# Best Acrylic Inks for Miniature Painting Source: https://minipaintlab.com/best/best-acrylic-inks-minis Updated: 2026-10-02 Publisher: Mini Paint Lab. Our score is an editorial rating out of 10 (fit 35%, features 25%, build 20%, value 20%), not a customer rating. Method: https://minipaintlab.com/how-we-research#our-score Acrylic inks are ultra-fluid, high-pigment colors that behave like liquid intensity, flowing smoothly through an airbrush or brush while keeping saturation that regular paints struggle to match. Tabletop miniature painters use inks for glazing vivid color over metallics, tinting gemstones and energy weapons, shading with controlled transparency, and mixing custom washes. Because inks are so concentrated, a single bottle lasts through many armies. When choosing, look at lightfastness ratings, whether the ink dries matte, satin, or glossy, how well it holds its tone when diluted, and compatibility with your mediums. Dropper bottles with fine nozzles help with dosing, and a range that includes both primaries and earth tones covers most mixing needs. ## Picks ### 1. Vallejo Game Color Range Inks Colors Set | 8 Bottles x 18 ml Our score: 8.4/10 (Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10) Vallejo Game Color Inks set of 8 bottles in 18ml, transparent colors for glazes, tints and vivid shading. Pros: - Transparent inks glaze color over highlights without hiding detail - 8 colors cover the common tints for gems, cloth and armor - Can be mixed into washes to create custom shades Cons: - Inks dry slightly glossy, so a matte varnish may be needed - Very strong tint can overpower a mini if not thinned Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B0016CN5MQ ### 2. Vallejo Game Color Ink Blue 18 ml | Shading and Wash Effects | Satin Finish Our score: 7.5/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10) Vallejo Game Color Ink Blue in 18ml, a satin-finish ink for blue shading, gem glazes and cold armor tints. Pros: - Vivid blue tint makes gems and power effects pop over white - Doubles as a strong shade for blue armor recesses - Dropper bottle lets you add a drop to washes for cooler tones Cons: - Satin finish leaves slight sheen on matte areas - Single color is best as an add-on, not a complete ink solution Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B000PH9IO2 ### 3. Vallejo Game Color Ink Red 18 ml | Shading and Wash Effects | Satin Finish Our score: 7.5/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10) Vallejo Game Color Ink Red in 18ml, a satin red ink for blood effects, red glazes and rich cloak shading. Pros: - Deep transparent red is well suited to fresh blood and gore effects - Glazes over red highlights to make colors richer and smoother - Mixes with brown washes for warm rust and leather tones Cons: - Easy to overdo, so blood effects need a light touch - Satin sheen can look wet where you did not intend it Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B000PH9IPG ### 4. Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Ink Bottle 6-Color Primary Set with Empty Marker - Acrylic Set of Drawing Inks for Artists and Students - Art Ink Calligraphy Set - Permanent Calligraphy Ink Our score: 7.5/10 (Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Ink 6-Color Primary Set with an empty marker. Pigmented, water-based permanent inks that can be used neat, thinned with water for washes or run through an airbrush. Pros: - Six fully intermixable primary colors let you mix custom glazes and washes instead of buying each shade - Listing names airbrush, dip pen and painting miniature figurines among its uses, so it fits hobby work - High lightfastness and permanent once dry, made in England by a brand that dates back to 1783 Cons: - An artist ink set, not a miniature range, so the colors are primaries and not pre-matched army shades - The bundled empty marker is aimed at drawing and lettering more than at painting miniatures Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B09N2HWS4C ### 5. Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Ink Bottle Black - Versatile Acrylic Drawing Ink Our score: 7.2/10 (Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10) Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Ink in black, a versatile drawing ink that can be thinned into a deep shade for minis. Pros: - Dense black pigment makes a strong custom shade when diluted - Works for lining, weathering grime and deepening dark washes - One bottle goes a long way at the tiny amounts minis need Cons: - Undiluted it is far too strong for most miniature detail - Glossy art ink finish may need matte varnish afterwards Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B0049UZ8PY ### 6. Vallejo Game Color 72082 White Ink (18ml) Our score: 7.0/10 (Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Vallejo Game Color 72082 White Ink in 18ml, a translucent white for lightening inks and making soft glazes. Pros: - Lightens other inks without making them chalky or opaque - Helpful for misty glows, frost and pale glaze effects - Product number 72082 matches Vallejo's Game Color system Cons: - Used alone it gives little coverage, so it is a mixing tool - Less essential than colored inks for most beginners Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B0BN8Y2SKT ### 7. Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Ink Bottle White - Versatile Acrylic Drawing Ink Our score: 6.6/10 (Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Ink in white, an artist drawing ink used to tint glazes paler or add subtle misty effects. Pros: - Mixes with colored inks to produce pastel glazes and soft tints - Handy for ghostly, frosted or smoke effects in thin layers - Durable acrylic binder stays put once dry Cons: - Semi-transparent, so it will not cover like white paint does - Specialist mixing role means it is not a first purchase Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B004O7G1FI As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.