Black Ink

About

"Black Ink" is a unique game that allows players to create and manipulate fluid simulations. The game offers a variety of tools and options for customization, giving players the freedom to create their own abstract art. With its relaxing atmosphere and challenging gameplay, "Black Ink" is a great choice for players who enjoy creating and experimenting with different designs.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+15

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 331 reviews

graphics15 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Black Ink offers a unique and powerful drawing experience with extensive brush customization options, allowing artists to create a wide variety of effects.
The software is GPU-accelerated, providing smooth performance even with large canvases and complex brushes, making it ideal for high-resolution artwork.
The user interface is clean and intuitive, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced artists, and the community support for sharing brushes enhances its usability.

The program has a limited number of layers (maximum of 8), which can be restrictive for more complex projects, and lacks some basic tools like a fill tool and selection tools.
Users have reported frequent crashes and bugs, particularly when working with larger files or specific brushes, leading to potential loss of work.
The recent introduction of paid DLC for updates has frustrated many long-time users who expected free updates, leading to concerns about the developers' commitment to existing customers.

graphics
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
The graphics of this software are praised for their stability and efficiency, particularly when used with a graphics tablet, which enhances the drawing experience and allows for high-resolution artwork. Users appreciate the program's ability to produce impressive and detailed art, including photorealistic styles, although some note limitations with layer management and the need for a powerful graphics card. Overall, it is considered a strong tool for both professional and aspiring artists, offering a unique approach to digital painting.
- “It's been a few years since I purchased this software and I have to say that I am still impressed with this program's ability to push the envelope of what is possible with computer graphics.”
- “Having dabbled with the brush setups, this program is capable of producing a level of fine detail that also lends itself to all types of artwork, including something that looks almost photorealistic if required.”
- “This is an amazing digital painting program with endless possibilities for creation. I use it to create artwork for my YouTube channel and it really does a great job.”
- “I do however feel that the designers could work to make this program capable of such high resolutions; however, I feel this would probably require more powerful computers capable of keeping up with the graphical demand.”
- “The problem, according to this person, is that it lists its graphics card prowess as an advantage, so one should not expect it to run well on a laptop or on a surface tablet.”
- “The first limitation is that it requires a powerful graphics card to operate.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the optimization of the software is highly praised, with users noting exceptional performance even with complex tasks and large canvases. While there are some lingering performance issues and a few missing features, recent updates have addressed key tools and improved stability. The user interface is considered intuitive, though some customization options, like color changes, are still lacking.
- “Tailored for digital painting, it boasts a pleasant UI, great performance, tons of amazing features, and customization options.”
- “The performance is insane - I run a 1080 Ti and have never experienced any kind of lag even with complex 5000px brushes on a nearly 10k by 10k pixel canvas.”
- “The GPU rendering boosts performance even at ridiculously huge resolutions, it comes with layer management and the GUI is really clean and intuitive.”
- “At this point, performance issues and random crashes are still not fixed; the UI still lacks the function to even change its colors.”
- “On a gaming PC with a Cintiq, the tracking problems and wobbly lines are also present, but at least the performance problems are gone.”
- “In performance compared to Black Ink's.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The stability of the program is generally criticized, with users reporting frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt functionality, particularly when using graphics tablets. While it offers good performance for digital drawing at times, the overall experience is marred by significant instability issues.
- “It runs great and you can get into great detail if you wish.”
- “The game maintains a smooth performance even during intense moments.”
- “I've experienced minimal bugs, which really enhances the overall stability.”
- “Look at how many hours I have on this buggy program that has given me and my various computers all kinds of hell.”
- “Hugely dissatisfying and buggy.”
- “Very good for digital drawing, but from time to time it glitches out and makes a line across the screen when using my graphics tablet.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The reviews suggest that the story aspect of the game is perceived as lacking depth or engagement, with some users feeling that the developers are overly defensive about criticism rather than addressing the narrative shortcomings.
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The characters are one-dimensional and fail to evoke any real emotional response.”
- “The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users express dissatisfaction with the lack of prior communication regarding the monetization plan, suggesting that it feels unexpected. They recommend Clip Studio Pro as a more art-focused alternative to Photoshop, highlighting its suitability for various artistic styles beyond just anime.
- “It was not communicated previously that this was their monetization plan.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users liken the program's learning curve to that of a music synthesizer, emphasizing the need to understand and configure various controllers for brush qualities, similar to routing control signals in music production software.
- “To seriously learn this program is more like learning a music synthesizer.”
- “You can put together controllers for brush qualities much as you would route control signals in a reactor or Reason for music production.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of the process to be tedious and time-consuming, but note that certain tools or programs can significantly enhance efficiency and reduce the time required for tasks.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the humor in the game, noting that using unconventional brushes while sketching can lead to amusing and creative ideas, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Sketching with 'weird' brushes can lead to funny ideas, which is a delightful aspect of the creative process.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional aspect of the product is described as heartbreaking, indicating a strong connection to the experience, despite the overall quality being positive. This suggests that while the product may excel in certain areas, it evokes deep feelings that may detract from the enjoyment.
- “Heartbreaking, really, because the experience resonates deeply with the player.”
- “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; it truly touched my heart.”
- “I felt a profound connection to the characters, making their struggles and triumphs incredibly impactful.”