July 27, 2024

Is the walnut ink you're working with actually made from walnuts? The answer is MAYBE.


If you haven't heard of walnut ink before, you are in for a treat! Walnut ink has been around for centuries and was commonly used during the medieval and Renaissance periods due to its accessibility and durability. It's also not hard to make and is considered lightfast. A win-win for artists and writers during this time. Add to this: walnut ink is archival, it's water-soluble, and it can combine beautifully with watercolor works.


Here's where confusion makes an entrance. The word 'walnut' can be used to describe the nut, the tree or the color. This leaves a lot of wiggle room for naming purposes in the art world. A number of 'walnut drawing ink' products are made with substitute products that are walnut colored, but don't use walnuts to get to this effect. This is sometimes done out of the worry of acidity in the walnuts used to make the ink. Walnuts (the nut that is used to make natural walnut ink) are slightly acidic, while the substitute pigments are not.


Many traditional inks, by nature, are acidic. The acidity is part of what makes them work so well when writing with a dip nib and paper. The acid in these inks actually 'etches' the ink into the paper. This is different than working with acrylic ink that will sit on top of the paper. While the acid does eat at the paper slightly, the ink itself would fade away without it. Working with these inks also comes with the side effect of the acid wearing down your brushes and ink nibs over time. While artists have to view their brushes and nibs as replaceable tools when working with (slightly) acidic inks, the testament to the merits of natural walnut ink is that the works of da Vinci and Michelangelo are still here to be seen centuries later.


So that you are aware of what you are looking for at when shopping for walnut ink, companies making a walnut ink substitute include Tom Norton and Sennelier. Tom Norton's ink is essentially a watercolor ink made with precise pigments to resemble the effects of natural walnut ink. Sennelier's product is a shellac, so is waterproof when dry and may have a bit of shine to it when layered. Genuine walnut ink makers include Daniel Smith, Hickory Hill, and many small artisans (we actually make our own and stock it in the store, too).


Bottom line when choosing your ink:

Use the ink you enjoy using! (And clean your tools well so they serve you longer).

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