How to Make Ink from Tea
Gather materials., Measure your tea., Boil water., Add boiling water to tea leaves., Stir., Allow it to steep briefly., Select the recipe you’d like to use., Add gum arabic., Add cornstarch., Add vinegar., Add thyme essential oil., Let it steep...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather materials.
For this process, you are going to need black tea, water, and a thickening agent (either gum arabic or cornstarch).
Some recipes also call for vinegar, which can make your ink a bit more uniform in color.
You will also need a few measuring spoons, a metal or wooden spoon, a strainer (if using loose tea), and a ceramic bowl.
Finally, if you intend to bottle your ink, you’ll need a small glass bottle with a screw-top lid.
Gum arabic can be found at most craft stores.
Everything else may be found at a grocery store. -
Step 2: Measure your tea.
If your black tea is in mesh tea bags, you are going to use 4 of them.
If you are using loose-leaf tea, you will need about 2 tbsp.
Place the measured tea into a large ceramic bowl., For this recipe, you will need ½ to ¾ cups of boiling water.
Place your water on the stove, or use an electric kettle to heat your water to boiling.
It is a good idea to measure your water before heating it up, that way you reduce the risk of scalding yourself. , Take your boiling water (which has already been measured) and pour it carefully over your tea bags or tea leaves in the ceramic bowl. , Using your wooden or metal spoon, swirl the boiling water with the tea leaves.
This helps to evenly distribute the water and tea to create an even ink tone. , As this is only a preliminary “steep” before adding thickening agents (or other ingredients), you only need to allow 3-4 minutes of steeping.
You want the tea to darken a bit, but you need the water to still be hot when you add the next ingredient.
You may want to keep your water on low heat during this step., In order for your tea to be transformed into usable ink, you need to thicken the liquid.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to thickening agents.
Gum arabic is the more popular choice for ink recipes, although it may be harder for you to find.
Another option is cornstarch, which may be slightly less effective, but you may have it in your cupboard at home., If you have elected to use gum arabic, using your measuring spoon, measure out 1 tsp. of gum arabic.
Add this to your hot water and stir to combine., If you have chosen to use cornstarch instead of gum arabic, there is no specific measurement to follow.
Begin by adding 2 tsp. of cornstarch to your hot tea and stirring vigorously.
Continue to add 1 tsp. at a time until the ink reaches a nice, thick consistency., The addition of 1 tbsp. of white vinegar to your recipe works to fix the ink and create a stable, uniform color.
If you have vinegar at home, consider adding this optional ingredient.
Simply measure out 1 tbsp. of white vinegar, and add this to your tea, after the addition of a thickening agent.
Stir well., Another optional addition is that of thyme essential oil.
Thyme essential oil prevents the growth of mold in your ink.
If you intend to bottle your ink and to save it for a while, this may be an important addition.
Essential oils can be found at most health food stores. (They tend to be a bit pricey, but will last you for a very long time)., Allow your concoction to steep for 15-20 minutes.
Leaving it to simmer on very low heat may result in a deeper hue.
Set a timer and watch your tea darken and transform., Using either the back of a spoon or your tea strainer, squeeze down the tea bags or tea leaves, removing all of the water.
This works to release more tannins into the water, creating a richer ink. , Strain the hot water into another bowl (or down the sink), in order to remove the tea leaves and/or tea bags.
If using loose-leaf tea, you may want to repeat this step to ensure that all particles have been removed from your ink. , Your ink is nearly done, however you will need to allow it to cool down completely before it will be ready to use.
This cooling down time allows the color to set.
Cool ink will also have a more dramatic effect on paper., Using a steel nib pen, dip pen, or quill pen, simply place the tip into your ink and begin writing.
If you do not have a pen like this, you can make one by making a diagonal slice in the bottom of a plastic straw.Fountain pens should not be used, as this ink can damage them. , Once cooled, your ink can be bottled.
Using a small funnel, pour your ink into your small glass bottle. (If you do not have a funnel, you can make one out of thick paper.) Close the lid tightly and store your ink in a cool, dry place. -
Step 3: Boil water.
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Step 4: Add boiling water to tea leaves.
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Step 5: Allow it to steep briefly.
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Step 6: Select the recipe you’d like to use.
