Soot, also loosely called lampblack or carbon black, is traditionally used to make ink, painters' pigment, medicines and makeup. A beautiful black ink can be made with soot, with good coverage and versatility. Soot from plant materials is also trendy for skin health lately.
What is Soot?
It's a dark powdery carbon substance forming when wood, coal, or oil are incompletely burned or combusted. Fine particles of carbon coalesce to form the black powder soot. It's officially known as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon.
Although soot can be obtained by burning different materials, the soot collected by burning linseed oil is a more suitable material for making ink due to its intense darkness. Soot can have various densities and comes from almost anywhere a fire burns.
Soot can be collected from a candle flame by placing a piece of metal over the flame. Use the back of a spoon or flat of a butter knife for testing and small jobs. Heat will discolor some metals so be sure it's a junker.
The spoon method is long and tedious for those without patience, such as me, and return is miniscule. As a binder, gum arabic is used in the recipe. It's the same binder as in watercolor paint, other inks and gouache. Xanthan gum can also be used.
How to Make Ink with Soot
Creating ink and art media with soot goes back to ancient civilizations. By combining soot with binding agents like gum arabic, other resins egg yolk or wax, artisans can produce inks of varying shades, enabling clever artistry in historical illustrations and writings.
Making ink from soot is fairly straightforward. It yields a rich, deep color. Here’s a basic method:
Materials Needed:
Gum arabic or acacia gum comes from the Acacia tree. It's tapped by stripping bits off the bark, causing the tree to produce gum. Acacia gum is a main export of several African nations, including Mauritania, Niger, Chad, and Sudan.
Acacia gum or gum arabic can be found at art supply stores and possibly some grocery stores. Xanthan or Guar gum are good substitutes. Online is always a good bet. Amazon is not recommended but there are many other sources.
Instructions:
Collect Soot: After burning a candle or oil lamp, collect the soot that accumulates on the sides of the container or base. Repeat until enough black is collected.
Mixing: In a small container, combine one part soot with two parts water.
Add Binder: Stir in a small amount of gum Arabic to the mixture. This will help the ink adhere to paper and improve its consistency.
Store: Once fully mixed, transfer the ink to a sealed jar to keep it from drying out.
This simple recipe creates a sustainable and rich ink embodying centuries of traditional craftsmanship. Experiment and practice. Learning the skill is also a rewarding experience.
Non-Fiction Books:
Fiction Books:
READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series
READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries