How to Make Your Own Chinese Ink
Chinese calligraphy is an art form that has been around for thousands of years. According to the Chinatown Connection, Chinese calligraphy is not only a written language, but an abstract art that stirs up emotion through the splendid variety of design and form. In order to create this culturally rich imagery, one must first make Chinese calligraphy ink of the correct consistency.
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Instructions
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Dribble a small amount of water onto the suzuri, a flat ink stone made from slate. It typically has raised edges to contain ink spills.
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Hold the Sumi ink stick upright and place the head into the water on the suzuri. A Sumi ink stick is made of soot, water and glue. Yuen-boku is black ink made from lamp soot, while Shoen-boku is a black-blue ink made from pine soot.
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Twist the Sumi ink stick between your fingers in a grinding motion. Use only a slight pressure when grinding. Once the ink has reached a thick consistency, add more water if a lot of ink is needed.
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Continue twisting the ink stick until the sound of the grinding becomes soft and muffled. This means that oil has built up on the suzuri, which is necessary for the correct ink consistency.
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Dip the tip of the brush pen into the ink. Place a drop of ink from the brush pen onto the rim of a ceramic or glass bowl. If the ink runs down the side of the bowl quickly, it is too thin. If the ink moves slowly and leaves a dark trail, it is ready for use.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit set for calligraphy image by Daria Miroshnikova from Fotolia.com
