Author Topic: Making ink (Read 2974 times)

RUSTYME · « **on:** February 26, 2015, 04:55:57 pm »

I want to start doing calligraphy again , i have , somewhere , some pens and i can make quil pens , but ink was going to be the problem . I know you can just buy it , but you have to have the money blah blah blah , so thought make it .
One recipe said use lamp black , egg yolk , honey , gum arabic and water .
Well i scraped the soot off the kettle , (lamp black) added a bit of honey and water and had a go with that . I didn't have gum arabic and wasn't going to waste an egg , but the mix worked fine . Real usable ink , very clear , sharp letters , no bleed , and very dark , jet black in fact .
So i shall store all the soot off the kettle from now on .

Bionic · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2015, 06:16:32 pm »

Wow, I never know what you are going to come up with next Russ.

RUSTYME · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2015, 02:47:27 pm »

Lol , i did calligraphy after the smash Sally . It was one way to get my hand working again .
This time i want to use it to write the text of the herbarium i will be making for the apothecary .
Each time i use/grow a herb , culinary or medicinal , i will press one and write up it's uses in the herbarium , medieval style .
Making the ink is also a task i can do in the apothecary .
Gum arabic is the only thing i can't supply myself , i wonder if something else would do ? No panic anyway , a ballpoint pen will do to begin with , then gradually replace that with text using the home made ink .

Bionic · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2015, 04:15:24 pm »

I love the sound of your apothecary book and it sounds as if it will look great completed with your own ink.

Q · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:38:21 pm »

I know nothing about gum arabic but your post interested me and I now know its just a binder and helps the ink flow freely so I was thinking it isnt necessary.
I ended up in a painting forum and they did a (not massive) survey amongst their members & this is the result.

I always use Gum Arabic         4    6.25%
I use Gum Arabic only for certain effects       22    34.38%
I never use Gum Arabic         20    31.25%
What's Gum Arabic?         18    28.13%

so maybe its not necessary - love the idea of the apothecary book.

RUSTYME · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2015, 10:01:41 pm »

Thanks Q , I now know i don't 'need' gum arabic .
Just the lamp black (soot) , honey and water seems to work fine , so will work with that for now . Don't know how long lasting it will be though .
The pressed herbs will be a record of those i grow and use , their uses being described in the illuminated text that will accompany them .
This was done by the monks hundreds of years ago so i can't claim originality , just making my own version of one .

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2015, 10:32:55 pm »

Love the idea.

sokel · « **Reply #7 on:** February 28, 2015, 06:37:11 pm »

Nice one !
Would the sap of some other tree not work instead of the gum Arabic ?

RUSTYME · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2015, 10:04:29 am »

It seems that it is added to aid fluidity (is that a word?) and to help the ink adhere to the paper .
Without it , i get a slight smudging , but that may be due to the quantity of soot in my mix , i just added a drop or two of honey to a small amount of soot , and then enough water to make it fluid .
As for using other tree saps i have no idea . I have some oak galls that also make ink , but i think that needs green copperas (sp) .
Loads of recipes out there , i just want one i can supply all the ingredients if possible .

RUSTYME · « **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2015, 10:59:22 am »

Re the above , by 'supply myself' i mean not have to buy specifically , ie , the soot comes off the kettle , the honey i already have , egg/water the same , no cost to speak of .
The only cost would in fact be for the paper of the herbarium , the herbs being free also .