How much spoilage should I allow?

Allow 10-15% for experienced printers and 20-25% for beginners. Screenprinting typically has lower spoilage (10%) than etching (15-20%). Multi-colour editions need more spoilage allowance because each colour pass adds risk of misregistration.

Why does ink coverage matter?

A solid block of colour uses 4x more ink than a 25% coverage image. Ink coverage is the percentage of the print area that receives ink. Estimate this by eye or measure it digitally. Most images fall between 30-60% coverage.

How does print method affect ink usage?

Screenprinting deposits the most ink (20-30 microns), followed by etching (10-15 microns), then linocut (5-10 microns), and lithography uses the least (2-5 microns). This directly affects how much ink you need per print.

How do I calculate registration time?

Registration is the time to align each colour layer. Screenprinting is fastest (pin registration). Etching is slowest due to plate alignment. Multi-colour prints multiply this time. Allow extra for the first few proofs of each colour.

ArtCalcs

Edition Ink Calculator — Ink for Print Runs

Calculate ink quantities and time needed for print editions.

Print Width

Width measurement

Print Height

Height measurement

Edition Size

Total number of prints in the edition

Number of Colours

Total colours

Ink CoveragePercentage of surface covered by ink

Print MethodEnter the print method

How We Calculate This

Ink Volume Formula

Ink per print = area (cm²) × ink deposit (μm) × coverage / 10,000

Total ink = ink per print × (edition + spoilage) × colours

The ink deposit thickness varies by print method: screenprint ~25 μm, etching ~12 μm, lino ~8 μm, lithography ~3 μm. Coverage is the percentage of the image area that receives ink.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.