Yesterday, my art practice was a baby deer. I used watercolor paints and inks, and my black walnut ink. I wasn't crazy about the face-something is off on that so will try again soon. To not waste the paper I added a tree and grasses, and that mouse is there again haha Since these are practice pieces I am painting on both sides of the papers in this watercolor notebook.
This morning, while catching up on laundry, I grabbed the package of blackberries I bought at the store yesterday to make ink. I am really thinking in more primitive times people just made ink out of found organic materials to have something to write with.
I went with the instructions in the book The Organic Artist. Crush a cup of berries, the riper and juicer the better, strain, add one teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt per 1/2 cup. I just barely got a 1/2 cup with 12 ounces of berries. The instructions said to let sit for a couple of days and then re strain-so I will do that.
All the tools I used to make this were from my dye making stash. I did not have a medium size strainer so I used one with large holes and one fine strainer on top-both small strainers. I then transferred the pulp to a coffee filter.
I wish I would of thought about ink making while living in the woods as we had a bounty of wild blackberries there.
Of course I had to try this out. I added the vinegar and I had a fine pink himalayan salt so stirred that in, which dissolved very fast. This little dip pen is an illustrators pen, which works out nice for using with my watercolor paintings
Speaking of pens, I did get reimbursed for the glass pen that just broke in half for no reason. I messaged the owner of the calligraphy site and shop about what happened, didn't ask for a refund-left it up to her. This was during the holidays, she apologized, said she would send a replacement but I had bought her last one so she refunded the money. I appreciated that.
So I have been looking at a glass pen on amazon same price-around $20.00 that came with a nice wooden box. So I bought that one and it came on Monday. The box fits both pens, and it also came with a small ink bottle and a little glass pen rest.
Only thing that would have been nicer, is if the lid slid on the box in a groove instead of just sitting on top, but for $20.00 I am happy. I haven't tried out the new pen yet-it got high reviews on amazon. These are for craft and painting uses, the handblown glass pen from Germany I will use for my slow mail letters-it is so beautiful I will take a photo soon
Last week I got a surprise in my mailbox from Scotland-Elle had sent out cards and then her mail service went on strike. The envelope was full of lovely stamps too-that is in my stamp stash already. I loved the stamps of the Queen especially Thank you Elle Always fun to get "royal mail" in my mailbox
I will enjoy this pretty card on my mantel til spring
Happy Mid Week
Hi Kathy, nice post. I think your blackberry ink is a great colour, and your painting with the deer is very pretty. The new glass pen looks good! Have a great day, hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeletethank you Valerie, I am happy with the ink color too
DeleteSorry about the pen.
ReplyDeleteat the time- a couple weeks ago that was quite the surprise that it just broke in half, but was reimbursed this week for it so all good
DeleteBlackberry ink? wow this is an absolutely creative way to make ink.
ReplyDeleteI am excited with the blackerry ink results so far-I will wait a couple days and then restrain it as suggested in the book-fun too
DeleteThe baby deer is cute! And the mouse :-)
ReplyDeleteVery, very great job with the ink!
Bummer with the pen - now I see it really is nothing for the elephant (me).
Nice box with the new one! And yippee for happy mail.
Ack 9 hours of work today, so please... bare with me... come slower times I´ll be back joining!
Hugs!
I am hoping you get overtime pay over 8 hours of work-hugs. the ink making was very fun to do. I like this box too-pretty. and fits the two pens perfectly so that's ice. hope you are feeling better too-hugs
DeleteI love the idea.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
thanks it was fun too
Deletewhat a fun thing to try the blackberry ink. We do have some wild blackberries here I have a bag in the freezer waiting for me to back something.
ReplyDeleteCathy
Every year I would freeze a bunch of blackberries too-they make great cobblers too. we have made a brandy from them too and a vinegar as well-
DeleteYou're lucky your card from Elle arrived. Mine hasn't come yet but she told me she sent it so maybe I will get it as a Valentine's Day surprise-smile. And I wonder how the blackberry ink will be once it sits a bit. Perhaps darker or lighter? I hope you show us. This looks like a fun technique. When you mentioned you wish you'd known about this back when you lived in the woods house it made me think of how many times that has happened to me with various things. Hope your week is going well Kathy. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteYes I was surprised seeing Elle's card hope everyone gets theirs.
