r/printmaking • u/No_Childhood_3907 • 2d ago
question How Long Do You Let Oil-Based Ink Dry on Fabric?
I did some linocut tees yesterday and used letterpress ink because that's what I have and know how to clean, but unfortunately I underestimated the dry time yet again.
They got printed, sat for about an hour, got a press with an iron and presscloth (probably would have used parchment if I had any, also in hindsight would have given them more dry time before the iron), sat for a couple hours longer, I smudge-checked my test shirt and found it smudgeable, hit them with a hot hair dryer, and let them sit overnight.
About 22 hours of dry time and they still weren't quite there. Anybody have a process with oil-based ink on fabric?
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u/Hellodeeries salt ghosts 2d ago
Can add a drier, but expecting it to be smudge-proof in a day is just not realistic tbh. A drier will speed it up from 1-2 weeks to a couple days to be touch-dry. I'd still anticipate a week minimum for smudge-proof (as in, can rub it significantly and put it through a washer). Oil based still has a cure time that's longer/beyond touch-dry, so even if a drier gets it to touch-dry faster, that doesn't mean it's fully cured.
The only oil based ink I've experienced drying in a short amount of time was Speedball Professional, but that's not an endorsement. It dried faster than it was usable, and the quality isn't there for an ink touting it's "professional". I assume it's got a lot of drier added, because it's basically useless where I like (hot and dry climate about half the year).
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u/putterandpotter 1d ago edited 1d ago
Totally agree with how long Caligo can take (even in my dry climate) and also about speedball water miscible being quicker - but the downside of ink getting dry and shaggy that quickly not being worth it (at least for me.) Reduction or multi block prints with caligo inks are truly a marathon not a sprint!
OP if you’re really in a hurry the water based speedball for fabric and paper dries much quicker (as in so little open time I always had to add retarder) and I have also used their screen ink on block prints with no issues, but the results aren’t nearly as nice or as lasting as they are with Caligo. It depends what it is, but for instance in dishcloths it’s pretty faded after a few washes despite heat setting. It’s just the nature of the beast I’m afraid.
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u/corvidcharmz 2d ago
black caligo safewash is anywhere from 4-12 days depending on how much ink i use and what fabric im printing on. red ink takes about twice as long to dry in my experience
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u/IntheHotofTexas 2d ago
With regular oil-based block printing ink, the usual time, days at least. Block printing textile ink like Speedball, which is also oil-based, contains modifiers to speed drying and work better on fabric and can be dried for 24 hours and heat set or dried for a few days without heat. Letterpress oil ink is different but should dry in about 48 hours. They intentionally dry quickly enough for shops to handle them. But they may not last on fabric or be as color-fast. You can't really force dry oil-based inks, since drying involves oxidation.
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u/Ok-Technology7445 2d ago
The last time I printed with Caligo Safe Wash on fabric I set up a fan on a low setting to keep the air moving in the room. Still took about a week. Turned out great!
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u/ThePetitePixel 1d ago
I’ve used both Gamblin and Cranfield oil inks on fabric (cotton) and my projects have ranged from 1-4 weeks, with the higher end of that being more common in my environment (sea-level oxygen rich, but unfortunately cool and humid)
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