Are all pigment inks the same?

09 Dec.,2024

 

Dye Ink Vs. Pigment Ink : Understanding The Difference

Dye Ink vs. Pigment Ink: Understanding the Differences and Choosing the Right Ink for Your Printing Needs

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In today&#;s competitive world of printing, print quality has become something of great significance. The quality, as well as the durability of prints, is greatly impacted by the type of ink used in the printing industry. The purpose of this article is to explain how dye ink and pigment ink differ from one another. You may choose the best ink for your particular printing needs by understanding their technical differences, performance on various media, advantages, and limitations. 

Definition and Composition of Dye and Pigment Ink (Technical Difference)

  • Dye ink consists of colorant particles dissolved in a liquid. These colorants are composed of small molecules that can easily penetrate the printing media. By nature, the dye colorants are more vibrant and hence produce vivid and sharp colors on prints, having a wide color gamut. 

  • Pigment ink is made up of tiny solid pigment particles suspended in a liquid carrier. These particles sit on the surface of the printing media rather than being absorbed like dye ink. Pigment ink is known for its exceptional lightfastness and durability. By nature, these pigment colorants are not as vibrant as dye colorants, thus resulting in a color gamut not as wide as dye inks. 

Performance on different media (Dye Ink Vs. Pigment Ink)

  • Dye ink excels in printing on glossy and coated papers, as well as certain specialty photo papers. It delivers brilliant colors and smooth gradients, making it ideal for photo printing.

  • Pigment ink performs exceptionally well on a wide range of media, including plain paper, matte paper, and specialty fine art papers. Its ability to sit on the surface of the paper results in sharp and detailed prints suitable for documents and archival-quality art prints.

Advantages of Dye Ink 

  • Superior color performance and vibrancy, make it perfect for photo printing.

  • Faster printing speed and drying time due to its quick absorption into the paper.

  • More cost-effective than pigment ink.

Advantages of Pigment Ink

  • Exceptional print longevity and fade resistance, ensuring the longevity of prints without significant color degradation.

  • High water and smudge resistance, ideal for producing prints that need to withstand environmental factors.

  •  Excellent for producing sharp and detailed prints, perfect for documents and artwork.

Comparison between Dye Ink Vs. Pigment Ink

ParameterDye InkPigment Ink Color performance and vibrancyVibrant with good saturationLong lasting, less vibrant than Dye inks Print longevity and fade hereModerateExcellent Water and smudge resistanceLowHigh Media CompatibilityModerateWide Image Detail and resolutionGoodExcellent Printing speed and drying timeFasterSlower

Why do Large Format Printers have more colors?

If one looks at the number of colors that exist in a desktop printer, one would find that this number lies between 4 to 6, sometimes more. On the other hand, a large format printer normally has 8 or more colors. Now why is that exactly?

Actually, large-format printing applications have durability as a deciding factor of quality. Hence almost all large format printers use pigment inks. Now, since pigment inks do not have such a wide color gamut, these printers use a higher number of colors to achieve the required gamut. 

Choosing the Right Ink for Your Printing Needs

    • When deciding between dye ink and pigment ink, consider the following factors

      • Intended use of prints:

        Determine whether you&#;ll mainly be printing photos, documents, or art prints.

      • Desired longevity of prints:

        Consider how long the prints will need withstanding environmental factors

      • Budget considerations:

        Generally, pigment inks are more expensive than dye inks. Understanding your printing needs precisely is important to know the right ink type. 

  • Printer type and compatibility:

    Check if your printer works on dye, pigment, or both inks before using a particular ink on them

  • Recommendations for specific applications

    • Photo printing:

      Opt for dye ink for its vibrant colors and fast printing speed.

    • Document printing

      : Opt for pigment ink for its fade-resistant properties and sharp image quality.

    • Art and design printing

      : Choose pigment ink for its archival quality and exceptional detail. But it may require a machine with more colors to print.

Also Read &#; Selecting The Right Ink For Your Inkjet Printer

Best Practices for Printing with Dye Ink and Pigment Ink

  • Proper handling and storage of ink cartridges &#;

    Store ink cartridges in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

  • Maintenance tips for inkjet printers &#;

    Follow the printer manufacturer&#;s guidelines for cleaning and maintenance to ensure optimal performance.

  • Choosing the right paper for optimal results &#;

    Select an appropriate paper type for the best print results, whether glossy, matte, or fine art paper.

