How to Make Inks

Early artists and calligraphers made use of the natural pigments that were readily available to them in creating what they hoped would be "permanent" inks. Black walnut hulls were used in colonial times to create rich, dark sepia drawing ink. The most common black inks were carbon-based (made of soot) and gallotannate (made of gall nuts and iron sulfate) concoctions. Learning to make homemade inks from old recipes can be a hobby for purist artisans and curious historians of all ages.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Basics:
• Rubber gloves to protect hands
• Apron or smock
• Spoons
• Glass jars with stoppers
• Hammer
• Walnut Ink:
• Tree-fallen black walnuts
• Heavy canvas bag
• Large pot
• Water
• Vinegar
• Cheesecloth (two to three layers cut into 20-inch squares)
• Iron Gall Ink:
• Tabletop scale to weigh ingredients
• Mortar and pestle
• Cheap white wine
• Solid gum arabic
• Aleppo galls
• Clear, resealable plastic bags
• Iron sulfate
• Old pot

Making Black Walnut Ink

1. Gather 12-14 black walnuts that have fallen to the ground. Pick the ones that have black, shriveled hulls. Hint: Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the permanent walnut stain.

2. Put the walnuts in the canvas bag and tie it closed.

3. Pound the bag with a hammer to break up the walnut hulls.

4. Layer two to three squares of cheesecloth. Carefully empty the contents of the canvas bag into the center of the cloth. Remove walnuts and bits of hull from the black, soil-like material.

5. Gather the cheesecloth together to form a sack and tie it closed.

6. Heat 3 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt in a large pan on the stove. Place the cheesecloth sack of walnut hulls into the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.

7. Stir the pot occasionally and remove it from the stove when the water has turned deep brown-black.

8. Remove the cheesecloth bag, squeezing it to extract more concentrated pigment into the ink. Allow the ink to cool. Mix in 3 teaspoons of vinegar. Carefully poor it into glass bottles or jars for storage.

Making Iron Gall Ink

9. Dissolve 1/2 ounce of solid gum arabic in 8 ounces of white wine in an old pot.

10. Place the galls into plastic bags and crack them with a hammer into small bits.

11. Grind the galls into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle.

12. Measure 1 1/4 ounces (35 grams) of powdered galls by weight on the scale and 3/4 ounce (21 grams) of iron sulfate.

13. Combine the powdered galls and iron sulfate into the wine and gum arabic mixture. Let it stand for one to two hours. Pour into a glass jar.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase ingredients for iron gall ink at art or dye supply stores. Research other ways of making inks online.
• Permanent inks stain hands, clothing and kitchen surfaces. Wear protective clothing and gloves when handling walnuts and mixing or pouring inks. Do not use homemade inks in fountain pens. Use dip-style quill pens instead and clean nibs thoroughly between uses.

References

• "How to Make Permanent Gallontannate Ink" by Evan Lindquist, Emeritus Professor of Art, Arkansas State University
• The Ink Corrosion Web Site
• Oracle Foundation ThinkQuest