printing inks

Printing Inks

Printing inks used in the oil printing process are applied to a specially prepared gelatin layer to form the photographic image. Unlike pigments used in gum bichromate or carbon printing, the ink is not mixed into the light-sensitive coating before exposure.

After exposure, development and proper preparation of the print, the moistened gelatin accepts ink to different degrees depending on how strongly it has been hardened. The ink is then applied and worked by hand, allowing the image to be built gradually and giving the printer control over density, contrast and overall character.

For this process, inks with suitable consistency, tack and covering power work best, as they can be distributed evenly across the print surface.

In this category you will find inks intended for oil printing and other historical photographic processes based on the manual application of ink to a gelatin layer.