Nichola uses India Inks which are highly pigmented and give powerful colour saturation. They are manufactured to remain lightfast and permanent, as well as being totally waterproof when dry. Similar to watercolour they are diluted with water and used with brushes just like traditional watercolour techniques or in dip pens, technical drawing pens, and airbrushes. She loves using them for their brilliance and transparency. The white ink is the only opaque ink she uses occasionally for its excellent covering power.

‘India ink’ (also known as Chinese ink) stems from one of the oldest and most durable pigments of all time: carbon black. Originally made from ash mixed with a binder such as water, liquid or glue, various recipes for carbon black can be found as far back in history as the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Modern day India ink is pigment mixed with water or varnish or gelatin to make the ink more durable or waterproof when dry.

Lightfastness – whilst her inks are made lightfast by the manufacturer, as with all artworks it is unwise to put them in direct sunlight for any length of time, such as in a conservatory, sunny wall or near a sunny window. Over time the powerful ultraviolet rays of the sun can cause fading, breaking down the chemical bonds to fade the colour of any object. As well as ultraviolet, other major contributors to fading include visible light and solar heat.

Nichola’s wood panels are made from premium birchwood cradled with a 2 cm pine frame on the reverse side which are smooth and durable. She prepares the wood panels using a liquid water-based ground that gives her a fine paint-ready surface to work upon.