I can just hear you grumbling about something as trivial as ink recipes being worthy of a big "late-breaking news!" announcement. Why, you're thinking, didn't this woman (or insert less complimentary term of your choice) get her act together and do this in time for it to go up with the rest of the December Stylophiles issue?
The answer to this is obvious. Art cannot be hurried. The Muse comes in her own time and her own way. Inspiration is a fleeting and ephemeral thing and must be seized as it wafts through the mind, heart, and spirit.
Oh, heck. I'm a lousy liar. The truth is that I had to get my table cleaned off before I had enough horizontal space to play with inks, and then there was that Turkey Day Buffy marathon, and… anyway, just be glad they're here and stop making me admit my deepest, darkest faults!
One thing I really enjoy, though I seldom have time to play with it much anymore, is mixing ink colors. Manufacturers have to stick to ink colors they believe will appeal to the largest number of people. I don't. Neither do you. The only people we have to delight are our very own selves.
Of course, after an ink-mixing marathon I dasn't leave
the house for a few days because I look like the rainbow I've been playing
with, but that's neither here nor there.
Be thankful, also, that you don't have to look at me following one of
these events.
So herewith and without further ado are seven holiday-oriented ink recipes
for your edification, delectation, and pleasure.
By the way, I haven't reduced these ratios. Some of them are reducible; I was using drop amounts large enough to work with.
CRANBERRY
5 parts Sheaffer red
12 parts OMAS Vespucci red
1 part Waterman black
This gives a rich cranberry color that I really like. I wish there were
a way to get luminosity into FP inks, but so far I've not discovered a
way to do it safely.
GINGERBREAD
4 parts Waterman Havana brown
6 parts Sheaffer King's Gold
3 parts yellow (I used buttercup; I think any yellow
would work fine)
PLUM
PUDDING
9 parts Vespucci red, 5 parts Sheaffer red
1 part Waterman black, 4 parts Waterman purple
HOLLY
4 parts PR Sherwood green
2 parts Sheaffer green
6 parts Sheaffer King's Gold
Yum,
one of the neat things about the holiday season is the boxes of sweet,
tangy mandarin oranges we can get.
MANDARIN ORANGE
5 parts Sheaffer red
15 parts yellow
Two versions of this--one looks more "cooked," the other more like the pie before it has that browny caramelized surface.
PUMPKIN
PIE-CARAMELIZED
5 parts Sheaffer red
15 parts yellow
1 part Sheaffer brown
PUMPKIN
PIE--NOT CARAMELIZED
5 parts Sheaffer red
20 parts yellow
1 part Sheaffer brown
I hope this adds some fun to your holiday festivities and gives you a few options when filling out those holiday cards!
May the joys of the season be yours, whatever tradition
you celebrate, and may you be surrounded by love, life and laughter throughout
the season and the new year!
copyright 2002 Anna Lawson