The Fineliner

This fineliner goes beyond anything else in terms of the line opacity. And that's because the fineliner uses acrylic paint (or gouache if that's what you paint with).

Before you read the whole lot... this blog post isn't sponsored but it contains affiliate links. Everything, (everything, everything) I recommend in this blog post or on my website is because I love the product. 

You can find it on Amazon here: Fineline Applicator

If you don't have access to Amazon, this is the brand website - you might find some information on where to find it.

South America: I know it's for sale on Mercado Libre

Another option is to check with your local art shop and see if they are able to provide it for you.

In this blog post I have tried to cover as much as possible, but if you have any questions, feel free to email me at info@elisacapitanio.com 

How does this fineliner work?

You pick your colour, open the fineliner and put your paint in it. Add a tiny bit of water and shake well.
You might need to adjust the proportion water/paint so that it flows when gently pressuring on the tube but it doesn't flow out.

If your hand becomes uncomfortable while using it, the paint/water ratio is too thick.

The Tips

The fineliner comes with a long standard tip (the yellow one on the right hand side of the box, in the picture below), and you can replace it with this set of tips: 

They are shorter (green one outside the box, for comparison) and easier to use, as well as providing different sizes for your line.

Important things to know

• Line quality is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. And this should be enough :)
  
  
• You can use any colour and create new ones as well. As long as you have acrylic paint (or gauge) and water, then you're all set.
  
  
• Did I mention the line quality is great?
  
  
• You can also try it with ink if you use the thin tips - I haven't tried it yet but it should work like a pen. So let me know how it goes.
  
  
• How much water and how much paint? I can't answer that as every hand and every paint is different. Do few tests. I use acrylic paint with water. There’s no exact proportion, depends on the size of the nib (smaller more water, large less water) and what’s your desired final effect (more 3D or flat line). You’ll have to do a bit of testing. Not a straight answer I know, but you’ll get it right.

• You'll need to test it quite a lot, especially if you're working on a very textured canvas or a bumpy artwork.
  TIP: test it for a good while on paper before you work a canvas you worked on for months! I used it for about 2 weeks on random pieces of paper before I switched to actual artworks 
  
  
• If you get the extra tips (and I strongly suggest you do because it makes the whole process 10 times easier!!), make sure you take care and wash them as soon as you're done or the colour might dry up inside.
  Some of them are very small and would be difficult to clean them up once the colour is dry.
  
  
• Using the fineliner will show a bit more texture in the line, if you're planning to cover the lines up with a new artwork, they will be visible... so just you know... 

You can find more info here as well: the recording of a Workshop all about the fineliner. 

If you are new to line making, I suggest you read this blog post first, before you invest time and money on this big boy, it's totally worth the hype, but trust the process :)

And if you want to learn line making, I have a mini course for you!