DeleteI had done allot with those wild blackberries over the years we lived there but never knew about making ink with them-haha. always something new to learn about. yes I will report back on how this ink works out
I am so enjoying your posts about the inks and dip pens. I am taking notes. Slow mail is definitely one of life’s little pleasures. Hilltop Post
DeleteI agree I really love slow mail too
DeleteAlso am enjoying your daily art practice. I love your woodland creatures, especially that sweet little mouse that keeps showing up. Hilltop Post
ReplyDeletethank you -hugs
DeleteAbsolutely wonderful. I am totally impressed. I plan to make some blackberry ink when I get some this summer. You have inspired me.
ReplyDeleteI bought some spinach to dye fabric. I wonder if it can be turned into ink, too.
this berry ink was so easy too-I will try it with poke berries, there is a plant here that keeps coming up-if I didn't kill it last summer. they can be a real nuisance. I ended up buying a copy of that other ink book I share-when I buy on amazon I get points that turns into money to use for buying things-and it covered all but 40 cents of the book-I was happy about that because the book is still rather expensive right now. I looked online about spinach ink-yes you can How do you make spinach ink?
DeleteIf you want to know how to make spinach dye without a blender, simply chop up the spinach or other veggie pieces and place them in a small saucepan. Add twice as much water as you have spinach, bring it to a boil, then allow it to simmer for an hour. Once the product has cooled, strain it well.Dec 21, 2021
it says spinach dye but sometimes they interchange dye and ink I wonder it if will stay green though
DeleteI guess we will find out because I will make a dye for the fabric and siphon some off for the ink. Instead of spending an hour on the stove, I will cook mine in the microwave. Less energy, since my electric bill is through the roof anyway! Thanks for the recipe. You are a gem!
DeleteBTW, it was raining last night/morning when I went to bed. Woke up three hours later and it was SNOWING!
we woke up to about 4 inches of snow-and early morning we had thundersnow haha thundering while snowing never heard that before. we are dropping to the low 20's tonight so got the snow-slush off the steps and about half way up the hill. may try to get back out to clear a path the rest of the way to the mailbox
DeleteI use my microwave a bit more too anxious to see your photos of this dye and ink hugs
Oh Kathy your blackberry ink is lovely. Next summer I will have to gather some just for this use. Mine usually end up in pie and jelly or jam :)!! Wish you lived close so I could share my blackberries with you. Your sketch page with the deer is wonderful. Such fun to just draw with no pressure. I am enjoying doing the same too. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteGood morning-so glad you are drawing-hugs we had loads of blackberries too when we lived in the woods-Larry likes cobblers so I made allot of blackberry cobblers-so good. these inks will be fun to make
DeleteAwww i like your watercolor deer Kathy!! and your journey to making blackberry ink.. I hope you'll write me a letter with it! :) Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteThanks the deer's face isn't quite right but will try again. the blackberry ink was like making a juice-but no heat involved-I will be writing with it for sure-hugs
DeleteYour ink is so pretty. I think you can grind up soft stones, and add an ingredient that has slipped form my head, to get watercolor paint. That would be interesting to try.
ReplyDeleteI was reading about using stones in that other book I mentioned-gotta try it haha.
DeleteHow cool on the black walnut ink. We have black walnut trees and boy does that stuff stain. Very cool. I love how much your drawing. And that you’re sharing it with us. Have you tried red beets? One time I took a bunch of produce and then also ground turmeric to stain with. My current writing table is stained with homemade stuff as well. Very, very fun.
ReplyDeleteBlackberry Ink, what a cool name too.
Wow, wow, on the glass pen for 20 smackers! I am so happy for you.
I am enjoying learning more about homemade inks-the black walnut ink was quite a process and needed to be made outdoors-but it was worth it. I ended up with around 6 quarts I love writing with the glass pens
DeleteVery cool that you ended up with so much. I love making dyes and stains at home!!!!! Though there is this new-to-me company that does soya-based stains that I'm excited to give a go!
DeleteI do enjoy the process of making dyes and inks from organic materials. the soya stains sounds interesting
DeleteI like the color too. Thanks a lot for the recipe. This one I'll try. The walnut ink is too messy to concoct indoors.
ReplyDeleteKuddos for the cute drawing. I'm curious to know, do you always add the mouse in your drawings ?
Good mornibg, The black walnut ink needs to be made outdoors-I heated mine outdoors over a fire pit. this blackberry ink was a fun project and fine to do indoors. a couple posts back I drew a fox, and had an ink drop on the page-so I turned it into a little mouse-this is the second one I decided to add an mouse too smiles
Deleteooops-morning
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