INKS

I. DEFINITION AND BRIEF HISTORICAL OUTLINE

Ink is a substance that comes in several forms: liquid, pasty, or solid (if it is solid it
can be dissolved). It is used to write with, to draw with, to paint with, or to print with.
The English word "ink" is derived from the late latin word encautum which was the
name given to a red ink emperors used to sign decrees with. The latin word, in turn,
was derived from the Greek word enkaunton, which was the name of the preparation
used for encaustic painting. In Greek the accent fell on the first vowel of the word,
thus explaining the rise of the word ink in English as well as the word encre in
French. It should be remembered that encaustic painting is a very ancient technique
and also that the colour red has been very important since prehistoric times because it
symbolizes blood, fertility, and life.
The first inks were made using lamp black as well as vegetable and mineral colours.
One of the most ancient inks is so-called India ink (also called China ink) which
came from that country and was probably known before the birth of Christ. This ink
was made, and is still made, by mixing lamp black or carbonized pine wood with gum
or gelatine and camphor. Good quality India ink does not alter with time.
.The use of India ink became widespread as of the l8th century at which time it was
directly imported from India.
Another kind of ink, bistre, was also well known as of the Middle Ages. Made of soot
mixed with water and gum, bistre began to be used as of the 14th century. Oak gall
ink was also much used. This type of ink was obtained by making a decoction of oak
gall and mixing it with iron sulphate and gum arabic.
Gall ink impregnated the paper itself and, in the course of time, discoloured on the
surface. Sepia, a brown pigment prepared with the fluid secreted by cuttle-fish, was
not used until the 19th century. Other types of ink that may be mentioned in this
historical overview are sanguine, made with red or brown earth (containing iron
oxide),cinnabar, and Indian indigo.
The very first inks used for printing were much like the inks used for writing and
drawing since they were water base inks to which one added a thickener and
coagulants such as cooked starch. The introduction of oil and other oily substances
such as butter began in the middle of the 15th century at the same time as the first
printing presses. At this time painting had already begun to use oil base and resin base
paints rather than egg base colours. At first linseed oil and wallnut oil were used
because they gave a new brilliance to colours. However, the transition to oil base inks
and paints did not come about a11 at once, especially since there remained the
unsolved problem of drying agents (in fact some of the oil paintings of this early
period are still not quite dry!).
Hence even in the 19th century popular print makers still printed with a frotton and
an ink made up of lamp black and a special glue.
Each printer made his own ink. In these big workshops the "ink makers" guarded their
secrets jealously and thus many recipes have been lost for ever, especially since these
recipes were never commited to paper but were handed down orally to the
apprentices. However, all of the recipes had certain things in common. The blacks
were made with left-overs of an incomplete combustion of wood and bone to which
were added oil or grease. The soot used in making these inks was collected by shaking
the "chimneys" made of lamb skins after burning the appropriate materials. "The best
black, used to print intaglio plates, is german black which comes from Frankfurt. Its
beauty and quality are due to the even texture of its velvety black colour. If one rubs
this black between one's fingers one will find that it breaks up like fine chalk or raw
starch. Imitations cannot produce such beautiful blacks and, instead of being soft
when rubbed, they feel rough and grainy. Imitations of German black will also wear
the plate down. They are usually made by burning wine lees. A very good quality
black is made in Paris" (Bosse). However, black was not the only colour used as
several coloured inks were available, especially red which was made with cinnabar
(mercuric sulphide).
In order to bind the pigments linseed oil or wallnut oil were used but these oils but
these oils had to be thickened to various degrees by cooking for various amounts of
time. The resulting oil was then burned to purify it of the greasy particles [oil]. The
lightest grade nil was cooked for only half an hour . The more!oil is cooked the
thicker it becomes. A thoroughly cooked oil, after cooling, is "extremely gluey and
stringy, much like a very concentrated syrup. Some experts put an onion or some
bread crust into the oil, when it is cooking, in order to degrease it." (Bosse)
Oil that has been cooked becomes a varnish. In the larger workshops of the past
