Elderberry Ink
What will you need
Plastic lidded container max 1.5litres
Stainless Steel Pan max 1.5 litres
Potato Masher
Wooden Spoon
Glass measuring jug max 1. litre
Glass lidded jar
Funnel ( size appropriate for glass lidded jar )
Coffee Filters
Vinegar
Table Salt
Gum Arabic Powder
Wintergreen essential oil
Foraging Notes
You can find elderberry trees everywhere , I have one in the fields at the back of my house , they are often found along hedgerows and in woodlands.
Elderberry is quite common and a often used tree for foraging for food and drink.
I pick Elderberry around mid September , give and take a week. I keep an eye on the berries ripening at the beginning of September and where is most abundant
I make small batch ink primarily for my art work. By volume I won’t take any more than 1 litre. Leaving the rest for others and more importantly for wildlife
I forage middle ground so small mammals have the lower fruits and birds the higher.
I use a Bonsai scissors to cut the stems close to the berries. and place them in a linen tote bag.
They are really easy to de berry for making ink.
Go investigating where your Elderberry trees are during the year and then you do not need to waste time finding a bush come foraging time.
Although I have nearby elderberry tree I forage mine in a field near a woodland as they are more abundant there.
Elderberry in Folklore
Make Ink
Clean Berries
Removing berries from the stems is a quite easy task , they will practically come off into your hand with a little pressure.
I place the Berries in a plastic lidded contained which I have marked lines to determine the volume of berries I have. This also helps if I need to make ink a day or two later as I can seal the Berries in the container and place in the fridge.
The Berries will last 4/5 days in the fridge before they start is deteriote.
Once I have removed the berries I will put in small batches into a stainless steel sieve and gently wash.
2. Place Berries in pan to cook.
Place the Berries in a Stainless Steel pan ready to cook
3. Add Vinegar & Salt
Like Blackberries , Elderberries are quite juicy.
I work on volumes , I have collected 600 ml of Berries and I will add 1/4 of the Berry volume in Vinegar = 150ml
Measure vinegar and add in pan with Berries
Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
4. Cook Berries
Stir mixture
Bring gently the Berries and liquid to just below simmering
Use your potato masher when the Berries begin to soften and mash the Berries
You will be gently heating the mixture for about 10 minutes.
Every few minutes mash the mixture a little more , get as much colour out the Berries.
Leave to cool a little.
5. Seive Mixture
Using your glass measuring jug and a stainless steel sieve of the same diameter bit by bit transfer the mixture into the sieve and with the back of a wooden spoon press the liquid out of the mixture collecting the juice in the jug.
Don’t push too hard and force the organic material through the sieve but hard enough. Mixture should by quite dry. Discard organic material into compost and repeat process unto all the mixture has been done.
6. Extract Ink
The retained liquid will be quite thick and still contains organic material which will rot the Ink.
You can do this operation with directly into your Glass Lidded Jar which you will keep your ink or into another glass measuring jug.
Use a funnel lined with a coffee filter and in sections filter the ink directly into Glass jar. Try not to force.
You can do this with a larger funnel
Next year do this cheesecloth and take photo
7. Add Gum Arabic Powder or Solution
If adding Powder you may need to warm the Ink up as it helps dissolve the powder
From the previous processes I have converted 600ml of Berries into 400ml of Ink.
I have transferred the Ink into 2 jars as I have 250 ml jam jars to keep my ink. I have added 1 teaspoon of Gum Arabic powder to each jar , closed the lid and shaken to dissolve the ink.
I left the ink for a couple of hours to dissolve.
8. Add Wintergreen Essential Oil
Add a few drops of wintergreen essential oil to each jar.
You can use alternative anti bacterial essential oil such as Thyme or Clove.
You can add a couple cloves into the liquid if you wish. I tend not to do this as I have made 300 ml of ink and I will use it over the year. A clove may fall apart in the ink leaving bits in your ink.
9. Label Jar
It is always good practice to label your jar of handmade ink. I use address labels to stick on the jar. Name of Ink and year.
If I have made an alternative method I will also put this on the label.
You can put Month , but I know that I have foraged and harvested Elderberries in September and I will make the Ink within days of collecting the ink.
10. Document Your Ink
I have two sketch books which I will paint the Ink onto.
Some Ink are less intense but are lovely to build up layers of intensity in your artwork and some like Elderberry are highly staining and intense. Each time is different , that’s its joy.
I use a Khadi Paper hardback sketchbook and the paper is PH neutral
I use a Arteza A5 sketchbook as this paper has an Alkali content.
11. Different Paper
Alkali will affect the colour of some of your Inks.
Elderberry is one which has two colours as you can see with my images how beautiful each colour is.
Do not get purist about paper . PH neutral paper is expensive but you will get a lovely colour from this. Off the shelf papers in sketch book or other, although are acid free do contain an alkali content which will give a surprisingly , but beautiful alternative . It's good to have a choice !
12. Share with friends
Indigenous people will tell you with passion that nature is not a commodity but a gift and when we treat what this wonderful earth has to give us as a gift then we begin to respect it and love it.
Most of my Inks are for my own work but also I love the connection it gives me when foraging for colour.
I believe in sharing my endeavours to people
Most of Ink made will be gifted to people who appreciate it. I buy old Victorian small ink bottles online , Etsy or eBay are a good source. They make a lovely gift.
