By Jordan Merlino

Last week at Make Studio, I hosted a workshop for the artists on how to apply ink and how to use techniques and different materials for textures and abstract shapes and forms. What prompted me to host the workshop is my observation in the studio of seeing a lack of India ink. The artists use Sharpie markers and watercolor, so I figured giving a demo on different ways to use India Ink would be great (mainly because I used a lot of watercolor techniques with ink). Furthermore, I am very passionate about ink application and usage; it is one of my favorite mediums to work with.

The pay off from the workshops were wonderful. The artists really were able to step out of their boundaries and experiment with the new medium. For instance, Zach Manuel is known for his graphic and illustrative characters, but during the ink workshop Zach created beautiful minimalist ink washes. Chuck experimented with abstract wet on wet application, and then experimented with colored acrylic ink with India ink. What was even more exciting was when staff, other interns and volunteers got involved and interested in working with ink.

-By Zach Manuel