Gear guide
Best Oil Based Block Printing Inks, Including Water-Washable
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Oil based block printing ink (lino printing ink, or paint, as many call it) stays workable on the slab far longer than water based ink, which is why many linocut printers move to it. The old objection is cleanup with solvents. Water-washable oil inks remove it: Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash and Speedball Professional Relief Ink are oil based but clean up with soap and water, so they come first here. Traditional oil based ink is still sold, and its listing names mineral spirits or turpentine for cleanup; use solvents with ventilation and follow the label. What differs between the options: the type of oil ink, single tube or set, the volume, the number of colors and the cleanup. Drying is slow with every ink here: allow days, and expect warmth, dry air and airflow to speed it up. This guide compares six oil based inks and sets by base, volume, colors and cleanup, using only what the listings state. Nothing was tested.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Base | Volume | Colors | Clean-up | Price | Per fl oz | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Caligo Safe Wash relief ink, black, 75 ml | Oil, water washable | 75 ml tube | 1 (Black) | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Speedball Professional Relief Ink, black, 5 oz | Oil, water miscible | 5 oz tube | 1 (Supergraphic Black) | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash set, 6 x 75 ml | Oil, water washable | 6 x 75 ml tubes | 5 plus extender | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Speedball oil based ink starter set, 6 x 1.25 fl oz | Oil based (traditional) | 6 x 1.25 fl oz tubes | 6 | Mineral spirits, turpentine | - | - | Amazon |
 Speedball water-miscible oil ink set, 6 x 1.25 oz | Oil, water miscible | 6 x 1.25 oz tubes | 6 | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Speedball oil based relief ink, black, 8 oz | Oil based (traditional) | 8 oz | 1 (Black) | not stated | - | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
If you just want one
- Closest match for the jobCaligo Safe Wash relief ink, black, 75 mlOil-based, but cleans up with soap and water, as the listing states.
- Most for the money on paperSpeedball Professional Relief Ink, black, 5 ozWater-miscible, oil-based printmaking ink that cleans up with soap and water.
- Most complete listingCranfield Caligo Safe Wash set, 6 x 75 mlSet of six 75 ml tubes of relief ink, including Extender, as the listing states.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · Caligo
Caligo Safe Wash relief ink, black, 75 ml
See price on AmazonA 75 ml tube of black Caligo Safe Wash, an oil based relief ink from Cranfield in the UK that cleans up with soap and water. A sensible first tube for linocut in black before buying a set.
What the listing offers
- Oil-based, but cleans up with soap and water, as the listing states.
- Listed for all relief or block printing, letterpress and linocut.
- Made by Cranfield in the UK; the same ink is sold in other colors in 75 ml tubes.
Limits to know
- One color in a 75 ml tube, so a heavy user of black will run through it quickly.
- The listing gives no drying time; oil based ink needs days, not hours.
Pick 2 · Speedball
Speedball Professional Relief Ink, black, 5 oz
See price on AmazonA 5 ounce tube of Supergraphic Black, Speedball's water-miscible oil based relief ink, developed with relief artist Bill Fick. It cleans up with soap and water; the listing describes rich, intense, crisp prints.
What the listing offers
- Water-miscible, oil-based printmaking ink that cleans up with soap and water.
- The listing states lightfast pigments with no added fillers.
- Described as giving consistent roll-out, transfer and tack, and holding fine details.
Limits to know
- Black only in this listing; other colors of the range are separate purchases.
- No drying time is stated in the listing; allow days as with other oil based inks.
Pick 3 · Cranfield
Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash set, 6 x 75 ml
See price on AmazonSix 75 ml tubes of Caligo Safe Wash relief ink: Carbon Black, Cyan, Magenta, Opaque White, Process Yellow and an Extender. A process-color starting point for multi-color linocut with soap and water cleanup.
What the listing offers
- Set of six 75 ml tubes of relief ink, including Extender, as the listing states.
- Process colors (Cyan, Magenta, Process Yellow) with Carbon Black and Opaque White as a base for mixing.
- Oil-based, but cleans up with soap and water, per the listing.
Limits to know
- One of the six tubes is Extender, so the set holds five colors, not six.
- No drying time or paper guidance is stated in the listing.
Pick 4 · Speedball
Speedball oil based ink starter set, 6 x 1.25 fl oz
See price on AmazonA starter set of six 1.25 fl oz tubes of traditional oil based block printing ink: blue, red, yellow, green, black and white. The listing states cleanup with mineral spirits or turpentine, so plan for ventilation.
What the listing offers
- Six 1.25 oz tubes of oil-based block printing ink: Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, Black and White.
- The listing states permanent, waterproof and archival quality prints on both paper and textiles.
- The inks are AP non-toxic, according to the listing.
Limits to know
- Cleanup needs mineral spirits or turpentine, as the listing states: soap and water will not do it.
- Small 1.25 fl oz tubes, and no drying time is stated; traditional oil ink takes days to dry.
Pick 5 · Speedball
Speedball water-miscible oil ink set, 6 x 1.25 oz
See price on AmazonSix 1.25 oz tubes of Speedball water-miscible oil based block printing ink for fabric and paper. The listing says fabric prints air dry overnight without heat setting, and cleanup is with soap and water.
What the listing offers
- Six opaque colors in 1.25 oz tubes, water-miscible oil based, for block printing on fabric and paper.
- The listing says fabric prints need no heat setting and air dry overnight.
- Cleanup with soap and water; ACMI AP certified and conforming to ASTM D-4236, per the listing.
Limits to know
- Small 1.25 oz tubes, enough for trying colors rather than for an edition of large blocks.
- The listing does not name the six colors and gives no drying time on paper.
Pick 6 · Speedball
Speedball oil based relief ink, black, 8 oz
See price on AmazonAn 8 ounce container of black Speedball oil based block printing ink. The listing states permanent, waterproof results and AP certification; it does not say how to clean up, so check the label before buying solvents.
What the listing offers
- 8 ounce size of black oil-based block printing ink, far more than the 1.25 oz tubes in the starter sets.
- The listing states that the ink gives a permanent result and is waterproof.
- ACMI AP Certified and conforms to ASTM D-4236; can be used as is or mixed with other colors.
Limits to know
- The cleanup method is not stated here; the Speedball oil based starter set names mineral spirits or turpentine.
- No drying time is given, and the listing does not say whether the container is a jar or a tube.
Read before you buy
- Screen Printing Ink vs Block Printing Ink: Can You Swap Them?Screen printing ink vs block printing ink: why screen ink slides under a brayer, how to get it onto a lino block anyway, and what makers say about fabric.
- Reduction Linocut: The Process Step by StepReduction linocut step by step: one block, colors printed light to dark, the whole edition printed before each new cut. With a 3-color layer table.
- Oil Based vs Water Based Block Printing Ink: Which to UseOil based vs water based block printing ink in one table: working time, drying, cleanup, paper, fabric and water resistance, as the ink makers state them.
- How to Use a Brayer: Rolling Out Ink for Block PrintingHow to use a brayer: how much ink to put on the slab, how to roll it thin and even, ink the block without roller marks and store the roller.
- How to Sign, Number and Title a Linocut PrintSign a linocut in pencil below the image: edition number on the left (3/25), title in the middle, signature on the right. Plus AP, VE and OE marks.
More gear for the ink the block stage
Inked Block chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.