Make Ink

From designer and artist Jason Logan, founder of the Toronto Ink Company—a citizen science experiment to make eco-friendly, urban ink from street-harvested pigments—Make Ink delves into the history of inkmaking and the science of distilling pigment from the natural world.

Foreword by Booker Prize-winning author Michael Ondaatje

“Once you start making ink, the world never quite looks the same.” ―Martha Stewart

“In my experience, inkmaking is easiest when you are patient and remain open to everything. Some of the most interesting effects of handmade inkmaking happen when the unexpected happens. Wherever it takes you, the ink you make yourself can only be your own color. Follow your instincts. There is no wrong path.”—from the Introduction

Readers will learn how to forage for materials such as soot, rust, cigarette butts, peach pits, and black walnut, then how to mix, test, and transform these ingredients into rich, vibrant inks that are sensitive to both place and environment. Chapters include:

• A Forager’s Checklist
• What Is Ink and How Is It Made
• Natural Ink: A Basic Recipe
• Colors and Recipes
• The Ground Rules of Natural Inkmaking
• Testing Ink on Paper
• And more!

Organized by color, with a glossary of terms and a guide to resources, and featuring lovely minimalist photography throughout, Make Ink combines science, art, and craft to instill the basics of ink making and demonstrate the beauty and necessity of engaging with one of humankind’s oldest tools of communication.

“Demystifies the process, encouraging experimentation.” ―NPR