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Make Your Art More 'Attractive' with Some DIY Magnetic Ink

A hand holding a circular cutout in a book placed on a dark surface.

Magnetic ink is generally used by the banking industry to allow computers to read information off of a check, but that doesn't mean you can't have some fun with it. The guys over at openMaterials have figured out a great recipe for a DIY magnetic ink that you can use for an interesting art project—or just to mess around.

Here's a simple example of what you'll end up with. Obviously once you have the process down, you can get as crazy with it as you like.

The ingredients you'll need for this process are fine magnetite powder and a glossy acrylic medium. You can purchase the magnetite at the Chemical Store and the acrylic at Utrecht, among other places.

Warning

Make sure to wear protective goggles and a dust mask to prevent accidental inhaling of the magnetite powder.

Mix the Materials

Mix two-parts acrylic with one-part magnetite by volume. Measuring spoons would help.

Two containers of art supplies, one black labeled "Acrylic" and the other a white polymer medium labeled "Golden."

Stir

Stir well to avoid any clumping. A vortex mixer is handy for this, and instructions for a DIY version can be found in this video:

Apply the Ink

Apply 2 to 3 coats of the new mix to whatever medium you want to paint on. The more coats you use, the stronger it will be.

Once dry, you can paint over it with regular paint if you'd like, or go straight to using it as an awesome artistic magnet.

A hand holding a black circle cutout on a white background.

A hand placing a small object inside a circular frame on a white surface.

What would you do with magnetic ink?

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