Page 27 - SCREEN PRINTING FOR BEGINNERS

Types of Ink

Plastisol Ink
Special Effects Ink
Plastisol ink is the more commonly
When the printer wants to create a
used paint by professional T-shirt
special effect surface that is
printers. The reason that this type
florescent, glittery, reflective,
of ink is used more often by most
raised, metallic or glow-in-the-
is because it is a very versatile ink
dark, there are choices. All of these
and it is also quite durable.
special effects inks come in both
Plastisol ink is so versatile that it
water-based as well as Plastisol
can be used on any color of T-shirt,
inks but each takes some practice
allowing the printer to create a
as these inks are often more
solid, bright color that will
difficult to work with than the
continue to look great one wash
standard paints are. The printer
after another.
will simply consider the color of
Water-Based Ink the garment that is being printed

Water-based inks are generally on when choosing whether or not
considered the preferred option water-based or Plastisol ink is a
when working on white or a very better option. The special effects
light colored T-shirt. Water-based ink are not suitable for all

inks usually do not work well on garments and are generally not as
colored shirts because you cannot resilient as the standard inks, but if
get the opaque results that you the right ink is chosen it will still
can get with the Plastisol inks. hold up well under repeated wear
Water-based inks hold up well for and wash.

a few washes, but then they will
start to soften and fade with
repeated wear and wash. They are,
however, preferred by many
because they often have a softer,
more comfortable feel for the
individual wearing the garment,
although in recent years Plastisol

inks have begun to be mixed in
such a fashion that they are able to
rival the softness of water-based
inks.

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