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-====== Ink ====== +====== Walnut Ink Zine ====== 
-Written by Shane+Written by [[about:deflectric]], drawn by SCUMSUCK with the nut ink we made!
  
-===== Walnut Ink =====+The physical zine was first sent out to [[https://ko-fi.com/scumsuck/tiers|Zeenie Weenie supporters]] in May 2025.  It will always be available to read for free online.  The physical zine may be available for purchase on my shop later if I remember. 
 + 
 +{{gallery>:notes:nutzine}} 
 + 
 +===== Script =====
  
 1. **Step 1: Gather nuts!** Black walnut trees are native to our area and tend to drop late summer into fall. We've had the most success using nuts collected around October. Nuts collected in Spring (fallen the previous fall) did not produce a dark enough pigment. Older walnuts that have already ripened are ideal. You don't want the green husk or the actual nut itself in your ink. You want the black shells only and the stinkier the better. The amount to gather depends on how much ink you want to produce, I made my first successful batch with enough nuts to fill a large cooking pot. It made approx. 24 bottles of ink.  1. **Step 1: Gather nuts!** Black walnut trees are native to our area and tend to drop late summer into fall. We've had the most success using nuts collected around October. Nuts collected in Spring (fallen the previous fall) did not produce a dark enough pigment. Older walnuts that have already ripened are ideal. You don't want the green husk or the actual nut itself in your ink. You want the black shells only and the stinkier the better. The amount to gather depends on how much ink you want to produce, I made my first successful batch with enough nuts to fill a large cooking pot. It made approx. 24 bottles of ink. 
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 3. **Step 3: Boiling** Put your walnuts into a pot and fill with water. Simmering low and slow for 12+ hours extracted the most color on my first batch.     3. **Step 3: Boiling** Put your walnuts into a pot and fill with water. Simmering low and slow for 12+ hours extracted the most color on my first batch.    
  
-4. **Step 4: Straining, Preserving, and Bottling** Strain out all the husks, dirt, debris, etc using a strainer into another container. After cooling, you can return the boiled husks to nature! Since we add additives after the cooking process, the boiled husks are safe to compost or give back to the squirrels to munch on. Common additives to ink include binders (to allow the pigment to bind to the paper, essentially) and preservatives. We found binders unnecessary for walnut ink, as they are naturally high in tannins, but we experimented using honey and molasses. We did add rubbing alcohol, which helps preserve the ink but also helps it to dry quicker. We experimented using clove oil as a preservative as well, because the alcohol alone wasn't enough to prevent mold. Adding more alcohol may have been enough to prevent that but we like the scent of clove oil. ![😉](https://discord.com/assets/4742013cbe7dbca0.svg) Once the additives are mixed in, you can funnel into glass containers of your choosing. +4. **Step 4: Straining, Preserving, and Bottling** Strain out all the husks, dirt, debris, etc using a strainer into another container. After cooling, you can return the boiled husks to nature! Since we add additives after the cooking process, the boiled husks are safe to compost or give back to the squirrels to munch on. Common additives to ink include binders (to allow the pigment to bind to the paper, essentially) and preservatives. We found binders unnecessary for walnut ink, as they are naturally high in tannins, but we experimented using honey and molasses. We did add rubbing alcohol, which helps preserve the ink but also helps it to dry quicker. We experimented using clove oil as a preservative as well, because the alcohol alone wasn't enough to prevent mold. Adding more alcohol may have been enough to prevent that but we like the scent of clove oil. Once the additives are mixed in, you can funnel into glass containers of your choosing. 
  
 5. **Step 5: Tips and Tricks** Walnut ink is very acidic and can eventually eat through plastic, so glass is recommended to store long term. Amber vials are ideal as well because they will prevent light from altering the ink over time. Mold forming on top of the ink is common and not harmful since you aren't consuming the ink (hopefully). You can just skim it off. If you want to prevent mold entirely, you can try sterilizing your storing bottles (like you would for canning fruits and vegetables), using filtered water instead of tap water, adding salt, and making sure you have enough of your preservative of choice. Speaking of mold, if you find molding shells outside on the ground, those produce the best ink! Experimentation is key when making ink. Make lots of notes and do lots of tests!  5. **Step 5: Tips and Tricks** Walnut ink is very acidic and can eventually eat through plastic, so glass is recommended to store long term. Amber vials are ideal as well because they will prevent light from altering the ink over time. Mold forming on top of the ink is common and not harmful since you aren't consuming the ink (hopefully). You can just skim it off. If you want to prevent mold entirely, you can try sterilizing your storing bottles (like you would for canning fruits and vegetables), using filtered water instead of tap water, adding salt, and making sure you have enough of your preservative of choice. Speaking of mold, if you find molding shells outside on the ground, those produce the best ink! Experimentation is key when making ink. Make lots of notes and do lots of tests! 
 6. **Step 6: Draw!** Your ink is ready to use! Make some art, gift to friends, sell at farmer's markets. 6. **Step 6: Draw!** Your ink is ready to use! Make some art, gift to friends, sell at farmer's markets.
  
-{{gallery>:notes:nutzine}}+===== Notes ===== 
 +  * Font used is [[https://ko-fi.com/s/fdd2148b24|Soapy Hands by Sara's Fonts]] 
 +  * Please share this zine digitally and physically with your friends!  I sell physical copies if you'd like to tip me, but you can even print more copies of it to give out, as long as it is for non-commercial use. 
 +  * This is an 8 page mini zine, but instead of the middle-cut-and-fold method, I used a strange printing/cutting format so that I could print front/back on one piece of paper to make two zines. 
 + 
 +<WRAP group> 
 +<WRAP half column> 
 +[{{.:images:20250527-005757.png|Front print, with pages 8, 1, 6, and 3 repeated twice.}}] 
 +</WRAP> 
 + 
 +<WRAP half column> 
 +[{{.:images:20250527-005806.png|Back print, with pages 2, 7, 4, and 5 repeated twice.}}] 
 +</WRAP> 
 +</WRAP> 
 + 
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