varnish was made by specialized workers known in France as "cuiseurs". The varnish
was then left to stand for several weeks after which the suspended mucilagenous
elements were removed. At this point all that needed to be done was to add the ground
up colours. At first the pigment was mixed with very little oil so as to be as dry as
possible. The resulting paste could thus be adapted to various uses. The ink paste was
then worked (in small quantities at a time) quite thoroughly and placed in a glazed
earthenware container which was sealed tight. When the ink was needed it was
removed from the earthenware container and worked again in function of the use ,it
was going to be put to. When printing was to begin the ink was put into a container
where the printer could dip the balls or dabbers he was using to ink the plate or block.
Up until 1818 this was the way ink was made. In that year, however, Pierre Lorilleux,
then printer at the Imprimerie Royale, began to industrialize the making of ink. The
first industrial plant for making ink was located in Paris.
Up until the end of the 18th century the range of inks had been guite limited. It was
the invention of lithography by Senefelder which occasioned the diversification of
inks. In fact, the inventor of lithography introduced new ingredients such as soap,
tallow, wax, gum mastic, and gum, all of which were used for technical reasons.
Furthermore, the components of drawing ink began to play a chemical role.
Lithographic ink, which was only black because of traditional reasons, was used to
draw on the lithographic stone. Lithographic ink for printing (not the same kind of
ink), on the other hand, had to be particularly dense so as to repel water. Due to
lithography yet another kind of ink was invented which could be used to
make tranfers of an image from paper onto stone.
Mechanical printing began in 1814 and in the course of time had to be adapted to a
variety of new needs: printing newspapers, printing on wrapping paper, printing on a
variety of materials used for packaging foodstuffs, etc. At the beginning of the 20th
century new printing techniques were invented such
as offset, phototype,photogravure, and, as of the 1950's, serigraphy. This massive
technological change in printing techniques also brought about the development of
increasingly diversified inks. These new inks were created in response to the different
criteria set up by the new techniques, criteria such as increased drying speed, the need
for non-toxic inks, resistance to light and washing, the need for brilliant colours that
can be seen from a distance, printing on flexible materials, and so on. The
development of posters, the use of plastic, the invention of decals and stickers, etc.
have been responsible for yet more research and the development of new inks.
II. THE COMPONENTS OF INK
(pigments , vehicles , solvents , drying agents , and additives)
Whatever use an ink is put to it is always made up of certain components. The two
main components are the colouring matter, which leaves a visible mark, and
thevehicle, which permits the pigment to be tranferred onto a surface. The colouring
matter may be either a pigment or a colour. Pigments are solid substances ground to a
powdery consistency which are usually insoluble. In the past pigments were made
from mineral and animal substances but at present they are chemically synthesized.
Colour, on the other hand, is soluble in water, alcohol, or other fluids and can be
considered a kind of tint. Colours are often derived from vegetable substances.
A vehicle is the substance mixed with colours or pigments which are hard to work
with alone. Most vehicles are made up of several components, each component
serving a particular purpose. Thus binders are used to link and homogenize the
particles of pigment. Various types of binders exist such as gum and water mixtures,
emulsions, oil, and any other substance having a certain consistency and which can
give some body to the ink without weighing it down. When combined with a binder
the pigment becomes smoother and can be ground or mixed into a paste. This pasty
stage can be achieved with varying degrees of ease depending on the materials used
and, in fact, one speaks of the "wetability" of a substance to indicate the amount of
binder it can absorb.
The resulting paste can be lightened, spread, or softened by adding a diluting agent.
Diluting agents (which are often confused with binders) can be as simple as water.
Other common diluting agents are cellulose base liquids and oils. The role of the
diluting agent is to forestall an excessive viscosity and, at least in theory, to evaporate
during the drying process and disappear entirely. The diluting agent must not be
confused with the solvent whose task it is to dissolve a dry subtance. However, a
solvent can be used both as a diluting agent and to dissolve, as is the case when white
