Choosing the right ink is a fundamental decision every printmaker faces, profoundly impacting the creative process and the final look of the print. The vast array of options can be daunting, but the most significant divide lies between traditional oil-based inks and the increasingly popular water-based alternatives. Understanding the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of each type is crucial for achieving your desired results, whether you’re pulling a detailed etching or a bold linocut.
Getting to Grips with Oil-Based Inks
For centuries, oil-based inks were the standard in printmaking, and for many artists, they remain the preferred choice. These inks typically use a binder of linseed oil or a similar drying oil, mixed with pigments. Their consistency is often quite stiff and tacky, which is highly desirable for certain techniques.
Properties and Performance
The most notable characteristic of oil-based inks is their slow drying time. This isn’t necessarily a drawback; in fact, it’s a major advantage for many processes. It allows for extended working times, making it easier to ink complex plates, blend colours directly on the block or plate (like in monotype or viscosity printing), and make adjustments without the ink drying prematurely. The oil binder allows for a high pigment load, resulting in exceptionally rich, vibrant, and deep colours. The finish is often slightly luminous or satiny, depending on the specific formulation and the paper used. They generally sit beautifully on the surface of the paper, rather than sinking in completely.
Advantages Unpacked
Richness and Depth: The high pigment concentration and the way oil binders refract light contribute to colours that are often perceived as more intense and luxurious than their water-based counterparts. This is particularly valued in fine art printmaking.
Working Time: The slow drying nature is a huge plus for techniques requiring careful inking, wiping (like intaglio), or colour blending on the matrix. You aren’t racing against the clock.
Smooth Application: The inherent tack and viscosity allow for smooth, even rolling and application, especially important for relief and intaglio techniques where a consistent layer is key.
Archival Quality: Traditional oil-based inks, especially those using high-quality pigments and binders, have a proven track record of permanence and lightfastness, making them suitable for archival work intended to last generations.
Versatility: They are the traditional standard for intaglio (etching, engraving), lithography, and many relief processes (woodcut, linocut), offering excellent performance across these demanding techniques.
The Downsides
The main drawback of oil-based inks revolves around cleanup and safety. Cleaning plates, rollers, and tools requires solvents like mineral spirits, turpentine, or specialised vegetable oil-based cleaners. These solvents can have strong odours, require good ventilation, and necessitate careful handling and disposal. The slow drying time, while often an advantage during printing, means prints need a significant amount of time (days or even weeks) to dry fully, requiring ample drying space.
Important Safety Note: Always ensure excellent ventilation when working with traditional oil-based inks and solvents. Carefully read and follow the safety data sheets (SDS) provided by manufacturers. Proper disposal of solvent-soaked rags is also crucial, as they can pose a fire hazard if stored improperly.
Exploring Water-Based Inks
Water-based inks have gained significant ground, particularly in educational settings and for artists seeking safer, easier cleanup options. These inks use water as the solvent or vehicle, with binders that can include acrylic polymers, gum arabic, or other water-soluble substances. Their quality and performance have improved dramatically over the years.
Properties and Performance
The standout feature of water-based inks is their ease of cleanup – typically requiring only soap and water. They also dry much faster than oil-based inks, which can be advantageous for quick proofing, layering colours (in some techniques like screen printing), and faster turnaround times. Their viscosity can vary widely, from thin and fluid (common in screen printing inks) to thicker, tackier formulations designed to mimic oil-based inks for relief printing. However, achieving the same level of tack and body as traditional oils can sometimes be challenging.
Advantages Unpacked
Easy Cleanup: This is arguably the biggest selling point. No harsh solvents are needed; soap and water suffice for cleaning tools, plates, and hands. This makes them ideal for home studios, schools, or spaces with limited ventilation.
Low Odour & VOCs: Water-based inks generally have little to no odour and release fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, contributing to a healthier studio environment.
Faster Drying: Prints dry much quicker, often within hours or a day, which speeds up the process and reduces the need for extensive drying racks or space.
Good for Specific Techniques: They excel in techniques like screen printing and are widely used for relief printing (linocut, woodcut) and monotype, especially where complex wiping isn’t required.
