A water-base stencil duplicating ink free from oils comprises (1) at least 50 per cent by weight of water, (2) a tinctorial agent, (3) a water-soluble macromolecular organic compound dissolved in the water in an amount to body the composition to a viscosity of 35-150 seconds at 20 DEG C., and (4) an insoluble resinous or elastomeric polymer dispersed in the water. There are specified as (2) Nigrosine dyes, acid and basic dyes, e.g. triphenylmethane, Rhodamine B, thioflavine, auramine, sulphonated triphenylmethane, quinone-imide and xanthene dyes; sodium sulphonate derivatives of nitroazo, pyrazoline, quinoline, triphenylmethane, diphenylnaphthylmethane, azine, xanthene and anthraquinone groups; dispersions of pigments, e.g. lamp black, malachite green, iron blue or cadmium yellow; component (3) may be water-soluble cellulose ethers and their derivatives, e.g. hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, starch, sugars, dextrose, alginates; gelatine, glue, casein, zein and like proteins; natural resins and gums; water-soluble phenol-aldehyde and urea-aldehyde condensates, melamine-aldehyde resins; component (4) may be polyvinyls, polyacrylates, polystyrene, polybutylene, polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene; synthetic rubbers, e.g. butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, butadienestyrene copolymers, chloroprene, rubber hydrochloride and chlorinated rubber; rosin, "Vinsol" (Registered Trade Mark). Wetting agents (listed) and humectants (polyalcohols, e.g. polyglycols, or alkylol amines) may be added. Example I 16 per cent carbon black in 40 per cent aqueous dispersion, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 40 per cent polyvinyl chloride in 55 per cent aqueous dispersion, 42 per cent hydroxyethyl cellulose high viscosity grade in 10 per cent water solution (400 to 600 cps. in 5 per cent solution at 20 DEG C.); Example II 15 per cent carbon black in 40 per cent aqueous dispersion, 2 per cent glyoxal in 30 per cent solution alcohol, 41 per cent polyvinyl chloride in 55 per cent aqueous dispersion, 40 per cent hydroxyethyl cellulose in 10 per cent water solution of high viscosity grade, 1 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution); Example III 9 per cent carbon black (40 per cent aqueous dispersion), 2 per cent glyoxal (30 per cent solution), 34 per cent polymethyl methacrylate (45 per cent aqueous dispersion), 36 per cent hydroxyethyl cellulose (10 per cent of medium viscosity, 75 to 125 cps. in 5 per cent solution at 20 DEG C.), 12 per cent diethylene glycol, 7 per cent water; Example IV 7 per cent Nigrosine water-soluble dye, 40 per cent polymethyl methacrylate (25 per cent aqueous dispersion), 45 per cent hydroxyethyl cellulose (10 water solution medium viscosity grade), 8 per cent water; Example V 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet MOO water-soluble dye, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 46.5 per cent polystyrene (molecular weight 80,000) in 42 per cent water dispersion 46.5 per cent casein vehicle (casein 10.8 per cent, borax 1.1 per cent, ammonium hydroxide 1.1 per cent, water 87.0 per cent)-(1); Example VI 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 46.5 per cent polyvinylidene chloride plasticized with 20 dibutylphthalate in 52 per cent water dispersion, 46.5 per cent casein vehicle (casein 10.8 per cent, borax 1.1 per cent, ammonium hydroxide 1.1 per cent, water 87.0 per cent)-(1); Example VII 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent Aerosol O.T wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 46.5 per cent casein vehicle (casein 10.8 per cent, borax 1.1 per cent, ammonium hydroxide 1.1 per cent, water 87.0 per cent)-(1), 46.5 per cent styrene-butadiene copolymer in 48 per cent water dispersion; Example VIII 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent Aerosol O.T. wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulfosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 46.5 per cent casein vehicle (1), 46.5 per cent butadieneacrylonitrile copolymer latex (40 per cent solids); Example IX 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 36.5 per cent casein vehicle (1), 36.5 per cent polystyrene (molecular weight 80,000) in 42 per cent water dispersion, 20 per cent ethylene glycol; Example X 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 46.5 per cent methyl cellulose vehicle (2.5 per cent methyl cellulose of 10 cps. in water), 46.5 per cent polystyrene (molecular weight 80,000) in 42 per cent water dispersion; Example XI 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 46.5 per cent methyl cellulose vehicle (2.5 per cent solids), 46.5 per cent acrylic polymer in 25 per cent aqueous dispersion; Example XII 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent Aerosol O.T. (50 per cent solution), 10 per cent ethylene glycol, 18.3 per cent hydroxyethyl cellulose (10 per cent solution in water), 64.7 per cent Vinsol emulsion (40 per cent dispersion in water); Example XIII 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 10 per cent ethylene glycol, 33.8 per cent polyvinyl alcohol (10 per cent solution in water), 32.3 per cent polyvinyl acetate (55 per cent dispersion in water), 16.9 per cent water; Example XIV 5 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 2 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 41.9 per cent sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (1 per cent solution in water), 40.4 per cent polyvinyl acetate (55 per cent dispersion in water), 10.7 per cent water; Example XV 4 per cent Calcocid Scarlet water-soluble dye, 1 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 41 per cent casein vehicle (casein 10.8 per cent, borax 1.1 per cent, ammonium hydroxide 1.1 per cent, water 87.0 per cent)-(1), 41 per cent polyvinyl butyral (65 per cent dispertion in water), 13 per cent water; Example XVI 15 per cent Aquablak water-dispersible pigment, 40 per cent Acrysol W-66, polyacrylic acid (25 per cent dispersion in water), 45 per cent hydroxyethyl cellulose (medium viscosity grade) in 10 per cent solution; Example XVII 15 per cent Aquablak water-dispersible pigment, 1 per cent wetting agent (dioctyl ester of sodium sulphosuccinate in 50 per cent solution), 1 per cent sodium alginate, 41 per cent polyvinyl chloride latex (55 per cent dispersion in water), 42 per cent water.