Calligraphy and Drawing Ink

Ink is older than nearly every other artist's material, and it remains the one thing shared by Islamic calligraphy and the Western tradition alike. In the pre-Islamic period Arab scribes made the first inks by combining soot with gum arabic; after the spread of Islam the quality rose steadily as new techniques developed.

Ink quality is decisive. It determines how striking a finished piece looks and whether it holds its depth over the years. In the classical setting, ink was used from a hokka with a reed pen, and that pairing shaped the qualities good ink is still judged by. Today's inks are more practical, more resistant to humidity and dust, and formulated to work smoothly with a wider range of pens.

Types of drawing ink

Drawing inks divide into several families: fountain pen inks, technical pen inks, India inks. Some are sold as drawing ink or artist ink. Bottles are usually 25 or 30 ml. Black is the most used, though the full colour range is available here. Acrylic inks form a separate group, behaving closer to a high-quality liquid watercolour; they can be sprayed, or applied with brush, reed or fountain pen.

Ink quality comes down to pigment purity and particle fineness, and to the binder. Iranian and Japanese inks have long reputations in this field. India inks are formulated to adhere well to ceramic and porcelain surfaces.

Using drawing ink

Ink is taken from the bottle with a reed, brush or reservoir pen and applied to the surface. Loading the right amount matters — too much and the stroke floods. A pen that holds ink well at the tip makes controlled drawing and filling considerably easier.

Because the applications are so varied, we keep the range broad: Bouton D'Or, J. Herbin, Zig, Winsor & Newton and Rotring technical inks alongside Turkish manufacturers including Südor, Aristo and Karin.

When choosing, consider the surface as well as the ink, and the tool you will use to carry it. An ink that flows evenly and grips the sheet is both more practical and more enjoyable to work with.