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Step 7: Add gum arabic.
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Step 8: Add cornstarch.
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Step 9: Add vinegar.
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Step 10: Add thyme essential oil.
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Step 11: Let it steep again.
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Step 12: Release tannins.
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Step 13: Remove tea.
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Step 14: Allow the ink to cool completely.
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Step 15: Test out the ink.
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Step 16: Bottle the ink.
Detailed Guide
For this process, you are going to need black tea, water, and a thickening agent (either gum arabic or cornstarch).
Some recipes also call for vinegar, which can make your ink a bit more uniform in color.
You will also need a few measuring spoons, a metal or wooden spoon, a strainer (if using loose tea), and a ceramic bowl.
Finally, if you intend to bottle your ink, you’ll need a small glass bottle with a screw-top lid.
Gum arabic can be found at most craft stores.
Everything else may be found at a grocery store.
If your black tea is in mesh tea bags, you are going to use 4 of them.
If you are using loose-leaf tea, you will need about 2 tbsp.
Place the measured tea into a large ceramic bowl., For this recipe, you will need ½ to ¾ cups of boiling water.
Place your water on the stove, or use an electric kettle to heat your water to boiling.
It is a good idea to measure your water before heating it up, that way you reduce the risk of scalding yourself. , Take your boiling water (which has already been measured) and pour it carefully over your tea bags or tea leaves in the ceramic bowl. , Using your wooden or metal spoon, swirl the boiling water with the tea leaves.
This helps to evenly distribute the water and tea to create an even ink tone. , As this is only a preliminary “steep” before adding thickening agents (or other ingredients), you only need to allow 3-4 minutes of steeping.
You want the tea to darken a bit, but you need the water to still be hot when you add the next ingredient.
You may want to keep your water on low heat during this step., In order for your tea to be transformed into usable ink, you need to thicken the liquid.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to thickening agents.
Gum arabic is the more popular choice for ink recipes, although it may be harder for you to find.
Another option is cornstarch, which may be slightly less effective, but you may have it in your cupboard at home., If you have elected to use gum arabic, using your measuring spoon, measure out 1 tsp. of gum arabic.
Add this to your hot water and stir to combine., If you have chosen to use cornstarch instead of gum arabic, there is no specific measurement to follow.
Begin by adding 2 tsp. of cornstarch to your hot tea and stirring vigorously.
Continue to add 1 tsp. at a time until the ink reaches a nice, thick consistency., The addition of 1 tbsp. of white vinegar to your recipe works to fix the ink and create a stable, uniform color.
If you have vinegar at home, consider adding this optional ingredient.
Simply measure out 1 tbsp. of white vinegar, and add this to your tea, after the addition of a thickening agent.
Stir well., Another optional addition is that of thyme essential oil.
Thyme essential oil prevents the growth of mold in your ink.
If you intend to bottle your ink and to save it for a while, this may be an important addition.
Essential oils can be found at most health food stores. (They tend to be a bit pricey, but will last you for a very long time)., Allow your concoction to steep for 15-20 minutes.
Leaving it to simmer on very low heat may result in a deeper hue.
Set a timer and watch your tea darken and transform., Using either the back of a spoon or your tea strainer, squeeze down the tea bags or tea leaves, removing all of the water.
This works to release more tannins into the water, creating a richer ink. , Strain the hot water into another bowl (or down the sink), in order to remove the tea leaves and/or tea bags.
If using loose-leaf tea, you may want to repeat this step to ensure that all particles have been removed from your ink. , Your ink is nearly done, however you will need to allow it to cool down completely before it will be ready to use.
This cooling down time allows the color to set.
Cool ink will also have a more dramatic effect on paper., Using a steel nib pen, dip pen, or quill pen, simply place the tip into your ink and begin writing.
If you do not have a pen like this, you can make one by making a diagonal slice in the bottom of a plastic straw.Fountain pens should not be used, as this ink can damage them. , Once cooled, your ink can be bottled.
Using a small funnel, pour your ink into your small glass bottle. (If you do not have a funnel, you can make one out of thick paper.) Close the lid tightly and store your ink in a cool, dry place.
About the Author
Jacob Gonzales
Enthusiastic about teaching cooking techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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