spirit is used on nil base inks. On the other hand, the two functions may also be
separate. Thus a water base ink is diluted with an emulsion of oil and water but it is
dissolved with acetone. Whereas a diluting agent is usually specific, a variety of
solvents can generally be used. In practice, however, the diluting agent is often called
a solvent.
The major problem encountered by a printer once he has finished printing his work is
the drying process. In order to activate the natural oxydation of oily inks, ink makers
usually add drying agents when grinding their pigments and when mixing their paste.
It is also possible (in certain cases only) to intervene when printing by adding
accellerators or retarders which expedite or slow up the drying process but which are
often detrimental to a maximum keying of the ink.
Finally, a certain amount of secondary substances can be added before or after
grinding the pigments. These substances affect the transparency of the ink,
its thickness, or its softness.
III DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS TYPES OF INK
1. DRAWING INK. A. INDIA INK . India ink (also known as China ink) is the
archetypal drawer's ink. It may be had in solid form, in which case it comes in the
shape of a flat square, a stick, or a variety of other shapes which are often decorated
with oriental characters. An ornamental presentation, however, gives no proof of
quality or authenticity. India ink also comes in liquid form in tubes or little bottles.
This kind of ink is made from lamp black (also called carbon black) or carbonized
pine wood to which are added gum or gelatine, Borneo camphor, and powdered musc.
Imitation India ink has long been made using burnt colophony, candles, paper, and
even fruit stones. The best quality India ink comes in solid form and smells of
Karpura resin (which comes from a ]apanese tree). In any case, the solid block must
by no means have a lacquered finish since this finish is applied only to unstable
products which must be protected from alteration.
India ink is perfectly black and, in theory, is perfectly stable after drying. However,
this is only true if it is of good quality and if it is perfectly pure. In the far East the
preparation of this ink is nothing short of a rite and ink is considered to be one of the
"four treasures" of a scholar's study along with a grinding stone, paper, and brushes.
In order to obtain a pure India ink from a solid block one must rub the smallest side of
the block on the surface of a special stone. The Chinese and Japanese stones made for
this purpose are just barely mat finished and have a little hollow where the water is
kept for diluting. One can also use mat finished glass or a rough surface on which the
solid ink will stick. Some artists prepare their pure ink in a saucer. Some water is put
in the bottom of the saucer and the stick of India ink is rubbed rapidly on the edge of
the saucer which is inclined to facilitate the job. The ink powder must fall into the
residual water at the top of the saucer and not directly into the puddle at the bottom.
Ink prepared this way is for immediate use and is usually used to apply layers of deep
black and for brush work. Sticks of ink must never be left to soak in water as
otherwise they will crack and crumble into pieces.
India ink may also be had in liquid form. In the past there was a great difference of
quality between the liquid and solid varieties and because of this liquid ink was only
used for line work whereas tone work used a solution of solid ink. The liquid India ink
produced by reputable manufacturers is, at present, perfectly reliable for any kind of
work. However, it must be pointed out that manufactured liquid inks are less fluid
than those made with a solid ink and because of this they tend to clog the instruments
used for line work. It is thus necessary to clean the instruments more often.
Furthermore, manufactured liquid inks are hard to dilute since the colours tend
to settle. In other words, the solid particles in the ink do not mix well with the diluting
agent and because of this the particles collect on the bottom of the container leaving a
layer of pale water at the top. On the other hand, liquid India ink has the advantage of
being indelible and therefore it can be used for superimpositions. India ink made with
solid ink, however, tends to wash out when superimpositions are practiced.
When India ink is used for line drawing it is usually used to cover a preliminary line
drawn with a pencil.
Left-over India ink must not be used since old ink becomes scaly and sticky.
< The following recipe is a substitute for India ink which is indelible and can thus be
used for superimpositions. The ink does not form deposits and does not attack
instruments made of steel.
aniline black 4 g
alcohol 15 g
gum arabic 6 g
water 90 g
hydrochloric acid 60 drops
