How to stop ink-jet print from smearing. Difficulty: need to color on it
March 24, 2015 11:14 AM Subscribe
I'd like to be able to color on drawings printed with an ink-jet printer, but using markers smears the ink-jet ink.
Recently I re-started my coloring hobby. Back in the 70s when I was a kid there were great books of line patterns, some abstract, some geometrical, some representational, like some of these. I really enjoyed coloring with my Marvy markers and spent many happy hours doing so. I dabbled a bit here and there afterward, but then I stopped.
Recently a friend made a few designs of his own, so I decided that I would like to make some of my own patterns so I could print them out when I wanted to color. I thought it would be especially nice to be able to explore different palettes on the same design (which you can't do with a book unless you photocopy/scan it first).
But I am disappoint! I printed some out on nice heavy stock paper, started coloring, and the pen ink smears the black printed ink unless I am tediously careful (which really defeats the whole relaxation thing). I tried doing some research on treatments or ways to make the ink set, but the closest I got was a posting on decoupage. I am thinking most of those treatments would be difficult or impossible to color over. I haven't tried heat yet. I am leaving a couple that I printed yesterday for a couple of days to see if it gets better with time.
I'm 50 and my hands and eyes aren't as precise as they were when I was younger, so there's no way I'm not going to stray into the black lines sometimes. Is my only solution finding a laser printer? (Or would that even work?) Please tell me clever hacks!
Recently I re-started my coloring hobby. Back in the 70s when I was a kid there were great books of line patterns, some abstract, some geometrical, some representational, like some of these. I really enjoyed coloring with my Marvy markers and spent many happy hours doing so. I dabbled a bit here and there afterward, but then I stopped.
Recently a friend made a few designs of his own, so I decided that I would like to make some of my own patterns so I could print them out when I wanted to color. I thought it would be especially nice to be able to explore different palettes on the same design (which you can't do with a book unless you photocopy/scan it first).
But I am disappoint! I printed some out on nice heavy stock paper, started coloring, and the pen ink smears the black printed ink unless I am tediously careful (which really defeats the whole relaxation thing). I tried doing some research on treatments or ways to make the ink set, but the closest I got was a posting on decoupage. I am thinking most of those treatments would be difficult or impossible to color over. I haven't tried heat yet. I am leaving a couple that I printed yesterday for a couple of days to see if it gets better with time.
I'm 50 and my hands and eyes aren't as precise as they were when I was younger, so there's no way I'm not going to stray into the black lines sometimes. Is my only solution finding a laser printer? (Or would that even work?) Please tell me clever hacks!
You can use hairspray to help seal the ink...let it dry before trying to color, but it should work pretty well. They also make sealers designed for this, but they will cost more; hair spray usually works pretty well.
posted by richmondparker at 11:18 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by richmondparker at 11:18 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Inkjet ink is water soluble which is how it works. There is no way around it.
Laser printer toner is not water soluble, and there also are thermal wax transfer printers (which also is not soluble, but I hate them because they have them at work and pencil erasers smudge them crazy so printing crossword puzzles on them stinks, so I like laser printers better)
posted by aubilenon at 11:19 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Laser printer toner is not water soluble, and there also are thermal wax transfer printers (which also is not soluble, but I hate them because they have them at work and pencil erasers smudge them crazy so printing crossword puzzles on them stinks, so I like laser printers better)
posted by aubilenon at 11:19 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
You could try alcohol markers and see if they smudge -- some water-soluble inks are fine with Copic markers. I'm partial to laser printers for coloring, though. You can get a pretty decent Black and White one cheap and the toner cartridges last for ages.
posted by palindromeisnotapalindrome at 11:31 AM on March 24, 2015
posted by palindromeisnotapalindrome at 11:31 AM on March 24, 2015
Inkjet ink is water soluble which is how it works. There is no way around it.
It depends on the ink. Epson DuraBrite inks are basically waterproof (in my experience) and are also archival (assuming you use archival paper too.) I haven't done rigorous testing but for example if you leave a cold glass on an Epson printout, condensation might cause the paper to wrinkle but the ink won't run.
