Ink is a
liquid or paste that contains
pigments or
dyes and is used to
color a surface to produce an,
text, or
design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a
pen,
brush, 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,
fluorescers, and other materials. The components of inks serve many purposes; the ink’s carrier, colorants, and other additives control flow and thickness of the ink and its appearance when dry.