In printmakingf, India ink is used to draw on wood blocks as the lines are not easily
ruined by handling while work is being carried out on the wood and even even the
rubbing of a hand will not affect the drawing. The illustrators of the 19th century often
used India ink on their blocks which were then engraved by professional engravers.
This kind of ink is also used in pure or diluted form for Japanese printing techniques
[wood].
India ink can, be used in the sugar lift process. In this process the ink is saturated
with sugar and is then used with either a pen or brush to draw on a perfectly clean
plate. After drawing, the plate is covered with a thin layer of varnish and is plunged
into water (rain water is best). This causes the sugar to swell and crack or "lift" in the
areas where the ink drawing was made. The next step is to etch the plate as with any
other type of etching. If any large uniform areas are exposed using the sugar lift
process they can be grained if so wished [graining].
In serigraphy India ink is used for photographic work using transparent films (typons).
This kind of India ink is, however, specially made to stick to plastic sheets by
dissolving them superficially.
B. ORDINARY INKS. Even though this class of inks is very rarely used it must be at
least mentioned briefly. Ordinary ink is used in the ink-lift-process perfected by
Bracquemond. This ink lift process is much like the sugar lift process mentioned
above. The main difference is that ordinary ink is lighter and thus allows for finer
lines.
C. CHEMICAL INKS. Since the times of Senefelder chemical ink has been used to
write or draw on stone, zinc, or aluminium (three lithographic technique surfaces).
This kind of ink must not be confused with the ink used to print lithographies.
"Chemical ink, which one may also call greasy or alcaline ink, derives its name from
the fact that it contains a mixture of greasy, resinous and alcaline parts. It is one of the
most important an necessary materials for a lithographer" ( Senefelder, The Art of
Lithography). The essential components of chemical ink are tallow, wax, and resin.
The reader should remember that the only reason black pigment is added to this ink is
to permit the person making the drawing to see his work as it progresses. Pigment
serves no other purpose in this ink. The greasy substances mentioned above are not
soluble in water and, in order to make them easier to work with, some soap must be
added to them. When the drawing on the stone has been completed it is then washed
with an acidulous preparation which neutralizes the alcaline substances and makes the
greasy elements become insoluble again. The tallow used for chemical ink is often
sheep tallow since it contains very little oil. The grease content of the ink is what
makes it solid but if the content is excessive the ink becomes too soft. Wax, on the
other hand, gives consistency to the ink and prevents the tallow from spreading.
However, if too much wax is used the ink will dry too fast and become brittle. In such
a case the ink must be continually thinned with water or oil. Resin gives fluidity to the
ink (after being saponified) but if it is used in excess it will dry the ink and makes it
insoluble when cold.
Chemical ink must be strong, in other words even a large amount of impressions must
not affect the lines. Such ink must be resistant in order to protect the stone from the
acids. An excessive use of soap will reinforce the ink but will also make it become
quite gluey.
In order to make chemical ink, melt wax and tallow in a cast iron pot which must not
be more than one-third full. When the mixture reaches about 200C (about 400F) add
soap flakes and stir briskly. The mixture must be hot enough that it will catch fire
when touched with a burning match. While the mixture is burning mix in the resin
(shellac). Then smother the fire by covering the pot with a lid and then proceed to add
the black pigment. The mixture should then become quite pasty and can be put into
boxes and covered with tin foil.
The ink thus prepared can be dissolved in either distilled water or oil, depending on
the ingredients used. In order to obtain a liquid ink mix it (when still pasty) with some
boiling hot distilled water. Solid ink can be diluted in much the same way as India ink
using a liquid and a bowl. Chemical ink may be applied with either a brush or a pen.
Since the times of Senefelder a variety of recipes for chemical ink have been invented.
Thirteen well known recipes are given below. The table containing these recipes was
sent by the Lorilleux Company of Bruxelles to the Belgian Ministry of Economic
Affairs in 1920 when the Ministry undertook to publish a monograph on lithography.
The amounts are all in grams (1 gram= 0.035 ounces avoirdupois or 15.4 grains).
ingredients 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
white wax 100 100 100 100

