Pokeberry Ink

[jbb]

The pokeberry ink that FiberDrunk sent me has been stored in an inkwell on my desk and is subject to regular evaporation. I have added both water and a bit of vinegar to it over the last month. The color seems more red and less purple that it was originally.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3807/10659600886_cb5b24191f_b.jpg

[jbb]

Maybe you can see the color difference here from the original ink.... but it was hard to photograph.

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/10659808103_857038f472_o.jpg

[Amyj]

The browning is from the vinegar, but I must say that your inkwell, pen, and penmanship all look amazing.

[fiberdrunk]

Maybe you can see the color difference here from the original ink.... but it was hard to photograph.

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/10659808103_857038f472_o.jpg

 

Wow, you're still getting it to flow, even with the addition of vinegar. It looks like it's feathering more now. The stuff I've kept in the fridge still looks magenta. No hints of browning. Flow is still good. After 3+ years of making this ink, I'm still learning!

[fiberdrunk]

Already looking ahead. Future ink in the making! Here's some pokeweed coming up after its winter sleep:

 

 

Here's my own little pokeweed "forest" in the backyard, just starting to come up:

 

[fiberdrunk]

By the way, here is a writing sample done today from the pokeberry juice ink I made back in September. It still flows, though the color is less intense than it was, and there is more feathering/line bloat. But it has lasted longer than any other pokeberry recipe I've tried (the others browned and stopped flowing within a month or so). That September batch has been kept in the refrigerator the whole time.

 

Edited April 24, 2014 by fiberdrunk

[fiberdrunk]

My little pokeberry "forest" is growing fast. The plants are already taller than I am! The funny thing is, I didn't plant any of this. Our backyard got dug up last summer because our septic system needed fixing. I guess the disturbed soil was conducive for pokeweed, because all of a sudden I have 'em growing there! Most people consider them a weed and chop 'em down, but this is a boon for an ink maker! Ordinarily I have to drive around, looking for roadside plants with berries to pick (which has drawn more than a few stares from passersby!) This year it looks like I'll have my own to pick from. I'm quite delighted by this gift from nature! Berries appear between July and September, at least when the weather is normal, so that's something to look forward to.

 

Edited May 31, 2014 by fiberdrunk

[jbb]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, what exactly (in terms of amounts) would make up a good iron gall inkmaking kit? I am surrounded by oak galls ...but they're the No. Cal. type.

[jbb]

That's great Fiberdrunk! Your pokeberry ink last year was so much fun.

[fiberdrunk]

That's great Fiberdrunk! Your pokeberry ink last year was so much fun.

Hey JBB! I just wrote you a letter about this, so now you can see what I was talking about!

[fiberdrunk]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, what exactly (in terms of amounts) would make up a good iron gall inkmaking kit? I am surrounded by oak galls ...but they're the No. Cal. type.

 

I've made a chart for you, but put it over in the CA Live Oak thread here.

Edited May 31, 2014 by fiberdrunk

[lectraplayer]

So far I'm having no trouble with flow of my pokeberry ink at all, not even a year out at room temperature. I always wind up dumping mine as a tan líquid, usually within a month in a well sealed bottle and a day or two in a pen. I have hunted for gum arabic with zero luck whatsoever. Ascorbic acid (vitaman C) seems to give me a couple good months in the bottle and about a week in the pen. What else can I use and how long can I get out of pokeberry ink? As a thought, how much would sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) help retain color of my pokeberry wine?

[fiberdrunk]

So far I'm having no trouble with flow of my pokeberry ink at all, not even a year out at room temperature. I always wind up dumping mine as a tan líquid, usually within a month in a well sealed bottle and a day or two in a pen. I have hunted for gum arabic with zero luck whatsoever. Ascorbic acid (vitaman C) seems to give me a couple good months in the bottle and about a week in the pen. What else can I use and how long can I get out of pokeberry ink? As a thought, how much would sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) help retain color of my pokeberry wine?

 

You can get gum arabic from Mountain Rose Herbal or even on eBay and Amazon. I'm glad to hear ascorbic acid helped preserve it. The best results that I've had are just with the plain pokeberry juice and storing the juice in the fridge in between use. It kept for quite a few months that way. Pokeberries also freeze well so you can set them aside and just juice what you want when you need it. The writing samples I've made in the past from ink made with additives have nearly faded completely away, despite being kept in the dark. So far the samples made from just plain pokeberry juice are hanging in there just fine. So I'd recommend not even adding anything else to the juice for ink.

 

I can't help you with the pokeberry wine-- I never made it before.

[wallylynn]

baking soda is basic/alkaline. (think baking soda and vinegar volcano experiments) i'll gander that it'll do the opposite of help. But try it with a little bit and let us know. pokeberries are not yet in season where i am.

[fiberdrunk]

. pokeberries are not yet in season where i am.

 

I was actually able to pick about 10 berries today, the first of the season! But most of them are still green or even still flowering.

Edited July 17, 2014 by fiberdrunk

[lectraplayer]

I have a couple turning, but not enough to juice for a cartridge. I'm trying to get a formula for a daily scribble, but A)the juice and wine both releases CO2 in the pen, thus leaving me with an empty pen and a purple pocket, and B)the ink fades very rapidly.

[lectraplayer]

Double post... Delete.

Edited July 17, 2014 by lectraplayer

[fiberdrunk]

I love this time of year when I can make pokeberry ink again!

 

Homemade pokeberry juice ink alongside homemade blueberry ink, written with a glass pen:

 

Pokeberry juice ink written with MusinkMan's oblique flex:

[pritchardp]

Hi

I was directed here as newbie FPN person and amateur ink formulator.

Although we don't have pokeberries in the UK (at least I don't think so), there is a small amount of woad grown. I have been playing around with this to get a soluble (blue/grey) ink and wondered if anyone might be interested in trying it out? Incidentally I also played around with gum arabic to alter the flow characteristics but found it to be unhelpful rather than adding anything...