The ink might react differently to marker solvent than water, though. Maybe you can find a friend or acquaintance who has an Epson that uses DuraBrite ink and give it a try?
posted by usonian at 11:50 AM on March 24, 2015
It depends on the ink. Epson DuraBrite inks are basically waterproof (in my experience) and are also archival (assuming you use archival paper too.) I haven't done rigorous testing but for example if you leave a cold glass on an Epson printout, condensation might cause the paper to wrinkle but the ink won't run.
The ink might react differently to marker solvent than water, though. Maybe you can find a friend or acquaintance who has an Epson that uses DuraBrite ink and give it a try?
posted by usonian at 11:50 AM on March 24, 2015
Best answer: I think the easiest solution would be for you to print them out and have them photocopied onto the heavy paper you want to color.
Copier ink is different than inkjet ink and doesn't do the smearing thing.
posted by MadMadam at 12:09 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Copier ink is different than inkjet ink and doesn't do the smearing thing.
posted by MadMadam at 12:09 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Copier ink is different than inkjet ink and doesn't do the smearing thing.
Etymology note: the name Xerox derives from the Greek root xero- meaning "dry", because their copying process did not involve water soluble ink. Photocopiers are basically the same deal as laser printers, except instead one uses lasers to determine where toner sticks to the charge roller, and the other uses light reflected off of the original document.
posted by aubilenon at 1:09 PM on March 24, 2015
Etymology note: the name Xerox derives from the Greek root xero- meaning "dry", because their copying process did not involve water soluble ink. Photocopiers are basically the same deal as laser printers, except instead one uses lasers to determine where toner sticks to the charge roller, and the other uses light reflected off of the original document.
posted by aubilenon at 1:09 PM on March 24, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I happen to have an elderly copier in the house, just gave that a try and yes, perfect. Easy peasy, thanks MadMadam! Other suggestions also welcome. I expect I'll be giving all the suggestions a try.
posted by clone boulevard at 1:11 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by clone boulevard at 1:11 PM on March 24, 2015
A laser printer would work. (They use a different process, which basically involves depositing very finely powdered black plastic -- the toner -- where you want lines, then melting it together using hot rollers. The result is quite waterproof.)
Finding a laser printer is a lot easier than once it was. Look at total cost of ownership -- you'll see a lot of deeply discounted printers which come with a "trial size" (read: laughably tiny) supply of toner, and getting more is nearly the same cost as the printer. I like the low-end Brother brand mono laser printers myself, but there are lots of good sub-$100 options, especially if you watch for loss leaders from big-box stores, and online sales.
posted by sourcequench at 1:15 PM on March 24, 2015
Finding a laser printer is a lot easier than once it was. Look at total cost of ownership -- you'll see a lot of deeply discounted printers which come with a "trial size" (read: laughably tiny) supply of toner, and getting more is nearly the same cost as the printer. I like the low-end Brother brand mono laser printers myself, but there are lots of good sub-$100 options, especially if you watch for loss leaders from big-box stores, and online sales.
posted by sourcequench at 1:15 PM on March 24, 2015
Agree with sourcequench that if you end up doing this a lot you might want to get a laser printer. They are smaller and cheaper than they used to be. I like our Brother which is similiar to this Wirecutter-recommended MeFi fave.
posted by radioamy at 1:21 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by radioamy at 1:21 PM on March 24, 2015
It's probably worth mentioning that a lot of "all in one" printer-scanner-copiers are inkjet printers and not true photocopiers (in the sense of using the light-based printing process that xerographic copiers use), and will not meet your needs.
posted by aubilenon at 1:26 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by aubilenon at 1:26 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Many moons ago when I was using inkjets and creating art with them, I used Workable Fixatif to seal my work and bea able to go in and work on it. Ask folks who draw with other non permanent media, such as pastels. It's what they use. It comes in matte, and non matte finishes. Fairly inexpensive and worth the try.
posted by evilDoug at 9:18 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by evilDoug at 9:18 PM on March 24, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by clone boulevard at 11:17 AM on March 24, 2015