Short answer: Inking means brushing thin coats of transparent or semi-transparent ink over a miniature to make the colour underneath richer, brighter and deeper without hiding it. You reach for it when you want to wake up a dull colour, shift a hue, or tint metallics. It is fast, and it shows a clear effect in a single coat.
The easiest way to understand it is to see what sets ink apart from ordinary acrylic paint. Ink carries far more pigment and far less binder. Laid over a surface, it does not cover the colour beneath; instead, it adds a glass-clear filter of colour on top. That is exactly why inking behaves like a shading tool and a brightening tool at once. And because you watch each coat do its work, it is one of the easier techniques to learn.
What is it and what is it for?
At its heart, inking relies on the chemistry of ink: lots of pigment, little binder. Brushed on, it lays a rich, glossy layer of colour over the base, so you can turn a flat red into a vivid red, or a washed-out yellow into a deep gold.
This technique has a long history. The old standard was Games Workshop's Citadel Inks range, with legendary names like Baal Red and Asurmen Blue. Today the same job is done by AK Interactive, the Tamiya Clear range, Vallejo, Green Stuff World Dipping Inks and Daler-Rowney FW. The brands have changed, but the idea has not: transparent colour and controlled saturation.
In practice, inking does three things: it boosts a colour's saturation, it shifts a hue (orange ink over yellow for a warm transition), and it tints metallics. But since the ink's brightness depends entirely on the colour beneath it, you first need a clean Basecoating, because the ink only reveals the brightness of that base.
How does it work?
The whole secret lies in that same chemistry: heavy pigment, light binder. It lets ink do two things at once. Run into recesses, it behaves like a wash and gives shade; left on a flat panel, it behaves like a glaze and deepens the colour.
Transparency is the real key here. The ink filters the colour beneath it like coloured glass. For example, lay blue ink over a silver metallic and you get cold steel; lay yellow or orange and you get brass or gold, all in one coat, without opening a single new metallic paint.
This logic is in the same family as glazing, where the difference is mostly density and consistency. So if you want to push your tonal control with transparent passes, look at Glazing too; the two techniques feed each other nicely.
How do you do it step by step?
Inking is quick, but it does not forgive rushing. Ink flows, so you have to keep control in your hand. The safest way to begin is with a dry, well-prepared surface.
- First, prepare the surface: the basecoat or metallic must be fully dry.
- If needed, thin the ink slightly with a medium; neat ink can be too dense and leave staining.
- Apply in thin, controlled coats. Since each coat raises saturation a little more, it is safest to start light.
- To avoid blotching, steer the excess ink into the recesses with the brush and keep the raised areas clean.
- If needed, add a highlight on top to balance the area the ink has darkened.
As with other brush techniques, the thin-coat rule applies here too. Two or three thin coats almost always read cleaner than one thick one; to see that logic in depth, check the Thinning Paint: Two Thin Coats guide.
How is it different from a wash?
This is the point beginners confuse most, so let's clear it up. A wash is built to flow into recesses and darken them for shade; an ink is built for saturation and glazing. They are cousins, but their jobs differ.
What really muddies the water is that many modern "shade" products already use ink-like formulas, so the line between them blurs. Remember the practical rule: want shade, think shade or wash; want colour depth or brightness, think ink.
If you want to study the recess-shading logic as its own technique, the Washing, Shading & Pin Wash guide is exactly that. Inking then picks up where that leaves off, in colour brightness.
Which paints and brushes?
The good news is that inking does not need a long shopping list, just the right ink and a clean brush. And knowing the ink's consistency matters far more than the brand on the bottle.
- Inks: Citadel Inks (classic), AK Interactive, the Tamiya Clear range, Vallejo Inks, Green Stuff World Dipping Inks, Daler-Rowney FW acrylic inks.
- Medium: a glaze/ink medium or clean water to thin the ink and control its gloss.
- Brush: a fine-pointed, water-holding synthetic or kolinsky brush; tip control is essential to steer the ink where you want it.
- Varnish: most inks dry glossy. If you want a matte finish, fix it at the end with matt varnish.
