Newbie: can water based inks be used on paper?

[clockworkpictures]

I'm making my first steps, using solvent based inks: they should be non toxic but the stink makes the room a nightmare and the solvent used to clean the screens is definitely toxic: is there any more environment-friendly (and less stinky) way to print on paper? thanks!!!

[boatdreams]

I think most people here print on paper with water based ink. I do, and almost all of my printer friends do, too.

[strawberryluna]

water based acrylic inks all the way here, and all i do is paper.

[clockworkpictures]

That's what was on my mind.. but I live in Italy and all the "pros" I've asked told me water based inks were not good... on the other hand here I've never saw "acrilic" water based inks so maybe they are not available here: can you suggest me some brands and where to buy them online in europe?
thanks again!

[strawberryluna]

well, it's a little confusing and i am sure that a 2nd language translation only adds to that.

BUT. that said, with easily accessible inks (at least in the north american continent, ak canada & the us) like speedball have 2 tiers:

1. Water soluable - which are shit and no good for anything but being angry.
2. Water based permanent acrylic inks - which are perfectly decent, work horse inks.

you can of course, get higher quality and more expensive, but as long as they are water-based, they clean up with water and are often labeled non-toxic, but also permanent and good inks.

i don't know where you can buy them in europe, but maybe some of the euro printers can chime in and help with a supply chain for you.

[squeegeethree]

d all the "pros" I've asked told me water based inks were not good...

As a pro I feel comfortable saying your pros don't know what they are talking about. The biggest problem is your access to good WB inks. Here we have many companies. PM Fabio as he is Italian and has done this research I believe.

[gozo]

Talking about acrylic inks, would they be the same as the acrylic paints artists use?

[strawberryluna]

similar, but no, they are different. formulated to probably not dry as quickly and with much smaller pigment solids most like to ensure the ink can go through higher mesh screens.

[samander12]

We use TW Graphics water base ink and love the quality. For paper printing this is great but make sure to back flood and get the slow retarder base they sale. Speedball is also a okay water base to work with but the quality is just not on the same page compared to TW ink. Hope this is a helpful start. Just remember that water base inks tend to dry fast and need a little more love when printing. We have a spray bottle full of water during printing in order to keep the ink wet. We also wet our screen before printing in order to make the emulsion moist for the water base ink. Clean up is also easy. We just use a water based ink degrader called enivorsol.

[gozo]

Thanks for the reply.