On Gallotannate Inks

From Evan Lindquist, an artist and printmaker at Arkansas State University, comes this set of pages about making gallotannate or iron gall inks. The best of these inks begin with a solution derived from oak galls which is then mixed with an iron salt. The resulting solution will then darken over time on the paper as it oxidizes.

Lindquist provides many old recipes for these inks, which are now out of favor. There is even a standard for govenment writing ink, suitable for use in post offices, issued by the National Bureau of Standards, U.S. Department of Commerce, in 1936.