100 100 100 100

100 100 100
yellow wax

100

yellow soap, Marseille soap 30 54 325 100 20 45 50 25 160 250 100 50 100
lac 200 70 150 100 100

25 140 25 125 125 75
gum mastic in drops 10 25

20

25

25 50

purified tallow 20

75 100

34 25

160 75 75 75 100
lamp black 5 22 75 7 7 13 25 25 50 50 25 25 25
soda

20

Venice turpentine

13

13 21

olive oil

12

Recipe n.3 is Lemercier's, n.10 is a German recipe for brush work, n.11 is the Doyen
recipe, n.12 is the Knecht-Senefelder recipe, and n.13 is the Chevalier and Langlum
recipe.
Lithographic crayons are made with much the same ingredients as chemical ink but
they are not water soluble.
Chemical ink can also be used in serigraphy and in manual screen processes, as a kind
of ground in etching and in a zincographic* process which creates relief blocks
usingelectrolysis [galvanography, electrotyping]
D. AUTOGRAPHIC INKS.
Autographic ink is much like the chemical inks used for litho drawings. In fact,
chemical ink can also serve in autolithographic* work. Autographic ink is used for
writing or drawing on autographic paper instead of on the stone itself. The work done
on paper is then transferred onto the stone by passing both the stone and the paper
through a press (the paper resting on the stone must be wet). The following recipe can
be used to make autographic ink. Mix the ingredients in the following proportions:
white. wax 100 parts
yellow soap (Marseille soap) 80 parts
lac 160 parts
dragon's blood 60 parts
purified tallow 50 parts
At times a bit of sulphur is added to increase the fluidity of the ink. Sulphur also
preserves the mixture for several years without any problems. If this ink is too light in
colour add some India ink to make it darker.
E. LATEX (rubber) INKS.
Actually this category of inks are all rubber base inks used in serigraphy for positive
screen preparations, in other words the lines made with this type of ink will be printed
through onto the impression. Add water to the commercially made inks until the
proper fluidity has been reached. This kind of ink can be applied either with a brush or
with a pen. If it is properly made it will make a relatively precise line and even very
thin lines can be drawn by working rapidly. The instruments must be rubbed with a bit
of soap before putting them in the ink so that the ink will flow better. Remember to
wipe the instruments often and to clean the edge of the ink-well. The removal of this
ink is easy. Wait until the line has dried completely, at which point rub it away with a
finger. If another line is to be drawn in the same place it might be necessary to remove
the previous line with acetone. Be sure to clean the area perfectly otherwise the new
line may be a broken one.
When the completed image on the screen is dry it must be covered with a layer
of filler. This step is quite a delicate one and must be carried out very quickly. When
the filler has dried proceed to remove the dried latex ink with your finger or with a
soft eraser. Dissolve the remaining ink residue with turpentine oil. As a result the
areas covered with rubber ink will now be open since the filler does not penetrate
latex ink. The ink used for printing will then go through the lines of the drawing and
onto the silkscreen print.
Latex ink can be used with good results in etching since it can be used to draw on
plates. When the drawing is completed and the ink is dry proceed to spread a liquid
ground with a brush. When the ground is also dry carefully remove the latex ink
drawing with your fingertips. The etching will be a positive one since biting will only
affect the drawn areas.
2. TRANSFER INKS.
This particular type of ink deserves a separate description because it must not be
confused with printing ink. In fact, transfer ink is used to ink drawings that have
already been done on lithographic stones and which need to be transferred onto
another stone because the first is either broken or needs to be kept as nn original, or
else because several stones are needed for greater speed and for economic reasons. At
times even line and relief engravings can be tranferred.
The first step in making lithographic transfers is to make an impression on
autographic paper or on transfer paper using transfer ink. The ink of this impression
will be transferred onto another stone. Hand printed impressions are never very
satisfactory and must be repeated. The following is a general recipe for making
transfer ink:
yellow wax 300 g
sheep tallow 30 g
white soap 120 g
colophony 240 g
weak
varnish
370 g
lamp black
enough to colour the
mixture
3. PRINTER'S INK.
A. WATER BASE INKS.
These inks are used to print Japanese woodcuts, hand stencils, monotypes, and
silkscreens. Although the ink used for each one of these techniques is made somewhat
differently they all have a mat finish when they are dry [paints]. The inks used for
Japanese woodouts have light colours similar to water colours. The colours are
dissolved in water to which rice glue or gum arabic has been added. The ink is applied
rapidly with a large brush in the direction of the wood grain. India ink is also used to
print such woodcuts but it is used in diluted form. Darker tones are obtained by either
superimposing several colours or by adding some black.
In the case of hand stencils the ink has almost the colour of gouache. It is pasty and
opaque due to the fact that the colours are mixed with gum arabic and some white. In
the past artists even used to add some honey to this ink. The colour is applied to the