Conclusion

The output of your prints can be greatly affected by the ink that you choose, whether it be dye or pigment. While pigment ink produces exceptionally detailed, long-lasting, fade-resistant prints, dye ink excels at producing vivid photos. You may make an informed choice that ensures the best outcomes for your projects by taking into account your unique printing requirements and the benefits of each ink type. To maximize the effectiveness and durability of your prints, keep in mind to adhere to recommended ink and printer maintenance procedures.

Pigment Ink vs. Dye Ink: What Is the Best Ink for Card ...

 Are you looking for the best ink to use for different paper crafting projects? Or perhaps you're torn between choosing pigment ink or dye ink? Look no further! Today, we'll discuss the key differences between pigment ink vs. dye ink, what is pigment ink, and what are the features, pros, and cons to using these different types of inks for paper crafting.

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What Is Pigment Ink?

Pigment-based ink is a type of ink used to color paper and other surfaces. Pigments are tiny particles of solid matter suspended in a liquid or gas medium, such as water or air. In this case, the pigment is mixed with an oil-based carrier. This type of ink has been around for centuries and was originally made from natural pigments like those found in plants, animals, and minerals. 

Unlike water-based inks, pigment inks are water-resistant and more fade-resistant. They can be a great way to add color, texture, and vibrancy to your cards, scrapbooks, journals, and other paper crafts. Commonly, they are used in mixed media art and watercoloring projects.

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What Is Pigment Ink Made Of?

Pigment ink combines water, pigment, resin, and other additives to create durable and high-quality ink. Depending on the desired outcome, the ink may be heated or cooled during its creation process.

It's the go-to ink for printing on textiles, packaging labels, and other specialty applications where durability is critical. However, it's not just limited to these uses - it's also utilized in advanced industrial printing systems, digital textile printers, and direct-to-fabric printer models. So the next time you see a beautifully printed fabric or printing project, you can appreciate the magic of pigment ink!

In addition, one of the reasons pigment ink is so powerful is because of its oil-based pigment components. This makes it easy to use on multiple crafting projects. While there are different types of pigment-based inks available today, each type shares the characteristic of being water-resistant and fade-resistant over time.

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What Is a Pigment Ink Pad?

In paper crafting, using a pigment ink pad is nothing new. This water-proof ink is opaque, vibrant, and ideal for heat embossing techniques. It&#;s the perfect ink for heat embossing techniques because it sits on top of the paper and doesn&#;t absorb into it. It also takes longer to dry. These inks are more spongy and foamy compared to a dye ink pad. It is thicker and richer, and more fade-resistant.

What Is the Difference Between Pigment Ink and Dye Ink?

If you&#;re new to stamping and cardmaking, you&#;re probably confused about the difference between pigment-based inks and dye-based inks. What is the best ink for cardmaking? Which one should you invest in? The answer will surprise you - get both! It&#;s hard to compare the two inks without highlighting some of their excellent features. Both inks offer a lot of benefits for different projects. As a cardmaker, crafter, or scrapbooker, you will be trying various techniques and need both types of ink to create beautiful and unique crafts. 

The most notable difference when talking about pigment ink vs. dye ink, other than the formula, is that while the latter &#;dyes&#; the surface, the former sits on top of it.

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What Is Dye Ink?

Most stampers will tell you that dye-based ink is the best ink for stamping. Dye-based ink is vibrant, translucent, acid-free, fast-drying, and fade resistant. It works well with various kinds of paper and pairs perfectly with rubber stamps and clear photopolymer stamps. Since the color substances are dissolved in a liquid, they absorb into the paper and don&#;t sit on top like a pigment ink pad.

If you want to know the main differences between using pigment inks and dye-based inks, refer to the table below: 

Type of Ink

Features

Pros

Cons

Pigment-based ink

  • Rich and thick
  • Opaque
  • Vibrant
  • It sits on top of the paper
  • Spongy and foamy pad
  • Glycerin base
  • Archival
  • Long-lasting
  • Acid-free
  • It doesn&#;t dry quickly, so it&#;s great for heat embossing techniques.
  • It&#;s water-resistant.
  • It can be used for various water-based techniques like watercoloring.
  • You can stamp lighter colors on dark cardstock.
  • It has an excellent, crisp result right away.
  • It takes too long to dry.
  • It is prone to smudging or smearing.
  • It needs to be set with a heating tool.
  • It needs reinking more often.

Dye-based ink

  • Smooth and crisp
  • Translucent
  • Vibrant
  • Absorbs into the paper
  • Felt pad
  • It dyes the paper
  • Water-based
  • Acid-free
  • Ideal for porous surfaces


  • It dries quickly.
  • It doesn&#;t smear or smudge.
  • Most companies offer re-inkers for this type of ink.
  • It is easy to apply to clear stamps and rubber stamps.
  • It is great for different card making techniques such as stamping, layered stamping, and mixed media techniques.
  • It is fade-resistant.
  • There is less bleeding compared to pigment ink pads.
  • It can take too long to even out and dry into the paper.
  • It dries too quickly.
  • It&#;s not water-resistant.
  • It can appear blotchy at first.
  • It stains your finger.
  • It can&#;t be used with watercolors and other water-based mediums.

