Fluorescent and halogen lights are very damaging to inks, but the most damaging is direct sunlight. Lightfastness refers to how well the ink holds up to light. All inks carried by Flax are pH-neutral, which means they are neither acidic nor alkaline, like pure water (acid free). All acrylic and India inks are waterproof due to their chemical makeup.Īrchivability refers to the durability and longevity of an ink and is determined by three factors: water-resistance/waterproof, pH neutral/acid-free, and lightfastness. The paper also makes a difference: if the ink cannot permeate the paper there is a higher likelihood that the ink will not grab hold to the paper fibers. Natural dyes are water soluble, which can be a desired attribute for creating color mixing and layering effects. Waterproof means the ink will be totally permanent with no color lifting when exposed to water. Water-resistance is defined as mostly permanent, with some color lifting when exposed to water. There are several different levels of permanency with inks. One important aspect when searching for a white ink is the viscosity of the ink a thinner ink has a lower viscosity, which means less pigments. White ink can be so transparent that it’s difficult to get it to appear opaque. White ink is a special category because there is no such thing as a natural white dye, and as a result it is a pigment based ink only. Depending on the intensity of the black desired, one can choose a softer, transparent black or a starker, opaque black. Black ink can be India ink, acrylic, or dye, and this will determine the darkness of the black. It sticks to a wide range of surfaces, and with the exception of some whites, all colors are very opaque.īlack ink is the original and most widely used color, perfect for calligraphy, illustration, and more. Acrylic ink is waterproof, archival, pH-neutral/acid-free, and has the longest lifespan of all inks. One of the benefits of acrylic ink is that the color and the plastic are molecularly bonded, which makes its lightfastness rating the highest of all inks. Martin’s and Higgins make a matte India ink.Īcrylic ink is derived from liquid plastic, which allows for the pigments to lay out flat when the water and solvents evaporate. Most India ink has a sheen to it, which is amplified on a smooth surface, lessened on a matte surface Dr. India ink has historically been made with carbon and contains varnish or shellac, which gives it permanency and makes it waterproof. Originally available only in black, it now comes in other colors. India ink was actually first created in China and is also known as China Ink. These water-resistant inks dry quickly and permanently to surfaces such as Bristol and drawing boards. Because of the acrylic pigments, this ink will be less likely to fade with light and can additionally be mixed with acrylic paints. Dye based ink will be water-resistant unless otherwise noted on the product.Īcrylic based inks are composed of pigment particles that create ink colors that act more like acrylic paints. This ink will be immediately absorbed into paper surfaces, making it fantastic to use on Bristol and other fine paper surfaces. Although this ink can be stunningly bright, it has a low lightfast rating, so it should stay away from prolonged light exposure and stay within sketchbooks and portfolios. This ink has been produced for hundreds of years, with India Ink being a prime example of dye based ink. Is created with water-soluble dyes combined with gum arabic or other vehicles to create wide color range and brilliance. A few good general purpose papers for calligraphy or drawing are watercolor paper, block printing paper, and mixed media paper, and other papers specifically stated for use with ink. If the paper is too absorbent, there is the risk of the ink bleeding if the paper is too impermeable the ink may not dry properly and can smear. It’s also important to note that the paper used will affect how the ink performs. A higher price means higher quality and more refined materials are used, as well as a greater saturation of the pigment or dye. With ink, price tends to accurately reflect quality. With its smooth liquid texture, ink is ideal for illustrators, fine artists, and calligraphers alike. Ink is an ancient medium developed around the world, in multiple cultures, for the purpose of writing, drawing, and painting.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |