Zest-It Printmakers Plate Oils have been developed to adjust the tack and viscosity of oil based printing inks.

Zest-It Plate Oils contain Tung Oil, which helps with the drying speed of the oils without the use of metallic driers. It gives a slickness to the oil/ink mixture and, being somewhat water resistant, gives a nice finish to the ink.

Plate Oil No. 1 is the Thinnest of the oils, this will reduce the tack and viscosity of oil based inks.
Plate Oil No. 2 is Thin, again used to reduce the tack and viscosity of oil based inks.
Plate Oil No. 3 is Thick may increase the viscosity of the ink.
Plate Oil No. 4 is the Thickest of the oils and may increase the viscosity of ink.

Tung Oil is not a nut oil but actually a seed oil, and therefore some people may have an alergy to it. This led Zest-It to create Plate Oil No. 5 with Linseed Oil only. It is very thick and will need thinning before use. Artists can use Zest-It Printmakers Cleaner to thin the oil to the desired consistency.