Creative Alcohol Inks by Ashley Mahlberg is a superlative how-to book.
This book takes you through multiple techniques and exercises for learning how to create with alcohol inks. The author carefully covers safety gear and procedures, and helps the reader to be confident that they can safely begin.

The photographs are beautiful, and the techniques are advanced, yet understandable and fun. Careful study of this book would allow you to start as a beginner and know how to get going, but equally those who already use alcohol inks will be able to learn tips and tricks from this book, as well as heaps of inspiration

I would recommend this book to those looking for a unique new art style, or to crafty artists looking for a challenging new project.

Very book is very informative for the beginner as well as others that are more familiar with alcohol inks. Learned some new techniques and look forward to purchasing to add to my library.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC for an honest review of this book.

Love, love, love this book! It is chock full of amazing photography and ideas, and the author makes it so easy to learn along with the visuals. Highly recommend!

A super guide for artists that lets you know what to expect when using different inks and colours. I am just getting back into painting so this is really handy for knowing how the ink is going to behave when mixed and used with other media. Lots of ideas and advice!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good step by step art instruction book. You can use other mediums for some of the projects if you prefer. This book was great for inspiration and creative ideas. Some of the projects are greeting cards, porcelain frames, and ornaments.

Alcohol ink is exactly what it sounds like--a medium made of alcohol and dye, used for painting. Mahlberg begins with a primer on painting with alcohol ink, including supplies and basic techniques. Lots of how-to photos and detailed instructions. The book makes this art form seem fun and accessible. Someone brand-new to painting could easily pick up some skills and art theory from reading this.

"Creative Alcohol Inks" explains how to use alcohol inks to create abstract art. The author started by talking about supplies and how to safely use alcohol inks. She then talked in some detail about various techniques for applying and moving the ink. She also talked about how to choose good color combinations, create a composition, and find inspiration. She then explained how to protect the artwork so that it withstands light and handling (as several of the projects are crafts that are intended to be used--a coaster, picture frames, a ornament, greeting cards). She finished with 12 step-by-step projects that used the techniques that were earlier explained. Overall, I'd recommend this book to beginners interested in using alcohol ink to create abstract art.

Creative Alcohol Inks by Ashley Mahlberg
A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving Amazing Effects--Explore Painting, Pouring, Blending, Textures, and More!

Beautiful photographs illustrate this book that will allow novice or established artist to try their hand at creating art with alcohol inks. Information is well organized and easy to understand with projects to tackle with tips on how to do them well. I think the most interesting thing about this type of art is that it is fluid and creative allowing the artist to use the medium in interesting ways. Whether working on canvas, wood, porcelain or something else…the outcome is, in this book, beautiful. I would love to take a class in alcohol ink painting as though I have used some of the techniques mentioned in this book with watercolor this looks much more interactive and free.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

The world of alcohol inks inspired me as soon as I first saw what endless possibilities lies within. I went on the journey of starting my own alcohol ink collection and with much anticipation and daunting color choices I could start playing with this amazing medium... but then I realized that all those pictures and Instagram videos makes it look much easier that it is. How do you begin?! (Especially with the costs of yupo paper and alcohol ink, makes me feel that I can’t be generous with experimenting!)

In comes the Creative Alcohol Inks book by Ashley Mahlberg! Before I saw this book, I could not find alcohol ink guides available that showed an absolute beginner like me where to start!

Ashley gives valuable tips on materials and guides on digitizing your finished pieces together with inspirational step by step guides on different surfaces. She took the guess work and uncertainty out of trying to figure it out myself. My only regret was that It ended to soon and I kept feeling that I want even more! Especially the possibility of a link to the video while the product was created. I was like a sponge while reading this book.. I wanted to soak up every last piece of information and inspiration!

I am thankful that I was able to get an advanced copy for my honest review from Netgalley... otherwise I would not have had such a positive introduction into how to use my new alcohol inks.

All beginners with unanswered questions will not be sorry they gave this book a try! It will save you lots of time and frustration!

This is a very detailed, informative book. Clear instructions, great pictures that help you follow along. I'm an advanced artist, yet I learned new things. I highly recommend this book!

