Ink making training by Colleen.

Formation à la fabrication d'encres

Incredibly talented artist, Colleen, has been sharing her knowledge of ancient ink making methods… Iron Gall Ink.

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Nature is so amazing! Gall wasps lay a single egg on a leaf bud. The larvae secretion changes the chemistry where a protective gall nut is formed around the larvae instead of a leaf. When it’s ready, the wasp will burrow it’s way out of the nut, leaving a little hole (swipe to see an example).
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We’re surrounded by lots of oaks and collect little galls (with holes in them) that we’ve found on the forest path.
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These galls contain a lot of tannin, and have been used to make ink since the Roman Empire, and from the middle ages until the twentieth century.

Ink making training
Link to Paco Como Shop