About Inks

by Brian G. Walker I thank Nan and others for the positive comments re my ink, appreciated, but Nan's remark --  They came out dark (not as dark as Sumi) but way thinner hairlines --raises a couple of interesting points about the darkness of iron gall ink and about hairlines. 

Just wanted to share with you some information and insights we have come across. Vivian decided to "study" the new Ziller Ink - Glossy Black a bit more. We were interested in knowing about how much we could dilute the ink with distilled water, and what effect would there be on the quality of hairlines and color density while using several different pen points.

Sharpening your nib

Today some wonderful inks for Ornamental writing are available. These preparations hearken back to legendary inks such as Arnold's, Carter's and Zanerian brands. EW Bloser (1865-1929) wrote, "Never stir the ink. A sediment will gather at the bottom of the well which should never be stirred up. Draw a strip of paper across the surface to remove dust, scum, or crust.