stencil covered surface with a pochon (a stiff brush whose bristles are cut to the same
length all over). The brush must hit the stencil in a succession of little vertical blows.
Insofar as the monotypes are concerned water base inks or paints are sometimes used
if they have a certain amount of consistency and do not dry too quickly. However, as
these characteristics are not typical of water base inks and paints, monotypes are
usually done with oil base colours.
The inks used in serigraphy are specially prepared to fulfill three necessary
conditions:
the inks must be soluble after use so that the silkscreen can be recycled (can be
used again).
the inks must not dry too quickly in order not to clog the screen.
the inks must be thick enough to permit a precise impression.
Too liquid an ink does not respect the stencil effect of the screen and spreads on the
impression to form imprecise spots.
Specialized suppliers carry specially prepared inks. These inks are usually made by
diluting colours in an emulsion and then adding a fixative (usually gum). The ink
comes in pots or in tubes and must be mixed, just before use, with a vehicle (generally
an oil and water emulsion). One must not add pure water to these inks.
Water base inks are only used to print lines and line work because if they are used to
print larger areas they tend to wrinkle the paper, especially if superimpositions are
practiced.
B. OIL BASE INKS.
This type of ink is the most commonly used (and has been since the 15th century) for
typographical work, for printing intaglio or relief engravings, and for lithography.
These inks have a shiny aspect before use and after drying they are more or
less glossy, satiny, or mat depending on the type of ink used and the type of paper
printed on. Oil base inks can also be used to print monotypes but artists usually prefer
to use oil base paints.(???)
Oil base inks are made using a pigment paste mixed with water (i.e. a pigment ground
in water) or then a dried pigment in powder form. The next step is to add a certain
amount of oil and some other substances to act as binders between the particles of
pigment. These ingredients are put into mixers which disperse the pigment evenly in
the varnish. Once this has been done the resulting paste is ground up. Grinding is a
delicate task and, in the past, it was done by hand but today it is done mechanically
with a machine whose cylinders compress the paste several times over. When the
paste is sufficiently homogenous it is poured into containers where it is left to settle
for several weeks. This paste becomes the base for making inks and it is subsequently
reworked in function of its colour, consistency, and dryinq characteristics. All of
these steps are closely controlled so as to ensure the quality of the inks thus
manufactured and sold.
The vehicle of an oil base is called a varnish. Varnish is made, above all, with oil but
other ingredients are also employed such as resins, fatty substances, waxes, soaps, etc.
The oils used for this purpose are always cooked oils of the type that thicken when
cooked, as is the case with linseed oil which is the most commonly used one. The
more oils are cooked, the thicker they become because heat rids them or their fatty
acids. In order to avoid the production of acidity during the cookihg process, however,
it is necessary to add some glycerine to the oil. In the past the degreassing was done
by burning the oil. At present the burning is usually replaced by cooking which is
done in a special double-chambered apparatus.
Three to six different grades of varnish can be obtained by cooking, the most fluid
being those that have been only slightly cooked. The fluid grades of varnish are extra-
weak, weak and medium. The thickest grade is very pasty and is only used to give
some body to the ink being made. Varnishes are also used in artists' workshops to thin
inks before use. For manual impressions only three varnishes are
used: clear or white oil (which gives the most fluidity to ink), fatty oil (which
lightens ink but permits it to retain its consistency) and heavy oil (which, being the
thickest of the three, is used sparingly to give the right viscosity to the ink). Very little
heavy oil should be used since it complicates wiping the plate before printing. Black
pitch and colophony must be added to heavy oil after it has been heated to 300C
(572F).
The consistency of greasy inks is in function of the use they are destined for. For
relief printing they must be creamy with a certain amount of body. The inking of
wood blocks is done with vignette black which contains some resins. For intaglio
work there is a variety of inks but all of them must be heated before use (25 to 35C -
77 to 95F). Intaglio ink must be thick enough to stay in the hollows of the plate but
not so sticky as to complicate the wiping of the plate before printing. Furthermore
these inks must not be water sensitive since the paper used to print intaglio plates is
often dampened. There are also different kinds of inks used to print etchings. Some
are more easily wiped, others stick better. The printer must choose the one that best
suits his purpose.
If an intaglio printer wishes to make his own ink he can make a basic mixture by
grinding the pigment and mixing it with a varnish made of raw linseed oil (100cm
3
)
and heavy oil (50cm
3
). The varnish must be heated in a double boiler and then left to