The Downsides
The faster drying time can be a disadvantage, potentially causing ink to dry on the slab or plate too quickly, especially in warm or dry conditions. This can make intricate inking or blending difficult. Some artists find that water-based inks don’t achieve the same colour intensity or luminosity as high-quality oil-based inks, although premium brands are closing this gap. Because they contain water, these inks can sometimes cause paper to buckle or warp, particularly thinner or less robust papers. Achieving the right ‘tack’ for clean relief prints can sometimes require modifiers or specific brands formulated for that purpose.
Head-to-Head: Oil vs. Water
Making the choice requires weighing these factors against your specific needs and priorities. Let’s break down the key differences:
Drying Time
Oil-Based: Slow (days to weeks). Advantage for long working sessions, blending, complex wiping. Disadvantage for storage space and quick turnaround.
Water-Based: Fast (hours to a day). Advantage for quick proofing, layering (in some cases), faster production. Disadvantage for extended working time, potential drying on the slab/plate.
Color Intensity & Richness
Oil-Based: Generally considered superior, with high pigment loads and luminous binders resulting in deep, vibrant colours.
Water-Based: Quality varies significantly by brand. High-end options can be very good, but some may appear less saturated or slightly flatter than oils. Tend to sink into the paper more.
Cleanup
Oil-Based: Requires solvents (mineral spirits, turpentine, vegetable-based cleaners). Messier, requires ventilation and proper disposal.
Water-Based: Easy cleanup with soap and water. Safer, less odour, more convenient for many studio situations.
Working Properties & Tack
Oil-Based: Naturally viscous and tacky, ideal for capturing fine detail in relief and intaglio. Excellent for rolling out smooth, even layers.
Water-Based: Viscosity varies. Some are formulated to mimic oil tack, others are more fluid. May require modifiers (like tack reducer or extender) to achieve desired consistency. Can sometimes be ‘stickier’ rather than having the smooth ‘pull’ of oil.
Health & Safety
Oil-Based: Concerns primarily relate to solvents used for cleanup. Good ventilation is essential. Skin contact should be minimized.
Water-Based: Generally safer due to water cleanup and lower VOCs. Still contain pigments, so basic precautions (like avoiding ingestion) apply.
Paper Considerations
Oil-Based: Less likely to cause paper buckling due to the absence of water.
Water-Based: Can cause thinner or unsized papers to buckle or wrinkle due to the water content. Using heavier, sized paper is often recommended.
Archival Quality
Oil-Based: Proven long-term stability and lightfastness with quality brands.
Water-Based: Modern formulations often have good lightfastness ratings (check manufacturer info), but the long-term archival track record is shorter than traditional oils.
Making Your Choice: Technique, Studio, and Preference
Ultimately, the “best” ink depends entirely on the printmaker and the project.
Consider your technique: Intaglio and lithography heavily favour oil-based inks due to the working properties required for wiping and processing. Relief printing (linocut, woodcut) and monotype can be done successfully with either, depending on the desired effect and working style. Screen printing predominantly uses water-based or specialised solvent inks (different from oil-based printmaking inks).
Consider your workspace: If you lack good ventilation or share your space (like a kitchen table), water-based inks are a much more practical and safer choice.
Consider your priorities: Is maximum colour richness paramount? Oil might be the way to go. Is ease of cleanup and speed essential? Water-based is likely better. Are you printing for archival purposes or quick studies?
A Note on Water-Miscible Oil Inks
A third category worth mentioning is water-miscible (or water-washable) oil inks. These are essentially oil-based inks that have been modified with an emulsifier, allowing them to be cleaned up with soap and water while still retaining many of the working properties of traditional oils (like slower drying time and rich colour). They offer a compromise, bridging the gap between the two main types. While cleanup is easier than traditional oils, they might not have the exact same feel or tack, and some printmakers find cleanup still requires a bit more effort than truly water-based inks.
Experimentation is key. Many printmakers use both types of ink, selecting the best option for each specific project. Don’t be afraid to try different brands within each category, as performance can vary. Reading reviews, talking to other printmakers, and testing inks yourself will ultimately lead you to the materials that best suit your artistic vision and working methods. The journey of discovering your preferred ink is an integral part of developing your printmaking practice.
