In an age when you can buy just about everything, I love that you are not only making your own ink out of these galls--but that you are making a study of them by trying to understand and observe how Van Gogh used them--then use the ink to draw the trees that helped create the medium. It gives such meaning to place-based art. I am curious about the reed pen...I watched the video, and I’m guessing such an implement is more precision-focused vs flowing? I’m about to start a writing/art project that requires an implement skewing towards the flowing kind, but I’d like it to be something I craft myself, and I’d also like to try my luck at making some for the project as well now that I’ve been inspired by you. I’m not sure there are any galls to be found here in the Eastern U.S. however... Thank you for such a lovely share!
I am sorry I missed your comment Amy and so pleased you like the post. You can use any hollow stemmed plant, such as bamboo, as an alternative. I will make I instructions ( and hopefully a video!) on how to make a reed pen as it is such a beautiful thing to draw with.
I am waiting to make new ones as they are best collected in winter when they are dormant. It is do wet here though at the moment that it has been stalled!
Thank you again for your lovely response and keep in touch x
I love your drawings in this ink! And I’ve always loved these Van Gogh ones but had no idea they were created in gall ink. I’d love to try this so am going to see if I can find any on Hampstead Heath. Thank you Deborah! Xx
You can use the knobbly ones too and they seem more common. The round ones tend to be on branches that are older. Look on the ground too as many might have fallen now. Thank you for reading it and let me know how you get on! Xx
November 2024 (so one year later!) and I’ve finally made Oak Gall ink!!! I used the knobbly galls, as I only managed to find a few of the round ones. Now, to experiment! 👍 As always I love your posts. ❤️
Fantastic post Deborah! What an interesting and fun project. I have always admired Van Gogh's drawings, but didn't realize he sketched them with this type of ink. Loved watching your video and viewing all your beautiful drawings. Also love how you were connecting the ink with the galls and trees in which they originated. Lovely connection to your environment! Thanks for sharing such an enjoyable autumnal read! xx
I love this. The oak gall project is fascinating. I do visit the Cornelissen website from time to time, and linger over all their gorgeous supplies, thinking how wonderful the actual shop must be! I'm very pleased you've discovered the As The Season Turns podcast (if I'd known before, I'd have prompted you) — so soothing and absorbing. I hope 'flu has now left the building. x
Absolutely fascinating. What a wonderful thing to recreate ink as used by Van Gogh. Beautiful drawings, & I love your aim to capture a sense of place by drawing the trees from whence the galls came that made the ink!
Your drawings are so beautiful and I love the concept of using ink made with such a connection to the tree you are capturing. What an interesting post. I've seen plenty of the knobbly oak galls but never the round ones and keep meaning to extract the tannins from them to use in printing. The oak gall tannin and iron reaction is similar in ecoprinting but they are usually contained in different pieces of cloth and only meet each other during the steaming process. Thank you for the reminder to check for an escape hole!
I wondered whether the same chemical process would be used in eco printing. I find it extraordinary how the ink changes from dark brown to black as it meets the air. The round ones tend to be directly on branches, raher than hidden amonst leaves, and the trees I found them on had several dead branches. It was such fun and felt I was at school again in the science lab ; but this time it worked!
In an age when you can buy just about everything, I love that you are not only making your own ink out of these galls--but that you are making a study of them by trying to understand and observe how Van Gogh used them--then use the ink to draw the trees that helped create the medium. It gives such meaning to place-based art. I am curious about the reed pen...I watched the video, and I’m guessing such an implement is more precision-focused vs flowing? I’m about to start a writing/art project that requires an implement skewing towards the flowing kind, but I’d like it to be something I craft myself, and I’d also like to try my luck at making some for the project as well now that I’ve been inspired by you. I’m not sure there are any galls to be found here in the Eastern U.S. however... Thank you for such a lovely share!
I am sorry I missed your comment Amy and so pleased you like the post. You can use any hollow stemmed plant, such as bamboo, as an alternative. I will make I instructions ( and hopefully a video!) on how to make a reed pen as it is such a beautiful thing to draw with.
I am waiting to make new ones as they are best collected in winter when they are dormant. It is do wet here though at the moment that it has been stalled!
Thank you again for your lovely response and keep in touch x
I look forward to your video and instructions ☺️
I love your drawings in this ink! And I’ve always loved these Van Gogh ones but had no idea they were created in gall ink. I’d love to try this so am going to see if I can find any on Hampstead Heath. Thank you Deborah! Xx
You can use the knobbly ones too and they seem more common. The round ones tend to be on branches that are older. Look on the ground too as many might have fallen now. Thank you for reading it and let me know how you get on! Xx
November 2024 (so one year later!) and I’ve finally made Oak Gall ink!!! I used the knobbly galls, as I only managed to find a few of the round ones. Now, to experiment! 👍 As always I love your posts. ❤️
I am so pleased! I have a bag of knobbly ones so do let me know how you get on. It is a very satisfying activity!
Fantastic post Deborah! What an interesting and fun project. I have always admired Van Gogh's drawings, but didn't realize he sketched them with this type of ink. Loved watching your video and viewing all your beautiful drawings. Also love how you were connecting the ink with the galls and trees in which they originated. Lovely connection to your environment! Thanks for sharing such an enjoyable autumnal read! xx
Thank you very much, Debbie, I greatly appreciate it. It is such fun and it works surprisingly well. I hope to have more experiments like this xx
I love this. The oak gall project is fascinating. I do visit the Cornelissen website from time to time, and linger over all their gorgeous supplies, thinking how wonderful the actual shop must be! I'm very pleased you've discovered the As The Season Turns podcast (if I'd known before, I'd have prompted you) — so soothing and absorbing. I hope 'flu has now left the building. x
Cornelissen is such a brilliant company and so tempting! I bought some terrific charcoal from them too, which I couldn't get anywhere else.
Isn't the podcast wonderful? There are so many to discover and I enjoying exploring.
Flu has now flown thankfully and hope you are feeling better too xx
Absolutely fascinating. What a wonderful thing to recreate ink as used by Van Gogh. Beautiful drawings, & I love your aim to capture a sense of place by drawing the trees from whence the galls came that made the ink!
Thank you! I am hoping to make more ink, and drawing materials, with whatever I can find:)
Your drawings are so beautiful and I love the concept of using ink made with such a connection to the tree you are capturing. What an interesting post. I've seen plenty of the knobbly oak galls but never the round ones and keep meaning to extract the tannins from them to use in printing. The oak gall tannin and iron reaction is similar in ecoprinting but they are usually contained in different pieces of cloth and only meet each other during the steaming process. Thank you for the reminder to check for an escape hole!
I wondered whether the same chemical process would be used in eco printing. I find it extraordinary how the ink changes from dark brown to black as it meets the air. The round ones tend to be directly on branches, raher than hidden amonst leaves, and the trees I found them on had several dead branches. It was such fun and felt I was at school again in the science lab ; but this time it worked!
I'm definitely going to have a look for the round ones further up on the trees!
A relaxing & mindful read today to accompany my autumnal mood - I feel like I’m getting ready to hibernate! Thank you for sharing Deborah x
Hibernation time is definitely approaching! Thank you so much for reading and I am gald you liked it x
Keep me posted - and remember the holes!:)