Ink Making

Red: Brazilwood

The red ink used in Books of Hours would usually have been vermillion (de Hamel 1992, 33), but I chose to make brazilwood ink instead because it is safer to make and to use. De Hamel (1992, 33) states that brazilwood ink can be made from brazilwood chips infused with vinegar or urine; further research shows many references to general descriptions of brazilwood ink but not many specific recipes in the sources I consulted. However, I did find a post-medieval handbook that contained a brazilwood ink recipe that called for stale urine, brazilwood, alum, and sugar (Haslett, 1859), which included quantities of the ingredients so I could get proper proportions.

I began by collecting one quart of urine and letting it ferment for two weeks. I added the urine and ¼ pound of brazilwood shavings to a saucepan and let them soak overnight. The following evening, I simmered the mixture for a half hour, then added a teaspoon of alum. I strained the mixture, then simmered it for an additional 10 minutes to evaporate more of the liquid, added another teaspoon of alum, and finally strained it once again. I did not add any sugar, nor did I add any gum arabic. Writing tests showed that both those additions were unnecessary.

Black: Oak Gall

More than a year ago, I purchased oak galls from Master Ranthulr. Many sources discuss oak-gall ink in some detail (de Hamel 1992, 32–33), but for a specific recipe I turned to the Ink Corrosion Website, specifically recipe number 4 (http://www.knaw.nl/ecpa/ink/make_ink_recipes.html).

I began by crushing the galls with a hammer, covering them with water, and letting them sit outside in the hot sum for two weeks. I used crushed ferrous sulphate vitamin supplements as my source of iron, gum arabic, and a small amount of brazilwood. I boiled some brazilwood chips in water, them poured the liquid over the ferrous sulphate and gum arabic. This mixture was added to the liquid from the galls and left to sit for two days before being filtered again. The ink is very light when first used, but darkens to a medium gray after several minutes.