Inko dyes are manufactured by the Screen Process Supplies Manufacturing
Co., 1199 East 12th Street, Oakland, CA. They are available in 4
oz., pint, or quart quantities. They are available in these colors: red,
red-orange, orange, orange-yellow, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green,
blue, blue-violet, violet, red-violet, brown, and black. If you write to
California they will send you a complete brochure on their stock and
various uses for the dyes.
Process: Brush the dye on a good paper that can stand washing in soapy
water, or a pre-washed natural fiber cloth such as cotton, linen, silk or
even a rayon. Contact expose to the sun for 4 to 6 minutes. The time is not
fussy, it simply gets brighter. Under UV bulbs it takes 15-20 minutes.
Wash the paper or cloth in soapy water 3-5 minutes, and then rinse the soap
out. The soap reduces further sensitivity. Dry.
Dyes may be further developed by a hot iron, or baked in an oven . Using an
iron you do not get as brilliant colors, and it is time consuming. Set
the iron at "cotton", and move iron slowly for at least five minutes. As
long as fuming continues, development is taking place. Baking in a 280
degree oven will more easily develop the colors. A higher temperature will
darken colors, particularly the yellows. It takes anywhere from 5
minutes to an hour depending on the intensity of color you want.
Colors can be mixed to get the color you desire. It is useful to make test
strips as inko dyes all look brownish and you cannot see what color you
have until they are exposed and developed. The colors are brilliant; to get
a paler color dilute with clear - if you dilute with water you destroy the
consistency. Interesting color effects are achieved by overpainting areas.
The one problem with inko dyes is that it adheres to orthos and ruins them.
Wipe it off as well as possible with tissue. Inkos will start increasing
in intensity if much further exposed to UV. If this should happen, try
re-washing in soapy water.
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The above is on the WWW (alt-photo archives, I believe).
Sil Horwitz, FPSA
Technical Editor, PSA Journal
silh@iag.net
Visit http://www.psa-photo.org/