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jbb
May 1st, 2013, 10:11 AM
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.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6838275439_b31d4d911f_o.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8004/7704478200_0e650b0693_o.jpg

Uncle Red
May 1st, 2013, 10:20 AM
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
May 1st, 2013, 10:41 AM
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.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5254/5530727068_428919fa0d_o.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5053/5530166335_555a28c8a3_o.jpg

Bogon07
May 1st, 2013, 05:21 PM
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
May 2nd, 2013, 08:00 AM
Fabulous!!! I must find gum Arabic,..

jbb
May 2nd, 2013, 08:16 AM
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?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_5962wt_799

Margana
May 2nd, 2013, 12:13 PM
So very pretty! Is the ink you used for the color component intended for dip pens or fountain pens?

jbb
May 2nd, 2013, 12:48 PM
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
May 2nd, 2013, 02:22 PM
The Blue looks great but the red looks the way you'd hope Rouge Hematite would look.

Pterodactylus
May 2nd, 2013, 03:12 PM
http://imageshack.us/a/img22/381/metallicinkresponse03.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img855/4783/metallicinkresponse02.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img38/2816/metallicinkresponse01.jpg

(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
May 2nd, 2013, 04:16 PM
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.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5134/5547422479_21de40c3b5_o.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8506/8583436217_9e637f5994_o.jpg

Uncle Red
May 3rd, 2013, 10:14 AM
Wow!

KrazyIvan
May 3rd, 2013, 10:16 AM
What Uncle Red said. :)

Pterodactylus
May 4th, 2013, 12:58 PM
Hi JBB,

thanks for the info :)

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

jbb
May 4th, 2013, 01:15 PM
Hi JBB,

thanks for the info :)

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

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

Marsilius
May 4th, 2013, 11:44 PM
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!
2383

earthdawn
May 4th, 2013, 11:50 PM
Man that looks AWSOME !

Whats the dry time on it ?

79spitfire
May 5th, 2013, 12:30 AM
:jaw:

jbb
May 5th, 2013, 07:04 AM
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!
2383

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
May 5th, 2013, 07:06 AM
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.

Marsilius
May 5th, 2013, 07:35 AM
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?

Good question. I will have to look into the practical side of the manuscript. More anon!

earthdawn
May 5th, 2013, 08:38 AM
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.

I meant you lol...

Thanks .. I really like the ink you made

rainmonkey
July 2nd, 2013, 09:21 PM
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.


Hi jbb,

A few days ago I saw this thread and I went out to get supplies to try the same. I'm a complete newbie to the world of calligraphy and inks so I was hoping you could give me some advice regarding your construction of the blue and gold ink above. I bought Aztec Gold Pearl Ex powdered pigment, a bottle of gum arabic (liquid form) and FW Prussian Blue acrylic ink. I've been mixing the two together but it always seems to come out kind of metallic green instead of how yours is very clearly blue with gold shimmer.

Should I be using a completely water based ink?

Thank you! I really like your work and am hoping I can do something similar at least with the ink types.

jbb
July 3rd, 2013, 07:17 AM
Hi jbb,

A few days ago I saw this thread and I went out to get supplies to try the same. I'm a complete newbie to the world of calligraphy and inks so I was hoping you could give me some advice regarding your construction of the blue and gold ink above. I bought Aztec Gold Pearl Ex powdered pigment, a bottle of gum arabic (liquid form) and FW Prussian Blue acrylic ink. I've been mixing the two together but it always seems to come out kind of metallic green instead of how yours is very clearly blue with gold shimmer.

Should I be using a completely water based ink?

Thank you! I really like your work and am hoping I can do something similar at least with the ink types.

The Aztec Gold powder should be fine and, while I use powdered gum Arabic, not liquid, I don't think that's a problem so my guess is you should try a blue other than FW Prussian Blue acrylic ink. I don't use, or like, acrylic inks personally. Do you have any water-based blue inks you could try?

rainmonkey
July 3rd, 2013, 05:17 PM
The Aztec Gold powder should be fine and, while I use powdered gum Arabic, not liquid, I don't think that's a problem so my guess is you should try a blue other than FW Prussian Blue acrylic ink. I don't use, or like, acrylic inks personally. Do you have any water-based blue inks you could try?

The reason I shy away from water based is because I have a bottle of Higgins Eternal Black and it seems to kind of fade after it dries... not pretty. I'll take a trip to Blick and see what water based blue's they have. Any suggestions?
Any particular reason you dislike acrylic?


Thanks!

ps I'm going to try it with the Eternal Black right now anyway! hahaha

jbb
July 4th, 2013, 11:24 AM
The Aztec Gold powder should be fine and, while I use powdered gum Arabic, not liquid, I don't think that's a problem so my guess is you should try a blue other than FW Prussian Blue acrylic ink. I don't use, or like, acrylic inks personally. Do you have any water-based blue inks you could try?

The reason I shy away from water based is because I have a bottle of Higgins Eternal Black and it seems to kind of fade after it dries... not pretty. I'll take a trip to Blick and see what water based blue's they have. Any suggestions?
Any particular reason you dislike acrylic?


Thanks!

ps I'm going to try it with the Eternal Black right now anyway! hahaha

I just never liked the way acrylic ink felt to write with plus once they dry they can't be re-hydrated. How are your tests coming along?