There’s a wide range of options out there to try, all of which can add additional shimmer, sparkle, and vibrancy to your screen prints. But metallic effect inks are so much more than simply gold and silver ink – in this blog post we highlight 5 of the most popular metallic screen printing inks in the MagnaPrint® range that can be a special weapon in any printer’s arsenal.
1. MagnaPrint® Bling
Let’s kick things off with our water-based metallic ink MagnaPrint® Bling. With this product, the name really speaks for itself – it’s perfect for adding some decadent and fancy bling to your screen prints. It’s ready-to-use out of the pot and available in Bronze, Silver, and Gold pastes. However, if you’re looking for something different to traditional metallic colours, it can be combined with up to 6% of MagnaPrint® Eco Pigments to achieve any shade that you desire. Alongside its excellent shine, Bling is also provides super elasticity performance, so it’s also ideal for applications such as sportswear garments.
When printing Bling, be sure to use a screen mesh size between 32 and 61T (86 – 156) with a rectangular profile squeegee, and if you’re printing as part of a multicoloured design, print Bling as the last screen to avoid any pick-up. Check out some of the example shades you can achieve with our Eco Pigments on the MagnaPrint® Bling product page.
2. MagnaPrint® MultiChrome
If colour-shift effects are what you’re looking for then this is the perfect ink system. MagnaPrint® MultiChrome is a range of two-tone pearlescent print pastes available in eight different shades that can add some unusual and special effects to your screen prints. Like Bling, it’s a high solids water-based formulation with superior stretch and elasticity making it perfect for stretchy fabrics alongside conventional garments. The colour-shift effect can be extremely dramatic and depending on the viewing angle or lighting, blue ink can appear red, or a green ink can appear purple. For the best printing results with MultiChrome, use a black under base ink like MagnaPrint® AquaFlex V2 tinted with Black NGN Eco Pigment.
3. MagnaPrint® MultiShine
Just like MultiChrome, MagnaPrint® MultiShine gives prints and eye-catching colour shift effect and two-tone appearance but with added sparkle. This is down to a larger particle size that catches the light, allowing the ink to shine with a subtle glittery effect. It has the same properties and print procedures as MultiChome, so be sure to print through a 32 – 61T (86 – 156) mesh screen for the best results. Check out the nine unique shades on the MagnaPrint® MultiShine product page.
4. MagnaPrint® PearlFlex Sparkle
Looking for a pearlescent like effect without the colour-shift of MultiShine and MultiChrome? MagnaPrint® PearlFlex Sparkle is an ideal option to try out. Just like Bling, you can pigment PearlFlex Sparkle with up to 6% Eco Pigments to achieve any shade you require. The printed effect looks just like MagnaPrint® MultiShine, but with out the two-tone properties. You can even match it to a shade in the MultiShine range and print them together in the same design – this is perfect for creating areas that shift their colour, and areas that stay the same for super subtle light effects. Try it out!
5. MagnaPrint® Reflective 3R Silver
Want to add some reflectivity to your prints alongside a metallic effect – why not have both? Part of the MagnaPrint® Reflective 3R Range, Reflective 3R Silver utilises micro glass beads to deliver excellent reflectivity alongside a silver appearance under standard lighting. Keep your mesh counts low when printing this ink due to the special particle size, we recommend between a 24 – 43T (60 – 110) screen mesh. Find out more about MagnaPrint® Reflective 3R Silver and download the TDS here.
Make it Shine with Metallic Screen Printing Inks
We hope you enjoyed a snapshot of some of the top metallic special effects inks available in the MagnaPrint® range. The options for adding unique elements to your garment embellishments are vast, so we’ll be continuing these spotlight posts on different ink types. Of course, the Magna team is always on hand to help with any support or questions you have, so don’t hesitate to reach out or book some 1:1 time in with our technical support team via the Technical Hub. Happy printing!
