Abstract: An aqueous unpigmented coating and printing composition useful for gravure and flexographic printing on plastic and metal substrates is provided by preparing an aqueous emulsion of a hydrophobic UV curable oligomer and a photoinitiator and adding about 1 to 10% by weight of the composition of a water soluble or reducible polymeric thickener in an amount effective to provide a viscosity of about 10 to 50 poises and specified rheology properties whereby the composition is capable of yielding clear cured films as low as about 2 microns in thickness.