Hand-gathered from the rugged oaks of Dartmoor, this ink captures the spirit of the wild moorlands, offering a deep, earthy colour that ranges from greys to dark brown. Each bottle of ink captures the essence of Dartmoor and the natural cycles that have shaped it for millennia.
Perfect for artists, calligraphers, and anyone with a love for traditional craftsmanship, this oak gall ink is both beautiful and sustainable. By buying Dartmoor-foraged oak gall ink, you not only bring a piece of nature into your creative work but also contribute to a more sustainable future—where every drop of ink is as kind to the earth as it is inspiring to use.
This product is part of our Acorn & Mire give-back line. A portion from each sale is donated back to environmental charities supporting hedgerow regeneration and peatland restoration.
Details
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Colour: greys through to warm black
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Size: one 15mL vial of oak gall ink
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Use with: Dip pens or small paint brushes
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Suitable for fountain pens? No.
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Ingredients: Galls from English Oaks, Dartmoor rainwater, gum Arabic, Iron(II)sulphate, clove oil.
The Perfect Gift For
- Artists and calligraphers.
- Eco-conscious individuals.
- Nature Lovers and Foragers.
- Writers and Journal Keepers.
- Historians and Vintage Enthusiasts.
- Minimalists.
- Botanists and Gardeners.
Usage Tips
This is a natural product. Pigment settlement is normal. Shake well before use. We make our ink with a goodly amount of gum Arabic. If you find it's too thick, you can add a little water.
How it's made
Oak galls are the marvellous result of a wasp and an oak tree's relationship. The adult oak gall wasp lays its egg in the branch of an oak tree. The oak tree responds by growing a marble-shaped ball of oak flesh around the egg. The egg incubates in its safe home, before hatching and eating its way out of the gall. The gall is now waste, and the wasp moves on with the next part of its life.
Oak galls are fantastic for ink making because they are extremely tannin-rich. After harvesting the empty oak galls, we crush them, soak them in water to release the tannins. To this mixture, we add a little iron, and the tannin-rich water transforms from dark brown to midnight black.
We use only vacated galls. That means the wasp has already burrowed its way out of the gall through a little exit hole. Green galls stay on the tree, brown galls are inspected for exit holes before harvesting.
About the colour
Your vial of ink will include the year it was made, and a sample on the label. The ink usually changes colour a little bit as it dries and is exposed to air. It may be darker, or it may lighten. Use the label as your guide for the colour.
