Plate Oil for Adjusting the Viscosity of Printmaking Inks
Cranfield Medium Plate Oil is an ink modifier for oil-based printing inks. Its main purpose is to adjust ink viscosity, flow and handling characteristics according to the printing technique, matrix and behaviour required during inking and printing.
Cranfield recommends its Plate Oils for modifying the viscosity of intaglio inks and other oil-based printing inks, including traditional relief printing inks, traditional intaglio inks and offset printing inks, among others. Its use is therefore not limited to a single range of printmaking inks.
What Is Medium Plate Oil Used For?
Reducing and Adjusting Ink Viscosity
Adding Medium Plate Oil allows a thick or highly viscous ink to be modified progressively, altering its rheology, reducing viscosity and improving its flow and handling during inking and printing.
It can be particularly useful for certain relief printing processes, as well as for etching, aquatint, drypoint, mezzotint and other intaglio techniques, or whenever the original consistency of an oil-based printing ink needs to be adjusted.
Adjusting Ink Handling and Printing Characteristics
Ink viscosity directly affects how an ink handles, how it rolls out and how it behaves on the printing matrix. Adjusting its viscosity allows an ink that is too stiff or viscous to be adapted to a particular technique, matrix or inking method.
This can be particularly useful when working with large areas, rollers, relief blocks or certain intaglio processes where a more fluid and workable ink is required.
The amount needed will depend on the ink, printing technique and desired result. We recommend adding the oil gradually with an ink knife or spatula, mixing thoroughly before adding any more.
Progressive addition provides much greater control over the change in viscosity than adding a large amount from the outset.
Recommended Use
Add a small amount of Medium Plate Oil to the ink and mix thoroughly with an ink knife or spatula until the mixture is homogeneous.
Check the consistency and handling of the ink before adding more oil. If greater flow is required, add another small amount and mix again.
There is no single mixing ratio suitable for every application, as the amount required will depend on the initial viscosity of the ink, printing process, matrix and handling characteristics required.
When using the product with a new ink or formulation, we recommend carrying out a small mixing and printing test first.
Compatible Printmaking Techniques and Applications
Medium Plate Oil can be used to modify oil-based printing inks for a wide range of printmaking and printing processes, including:
- Linocut and woodcut
- Etching
- Aquatint
- Drypoint
- Mezzotint
- Photogravure and certain photopolymer processes
- Mixed intaglio techniques
- Lithography
- Letterpress and other relief printing processes
- Monotype with oil-based inks
- Certain applications using offset printing inks
The suitability and amount of plate oil required will always depend on the ink formulation and the characteristics of the particular printing process.
Can It Be Used with Relief, Lithographic or Offset Inks?
Yes. Although Plate Oils are closely associated with intaglio inks, Cranfield states that they can also be used to modify the viscosity of other oil-based printing inks.
This extends their potential use to oil-based inks for linocut, woodcut, lithography, letterpress and certain offset printing applications, in addition to intaglio inks.
Medium Plate Oil may also be tested with printmaking inks from other manufacturers, provided that they are oil-based formulations compatible with this type of modifier.
Ink formulations can vary considerably between manufacturers and ranges. When using Medium Plate Oil with a different ink, we therefore recommend carrying out a small mixing and printing test before modifying a larger quantity.
What Does Medium Plate Oil Mean?
Plate Oils can be produced in different viscosity grades. The name Medium Plate Oil identifies the grade of this oil within Cranfield's family of ink modifiers.
This distinction is important because plate oil does not necessarily describe a single viscosity: the behaviour of the modifier depends on its grade and on the characteristics of the ink with which it is mixed.
In all cases, we recommend adding small amounts progressively until the required consistency and printing characteristics are achieved.
Main Features
- Modifying oil for printmaking inks and other oil-based printing inks.
- Allows ink viscosity to be reduced and adjusted.
- Modifies ink flow and handling during inking.
- Particularly suitable for intaglio inks and intaglio printmaking techniques.
- Can be used for certain relief printing, lithographic, letterpress and offset applications.
- Can be tested with compatible inks from other manufacturers.
- Best added progressively in small amounts.
- Grade: Medium Plate Oil.
- Size: 250 ml.
Need to Speed Up Ink Drying?
Medium Plate Oil is used to adjust ink viscosity and handling characteristics. If you need to speed up the drying of an oil-based printmaking ink, see Cranfield Printmakers' Wax Drier.
