Liquid or paste that contains pigments or dyes

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ink</span>

<p><b>Ink</b> is a <a href="/en/Gel" title="Gel" class="wl">gel</a>, <a href="/en/Sol_(colloid)" title="Sol (colloid)" class="wl">sol</a>, or <a href="/en/Solution_(chemistry)" title="Solution (chemistry)" class="wl">solution</a> that contains at least one <a href="/en/Colorant" title="Colorant" class="mw-redirect wl">colorant</a>, such as a <a href="/en/Dye" title="Dye" class="wl">dye</a> or <a href="/en/Pigment" title="Pigment" class="wl">pigment</a>, and is used to color a surface to produce an <a href="/en/Image" title="Image" class="wl">image</a>, <a href="/en/Writing" title="Writing" class="wl">text</a>, or <a href="/en/Design" title="Design" class="wl">design</a>. Ink is used for <a href="/en/Drawing" title="Drawing" class="wl">drawing</a> or <a href="/en/Writing" title="Writing" class="wl">writing</a> with a <a href="/en/Pen" title="Pen" class="wl">pen</a>, <a href="/en/Brush" title="Brush" class="wl">brush</a>, <a href="/en/Reed_pen" title="Reed pen" class="wl">reed pen</a>, or <a href="/en/Quill" title="Quill" class="wl">quill</a>. Thicker inks, in paste form, are used extensively in <a href="/en/Letterpress" title="Letterpress" class="mw-redirect wl">letterpress</a> and <a href="/en/Lithographic" title="Lithographic" class="mw-redirect wl">lithographic</a> <a href="/en/Printing" title="Printing" class="wl">printing</a>.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Liquid or paste that contains pigments or dyes</div>
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<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Füller-tinte_hg.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Füller-tinte_hg.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/F%C3%BCller-tinte_hg.jpg/220px-F%C3%BCller-tinte_hg.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="2552" data-file-height="1802" data-file-type="bitmap" height="155" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/F%C3%BCller-tinte_hg.jpg/330px-F%C3%BCller-tinte_hg.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/F%C3%BCller-tinte_hg.jpg/440px-F%C3%BCller-tinte_hg.jpg 2x" alt="F%C3%BCller-tinte_hg.jpg"></a><figcaption>Bottles of ink from <a href="/en/Germany" title="Germany" class="wl">Germany</a></figcaption></figure>
<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:קלף,_נוצה_ודיו.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:קלף,_נוצה_ודיו.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%A3%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%95.jpg/220px-%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%A3%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%95.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="4000" data-file-height="5888" data-file-type="bitmap" height="324" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%A3%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%95.jpg/330px-%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%A3%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%95.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%A3%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%95.jpg/440px-%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%A3%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%95.jpg 2x" alt="%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%A3%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%95.jpg"></a><figcaption>Writing ink and a quill</figcaption></figure>
<p>Ink can be a complex medium, composed of <a href="/en/Solvent" title="Solvent" class="wl">solvents</a>, pigments, <a href="/en/Dye" title="Dye" class="wl">dyes</a>, <a href="/en/Resin" title="Resin" class="wl">resins</a>, <a href="/en/Lubricant" title="Lubricant" class="wl">lubricants</a>, <a href="/en/Solubilizer" title="Solubilizer" class="mw-redirect wl">solubilizers</a>, <a href="/en/Surfactant" title="Surfactant" class="wl">surfactants</a>, <a href="/en/Suspended_solids" title="Suspended solids" class="wl">particulate matter</a>, <a href="/en/Fluorescence" title="Fluorescence" class="wl">fluorescents</a>, and other materials. The components of inks serve many purposes; the ink's carrier, colorants, and other additives affect the flow and thickness of the ink and its dry appearance.</p>

<p>In 2011, worldwide consumption of printing inks generated revenues of more than 20<span>&nbsp;</span>billion US dollars. While demand by traditional print media (including newspapers) is shrinking; more and more printing inks are consumed for packaging.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="#cite_note-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span></p>



Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. Thicker inks, in paste form, are used extensively in letterpress and lithographic printing. Ink can be a complex medium, composed of solvents, pigments, dyes, resins, lubricants, solubilizers, surfactants, particulate matter, fluorescents, and other materials. The components of inks serve many purposes; the ink's carrier, colorants, and other additives affect the flow and thickness of the ink and its dry appearance. In 2011, worldwide consumption of printing inks generated revenues of more than 20 billion US dollars. While demand by traditional print media is shrinking; more and more printing inks are consumed for packaging. 