Home Forums Explore Media Printmaking Looking for low odor etching ink

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  • #469739
    blackandwhite
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        I have been using Charbonnel Aqua Wash etching inks for some time, but cannot tolerate the ink smell anymore. There is something in those inks that the smell makes me nauseous even in a relatively well ventilated room. The same happens with Caligo safe wash etching inks, so I need to find some alternatives…

        Does anyone have experience that how the Charbonnel traditional (solvent washable) intaglio inks smell compared to the aqua wash inks?

        is there any other etching inks that would have low smell?

        Akua intaglio is not an option, since it is way too fluid to work with my processes. I also tried Speedball relief ink, but it has too strong solvent smell. And there is same problem with Van Son Rubber Base ink. I also happen to live in dry-ish climate, so anything water-based will dry too quickly.

        #788527

        I don’t notice a smell from Caligo but then again I’m definitely loosing my sense of smell as I’ve got older!

        I found this link which mentions ‘faust ink’ and ‘akua’ as been odourless.
        https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1394070

        hope that helps.

        #788533
        pelgrim
        Default

            We (students in local art academy) use this ink for our etching:
            https://www.currys.com/catalogpc.htm?Category=CHARBONNEL_ETCHING_INK
            https://artsup.com.au/products/charbonnel-etching-inks
            It says “Encre taille douce” on top of each tube.
            Oil based, some colors, especially white and yellow, are very sticky and harder to work with,
            we need to add droplets of oil to make them processable.

            No odor, and the quality is really good.

            Pelgrim (programmer, maker, art hobbyist)

            #788534
            blackandwhite
            Default

                I’ve done some experiments with various oil-based inks and found that the traditional inks (not water washable) smell much less than any of the water washable oil inks. Something in the process that makes the linseed oil water washable makes it also smell awful. I found the same in oil paints, so it is something generic and not specific to any paint or ink manufacturer.

                #788528

                Sorry for hijacking post, but still on the topic of odours – did you experiment with cleaning oil based inks?

                I’ve used mainly oil based washable inks for lino but I’m getting a bit frustrated with them as they don’t dry after weeks – so I’m going to try traditional oils again.

                I remember trying to use veg. oil instead of white spirit to clean up but it wasn’t easy. Any (non odour) cleaning tips?

                Thanks!

                #788535
                blackandwhite
                Default

                    Yes, the water-washable oil inks can be really weird. I have had problems that the Charbonnel aqua wash inks dry on the mixing plate and brayer very quickly so that there is non-watersoluble skin and everything is a mess, but on paper those can take forever to dry completely.

                    I have limited experience with oil paints and inks, and usually my washing procedure has been that I use tissue paper to wipe away all possible ink and then use suitable soap with water to wash the remaining ink. Many soaps work directly to the oils, so there probably is no need for the vegetable oil rinsing. I generally use Finnish pine soap for washing any oil paints/inks, but I think any similar soap should work fine. Also art supplies stores often sell soaps that work for washing oil paints.

                    #788529

                    I am surprised that you cleaned the oil paints just with soap. That is good news :) When you say soap do you use washing up liquid?
                    I’ll perhaps get some a bit pokier than my usual eco. brand.

                    #788536
                    blackandwhite
                    Default

                        Some of the washing up liquids work too. The “pine soap” that I use is traditional stuff (soap made from pine oil) that works really well for oils paints. There are also water-based brush cleaning solutions sold at hardware stores that work for all kinds of paints. It is very rare that there is need for turpentine in cleaning the brushes and tools.

                        #788524
                        Diane Cutter
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                            I use Dawn dishwashing soap. In fact it is used on birds covered with oil after an oil spill it’s that mild but very effective and then I do a final swipe with household vinegar on a rag, which cleans up any little bit of smear that I might have missed.

                            #788530

                            I’m in the UK. I searched for pine soap, can’t find anything that isn’t expensive bathroom soap… I’ve not heard of dawn either.

                            #788525
                            Diane Cutter
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                                Here’s a link about Dawn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_(brand)

                                According to the article, it is sold as Fairy brand (Procter and Gamble) in the UK and Germany. Some artists deem it a bit pricey but a little goes a long way.

                                #788531

                                Ah I was going to say I wonder if Dawn is equivalent to Fairy liquid. I steer clear of fairy as not cruelty free :(

                                #788526
                                bridog
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                                    I use unscented liquid laundry detergent for cleaning up either water soluble oils or traditional oil inks (after cleaning first with inexpensive vegetable oil and rag. I apply the detergent undiluted with a cloth then take a damp sponge cloth with warm water and work it into a suds. I then follow with a rinse wipe of pure warm water and then blot dry tools, plates, blocks, whatever needs cleaning. The detergent immediately reacts and breaks down the oil and allows it to be wiped away from surfaces with paper towels or rags.

                                    [FONT="Book Antiqua"]The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work. Emile Zola

                                    www.myprintmakingjourney.blogspot.com
                                    visit my Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/borealart

                                    #788532
                                    contumacious
                                    Default

                                        I tried water based inks a while back but have returned to oil based. I only use water based ink when I plan to incorporate a print into an encaustic painting. The oil based inks dissolve when the hot beeswax is applied to the print, even if they have dried for months.

                                        Some people develop an intolerance to odors / chemicals when exposed to them over time. A solution to that is to wear an organic vapor mask which is not very fun, but it would allow one to continue printing.

                                        #788537
                                        blackandwhite
                                        Default

                                            Quick update on this old thread. I’ve tried numerous oil-based inks and so far it seems that traditional (not aqua wash) Charbonnel inks are the least smelly inks available. Especially the very stiff black 55985 had so little odor that I was really surprised when using it for the first time.

                                            I tried Akua intaglio again after many years, but it still never dries and is too weakly pigmented, so it wasn’t usable for me. Adding driers and more pigment doesn’t help, since it still never dries.

                                            Golden open acrylics were another interesting try. It dries very slow and can be easily used in e.g. relief processes. For intaglio it is too weakly pigmented and the thin layers (plate tone) dry to the plate, so I would only use it for lino and other relief processes where the ink layers are thicker.

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