Print of a black mushroom on white paper made with ink made from natural Earth & Mineral Pigments and walnut oil surrounded by carving tools, the block and a brayer

Recipe: Natural Oil-Based Printmaking Ink (Student-Grade)

Create a student-grade, oil-based, relief print-making ink with a few simple ingredients! Note: For professional grade relief ink, follow this recipe.

Supplies: 


Part 1: Making The Ink


Step 1: On a glass palette, mix 1 part pigment (e.g. 1 tsp) with 1 part walnut oil (e.g. 1 tsp) until you get a loose paste.

Person's hand scooping out black pigments onto a glass palette with a puddle of walnut oil



Step 2: Gradually mix in 1 part rice starch (e.g. 1 tsp) a little bit at a time to stiffen the paste.

Person's hand adding rice starch powder to the black ink mixture that is being made on the glass palette sitting next to a glass muller



Step 3: Sprinkle 1/4 part gum arabic powder (e.g. 1/4 tsp) and gently fold into paste with a palette knife. 

Now the person is adding gum arabic powder to the black mixture of ink on the glass palette with a palette knife and glass muller



Step 4: Test roll out your ink with your brayer and adjust recipe as needed to achieve the right consistency (some pigments are "thirstier" than others). 

Part 2: Printing 


Step 1: Carve your linoleum block.

Person's hands holding a carving tool, carving the mushroom shape out of the linoleum block on a table


Step 2: Roll out a thin layer of ink onto your brayer and ink your linoleum block. 

Person using the brayer to ink up the mushroom block with the black ink they made on the glass palette


Step 3: Place printmaking paper on top of your linoleum block. Using a barren (for large areas) and a wooden spoon (for fine details on your linoleum block), rub the back of your paper to transfer printmaking ink onto the paper. Set your print aside to dry. 

Person using a hand barren to press the inked up block onto the piece of paper to create a print. The glass palette with the black ink and brayer is sitting to the right.


Check out the full Youtube tutorial here.

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