Project 1068 When Ink Resists | Digital Project | Alcohol ink resistance & hard-edge mixed media techniques

When Ink Resists

Project 1068 explores alcohol ink as a resisting medium—and what happens when color refuses to soak in.

In this Curious Collage Society skill-building mixed media project, you’ll work on slick or sealed surfaces and observe how alcohol ink spreads, repels, and forms hard edges, blooms, and unexpected shapes. Instead of attempting to control the ink, the focus is on responding to its behavior, letting resistance become an active compositional element.

You’ll learn how to recognize the most visually charged areas created by alcohol ink and place collage thoughtfully around them. By balancing sharp transitions with quieter spaces, you’ll build tension, clarity, and intention without overwhelming the surface.

This project is paired with On The Edge, whose graphic elements and strong transitions naturally complement the crisp boundaries created by alcohol ink.

What You’ll Explore

• Working with alcohol ink on slick or sealed surfaces
• Observing how color spreads, repels, and forms hard edges
• Responding to ink activity rather than correcting it
• Using resistance to guide balance and composition

How This Project Works

Designed as an experiment first and a finished piece second, Project 1068 teaches how resistance can become a compositional tool. You’ll practice recognizing when the surface has said enough—and when adding more would diminish what’s already working.

This project reflects a core Curious Collage Society idea: not every surface wants to absorb, and not every mark needs softening.

Search Terms

alcohol ink collage techniques, ink resistance mixed media, curious collage society project, alcohol ink hard edges, sealed surface ink effects, responding to alcohol ink, mixed media resistance techniques, skill building mixed media pdf

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