General Information
Q. What type of materials can I print on using inkAID coatings?
A. You can print on almost anything that will run through your printer! Some popular substrates include fine art and handmade papers, metals like aluminum and copper, fabric, canvas, wood veneer, plastic, and glass. If it will fit through your printer, you can print on it! Always check your printer specifications to determine the maximum thickness of the media that can be used.
Q. Do inkAID ink jet receptive coatings work as well as the Golden Digital Grounds?
A. The Golden Digital Grounds were actually inkAID coatings. Our company, Ontario Specialty Coatings Corp., supplied these coatings to Golden Artist Colors who then marketed them as Golden Digital Grounds.
Q. What type of printers are compatible with inkAID products?
A. inkAID products can be used with inkjet printers using both pigment and dye based inks. However, images printed on inkAID Transfer Film for images transfers must be printed with Pigment Based Inks. Check the specifications of your printer.
Q. What type of materials can I transfer images to using inkAID Transfer Film and inkAID Transferiez Transfer Medium?
A. You can transfer images to almost any type of paper, even hand made paper, fabrics, canvas, metal, tile, and pottery.
Q. What printing profile should be used with inkAID coatings?
A. Since your inkAID coated material is the same as commercially available ink jet media, use the same profile settings. For clear coatings, select a gloss setting, for white matte coating, select the matte setting. Try several different profile settings to find the best one for your substrate/coating combination. Remember, you're creating a custom, one of a kind, fine art substrate!
Q. What is the shelf life of the inkAID coatings?
A. Whether opened or unopened, it is recommend to use coating within a year of being purchased.
Q. What is the best way to store the products?
A. All inkAID coatings should be stored in a cool, dry place. 65 to 75 degrees F. Do not allow to freeze.
Q. Do inkAID products have an effect on the archival properties of a print?
A. No. inkAID ink jet receptive coatings are the exact same coatings which are used on commercial ink jet media from companies like Epson, HP, Canon, etc. that you're already printing on. inkAID coatings do not contain optical brighteners. Be sure you are using an acrchival quality substrate and pigment based ink. Pigment based inks are extremely lightfast and resist fading for a long period of time. Ink lightfastness can be improved further by using post-print top coatings containing UV inhibitors as well as mounting under glass and keeping work in an controlled atmospheric environment.
Q. Do the inkAID Gloss coatings dry to a high gloss level?
A. The gloss level depends upon the substrate you use. Paper substrates will result in very low to no gloss level because the coating is absorbed into the paper. Metals, and any other non-porous substrate will result in a higher gloss level.
Q. Can inkAID coatings be used with Encaustic Wax?
A. Yes. You can apply encaustic wax over inkAID coatings and you apply inkAID coatings over encaustic wax.
Q. Can inkAID coatings be applied over acrylic grounds or mediums and acrylic paints?
A. Yes. inkAID coatings have excellent adhesion to water based acrylic materials. In fact, the digitally printed acrylic skin process involves coating dried acrylic paint with inkAID Clear Gloss Type II, then lifting the printed skin the printing substrate.
Q. What kind of coverage (in square feet) can I expect from the inkAID coatings?
A. Estimated coverage is about 200 - 250 square feet per gallon. Coverage can vary depending on the application technique and the substrate you’re coating. A sheet of handmade paper with no sizing is far more porous and will absorb more coating than a sheet of aluminum.
Q. Do you accept purchase orders?
A. Yes. We accept purchase orders from schools, colleges, universities, and government institutions only. Email purchase orders to sales@inkaid1.com.