As we know that the sublimation process involves the transfer of ink designs on the materials. But, sometimes the black sublimation ink looks brown after the sublimation process.
This is the major reason people often ask us:
Why is my Black ink printing brown? What is the main reason behind this faulty ink printing misfunction? and, Why is Sublimation Black, not Black?
All of these unexpected changes in the ink colors confuse a lot of people. But, do not worry!
As it is a common process and occurs when the temperature of the heat press is raised above its specific level.
Due to this high temperature, other ink colors can also change. However, black is the most frequently used color in sublimation. Therefore, it’s turning it into a brown color messes up with the user’s mind.
We’re writing this to explain why Black sublimation ink can sometimes look brown. Plus, we’ll share how to fix it. Let’s get started!
Several reasons make your black inks look brown after the sublimation process. The solutions to all of them can be found here in detail.
1. Using White Background
As we know that the black color inks are transparent. Therefore, they can easily be mixed in the other colors to generate a new shade. Similar to what is the case when they are used with a white background.
Due to their high transparency, a little part of these black inks dissolves in this white background.
As a result, a cut and clear brown shade is produced. As a result, your black sublimation ink appears brown.
This situation can easily be tackled by using gray and other colors as the major background other than white color. In this way, your black inks will be transferred to your materials accurately.
2. Using Water Ink Marks
Why is my Black sublimation Turning Green? Another main factor that makes your black sublimation ink look brown or green is the use of water-containing materials. Several of these materials are also embossed with watermarks as a way to distinguish them.
This is because, when black ink is mixed with water materials, the intensity of black ink falls quickly. As it loses all of its color and quality and acquires a new shade known as brown or yellow.
Thus, to save your black color inks. You must use materials that do not include the use of watermarks to prevent the production of brown color designs on the surface of your materials.
3. Using Wrinkled Papers
Transfer papers also play a vital role in maintaining the color of the inks you have used in your designs. Thus, when your designs are not placed on flat transfer papers, they can not be perfect.
It means that the transfer papers have wrinkles on them. Moreover, the ink used in your black-colored designs will now be spread onto the surface of your materials.
This will cause your black-colored ink designs to be completely changed into light-colored inks. As a result, a brown or yellow colored shade will be produced instead of the black color.
Moreover, it can also be a major reason for the sublimation of black to look gray. Meanwhile, sometimes its faulty use can can be a major reason that your sublimation black looks red.
4. Wrong Temperature Settings
This step includes the use of heat press machines. These machines are well-known for producing temperatures that can lead to sublimation ink bleeding.
However, when this temperature is raised well above its specific limit, it causes the black color ink to burn and change into a brown color shade.
Low temperatures can also cause this process to occur. The best temperature you can use for this process should be around 300 F for accurate results.
5. Use of Expired Inks
Your black sublimation ink may appear brown for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common reasons is that the ink has expired. As a result, it can create sublimation color problems.
A sublimation ink’s shelf life is around 12 months, so if your ink is older than that, it may need to be replaced.
Check the expiration date on your ink bottle if you are unsure when you purchased it. Ink should be replaced if the expiration date has passed.
6. Poor Quality of the Papers
The reason your black sublimation ink appears brown could be due to several factors. The paper you are using may be of poor quality, among other reasons. The paper will spread the ink and make it lighter if it’s absorbent.
Additionally, your printer settings may not be optimized for sublimation printing. It is important to check the settings on your printer and the type of paper you are using before you begin printing.
Otherwise, the poor quality papers can play a vital role in turning the sublimation of gray into brown color prints.
FAQs:
Why does my black sublimation ink look brown in the bottle?
It is common practice for manufacturers to combine raw materials from all three colors to create black ink. As a result, black ink often appears slightly brown in the bottle. Furthermore, this can result in a brown or orange color after pressing.
Why is my black sublimation ink not working?
It is most likely that you will need to troubleshoot a printer if you run out of ink, so make sure you check your ink levels. A clogged print head nozzle is the second, and most common, cause of printing problems. The ink in your printer will eventually dry out, whether you like it or not.
Can you overheat sublimation?
The substrate should not be overheated. Sublimated transfers applied to hot surfaces will start the gassing process prematurely, causing ghosting.
In Conclusion:
The brown color of black sublimation ink is caused by a chemical reaction when heated. It is for this reason that black-and-white images should be printed with sublimation ink of high quality.
When choosing sublimation papers for sublimation, you should take care to select those that are suitable. Your printing will likely appear browner if you are using a lower-quality of ink or paper.
Mark Bryant is a highly experienced and knowledgeable printer review expert, with an impressive track record of accurately evaluating the performance of printing products. He is passionate about understanding the nuances between models and brands, so that his readers can make informed purchasing decisions.
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