Tinting metallics, the "tinted metals" approach, is inking's fastest win. If you want to tie that into a more controlled true-metallic workflow, the TMM: True Metallic Metal guide covers exactly this point.
The most common mistakes
Inking has few traps, but the ones it has are annoying. Most of them come from the same basic slip: forgetting that ink does not behave like acrylic.
- Applying neat ink thick: you end up with a blotchy, uneven, shiny surface.
- Using ink without shaking the bottle; the pigment settles and the tone drifts.
- Forgetting to re-highlight the area the ink darkened. The colour is saturated, but the figure looks "dead."
- Leaving glossy ink where you wanted matte. The fix is simple: matt varnish at the very end.
The most-skipped final step is the highlight. That is because ink darkens everything a notch; if you do not balance that, the figure looks flat. To work edge light as its own skill, the Edge Highlighting guide builds exactly that balance.
Pro tips
A few small habits lift inking results sharply, and all of them are simple, bench-proven moves.
- The fastest way to wake up metallics: a silver or gold metallic basecoat plus a coloured ink. Brown or orange for gold, blue for steel.
- Mix inks into acrylic paints to make your own transparent colours (custom glazes).
- In gem and lens painting, ink is the key to the illusion of depth. Layered transparent coats create the sense of real light sitting inside the lens.
- Before the real work, test on a cheap spare part first. Because ink is transparent, the result depends entirely on the base colour, so a test piece kills the surprise.
The shared principle from workshops like Tale of Painters and Goonhammer is plain: ink is a colour tool, not a shade tool. Use shade or wash for shadow, ink for brightness and saturation; do not mix the two, and always keep control of the result.
When you move on to gems and lenses, you will find ink is the lead actor. To study that special application in detail, head to the Painting Gems & Lenses guide; what you learn about inking here carries straight over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is inking the same as a wash?
No; they are related, but not the same thing. A wash is thinned to flow into recesses and give shade; an ink is made to saturate colour and glaze. Because many modern shades are ink-like, the line between them blurs. In short, think wash for shadow, ink for colour brightness.
Should I thin ink with water or a medium?
Either works, but a medium is safer. Water dilutes the ink, yet it can leave coffee-ring style staining in spots. A glaze or ink medium keeps both the flow and the gloss more controlled. Since neat ink is often too dense, a light thin is usually a good idea.
How do I tint metallics with ink?
First, lay a silver or gold metallic basecoat and let it dry; then add a thin coloured ink on top. Blue ink over silver gives cold steel; brown or orange ink over gold or silver deepens brass and gold tones. This "tinted metals" method is inking's fastest win.
Why does ink dry glossy, and how do I matte it?
Most inks dry glossy. That is wanted in some places, but not on a matte surface. The fix is simple: once all the painting is done, go over it with matt varnish. The varnish kills the shine and protects the figure at the same time.
Is inking suitable for beginners?
Yes, it is one of the most accessible techniques. The level runs from beginner to intermediate, the effect is fast, and you see a clear result in a single coat. The only things to watch are thin coats and a well-shaken ink. Start on a test piece and you can get a clean result on your first try.
Do I have to highlight again after inking?
Usually yes. Ink darkens the area a notch; if you do not balance that, the colour looks saturated but "dead." Adding a thin edge or surface highlight brings the volume back and lifts the depth the ink added. This final step is what separates a clean finish from an amateur one.
Which ink brand is best?
There is no single right answer; consistency and need decide. Citadel Inks are classic, the Tamiya Clear range is great on metallics, Vallejo and Daler-Rowney FW offer wide colour ranges, and Green Stuff World Dipping Inks are practical for fast work. The best move is to choose by the colour and gloss you want.
Key takeaway: inking is a transparent layer of colour that wakes up the colour beneath without hiding it. Apply thin coats, shake the ink, then balance with a highlight. Remember: wash is for shade, ink is for brightness.
When you want to round out your inks, brushes and mediums, browse our paints, brushes & hobby supplies and pick what fits your own bench. After all, the right materials are half the technique.