Ink

A quill dipped in black ink

Ink is a colored liquid or paste used for writing, drawing, printing, or marking surfaces. It's made by combining pigments or dyes (which provide color) with a carrier fluid (like water, oil, or alcohol) and various additives that help with drying, flow, or adhesion.

Materials used

• Colorant, like lampblack, iron oxide, soot and oak gall, or sepia (squid ink)
• Carrier, like water, linseed oil, or alcohol
• Thickeners, thinners, dryers, and such as needed

Crafting instructions

India Ink

1. Mix two parts lampblack with one part shellac or gum arabic
2. Add water to desired thickness and mix
3. Animal glue may be added to form an inkstick

Iron-gall ink

1. Soak two parts crushed oak galls in water for 24 - 48 hours to create a solution of tannic acid
2. Add one part fine powder of iron(II) sulfate to the solution
3. Add thickener as desired.
4. Strain and store.

Print ink

1. Add linseed oil to lampblack or other colorant as desired. This ink sticks to metal and was commonly used for printing press

Simple walnut ink

1. simmer walnut husks in water for at least 30 min (the longer the better)
2. Strain thoroughly
3. Simmer down to desired darkness
4. Optionally alcohol can be added to around 10-30% to preserve long term

Uses

India ink is the traditional ink used in Chinese calligraphy and has existed for millennia. It is still used today in art, calligraphy, writing, and as the black ink in tattoos. Iron-gall ink was very common in Europe, from the 5th to 19th centuries. It was so commonplace that it was also called "standard" or "common" ink. Print ink sticks to metal unlike water-based inks, and so was instrumental in the use of the printing press.