Tom Norton’s Walnut Ink Darkening Medium was created as a companion to the original Tom Norton Walnut Drawing Ink, for artists who want darker tonal values without turning to India ink, acrylic inks or shellac-based products that change the working behavior of walnut ink. It is more heavily pigmented, but made to work with the same drawing approach, so it can be mixed with Walnut Drawing Ink without changing how the ink responds to brush, pen and water.
It is easy to control in use: add a few drops to Walnut Drawing Ink for a deeper sepia wash, or use it straight from the bottle for strong shadows, bold lines and dramatic underpainting. Unlike black India ink, which can make the mixture more permanent and reduce lifting, the Darkening Medium preserves the distinctive character of Tom Norton Walnut Ink: layering, dilution with water and tonal adjustment.
Because it is highly concentrated, using it straight gives a much deeper result and may stain the paper more strongly than the original Walnut Drawing Ink. This makes it especially useful for contrast sketches, dark areas in tonal studies, calligraphy with stronger shading, mixed media bases, underpainting for watercolor, pastel or encaustic, and vintage effects that need more depth.
👉 Features:
- Concentrated darkening medium for Tom Norton Walnut Drawing Ink
- Quantity: 42ml
- By Tom Norton’s Walnut Drawing Ink
- Darkens Walnut Ink without changing its core working character
- Can be mixed with the original Walnut Drawing Ink
- Can also be used straight from the bottle
- Creates deeper brown sepia tones
- Ideal for strong shadows, contrast and dramatic underpainting
- Maintains the water-soluble character of the range
- Acid-free and lightfast
- No shellac or acrylic binder
- Suitable for brush, dip pen, calligraphy, drawing and mixed media
👍 Ideal for:
- Darkening Tom Norton Walnut Drawing Ink
- Drawing and sepia sketching
- Calligraphy with dip pens
- Tonal studies and strong shading
- Watercolor-like ink techniques
- Mixed media and art journaling
- Underpainting before watercolor, pastel or encaustic
- Vintage illustrations and botanical studies
- Paper crafting projects with a deep brown sepia effect
✨ Inspiration Tip:
Create a small tonal scale before starting your artwork: original Walnut Drawing Ink, a mix with a few drops of Darkening Medium and Darkening Medium used straight. This gives you a clear map for highlights, mid-tones and deepest shadows, especially in botanical sketches, portraits or vintage illustrations.
