Intensity Ink OSL WHITE

A white acrylic ink for the OSL technique

OSL stands for object source lighting, a way of painting in which a figure or a model is lit by a light source that is itself part of the scene: a torch, a forge, a gun muzzle, the viewport of a reactor. The painter does not work with real light but imitates with paint the way it would fall. In this process the white ink is the brightest step, the one that lies closest to the source. It is a water-thinnable acrylic ink that the manufacturer supplies in a dropper bottle and describes as drying matte. The ink is thinner than an opaque paint and is applied in translucent layers that build up.

Use

• Start with a very thin layer and build the brightness gradually; one heavy layer kills the effect.
• Apply it only where the light would really fall, that is on the surfaces facing the source.
• It thins with water or with a thinner for acrylics; lacquer solvents do not belong here.
• Combine it with colored inks and fluorescent shades according to the color of the source.
• Shake the bottle before use and wipe the dropper after work; dried ink will clog it.

Who it is for

The ink will be appreciated by figure painters and diorama builders who work with lighting effects. The technique itself calls for judgment and practice, because the result rests on where the light is placed, not on how much paint is used.

Keep the bottle tightly closed and out of the reach of children. Ventilate the area while it dries and avoid splashing it on clothing; the ink stains.