cool off. The powdered colour is then piled up in the form of a mound and the varnish
is gently and gradually poured onto the powder. Add the varnish a little at a time and
work the mixture with a palette knife until a thick and glossy paste is made. A thinker
paste can be made by diminishing the amount of raw linseed oil and by increasing the
amount of thick oil.
The inks used for embossing are very quick drying and have a glossy finish to them.
The inks used for printing lithographies are quite thick ones and the pigments are
selected so as to be insoluble in the water used to dampen the paper. In fact, a certain
amount of fatty materials are added to lithographic inks to increase their water
repulsion. The colours used for offset* are very strong ones as they must compensate
for the losses that come about during the transfer process that characterises this
technique. The inks used in phototyping must be both dense and insensitive to water.
C . SYNTHETIC INKS. These inks are generally used in serigraphy and date from
when this technique was first invented. At present silkscreening is quite often done
with highly resistant mat finish ink. These inks have a very mat finishand, when
printed, have a fairly conspicous relief (layer of ink). Furthermore, these inks are very
opaque and do not suffer from exposure to light. On the other hand, they are fragile
and breakable when manipulated. These inks can be made to shine if they are rubbed.
Synthetic inks are diluted with white spirit or then with a specific solvent. It is
essential not to let these inks dry on the screen as otherwise it will be impossible to
use the same screen again.
D. CELLULOSE AND ETHYLCELLULOSE BASE INKS. These inks are also
used in serigraphy and have various types of finish: mat, satiny, and glossy. These
inks seem to be replacing synthetic inks since they are more resistant and dry less
easily on the screen. When printed they cause very little relief (the ink layer is quite
low). These inks are diluted with either white spirit or a specific diluting agent. White
spirit is used as a solvant for ethyl cellulose base inks whereas acetone is used for
cellulose base inks.
Cellulose base inks have a very particular odour that some people find unpleasant.
These inks dry quickly and can also be used on coated paper, which is not the case
with synthetic inks. Cellulose inks are, however, quite hard to superimpose.
E. GLYCEROPHTALIC INKS. This category of inks is characterized by the fact
that they are very glossy, opaque, strong, resistant (especially to rubbing), and are
light fast. Their drying process is slow and therefore certain precautions must be
taken. In particular, care must be taken that no dust settles on the printed surfaces for
two or three hours after printing.
These inks are diluted with white spirit or with a specific diluting agent. However,
they must not be overly diluted if they are to retain their glossy finish. The screen
must be cleaned immediately after use with spirit or acetone. At times it will be found
necessary to clean the screen in the course of printing.
F . SPECIALTY INKS. Under this heading come all luminescent inks (inks that
reflect light in a particular way). These inks are fluorescent, phosphorescent,
andmetallic finish inks which contain a certain amount of metallic powder in
suspension.
Fluorescent inks are mat finish inks. Serigraphy is certainly the technique that has
made the most use of them. Fluorescent inks must be printed onto a white background
and must be diluted as little as possible. Their light fastness is quite low since their
life span is only a few weeks if exposed to full sun light. These inks are diluted and
cleaned with white spirit. They are printed onto relatively absorbant surfaces. Golden,
silvery, and bronze coloured inks are usually glycerophtalic inks or cellulose base
inks. The powder used to make these colours is mixed into the ink just before use and
tends to deposit heavily [*dusting].
4. BITING ( etching ) INKS . In concluding this description of the various inks
available to the printmaker I would like to speak of a variety of inks which are neither
for drawing nor for printing but which are used as a kind of etching* ground or
an acid resist in gillotype , photo-engraving.
In other words, these inks are used to make relief blocks onto which the image is
transferred by photographic means and then etched chemically.
The areas of the block which are to appear in relief are first covered with a soft black
ink that 5 will permit a first shallow etching. The ingredients of this ink are, according
to L.P.Clerc:
colophony in pieces 25 g
yellow bees' wax 200 g
black typographical book work ink 500 g
Heat the mixture and then, before it cools off, slowly add 200ml of turpentine oil,
mixing thoroughly h all the while.
For the successive etchings that must be undertaken to increase the relief one should
use a hard black ink which is made with the following ingredients:
Burgundy pitch 60 g
colophony in pieces 75 g
swedish black pitch 100 g
asphaltum in pieces 100 g
yellow bees' wax 100 g
black vignette ink 500 g
In typographical language book work impressions are those of a certain quantity/size
as opposed to the printing of catalogues, visiting cards, etc. which can be done in the
smailer workshops in the center of town. Vignette ink, which contains waxes, is a
typographical ink of good quality which is particularly suited for printing ornaments,
rules, tail pieces, etc.