Mixed media - watercolour painting on a dye inkjet print (Pro 100s)

[AvErps]

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on printing for a mixed media project. A big part of my creative process is post-production—I love getting into the flow of editing, tweaking, and transforming images. To take that further, I recently bought a second-hand Canon Pixma Pro 100s with the idea of printing my photos and then hand-painting over them with watercolors. The idea is to create a hybrid of photography and painting, something akin to hand-tinted silver gelatin prints but in a digital workflow.

The problem: my first test prints on basic (no-brand) watercolor paper looked terrible—blurry, splotchy, just awful. However, when I printed on glossy photo paper, the quality was great, so I know the printer itself is fine. I’ve ordered some budget-coated paper (Ilford Gallery Matte Duo), but quite sure the ink would smear so I’d love to get some insight before throwing more money into experimentation.

From my research, I’ve come across several possible solutions, but I’m not sure which route makes the most sense given my technical knowledge (limited) and budget (also limited):

• Pigment ink vs. dye ink: I’ve read that pigment ink works better for this kind of mixed media approach, but the Pixma Pro 100s uses dye ink. Am I fighting a losing battle here?
• RIP software & inkload adjustments: Some posts mention using a RIP (Raster Image Processor) to modify the inkload when printing on watercolor paper. I have no idea what this means or how to do it—any Mac-compatible tutorials out there?
• Carbon ink conversion: I’ve seen people modify printers to use carbon inks, but this sounds expensive and irreversible. Has anyone tried this for a similar purpose?
• Printable coatings: I’ve read online about different coatings that allow inkjet printing on uncoated watercolor paper—albumen, gelatin, InkAid, Ilford Gallery Blend A. Maybe this can be applied AFTER the inkjet print and BEFORE the watercolour? Has anyone had success with these?

Ultimately, I’d love to be able to print on uncoated or lightly coated watercolor paper and then manipulate the print with watercolors. If anyone has experience with this kind of workflow, I’d really appreciate your insights! Also, if you know of any contemporary artists working in a similar way, please share. The only one I’ve found so far is Shae Detar, she prints at home on watercolour paper and then paints it. So the proces I would like to try.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[x64]

Coincidentally yesterday I stumbled upon an article that may be of some help for you. The process involves printing with a dye ink and then spray coating it with a fixative before painting over it.
She describes it as an alternative to painting over pigment inks that in her words are impossible to find (?).

 

[AvErps]

Hmmm, could work I guess, although that does make me wonder a bit worried about longevity... And sprays have the tendency to be applied unevenly. But still worth a shot if no one has any alternatives.

Thank you x64!