Our printmaking ink range…

Here at Ironbridge fine art’s we chose to stock the brilliant Cranfield’s printmaking inks. We have a wide range of etching inks and relief inks which allow for non toxic printing methods and a solvent free way of cleaning. We stock our inks in every colour, size and type, ready for most printing methods. Cranfield always select light fast pigments for their formulations. All our inks are rated 6 or higher on the International Blue Wool Scale.

With so many inks being available you might be asking yourself which ink is best for me and my printing methods? In this blog we will explain all you need to know about the types of inks we offer giving you the knowledge to know which inks will suit you and your printmaking processes.

Traditional Relief Inks

A traditional oil based ink perfect for printing onto raised surfaces such as your lino’s and woodblocks.

Relief printing is perhaps the broadest type of printmaking and has recently seen a resurgence of interest. It uses plates made from a variety of materials such as lino, wood, card, metal and cloth.

A popular and reliable formulation – provides vibrant, light fast prints from all types of relief plates

As well as highly pigmented formulations, Cranfield traditional relief inks also benefit from a careful mix of traditional linseed oils. These are chosen and blended to provide a viscosity and structure to the ink – along with that unique linseed smell. This keeps the relief print as fresh and bright as the day it was created.

Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks

A safe wash based ink perfect for printing onto raised surfaces such as your lino’s and woodblocks.

Relief printing is perhaps the broadest type of printmaking and has recently seen a resurgence of interest. It uses plates made from a variety of materials such as lino, wood, card, metal and cloth.

We have a wide range of safe wash relief inks which allow for non toxic printing methods and a solvent free way of cleaning. Our safe wash inks are oil based however are water soluble so they can be easily cleaned with liquid soap and water.

Caligo Safe Wash Relief inks are suitable for both damped and dry paper and deliver strong crisp results.

Beautiful pigments, finely ground into the purest oil for archival results.

Traditional Etching Inks

A traditional oil based ink perfect for pushing into intaglio plates such as dry-points, etchings and photo polymere’s.

A consistently reliable formulation – provides rich prints from all types of Intaglio plates.

As well as highly pigmented formulations, Cranfield traditional etching inks also benefit from a careful mix of traditional linseed oils. These are chosen and blended to provide a viscosity and structure to the ink – along with that unique linseed smell. This keeps the etching as fresh and bright as the day it was created

Caligo Safe Wash Etching Inks

A safe wash based ink perfect for pushing into intaglio plates such as dry-points, etchings and photo polymere’s.

We have a wide range of safe wash etching inks which allow for non toxic printing methods and a solvent free way of cleaning. Our safe wash inks are oil based however are water soluble so they can be easily cleaned with liquid soap and water.

Beautiful pigments, finely ground into the purest oil for archival results.

Ink size

The majority of our ink comes in 75ml tubes, these small easy tubes make it easy and fast to dispence ink with storing it in an easy way which prevents ink drying out. These sized inks are perfect for a printmaker wanting to sample a new colour or for someone or for someone just starting out.

Some of our key colours such as your magenta, black and white are available in 300 gram tubes. These tubes are placed into a seleant/caulking guns to dispense the ink with ease and little mess caused. These tubes are fantastic for a busy printmaker they make for a clean print run with little ink waste.

Metallic Inks

We stock silver, gold and copper in our traditional relief range. These colours allow for a beautiful metallic print with shimmering qualities showing through from the beautiful pigmented ink.

Extender 

Extenders are stocked in all ranges and are simply like any other ink except include no pigment so that they are completely transparent and offer the ability to mix with other inks creating transparency with in colour.

Caligo safe wash oil

A specialist washable oil that you can add to your Safe Wash Inks when you need to thin and dilute your ink. It makes your inks thinner, reduces viscosity, increases flow and increases transparency.

This oil modifier is made with the same linseed oil medium we use to make the safe wash inks. It is therefore an ‘oily’ rather than ‘inky’ modifier. If you need to increase transparency but maintain the body of you ink use Caligo Safe Wash Extender.

Caligo Safe Wash Oil is Ideal for Monoprinting and Carborundum printing when you need to thin and dilute your inks
Also suitablle for Viscosity Printing applications when you need to reduce viscosity and increase the flow of your inks.

Thank you for reading!

Happy Printmaking!

All the best,

Ellie & The Team!

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If you have read to the bottom of this blog you are entitled to a free gift, please email Jenny@IronbridgefineArts.co.uk with your preferred printing Relief or Intaglio to claim. Postage of £6.99 will still apply.