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Renaissance Ink Ink Wash
No, that is not a typo. This review is about ink wash from Renaissance Ink, the company. Got it? Good. First of all I must admit that in recent years I have barely touched a bottle of ink, preferring thinned paint when a wash was necessary. This means I am not the best person to be review an ink, much less comparing them to other brands of ink. That being said I can recognize quality, and I do know how to use an ink. That is where I stand, so read on.
First of all, this stuff is opaque. I mean REALLY opaque. Renaissance Ink inks are not paint-opaque, but they do contain more pigment than other ink brands I have tried. Straight out of the bottle they cover very well, which could allow some interesting painting effects, if one sets his or her mind to it. This also mean they will require substantial thinning to use as a wash, which means more ink for your dollar.
Two other obviously noticeable qualities of Renaissance Ink's inks are how finely ground they are, and the lack of impurities. The pigment in the ink is ground extremely fine, with not obvious granules, allowing for a smoother application. Also examination of the bottom of the bottle shows no sediment or impurities. This is common with other hobby ink brands, as their inks are formulated more as thin paints with extra pigment, rather than as true inks.
One concern I do have is with the bottles. They come in 1 ounce, twist-top squeeze bottles. The opening on top is fairly large, allowing for a big drop of ink on your palette. Considering one drop of this stuff goes a very long way, a big drop is a waste of ink for all but the largest jobs. Also closing the bottle leaves ink on the tip which needs to be wiped off each time to avoid any accidental messes.
The colors currently available are black, white, brown, purple, green and blue. Obviously missing are any warm colors, such as red, orange or yellow. Another lighter shade of brown would also be welcomed, for those "flesh" wash painters. In place of these colors is the addition of white, which is quite unheard of in the hobby market. White ink is one of those ink colors that you will think you'll never need, but one day realize it is perfect for a particular project. White ink, when mixed with the other colors, also allows for more variation within the ink line.
The quality of Renaissance Ink's ink is very good. That alone gets them my recommendation. At just under five dollars for a one ounce bottle, they are definitely worth the money. As concentrated as they are, one bottle would be a lifetime supply for at least two painters. The bottles themselves I am not too happy with, but they are more of a minor inconvenience than a deterrent. The biggest hurdle of the line is a lack of any warm colors, meaning they cannot be a stand-alone line of inks. Be prepared to keep a few of those old GW ink pots around.