Chinese Ink - Inkstick

Known as one of the Four Treasures of the Study of classical Chinese literary culture, within the ink stone, ink brush and paper, the CHINESE INK is another reason for which I consider the Asian culture to be fascinating. From form to colour, it's very different than the more popular western ink.

 

Chinese ink, called "Inkstick", is a type of solid ink used traditionally in several East Asian cultures for calligraphy and brush painting (ink wash painting). Inksticks are made mainly of soot and animal glue, sometimes with incense or medicinal scents added. 

"The chief ingredients of high quality ink according to these works are lampblack and glue. The finest lampblack is supposed to come from the burning of vegetable oils. In ancient times the best soot was made from burning of specially selected pines in an ink furnace that had inverted pottery jars over the smoke.  These jars trapped the soot which was then removed with feather brushes. The soot was then mixed with glue, which could be made from horn or animal hides. According to the ink classic, the glue made from the horns of young deer was of the highest quality because of its purity. Good ink depended upon good glue, which gives the ink texture and life."

So, in order to make some ink, I'll have to continuously grind the inkstick over an ink stone with a small quantity of water. That will produce a dark liquid which is applied afterwards with an ink brush on the paper or other material. The thickness of the resulting ink may vary according to my preferences by reducing or increasing the intensity and time of ink grinding (i.e. I rather take my time, clear my thoughts and relax the muscles before starting :) ). I can also obtain various concentrations of ink depending on the amount of water that I mix.

 

As a remark, inksticks themselves are sometimes ornately decorated with landscapes, zodiac symbol or flowers in bas-relief and some are highlighted with gold. An my red inkstick has a golden dragon on one side and some Chinese letters backwards, what a shame it will get destroid!

Happy New Chinese Year!