Making Antique-Looking Ink from Walnut Shells
You can create a water-based ink that gives paper an aged, antique appearance by using walnut shells and a few household items. This guide walks through the process of extracting color from the shells and turning it into a usable ink.
By Rowan Scott8 steps
Walnut ink provides a dark, rich stain finish.
Water-based distressed inks are used to create a blended, shadowed effect on paper, giving it an antique or aged look. While you can buy these inks in many colors, it's also possible to make your own using natural materials. Berries are a well-known source for ink, but walnut shells can also be used to produce a distressed ink.
Step 1
Clean 12 walnut shells and place them inside a sock. Secure the top of the sock with a knot.
Step 2
Place the sock on a hard surface, like a creek rock, to serve as a makeshift anvil.
Step 3
Use a hammer to crush the walnut shells inside the sock until they are broken into small pieces, roughly the size of a quarter.
Step 4
Untie the sock and empty the crushed shells into a clean saucepan. Pour in enough water to just cover the shells.
Step 5
Bring the water and shells to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Leave the mixture to soak overnight.
Step 6
Line a bowl with cheesecloth. Pour the walnut shell mixture through the cheesecloth to filter out the solid pieces.
Step 7
Gather the edges of the cheesecloth to form a bundle containing the shells, and then remove it.
Step 8
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar to the strained liquid to help set the ink's color. Keep the ink in a tightly sealed container so it doesn't dry out.
