Metallic Dip Pen Ink - homemade

[jbb]

I make metallic dip pen ink using fine metallic powder, powdered gum Arabic and water. You can add ink instead of water. It's a fun, cheap date. You want to mix it in a small shallow dish (like a salt cellar) because the metallic powder is heavy and won't stay in suspension.

[Uncle Red]

Very cool JBB. Do you have any samples of the metallic powder in ink instead of the water? What color combinations worked best for you?

[jbb]

Very cool JBB. Do you have any samples of the metallic powder in ink instead of the water? What color combinations worked best for you?

Hey Uncle Red! Here's red-gold & blue-gold. Green-gold is particularly nice and purple-gold is not bad either. I don't have pictures of those handy right now. I have a dish of gold ink on my desk and cross dip with it into other inkwells as the mood strikes me.

Getting the right amount of gum Arabic is key to making this ink. It's about 1:4 -- gum Arabaic to metallic powder. The ink will smear if there's not enough gum Arabic and sometimes you'll find you have to adjust your batch as you use it.

[Bogon07]

Wow that blue gold ink looks fantastic - accentuated by the nice calligraphy.

I have a feeling I'm going to be looking a steel nib and holder sets in the near future now.

[woosang]

Fabulous!!! I must find gum Arabic,..

[jbb]

Fabulous!!! I must find gum Arabic,..

Here's powdered gum Arabic on ebay. I don't know if they ship out of the U.S. I recommend powdered as it is way cheaper than liquid.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200454802295...#ht_5962wt_799

[Margana]

So very pretty! Is the ink you used for the color component intended for dip pens or fountain pens?

[jbb]

So very pretty! Is the ink you used for the color component intended for dip pens or fountain pens?

It's fountain pen ink. I use fountain pen ink in general for dip pens.

[Uncle Red]

The Blue looks great but the red looks the way you'd hope Rouge Hematite would look.

[Pterodactylus]

(Dip Nib Brause 361)

I saw a similar thread on FPN some time ago and tried this also.
But in opposite to you I´m a completely beginner using a dip pen.

[jbb]

Beautiful handwriting Pterodactylus!

Yes, the pigment/metallic powder wants to settle to the bottom for me too and needs to be mixed with water/ink frequently. I add water from a squeeze bottle as I go along. These inks are absolutely beautiful to write with by they are a bit fussy.

The metallic powders come in many, many gorgeous colors.

[Uncle Red]

Wow!

[KrazyIvan]

What Uncle Red said.

[Pterodactylus]

Hi JBB,

thanks for the info

You are a real artist, I wish I could reach your level some time in the future.

[jbb]

Hi JBB,

thanks for the info

You are a real artist, I wish I could reach your level some time in the future.

Right back at you..... I admire your handwriting too.

[Marsilius]

This is beautiful! You might like Brussels ms. 9085, a fifteenth-century manuscript of dance music on black parchment, with gold staves and silver notes:
It seems a kindred spirit!
beulte.gif

[earthdawn]

Man that looks AWSOME !

Whats the dry time on it ?

[79spitfire]

[jbb]

This is beautiful! You might like Brussels ms. 9085, a fifteenth-century manuscript of dance music on black parchment, with gold staves and silver notes:
It seems a kindred spirit!
beulte.gif

OMG, that's fabulous! What's the story behind black parchment? Did they dye the hide or tan it differently to make it all black?

[jbb]

Man that looks AWSOME !

Whats the dry time on it ?

I'm not sure if you're referring to that gorgeous black manuscript here. If you are referring to the dry time on metallic ink in general it's not much longer than regular ink.