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How to Create Ink

Homemade ink is fabulous to use for calligraphy writing, scrap booking and ink stamping projects. Or, put ink in a decorative glass bottle and give as a gift to a crafty friend. Early cultures across the world used many different ingredients to make ink, such as minerals, berries, bark, soot and oils. These ink recipes use easy-to-find ingredients like tea bags and honey.

Things You'll Need

  • Small glass jars with lids
  • Mixing spoon
  • 8 oz. honey
  • Egg Yolk
  • 1 oz. of Gum Arabic
  • Candle
  • Glass plate
  • 1/2 cup laundry bluing
  • Water
  • Five regular tea bags
  • Corn Starch
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Instructions

  1. Black Ink

    • 1

      Mix the honey and egg yolk together in a glass jar.

    • 2

      Add one ounce of gum arabic to the mix. Gum arabic is hardened sap from two different varieties of the acacia tree. Gum arabic is used to thin the consistency of ink. You can purchase gum arabic easily on the Internet or at art stores.

    • 3

      Hold a plate above a lighted candle, until a black slick appears on the bottom, called lamp black. Take a bit of the mixture and rub it on the slick. The mixture will pick up the color. Scrape the mixture off the plate and return to jar. Repeat process until the ink looks dark enough.

    • 4

      Mix well. Add 1/8 teaspoon of water to the mixture. Close lid and shake.

    Blue Ink

    • 5

      Pour one ounce of laundry bluing into a glass jar. Laundry bluing is sold at many large discount stores and on the Internet. Laundry bluing is used to enhance the color of clothing.

    • 6

      Slowly add water to the bluing. It will change shades as you add the water, so keep adding water until you get the intensity of blue you want.

    • 7

      Store in glass jar with lid.

    Brown Ink

    • 8

      Steep five tea bags in 1/2 cup hot water for ten minutes. Remove tea bags.

    • 9

      Pour tea into glass jar. Add a bit of cornstarch to thicken. Keep adding cornstarch until ink is good consistency.

    • 10

      Store in glass jar with lid.

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