Gear guide
Best Water Based Block Printing Inks and Ink Sets
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Water based block printing ink is where most people start with linocut: it cleans up with soap and water and dries in hours rather than days. The trade-offs are known. It dries fast on the slab and on the block, solid areas can print less dense than with oil based ink, and the dried print stays water-soluble, so a damp finger or a wash of watercolor can lift it. An extender or retarder slows drying on the slab and helps when prints turn patchy. What differs between the inks sold: tube, jar or bottle, the volume, how many colors a set holds, and what the maker says about finish and cleanup. Most are made for paper and cardboard, not fabric. This guide compares seven water based inks and ink sets by base, volume, number of colors and cleanup, using only what each listing states. Nothing was tested, and drying claims are quoted as the listings give them.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Base | Volume | Colors | Clean-up | Price | Per fl oz | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Speedball water-soluble ink set, 6 x 1.25 fl oz | Water soluble | 6 x 1.25 fl oz tubes | 6 | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Speedball water-soluble block ink, black, 8 fl oz | Water soluble | 8 fl oz | 1 (Black) | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Handy Art water-soluble block ink, black, 16 oz | Water soluble | 16 oz jar | 1 (Black) | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Leoball water-soluble ink set, 8 x 1.25 fl oz | Water soluble | 8 x 1.25 fl oz tubes | 8 | not stated | - | - | Amazon |
 kuailaya water based ink set, 6 x 60 ml | Water based | 6 x 60 ml | 6 | Water | - | - | Amazon |
 Bobblebro water-soluble block ink, black, 2.6 fl oz | Water soluble | 2.6 fl oz tube | 1 (Black) | Soap and water | - | - | Amazon |
 Falling in Art water-soluble ink set, 6 x 3.5 fl oz | Water soluble | 6 x 3.5 fl oz (100 ml) | 6 | Soap and water | - | - | 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 jobSpeedball water-soluble ink set, 6 x 1.25 fl ozIncludes red, blue, yellow, black, white and gold water-soluble inks in 1.25 fl oz tubes.
- Most for the money on paperSpeedball water-soluble block ink, black, 8 fl oz8 fl oz of black, listed for linoleum, wood, flexible printing plates, Speedy-Cut, Speedy-Carve and Polyprint.
- Most complete listingHandy Art water-soluble block ink, black, 16 oz16 oz jar of black, described as highly pigmented, thick and opaque.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · Speedball
Speedball water-soluble ink set, 6 x 1.25 fl oz
See price on AmazonSix 1.25 fl oz tubes of Speedball water-soluble block printing ink: red, blue, yellow, black, white and gold. A starter set for trying color linocut with soap and water cleanup.
What the listing offers
- Includes red, blue, yellow, black, white and gold water-soluble inks in 1.25 fl oz tubes.
- Listed for linoleum, wood, Speedy-Cut Easy, Speedy-Cut, Speedy-Carve and Polyprint.
- Cleans up with soap and water; ACMI AP Certified and conforms to ASTM D-4236.
Limits to know
- Small 1.25 fl oz tubes, enough for trying colors rather than for an edition of large blocks.
- No drying time or working time on the slab is stated in the listing.
Pick 2 · Speedball
Speedball water-soluble block ink, black, 8 fl oz
See price on AmazonAn 8 fl oz container of black Speedball water-soluble block printing ink, which the listing says dries to a rich, satiny finish. The size suits anyone printing mostly in black.
What the listing offers
- 8 fl oz of black, listed for linoleum, wood, flexible printing plates, Speedy-Cut, Speedy-Carve and Polyprint.
- The listing describes a tack that gives even coverage and prints that dry to a satiny finish.
- Cleans up with soap and water; ACMI AP Non-Toxic and conforms to ASTM D-4236.
Limits to know
- Black only; colors are separate purchases or come in the starter set.
- No drying time is stated, and the listing does not say whether the container is a jar or a tube.
Pick 3 · Handy Art
Handy Art water-soluble block ink, black, 16 oz
See price on AmazonA 16 oz jar of black water-soluble block printing ink, made in the USA. The listing describes a thick, opaque ink that dissolves on contact with water; the jar size suits classrooms and regular printers.
