heat setting craft ink Q's

[mooshie_stamps]

I also posted this on the demo's forum, but thought maybe more ppl would see it here:

when you heat set your craft ink does it change color slightly?
do you ever have steam rising from the paper as you're heat setting craft ink?
how long does it take craft ink to dry completely if you don't heat set it?

it seems like every time I heat set craft ink it changes color slightly, and if I don't do it for long enough for it to change it's not really dry and will still smear. and when I am sure to heat set craft ink long enough to be sure that it's dry and changing colors and all it gets steamy too.
I don't have the patience most of the time to let craft ink air dry, but if I did how long would I need to wait so that I could touch it and have it not smear? I love craft ink, but I'm still learning about it, and thought that there's such a great resource here of experienced ppl that I would post and see what you all have to say? thanks
Michelle

[jen9853]

I like using pigment inks. When I use them though, I usually emboss them with clear. If you are getting steam while your gun is on, that probably means your gun is too close to your paper. (they all seem to steam a little right when you shut them off). They do see to change color a little when heat set, if not embossed. If I'm using pigment inks and not embossing, I stamp and set aside and work on another project and come back to it. Usually within an hour it's completly dry. But, if you live in a humid climate, it may take longer. Some people that live in the southwest where it's dry and hot will set it out in the sun for a few minutes to dry.

HTH!