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Testing printed artwork for water sensitivity

Both the Digital Ground Clear (Gloss) and Digital Ground for Non-Porous Surfaces are water sensitive and can be easily re-activated with moisture.

The Digital Ground White (Matte) provides excellent water resistance and should not present a problem once fully dry. As always though, test for your application.

In addition, a lot of variables can impact whether or not a print will be water sensitive including drying time, ink system, thickness of the ground and gel coatings and degree of surface agitation.

If the print has been coated with either Digital Ground Clear (Gloss) or Digital Ground for Non-Porous Surfaces, or a test of a print on the Digital Ground White (Matte) indicates sensitivity, seal or ‘fix’ the print with GOLDEN Archival Varnish (Gloss) prior to working on top of these grounds with any water-based media, including any GOLDEN Acrylic Colors and Mediums.

The number of Archival Varnish coats required to seal the print will vary based on the absorbency of the substrate. For example, a gel skin will require fewer coats than a piece of watercolor paper.  Once the surface has been well coated, the inks are much less susceptible to bleeding from water-based materials.

While GOLDEN Gel Topcoats w/ UVLS, if kept undiluted, can often be applied directly on top of thoroughly dried prints done with Digital Ground Clear (Gloss) and Digital Ground for Non-Porous Surfaces, a lot of variables can impact this process.

Whether using GOLDEN Gel Topcoats or GOLDEN Acrylic Colors and Mediums, it is essential to always check for one’s application using a test print before applying these products directly to anything of importance.

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