 

Benefits of Using Pigment Ink vs. Dye Ink

Pigment inks are incredibly versatile inks that can be applied to a broader range of fabrics than dye-based inks, including polyester and nylon. This makes them the preferred choice when creating custom textile items such as purses, tote bags, pillowcases, or t-shirts.

They also provide better color accuracy than dye-based inks because they dry quickly with less bleeding or smearing when printed onto fabric substrates. Additionally, pigment ink can withstand extremes of temperature and humidity, making them ideal for use under various environmental conditions.

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One of the significant benefits of pigment-based ink is that it is waterproof. This means that you can use it to print on fabrics for outdoor clothing, use it for watercoloring cards, stamping on shrink plastic, and more.

Another benefit to using pigment inks is that they are more water-resistant than dye inks. The ink will "bead" up when you overlay an area with water instead of sinking into the fibers like dye-based inks would do. This means you won't have to worry about the ink bleeding when printing on cardstock or cardboard items.

However, one disadvantage is that pigment ink pads are more expensive than dye-based inks because of their added resin content. Resin, a more costly material, helps them hold up better on thicker items like paper, cardstock, fabric, and plastics. Another potential downside is that it takes longer for the ink to dry on the surface than it would with other types of ink.

What Is the Best Ink for Cardmaking?

The simple answer is: it&#;s still a personal preference that depends on the type of project you want to work on. Just remember, not all inks are created equal. Do your research and find one that suits not just your budget, but your crafting needs as well!

In the battle of pigment ink vs. dye ink, the former offers many advantages over the latter because it renders well to a wide variety of techniques and mediums. Pigment ink might be a bit pricier than dye inks, but their durability and quality are unmatched.

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When buying pigment inks, you need to remember the different types of pigment-based inks available on the market, including solvent-based, water-based, or oil-based. The solvent-based pigment ink pad is by far the most popular and can be used with different types of fabric and other surfaces, such as paper and plastic.

Uses of Pigment Inks In Paper Crafting

What makes pigment ink pads a must-have for paper crafters? Not only are they versatile, but they can also be used in a wide range of DIY crafting projects: from handmade cards and scrapbook pages to personalized t-shirts! Yes, you read that right! These water-based inks can be used to stamp gorgeous and unique designs on different types of fabric such as cotton, canvas, and linen.  

Here are 9 things you should know about Altenew&#;s line of pigment-based inks!

  1. You can use them on various porous surfaces, such as paper, fabric, wood, cork, and more!
  2. These inks are more opaque and provide beautiful coverage.
  3. Since they are water-based, they will leave a gorgeous detailed impression every single time.
  4. You can set the stamped image with a heat gun or iron to make it permanent.
  5. These pigment inks are rich, vibrant, and acid-free!
  6. These inks are archival so your handmade projects will last for a long time without fading.
  7. They&#;re perfect for multiple card making techniques such as stamping, ink blending, heat embossing, and stenciling!
  8. You can use them on dark cardstock or dark surfaces! 
  9. There&#;s a range of color families to choose from, and they coordinate with the rest of our ink line!

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12 Fun DIY Paper Crafts You Can Make With Pigment Ink

  1. Handmade cards
  2. Scrapbook pages
  3. Art journal cover
  4. Bullet journal page
  5. Mixed media art
  6. DIY home decor
  7. Gift boxes
  8. Personalized t-shirt
  9. Handmade tags
  10. DIY bookmarks
  11. Customized pillowcase
  12. DIY canvas drawstring bag

 

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All in all, pigment inks are a must-have for any paper crafting project. It is your best option if you&#;re looking to make cards, scrapbook pages, or mixed media art pieces with impressive color and texture.

You can use these multi-purpose inks can be used on most surfaces, including watercolor papers, wood veneers, fabric, and more - leaving room for endless creative possibilities!

The best part is that, you can also blend pigments into each other using tools like sponges or ink blending brushes, creating an endless number of unique colors that you won&#;t find anywhere else. If you&#;re a beginner who wishes to explore different techniques and ideas using these versatile ink pads, make sure to check out our FREE Crafting 101 Mixed Media Inks online class! So what are you waiting for?

If you want to learn more, please visit our website textile pigment ink.