inks – Zemni Prints

Used in:

Assignment 1: Willows

Project 2.2: Random Abstract Prints

Abstract from Frankenthaler

Abstract

Willows ice moonlight draft

Willows 1 Dawn monoprint

Willows 2 The Gloom 2

Schminke water-based inks are the first inks I ever used. They are artist-quality linoprint inks, made with high-quality organic and inorganic pigments on a gum arabic base. They have good lightfastness (at least 4-5 stars). They dry within 15 minutes to be wipe-proof but not waterproof and can be overprinted if necessary. There are 15 colours and 3 effect colours.

They can be used for:

linocut: the fast-drying time means they can be quickly overprinted and give a sharp line
monoprint: being water-based, they are also diluted with water which can produce very beautiful water-colour effects on monoprint. They can also be laid onto softfoam and keep their texture well when used with a palette-knife.

Inks

A key focus in my printmaking is experimentation with different inks:

the range of different effects that can be achieved through different mark-making (including dripping, dribbling) and mark-making implements (including fingers, masks and palette knives)
how inks react with different mediums like impasto, transparency medium and also water and solvents
interactions of different types of ink, both used together to produce blending and viscosity effects and also overlaid
the effects of different types of plate like soft-foam, foamboard, cardboard and collagraph textures
the effects of paper texture, thickness and dampness
effects of different hand printing and pressures of the press

For ink experimentation with mixed inks see:

Project 2.2: Random Abstract Prints
Project 5.2 forthcoming

Although I also use oil-based inks, I am particularly interested in pushing the potential of water-based and water-soluble inks because I am allergic to solvents so can only use these in very small amounts. This means I also experiment a lot with inks during the cleaning-up process – rolling onto scrap paper and printing from the inking plate – in order to minimise the ink that needs to be cleaned off rollers and plates. These papers are then used in colllage.