go slowly! It’s a lot easier to add water than to have to wait for some of it to evaporate if you accidentally added too much.
I use this ink for writing on sea glass, addressing envelopes, and when I need to lighten a color of ink I add a little of this into the mixture.
As always, you may want to consider using a fixative spray on certain projects, as it’s permanency will vary from project to project; sometimes you don’t need it to last too long!