A technical dictionary of printmaking, André Béguin.
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Covering power
The covering power of an ink is the amount of pressure needed for the ink to cover a given surface when printing. This notion should not be confused with the opacity of the ink which is the term used to denote the degree to which an ink hides the printed surface or the layer below it. The covering power of an ink is one of the factors to be considered when calculating the quantity of ink needed for a run. Actually the quantity to be used is quite relative since it depends on the amount of ink used, as well as on the absorption power of the surface printed on.
It is quite obvious, for example, that an opaque white ink will cover a smaller surface than a black transparent ink. Because of this many companies sell their ink by the liter (quart) rather than by weight. Covering power is often used to mean the same thing as opacity*. [*ink ].
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