A Considered Selection｜ Kitchen & Dining Supplies ｜Cranfield Medium Copper Plate Oil

Plate oils, sometimes referred to as copperplate oil, burnt plate oil or litho varnish in lithography, are the main ingredient in all printmaking inks besides pigments. Derived from linseed oils, processing has become less hazardous over the centuries, and it is no longer set on fire in vast vats (hence the name burnt plate oil) but rather heat polymerised to create stand oils of varying viscosities to suit the ink’s end use.
There are different measures for oil viscosities used across the world, from European ‘poise’ to US numbers, but we will use weak/light for thin oil and strong/heavy for thick oil. The thicker the oil, the higher its viscosity/tackiness. Different viscosities give etching, relief and lithography ink their specific properties, with combinations used to create each ink.
When it comes to adding oils to your inks to adjust them, the basic principle is that a light/weak oil softens the ink and reduces tack, while a heavy/strong oil increases tack and viscosity.
Brand:CranfieldSKU:RCMPO250Size:1 Litre, 250ml