Re: archival ink for deskjet


Luis Nadeau (nadeaul@nbnet.nb.ca)
Fri, 29 Jan 1999 13:59:52 -0400


At 12:00 PM 99/01/29, Sil Horwitz wrote:
>At 02:53 AM 1999/01/29 -0500, Judy wrote:
>>
>>A water color painting is relatively durable compared to the ink jet print
>>I tested 2 years ago, although they may be upgraded since. That was so
>>fragile that if you shed just one tear over it, it would leave a great
>>hole. A watercolor painting can survive a few splashes, with no staining
>>at all.
>
>Water colors bond with the media used (paper or whatever). Inkjet inks stay

There is something else at work here. The top surface keeps hardening and
this is why it becomes water resistant. Think of it as a form of latex.

>on the surface of the media (which must be coated to prevent ink
>absorption). I once talked with a chemist who had been working on this
>problem for H-P several years ago; evidently there is still no solution.

No complete solution but some ink-jet output is guaranteed water resistant
and can also be transferred to t-shirts, etc.

>But don't think watercolors are so very permanent. My late wife bought a
>watercolor painting that she put up in a dark hall here. It was brilliant,
>but after about ten years, the paper has become a dark ecru and the colors
>have definitely deteriorated.

You got ripped off. Bright permanent colors are available but are a lot
more expensive, so to "cut corners" many artists don't buy them. Ditto with
papers. I have printed documents in my collection going back to the 15th
century in excellent shape. Your watercolor was made with "student quality"
paints and paper. You always take your chance when you buy a painting since
there is no easy way to tell what is made with good quality material and
what is not.

Luis Nadeau
Fredericton, NB, Canada



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