Caligo Safe Wash inks explained: relief, etching, and why they matter
If you have ever been put off printmaking by the thought of working with solvents — the smell of turpentine, the need for specialist ventilation, the question of how to dispose of solvent-soaked rags and cleaning materials safely — then Caligo Safe Wash inks are the product that removes that barrier entirely.
Traditional oil-based printmaking inks produce the finest results of any ink type. The richness, the density, the quality of the printed mark, and the archival stability of oil-based inks have made them the professional standard for printmaking for centuries. The problem has always been cleanup — oil-based ink requires solvents to remove it from rollers, plates, blocks, and equipment, and solvents introduce a set of practical, health, and environmental concerns that make oil-based printmaking genuinely difficult outside a properly equipped studio.
Caligo Safe Wash inks solve this problem completely. They are oil-based inks that clean up with soap and water. That is the entire proposition, and it is a significant one. Made from polymerised vegetable oil and artist-quality pigments, they handle and print like traditional oil-based inks in every respect — and at the end of the session you clean up with washing up liquid and water rather than white spirit or turpentine.
We stock Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks at £14.75 and Caligo Safe Wash Etching Inks at £14.95 at Craft and Canvas, alongside Caligo Safe Wash Oil at £11.45 and Caligo Wiping Compound and Tack Reducer at £10.57.
Who makes Caligo inks
Caligo inks are made by Cranfield Colours, an independent, family-owned printmaking ink manufacturer based in Wales. Cranfield has been serving printmakers for over 30 years and produces an extensive line of high quality artist's printmaking inks, including traditional oil-based inks for all the classic printmaking processes. In 1999 the company was recognised as Welsh Small Environmental Company of the Year specifically for the development of the Safe Wash ink range — a recognition that reflects how significant the innovation was considered at the time.
The Safe Wash range sits alongside Cranfield's traditional oil-based inks in their catalogue. This is an important point: Caligo Safe Wash inks are not a compromise product designed for people who cannot manage traditional inks. They are a genuine technical development from a serious printmaking ink manufacturer, designed to produce results equivalent to traditional oil-based inks while eliminating the solvent requirement.
The two ranges: Relief and Etching
Caligo produces two distinct Safe Wash ink ranges for different printmaking techniques, and understanding the difference between them is essential before buying.
Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks — £14.75
Relief inks are for relief printing — techniques where the ink sits on the raised surface of the printing block and transfers to the paper when pressed. Lino printing, woodcut, wood engraving, letterpress, and monoprinting are all relief printing techniques.
Relief inks are formulated to be viscous and slightly tacky — thick enough to sit on the raised surface of a carved block without running into the recessed areas, and with enough tack to transfer cleanly and completely to the paper when pressed. Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks handle and print like any traditional oil-based ink but have been formulated so they can be safely and easily washed away with soap and water — no solvents needed.
The inks are heavily pigmented — free from fillers and extenders — which gives them exceptional colour intensity and opacity. The pigment load means a little goes a long way on the roller and block, and the printed result has the depth and richness of colour that distinguishes oil-based printing from water-based alternatives.
Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks are suitable for both damped and dry paper and deliver strong, crisp results. For lino printing in particular — our introduction post covers the technique in full — they are an outstanding choice that brings professional quality results within reach of anyone working at home or in a school setting.
Caligo Safe Wash Etching Inks — £14.95
Etching inks are for intaglio printing — techniques where the ink sits in the recessed areas of the plate rather than on the raised surface. Etching, aquatint, drypoint, and line engraving are all intaglio techniques. The plate is inked all over, then wiped clean, leaving ink only in the incised lines and textures. Paper is then pressed into the plate under significant pressure, drawing the ink out of the recessed areas and onto the paper surface.
Etching inks are formulated differently from relief inks — they need to be slightly softer and more fluid to wipe cleanly from the plate surface while remaining in the recessed areas, and they need to transfer from those areas to the paper under press pressure. Caligo Safe Wash Etching Inks are oil-based and suitable for all types of intaglio printing — etching, aquatint, and line engraving — and can be washed away safely with soap and water. All pigments are rated 6 or higher on the International Blue Wool Scale for lightfastness.
The etching inks do not contain driers, which means they have a longer open time on the plate — useful for wiping and manipulating the ink during the printing process. If faster drying of the final print is needed, a small amount of cobalt or manganese drier can be added.
The modifiers: Safe Wash Oil and Wiping Compound
Both Caligo Safe Wash ink ranges work alongside two modifiers that adjust specific properties of the ink, both of which we stock at Craft and Canvas.
Caligo Safe Wash Oil — £11.45
The Safe Wash Oil is a thinning medium made from the same modified vegetable oil used in the inks themselves. Adding a small amount to either the Relief or Etching inks reduces viscosity — making the ink spread more easily on the roller and block — without compromising the soap-and-water cleanup property. It is important to use the Safe Wash Oil rather than standard linseed oil or other oil mediums as thinners — if a standard oil is used, the ability to clean up with soap and water may be reduced or lost. Add sparingly — too much thinning causes loss of detail as the ink becomes too fluid to hold in fine carved lines.