What the listing offers
- 16 oz jar of black, described as highly pigmented, thick and opaque.
- Listed for linoleum, wood block, polyfoam, flexible vinyl plates, styrofoam and soft blocks.
- Cleans up with soap and water; AP certified, non-toxic and made in the USA, per the listing.
Limits to know
- The listing says the ink dissolves on contact with water during and after printing, so expect the dried print to re-wet.
- Black only, in a jar: the ink has to be scooped out rather than squeezed from a tube.
Pick 4 · Leoball
Leoball water-soluble ink set, 8 x 1.25 fl oz
See price on AmazonEight 1.25 fl oz tubes of water-soluble block printing ink: black, red, blue, yellow, white, cyan, magenta and gold. The listing says prints dry to a smooth, lustrous finish and names paper or cardboard.
What the listing offers
- Eight colors, with cyan and magenta alongside black, red, blue, yellow, white and gold.
- Listed for paper or cardboard with linoleum, wood, soft block surfaces, flexible plates or polyfoam.
- The listing states third-party lab testing and ASTM D-4236 compliance.
Limits to know
- Cleanup is not spelled out in the bullets; the ink is described only as water-soluble.
- Small 1.25 fl oz tubes, and no drying time or working time on the slab is stated.
Pick 5 · kuailaya
kuailaya water based ink set, 6 x 60 ml
See price on AmazonSix 60 ml containers of water based block printing ink in black, white, blue, blue-green, yellow and red. Each holds more than the usual 1.25 fl oz starter tube; the brand is little known in printmaking.
What the listing offers
- Six colors at 60 ml each: black, white, blue, blue-green, yellow and red.
- Water-based formula; the listing says tools can be cleaned with just water.
- The listing gives basic steps: roll the ink out with a rubber roller, then coat the raised areas of the plate.
Limits to know
- The listing claims the dried print resists light and water, unusual for water based block ink, and cites no standard.
- Little-known brand; no safety certification (AP seal or ASTM D-4236) is mentioned in the bullets.
Pick 6 · Bobblebro
Bobblebro water-soluble block ink, black, 2.6 fl oz
See price on AmazonA single 2.6 fl oz tube of black water-soluble block printing ink for paper prints and cards. A small way to try linocut in one color before buying a set.
What the listing offers
- 2.6 fl oz tube, mixable with other colors in the same Bobblebro water-soluble range.
- Listed for wood blocks, linoleum blocks, soft rubber blocks, foam printing plates and gel plates.
- Soap and water cleanup of brayers, blocks, plates and tools before the ink dries.
Limits to know
- Little-known brand; no safety certification is mentioned in the bullets.
- One color in a small tube, and no drying time or finish is stated.
Pick 7 · Falling in Art
Falling in Art water-soluble ink set, 6 x 3.5 fl oz
See price on AmazonSix colors of water-soluble block printing ink (white, red, yellow, blue, green and black) in bottles the listing gives as 3.5 fl oz or 100 ml. The largest set here by volume, listed for cardboard, linoleum, wood or soft blocks.
What the listing offers
- Six colors in the set: white, red, yellow, blue, green and black.
- The title states 3.5 fl oz and the bullets a 100 ml bottle, well above the usual 1.25 fl oz starter tube.
- Water-soluble: the listing says tools and surfaces clean with just soap and water.
Limits to know
- One bullet calls it screen printing ink and another says it is water-resistant, so the listing is not consistent about the ink.
- The listing says the ink dries quickly, which shortens working time on the slab; no figure is given.
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.
- 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 Make Linocut Christmas Cards: Card Stock, Ink and DryingMake linocut Christmas cards at home: block sizes for A2, A6 and A7 envelopes, card that prints by hand, a simple jig and drying time before mailing.
- Lino Printing Tools, Materials and Equipment: Full ChecklistThe full lino printing equipment list in one table: 14 items, what each does, which you need on day one and the household substitute for each.
- 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.
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.