Ink Continued…

The Chinese developed solid ink sticks and cakes about 1,700 years ago. The solid ink could be ground on a flat stone and the resulting powder mixed with water to create liquid ink. The Chinese also developed block printing using a heavy, gelatinous type of ink around 1000 A.D.

In Medieval Europe, scribes started writing on parchment made from sheepskin. Ink made from soot did not absorb well into the greasy parchment surface, so a new type of ink was developed. Iron gall ink was a mixture of tannic acid, iron salt (ferrous sulfate), and gum arabic. The ink was transparent, but when applied to parchment the chemical reaction between the acid and the iron salt left permanent dark markings. However, if the mixture was not correct, the ink could become corrosive and destroy the manuscript.

Iron gall ink was still used in early America, as was the simpler soot or carbon-based ink. It was in the mid-1800s that the ancestors of modern inks first appeared. These inks were ammonia-based aniline dyes and could be made in a wide range of colors. They were less corrosive to paper than their predecessors, but were prone to fading and smearing.

The first practical fountain pen was invented in 1884, and quickly replaced the feather quill. Since that time, different types of inks have evolved for a myriad of applications.

Types of Ink

Specific inks are made for a variety of purposes. There are tens of thousands of different kinds, and the worldwide ink industry had sales of over $14 billion in 2003.

Writing – There are thousands of different writing and marking pens on the market, all containing various types of ink.

Arts and Crafts – Inks are made for drawing, painting, hand printing, stamping, and coloring on paper, fabric, and other media.

Printing – From books to billboards, pamphlets to packaging, they are all printed with ink.

Computer printers – Inkjet printers use cartridges filled with colored inks. The toner in laser printer cartridges is also a type of ink.

By Carla Wakeman