Caligo Wiping Compound and Tack Reducer — £10.57
The Wiping Compound is primarily designed for use with the Etching Inks — it helps the ink wipe cleanly from the surface of the plate while remaining in the recessed areas, which is the fundamental challenge of intaglio printing. It can also be used with Relief Inks as a tack reducer — adding a small amount reduces the stickiness of the ink on the roller, which improves ink transfer onto more textured or absorbent papers where high-tack ink can cause the paper to stick to the block on lifting.
Cleanup: the key advantage
The cleanup process with Caligo Safe Wash inks is straightforward but worth understanding properly to get the best results.
Remove as much ink as possible from the roller, block, and inking plate mechanically first — roll the brayer on newsprint until the bulk of the ink is gone, and scrape the inking plate clean with a palette knife or scraper. Then apply liquid soap directly to the inky surfaces without adding water first, and work it in with a stiff brush or cloth. The soap breaks down the ink and you will see it beginning to emulsify. Once the ink is loosened, rinse under cold water — cold rather than hot water is recommended as it helps the soap carry the ink away more cleanly.
For stubborn residue, dry the surface, apply more soap, and repeat. A nail brush is particularly useful for cleaning the textured surface of a carved lino block. The entire process takes a few minutes and produces no hazardous waste.
What Caligo Safe Wash inks mean in practice
The practical implications of oil-based printing without solvents are considerable.
For home printmakers: the absence of solvents means Caligo inks can be used safely at a kitchen table, in a spare room, or anywhere with basic ventilation and a sink nearby. Traditional oil-based inks would require dedicated studio space with solvent-resistant surfaces, proper ventilation, and arrangements for safe solvent disposal. Caligo removes all of those requirements.
For schools and workshops: Caligo inks have opened up printmaking for teachers and students who do not have the facility to use solvents. They are excellent for teaching children — the ink comes off clothes and hands easily. This makes them a genuinely transformative product for art education.
For professional printmakers: the quality of the printed result is equivalent to traditional oil-based inks in all the ways that matter — pigment intensity, printed mark quality, archival stability, and the range of papers they work on. The only significant trade-off is drying time — oil-based inks dry by oxidation and polymerisation, which takes longer than solvent evaporation. Prints typically need 24 to 72 hours to dry fully depending on paper, ink film thickness, and conditions. Adding a small amount of drying agent speeds this up considerably.
Paper for Caligo Safe Wash inks
Oil-based inks perform best on papers with good absorbency and no surface sizing — the ink needs to be able to bond to the paper fibres rather than sitting on a sealed surface.
For the best results we stock Somerset Printmaking Paper at £7.14 per large sheet — quality printmaking papers are mould-made, giving a more random, open fibre structure that is far better for ink absorption. Somerset is one of the finest printmaking papers available and produces beautiful results with Caligo inks. Fabriano Unica is also an excellent choice — available as individual sheets at £1.34 or as a pack at £12.99. For test prints and practice, Seawhite Newsprint Pads at £4.99 are a practical and very affordable option.
Frequently asked questions about Caligo Safe Wash inks
Are Caligo Safe Wash inks really as good as traditional oil-based inks?
In terms of print quality, pigment intensity, and archival stability, yes — they are equivalent to traditional oil-based inks in all the ways that matter for the finished print. The working properties are also very similar. The main difference is drying time, which is slightly longer than traditional inks, and the absence of the solvent requirement for cleanup.
Can I mix Relief and Etching inks together?
It is not recommended. The two formulations are optimised for quite different applications — Relief inks are more viscous and tacky for surface printing, Etching inks are softer for wiping and intaglio transfer. Mixing them would compromise the properties of both.
Can I mix colours?
Yes — both ranges can be intermixed within themselves to create custom colours. The heavily pigmented formulation means mixed colours retain intensity well. White and extender can be added to create tints.
How long do prints take to dry?
Typically 24 to 72 hours for a standard print, depending on paper type, ink film thickness, ambient temperature, and humidity. Drying can be accelerated by adding a small amount of cobalt or manganese drier to the ink — up to 0.5% by weight. Dry prints in a warm, well-ventilated space rather than stacking them before they are fully cured.
Do I need the Safe Wash Oil and Wiping Compound?
Not immediately — both inks work perfectly well without the modifiers for most standard printing. The Safe Wash Oil becomes useful when you want to thin the ink for specific techniques or paper types. The Wiping Compound is most useful for etching and intaglio work where clean plate wiping is important. Both are worth having in stock once you are printing regularly.
Can Caligo Safe Wash inks be used for monoprinting?
Yes — both ranges work well for monoprinting, where ink is applied to a non-absorbent plate and paper is pressed onto it to take a unique print. The slightly longer open time of oil-based inks compared to water-based alternatives gives more working time on the plate, which is particularly useful for monoprint techniques that involve drawing into or manipulating the ink before printing.
Shop Caligo Safe Wash inks at Craft and Canvas
We stock Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks at £14.75, Caligo Safe Wash Etching Inks at £14.95, Caligo Safe Wash Oil at £11.45, and Caligo Wiping Compound and Tack Reducer at £10.57 at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.
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