Printing inks and other supplies have been a part of humanity since 1440, when Gutenberg introduced his printing press. Since then, the printing machines we use have changed, but the materials used (inks and paper) haven’t really changed much at all. The biggest change in ink was the move from natural or organic substances to synthetic. A quick overview of the two main types of ink used today follows, as well as some printing-related products.

Printing inks can be divided into two categories, conventional printing ink and digital, non-impact printing ink. Conventional printing ink is designed to transfer an image from a metal plate onto the paper, where the ink is then bonded to the paper by using heat. Printing inks consist mainly of a solvent (vehicle) and a pigment or dye; most inks use oil, such as linseed, soybean, or a petrol derivative as the vehicle and mineral salts to provide colour. The pigment salts are nitrogen-containing, and have names like yellow lake, phthalocyanine green and peacock blue. Writing inks are oil-based, thick substances that are most often coloured using dyes rather than pigments.

The main printing supplies are, of course, ink and paper; but there are other supplies as well, such as toners, that are vital to the printer’s operation. The most important thing to remember about printing inks and supplies is that you need to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines as far as the types of paper and ink the printer is most compatible with; doing so will ensure that you get the most out of your printer.