Course Overview

This full course program brings together eight interconnected workshops exploring traditional and experimental ink and dye practices. Rooted in historical manuscript traditions, botanical knowledge, and material-based making, the course offers a structured journey through the preparation, behavior, and application of writing and surface materials.

Rather than treating each workshop as an isolated activity, the program is designed as a cumulative experience, allowing participants to build material understanding, compare processes, and deepen their practice over time.

Learning Approach

The course balances historical context, demonstration, hands-on making, and reflection. Participants work with carbon-based inks, metal–tannate inks, botanical dyes, and experimental ink processes, gaining insight into how materials interact with paper and how preparation influences behavior and longevity.

Emphasis is placed on careful observation, proportion, and technique rather than speed or replication. The course is suitable for beginners as well as experienced practitioners seeking a deeper material foundation.

Course Structure (8 Sessions)

1. Carbon Ink
   Making one of the oldest inks in the world using lampblack and gum Arabic, focusing on durability and clarity.
2. Metal–Tannate Ink with Green, Blue, & Red Vitriol
   Often known as iron-gall ink (tannic acid + green vitriol) the second oldest ink in history, these inks involve chemical reactions with extreme staining ability.
3. Henna & Hibiscus Dyeing 
   Preparation and application of botanical dyes to paper, examining their role in writing and surface preparation.
4. Turmeric Dyeing
   Exploration of turmeric as a botanical dye, producing multiple color outcomes and preparing paper for writing.
5. Persian Ink
   Preparation of a traditional ink combining carbon and metal–tannate elements within Persian manuscript traditions.
6. Peacock Ink
   Creation of a richly layered Persian ink incorporating multiple botanical and mineral ingredients.
7. Rorschach Ink Blotting
   Experimental ink blotting exploring symmetry, chance, and material behaviour through carbon ink and dyes.
8. Japanese Bookbinding
9. Learn how to make your personalized notebook using one of the oldest Japanese binding techniques.