Akua Starter Set

Are Akua Inks water-based or water-soluble?

Akua Intaglio Ink is not water-soluble. The Intaglio process requires printing on damp paper which is incompatible with water soluble inks. Akua Liquid Pigment however, is water-soluble. It prints best on dry paper and cleans up with just water. Both Akua Intaglio and Akua Liquid Pigment have water among their bases' ingredients.

Why are my prints drying so slowly?

Akua Inks dry by absorption, not evaporation, because they do not contain any toxic cobalt dryers. How long the inks will take to dry will depend both on the type of paper that was used for printing, glossy or coated papers are NOT recommended for use with Akua Inks for this reason. Additionally, how heavily the ink is applied will affect the dry time. As a result, if there are any layers of ink that have not been pressed into the fibers of the paper, they will not dry.

Can I print on fabrics using Akua Inks?

Printing on fabric with Akua Inks can be done, but is mostly experimental as we do not have any formal testing for this specific process. Akua Inks do stain, although they do not contain dyes, so they cannot be treated as a dye. The inks will not be permanent on fabrics, and should not be used on projects that will be handled often or washed. Additionally, the inks cannot be heat set to make permanent.

The ink I just purchased is runnier/thicker than the Akua Intaglio inks that I’ve used in the past. Do I have a bad batch?

The viscosity of Akua Intaglio Inks vary naturally across colors and can be easily modified to the desired viscosity. To stiffen the ink, Akua Mag Mix or Magnesium Carbonate can be added. To loosen, Akua Blending Medium can be added to the ink.

Does every modifier work with Akua Intaglio or Liquid Pigment Ink?

While Akua Transparent Base, Release Agent and Blending Medium can be used with Akua Intaglio or Liquid Pigment, the other modifiers are specially-formulated for use with just one of the lines. Akua Liquid Pigment Retarder, Extender, and Tack Thickener are only recommended for use with Liquid Pigment. Conversely, Mag Mix should only be used with Akua Intaglio Inks.