How to Make Fountain Pen Ink? A Complete Guide
how to make fountain pen ink

Have you ever wondered how companies make ink? How can the ink color be so vibrant and flow better on the paper? Let’s clarify one thing: there’s no hard science behind it, and even you can make it at home. So what to know more? Let’s see how to make fountain pen inks as better as the manufactured ones with safer material.

Inks are not a recent discovery. They were first produced in the 20th century when copper ink cartridges were first made for vintage fountain pens. Since then, manufacturers have developed fountain pen-friendly inks, until today.

Step By Step Guide to Making Fountain Pen Inks at Home

There are several types of inks available in a range of colors and consistency. But there’s no science of modern formulations that you need to learn or research. Just grab your bowl, a candle, and get started.

Jet Black Ink tutorial

Every pen lover enjoys good black ink, and we are happy to tell you that now you can make it home. All you need is to get a few ingredients and follow the steps mentioned below.

Things You Need 

  • Lampblack color
  • One egg yolk
  • Honey
  • Gum acacia/ Arabic

Method

  1. First of all, grab a mixing bowl
  2. Combine a teaspoon of acacia or Arabic gum, half a cup of pure honey, and egg yolk
  3. Mix it thoroughly until it is well combined
  4. As soon as you see a homogenous mixture, add half a teaspoon of lamp black color drop by drop. Mix it well until you see a thick black paste with homogenous color.

Usage 

This ink will feel thicker than usual. Place the entire mixture in an ink bottle, and before using, add a few drops of clean water to get your desired consistency. If you want to place it in a cartridge, use a syringe under an adult’s supervision.

 

Didn’t Find the Lampblack?

It’s hard to get all the ingredients, especially when they are not easily available. You can find lampblacks in online stores, but if you don’t get one, don’t worry. We have a dupe for it, and everyone owns it. It’s known as a ceramic utensil.

Place a ceramic plate, tray, or bowl under the flame. Once the base starts to blacken up, collect that ash and use it to replace lampblack in the same quantity. You’ll get the same results while having fountain pen-friendly ink.

Deep Blue Ink Tutorial

deep blue ink

Let’s talk about another beautiful shade of blue color which is very much preferred in fountain pen ink writing. There’s a way to get the stunning dark blue ink color with natural ingredients.

Things You Need 

  • Blackberries
  • Acacia gum
  • Distilled water
  • Thyme oil

Method

  1. Get a mixing bowl and heat some water
  2. Pour a cup full of blackberries and in the bowl
  3. Pour hot water over them, stir them, and set them for a few seconds
  4. Now get a filter. Squeeze the blackberries with the strainer with the help of a spatula or a spoon. In this way, you’ll extract all the colors from them
  5. Get all the juice out of them and place it in a separate bowl. Strain the juice again to eliminate solid particles or fruit remnants
  6. In the bowl containing juice, mix the Arabic gum slowly while stirring it constantly. Half a teaspoon of acacia gum or Arabic gum will do the job
  7. Keep adding the gum until you achieve the desired thickness
  8. Add a few drops of thyme oil to give it a signature glistening and scent. Keep it in a cool place until it reaches room temperature.

Usage 

Store it in an ink bottle and dip or fill it in your pens whenever you want to write. For cartridge filling, let it cool first, insert it through a syringe, and place it in your pen. Now it’s ready to write.

Gorgeous Prussian Blue Ink Tutorial

Many beautiful scripts are written with a bright and sophisticated color, so fountain pen lovers are fans of this deep blue shade. There’s no need to buy this color as we already know how to make it. The procedure is mentioned below and it’s very simple.

Things You Need 

  • Clean water
  • Persian blue color, which is also available as a blue agent for laundry

Method

  1. Get a Prussian blue color. It is also available in the form of blue laundry dye
  2. Place a cup of clean water and add the pigment to it while constantly stirring
  3. Keep adding and mixing the color slowly till you reach the Prussian or deep blue color
  4. Your ink is now ready

Usage

After making the ink, pour it carefully into a clean bottle. When you want to use it, shake it well, then fill it in your pen. If you don’t shake it well before it is on it, you won’t get a homogenous color on the paper.

Brown Ink Tutorial

Do you want to give your writing a more vintage look? Then grab yourself a parchment style paper, a vintage fountain pen, and some brown ink. You don’t have brown ink? Don’t panic. Here’s how to make it.

Things You Need 

  • Teabags or loose tea
  • Arabic gum
  • Hot water

Method

  1. Firstly, get half a cup of clean water and bring it to a boil
  2. Place five teabags or three tablespoons of loose tea in a heat-proof bowl
  3. In this bowl, pour the boiling water over the tea
  4. While warm, add one tablespoon heaped of acacia or Arabic gum
  5. Stir the mixture and let it sit
  6. After twenty-five to thirty minutes, take out the tea bags or strain the tea with the help of a strainer and spoon into the town mixture
  7. Let it cool. Here’s your favorite Harry Potter-style vintage ink

Usage 

Place the cooled mixture in an ink bottle or any clean one and fill up your pen for daily usage.

Blood Red Ink

Inspired by the vampires and blood, we’ve come up with a way of making some realistic-looking blood-red ink with only a few natural ingredients mentioned below.

Things You Need 

  • Beetroot
  • Vinegar
  • Water

Method

  1. Pour half a cup of water into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer
  2. Add a whole beet, cut into small chunks into the simmering water
  3. Keep it simmer for twenty minutes under low heat
  4. Drain the liquid in the bowl and add a tablespoon of vinegar into the color
  5. Let it cool and it’s ready to use

Usage 

Keep it in a clean bottle and mix it well before every use.

An Extra Gift: Invisible Ink

What if we told you that it’s extremely easy to make? Here’s how to surprise your fellow pen junkie:

Things You Need 

  • Water
  • Baking soda

Method

  1. Get a bowl
  2. Mix a 1/4 cup of baking soda with a quarter cup of water
  3. Mix it well until you see a uniform mixture. Your invisible ink is ready!

Usage 

Inject a cartridge by using a syringe. Now write anything on paper and wait until it’s completely dry. Put the paper under yellow or warm light, and everyone will be able to see your message.

FAQs about How to Make Fountain Pen Ink

Do These Homemade Inks Stay on the Paper?

Absolutely! The normal paper contains cellulose fibers. As we all know, cellulose fibers absorb water easily, and our ink is majorly made of water. It stains paper in the form of writing, but the leakage is prevented through good quality paper and a precise nib.

How Do You Fill Ink in a Fountain Pen?

The filling mechanism is very simple. Place your fountain pen at a 45-degree angle in the ink bottle gently pull the lever up to fill it. Or use a syringe to fill the cartridge and insert it on its own.

Which Pens are Better for Homemade Ink?

Even though both quills style and steel nib fountain pens work great, it’s better to get steel nibs one as the five more precise writing due to the capillary action of ink flow in it.

Conclusion

We hope this article gave you a complete tutorial on how to make fountain pen ink at home with a vast range of colors. We gave a thorough tutorial and usage method of blue, black, red, brown, and deep blue. Also, we answered some questions related to it.

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