I received an e-mail this weekend with a question that I often get since the HGTV appearance where I made the domino bracelet:

"I use alcohol inks all the time on Mah Jongg tiles (similar to dominoes) and on tooled metal.  I have been having trouble finding a sealer that does not “melt” the inks into a puddle.  Most of the finishes I have tried act as a solvent on the inks and my carefully applied color winds up pooling into the low spots.

I was wondering what kind of sealer you use on your dominoes, and whether you have any specific tips you could share with me?"

First, all of this stuff is horrible to your health so spray in a well-ventilated area. 

The key is to avoid the -OLs.  No ethanol, methanol, propylol etc..  I don’t know how to spell them OL.  LOL!   Any alcohol-based sealer will make your inks ‘dance’.  Sometimes that is a good thing.  I tend to use plain old Krylon on my dominos (the workable fixative) so that the alcohol work will dance around – but that is when I already have a random application.  Then I stamp images in Stazon over the top.

However an acrylic UV sealer can be used without damaging your carefully applied work.  Plaid, Blair and Golden make these.  They will leave your work alone, and protect it too.

Have fun!