Home Forums Explore Media Printmaking Linseed oil: paint vs. ink

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  • #450262
    andrew3024
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        It is often said by oil painters that one must not use oil paint on paper because the linseed oil will cause the paper to decay. However, it is my understanding that there are several printmaking techniques involving the use of inks made from oil. Is this not inherent and necessary in lithography, and also an option in intaglio and block printing?

        If it is true that oil paint is detrimental to unprepared paper, why is the same not true of printing inks also made from linseed oil?

        #553340

        it all depends on the particular oil. Cheap linseed oil one gets from Home Depot and/or Artist Oils from yester-year are often acidic and will make paper degrade over the centuries. However…. the same type of oil has been used for printing / printmaking since ~1450, and the paper has held up just fine.

        Modern Artist oils are not so problematic. A highly refined linseed oil is typically ph neutral, and can be of archival quality. I make my own inks using it and natural pigments. Many pieces were printed 45 years ago, and show no signs of deterioration.

        "Political Correctness" is just another way to muzzle free expression

        #553342
        contumacious
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            I have seen staining where oil blooms outward from the image area and yellows the paper. It hasn’t happened very often.

            #553341
            BeLing
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                Ink uses plate oil, which I think has been cooked—treated, anyway.

                Paint uses just mostly cold-pressed oil. . .I think. Anyway, the oils are different.

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