A Brand Inspired By Artists

inkAID is all about Art and the Artists who use the products in their creative process. inkAID was built on a foundation of the mixed media processes and technique that Artists share with us every day. These methods reflect their passion to combine traditional and contemporary art techniques, to cross boundaries and mediums, and to create a wholly unique image that portrays what they feel rather than only what they see.

What Are People Saying About inkAID?

Hi Jim,

 I want to take a moment and thank you for all of your support over the years.

First of all your products are consistent and dependable – which is so very appreciated. I have been working with the InkAID precoats for many years. My grad and undergrad Photography students experimented and created work on so many surfaces and substrates that they would never have been able to image on otherwise. When they begin to work with InkAID Transfer Film and Transferiez the whole notion of how to construct images changed. Akin to working with layers in Photoshop, transfer film allows an artist to work with photographic elements on a variety of substrates and build an image utilizing all art making possibilities. So cool.

Additionally, I love being able to transfer an image onto encaustic surfaces or make a base with transfers and then add encaustic paint and medium on top of that. So very many possibilities. Thank you for having such a cool company and for always responding so quickly to technical issues as well as your ongoing support to educators and InkAID’s workshop support.

Many thanks and with great appreciation,

Patti Russotti -  Associate Professor in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, College of Imaging Arts & Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Digital Grounds produced by inkAid are essential to my current work. They enable creative inkjet printing on just about any substrate! Clear or iridescent! They expand my work in fiber and mixed media. Truly a 21 Century art tool! 

Wen Redmond

The inkAID Story

inkAID products are manufactured by Ontario Specialty Coatings Corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ink jet coatings and ink jet imaging media are our only business. The company was founded in 1994 in Watertown, NY. Our company is among the most experienced and well known suppliers of water based ink jet coatings for digital imaging media.

Our offering of inkAID digital imaging products line began after a chance encounter with an artist who wanted an easy to use, environmentally safe, ink jet receptive coating that would provide clear, crisp images with deep vibrant colors, on a wide variety of substrates as an alternative to the gum arabic, methylcellulose, and rabbit skin glue coatings that were in use at the time. Since we already had the know-how and experience with these products, we figured we give it a try. 

After a year and half of testing our coatings on many different materials and evaluating the print results in collaboration with artists, the inkAID product line of coatings for direct ink jet printing was introduced in 1998. This was followed by the addition of inkAID Transferiez Transfer Medium and inkAID Transfer Film for the image transfer process several years later.

inkAID products allow artists to take full advantage of the digital revolution and immerse themselves into the print making process by selecting the most appropriate substrate, medium, and technique to translate their vision into print.

I talk to our customers almost every day and I'm always impressed and amazed by their talent, creativity and their willingness to share the "secrets" of their process with everyone. 

Jim Kedenburg - Founder and President, Ontario Specialty Coatings Corporation