Do you want to try Alcohol Inks?
Artist Ashley Mahlberg presents "Creative Alcohol Inks. A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving Amazing Effects – Explore Painting, Pouring, Blending, Textures, and More!", published by Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry. Mahlberg divided the book into five chapters: !) Essential Supplies, 2) Basic Techniques, 3) Inspiration, Color & Composition, 4) Finishing Techniques, and 5) Alcohol Inc Projects. She informs the reader how this relatively new medium is composed and not only what the most common brands are, but also the range of colors, packs, and sizes that are available. This is extremely helpful as well as her very detailed listing of needed supplies. In the fifth chapter Mahlberg does not only present twelve projects, but also list which materials are needed for each of them and shows with a step-by-step approach how they are done. The resource list that helps the reader to obtain the needed supples and the detailed index are also valuable for the beginning artist.
I already saw paintings done by this approach but neither knew which materials had been used nor how they had been done. Mahlberg's book is very informative and inspirational for the beginning artist. She also includes tips that correspond with the particular topic throughout the book. The book is helpful for everyone who wants to start or extend their knowledge working with alcohol inks and as such highly recommended for them. Furthermore it makes also a nice present for people who are interested in alcohol inks.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#CreativeAlcoholIncs #NetGalley

This is a really beautiful and inspirational book, that breaks things down into easy enough steps for complete beginners to follow,
I am most definitely not an artist, but it emboldened me to try out some alcohol inks (something I'd not even heard of before).

I received an ARC copy of this book, but my review is honest and unbiased.

Are you someone who has never heard of alcohol inks or are intimidated by this fluid medium? Ashley Mahlberg breaks it down in easy step-by-step instructions to making beautiful art.

This book contains twelve step-by-step projects for the reader to learn, practice and master. From the beginning, the author has added helpful information such as the types of alcohol inks with their benefits and DIY blending solution.

While the fine details provided are very helpful, one should not expect to buy the book, a few paints and being to make beautiful pictures. Alcohol Inks are detailed and labor intensive. However, they are absolutely beautiful. I believe I will still give them a try since I have this book to rely upon.


I received an ARC from Quarto Publishing through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

I volunteered to read this book and in exchange for an honest review. This book is really helpful. If anyone is making bookmarks or tumblers this book is well written and very helpful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

There are quite a few books on using alcohol inks on the market at present, I found them all deal with different styles of use and all good.
This one I like because there is a planning process involved on how to spread the colour, and it is very detailed in "how to". The art work is controlled and creative, and the techniques uses various other mediums and equipment to obtain beautiful results.
This book goes from "go to whoa" and has twelve lovely project to get on with at the end of the book
Beautiful photos, clear instructions and a really informative book

A through primer on this intriguing medium with instructions for plenty of great techniques. The projects are easy to do and clearly show how different techniques can be used.

Creative Alcohol Inks is a tutorial and project guide to making art using alcohol based inks by Ashley Mahlberg. Due out 21st Jan 2020 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback format.

The format is logical and easy to follow. The introductory sections include a good discussion of tools and supplies, different brands of inks and blending media, and substrates (papers, boards, other surfaces). The author also includes a solid section on safety and workspace preparation and layout. It's so important to work safely and it's nice to see that she didn't skimp on this important part of the process.

The next chapters cover basic techniques, some color & composition theory, and finishing techniques. I found the spontaneity and unexpected reactions of the inks on the surface are very modern looking and appealing. Due to the nature of the medium, pieces can also be intentionally coordinated with furnishings and interiors and changed as needed.

The final chapter includes 12 appealing project tutorials with easy to follow, clearly written instructions and step by step photographs. In fact, the photography throughout is abundant and in full color, which added a lot to the overall value of the book for me. (I'm very much a visual learner).

Five stars. Well made clearly written and appealing. The best book I've personally seen for the technique. This would make a superlative choice for a maker space or personal artist library.

I  received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This is a great diy alcohol painting book. I'll be trying some of these techniques. It definitely has filled me with inspiration!

Creative Alcohol Inks is full of wonderful, full color photographs with step-to-step instructions on a multitude of projects that one can make using this medium. The author does mention safety precautions and the need to have VOC mask and gloves in your supplies and she refers to "safety supplies" in the book when you get into using resin. However, I think it would have been best to show her actually wearing the mask. In all of the photos that you see her face she is not wearing a mask. In the sections that a mask is called for the photos don't show her face. If a reader isn't paying close attention they may miss the point that a mask is needed her because you don't see her wearing one and it isn't strongly emphasized other than "safety supplies from page 20" in a list of what is needed for a certain project.
That said, the photos are terrific and she covers all sorts of imaginable ways that alcohol inks can be used, blended and made into beautiful art.
#CreativeAlcoholInks #netgalley

I recently bought a beautiful alcohol ink tile from etsy and have been wondering whether this is something I could learn to do, hence why I picked this beautiful book to read.

This book really is beautiful to look at, but it is more than that. There are careful instructions and step by step guides to producing some really lovely projects. Nor does it skip over the safety aspects, which I think is equally important given the materials used are potentially toxic.

I really liked the step by step guides to which materials to use and a range of techniques to try, to put together into some projects that are really tempting. It's maybe not the cheapest craft to take up (which one is?!) but certainly I feel this book is an excellent place to start.