Talk:Walnut ink

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Comments

These technique pages are very interesting! Where's the recipe coming from? There are recipe books from the middle ages and renaissance that could be mentioned. --MichaelTinkler

This writing is my own, the recipe was passed on to me from a close artist friend. I learned it 20 years ago from a Baltimore painter, Earl Hofmann, who in turned learned it from his teacher Jacques Maroger. I have made walnut ink every year for over 20 years and have supplied many other artist and art stores with it. I have many recipes on various art materials and mediums which I currently use in my art work.

You are right about the recipe books, I have quite a few in my collection. Most of the early works are very interesting and still work well today. The modern ones, in my opinion, are for the most part rubbish. The state of today's fine art painting materials and mediums is a topic for another article that I am drafting. The article on Maroger was my first draft. I will resubmit soon. I only wish that I could write better, I am trying to get a writer friend of mine to help with some edits. - Scott

Walnut Ink - Preservatives and Mordants

Hi, Folks!

I have made walnut ink a number of times since the fifties, but having nothing other than the most general of recipes to go on, handed down through my family, I have had to resort to trial and error. In the course of this process, though, I have found a couple of modifications that seem to work well for me.

I use a glass crock that holds about three gallons. This I fill halfway with walnuts from the ground, hulls of course still on, and add water to cover the contents plus half again the amount added. If I have selected the walnuts properly, that is, all have turned brown, I don't have to wait so long.

Using a masher such as a baseball bat, I carefully pulverize the contents and let the batch sit 24 hours. Being stingy, I save the screened pulp, cover it again with water, and leach out every bit of ink I can get. I keep the two batches separate.

The first batch I heat in an iron kettle to cook it down until it is dark enough to suit my taste. At this point my family recipe plays out, and from here on I am reporting the results of my trial and error.

I then cool the first batch and prepare for the next step. The second batch of water I do not cook, but add a little preservative and set aside for an indefinite time. Over years it will evaporate to its own degree of dryness, and may be reconstituted as needed. At present I am making up enough to last me probably the rest of my life, but that will only be a couple of gallons. I don't use much per year.

Two preservatives I have tried without excessive problems; the first is lysol, just a few drops per quart. Another is povidone, a hospital disinfectant, used in small quantities also. I have heard that sodium benzoate will also work, but have not used it. I definitely do not use any form of chlorine bleach, even in small amounts, as that will corrode any penpoint and also lighten the mixture. Iodine, though also a halogen, does not seem to affect it as much.

Finally, having attained the density I like, and having added some sort of preservative, I stir in enough gum Arabic to cause slight beading. It is hard to specify an amount, as I add a teaspoon at a time to my batch, stirring til dissolved, and stop when ideal consistency is reached. Gum Arabic, also known as acacia, can be had on the Internet. My latest batch came from eBay.

I would be happy to hear of other people's experiences with walnut ink, since it is one of the most beautiful natural substances, and stains so well without having to use mordants. My email address is ashborough@knology.net. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.214.18.59 (talk)