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 pushes the most ink through the mesh (~0.01 ml/cm²), followed by intaglio/etching which fills the grooves (~0.008 ml/cm²), then relief/linocut (~0.005 ml/cm²), and lithography uses the thinnest film (~0.003 ml/cm²). This directly affects how much ink you need per print.

Why add a waste allowance?

Most of the ink you mix never reaches the paper — it stays on the slab, roller, plate and squeegee, or goes into colour-matching test proofs and cleanup. A 30% waste allowance (the default) is a practical figure for hand-printmaking; complex multi-colour work can waste more. This is why the result is higher than the bare film deposited on each sheet.

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

Image/printed area width, not the paper size

Print Height

Image/printed area height, not the paper size

Edition Size

Total number of prints in the edition

Number of Colours

Separate ink colours / passes per print

Ink CoverageShare of the image area that receives ink

Print MethodChoose your technique — sets the ink consumption rate

How We Calculate This

Ink Volume Formula

Ink per print = area (cm²) × coverage × ink rate (ml/cm²)

Ink per colour = ink per print × (edition + spoilage sheets) × waste factor

Total ink = ink per colour × colours

The ink consumption rate varies by print method: screenprint ~0.01 ml/cm², etching ~0.008 ml/cm², lino ~0.005 ml/cm², lithography ~0.003 ml/cm². Coverage is the percentage of the image area that receives ink. The waste allowance (default 30%) covers ink left on the slab, roller and plate plus test proofs and cleanup, so it matches what you actually need to mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Edition Size Calculator

Plan your print edition with numbered prints, artist proofs, printer proofs and hors commerce. Calculate total impressions needed.

Ink Coverage Calculator

Calculate the amount of printing ink needed based on image area, coverage percentage and edition size. Covers all print methods.

Print Paper Size Calculator

Work out printmaking paper dimensions with correct margins and bleed allowance. Standard bottom-weighted margins for presentation.

Registration Calculator

Calculate registration mark positions for multi-colour printmaking alignment. Covers kento, pin and corner registration methods.

Plate Size Calculator

Work out etching, lino or woodcut plate dimensions including bevel allowance, handling margins and weight. Free online calculator.

Last updated: March 2026

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