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Persian Ink Making

Activity

Have you ever been curious about the ingredients used to create manuscript inks or the various types of inks employed throughout history? Have you ever considered the opportunity to craft your own manuscript inks for writing or painting?

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Join us for a comprehensive workshop designed to explore the history and craftsmanship of manuscript inks. This session will cover the most common inks used throughout history, with a particular focus on those employed in the Persian Empire. Participants will gain hands-on experience and, by the end of the workshop, will have created five distinct types of inks using traditional recipes handed down by master calligraphers from centuries past. You will then use your inks for painting and calligraphy.

The workshop will be led by Dr. Sadra Zekrgoo, a post-doctorate fellow at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at The University of Melbourne. He is an art conservator, curator, ink researcher and expert who has studied traditional Persian writing inks and artist material for over a decade.

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Workshop Agenda

1. Introduction & Preparation of Material

  • Introduction to different types of ink
  • Introduction to different types of material used in ink-making
  • Introduction to tools used in ink-making
  • Preparation of Gum Arabic Solution Session 2

2. Carbon Ink 

  • Lamp black
  • Gum Arabic
  • Water

3. Iron Gall Ink

  • Green Vitriol/iron sulphate 
  • Gall Nuts
  • Water

4. Metal-Tennate Ink with Blue Vitriol  

  • Blue vitriol/copper sulphate 
  • Gall nuts
  • Water

5. Preparation of Persian and Peacock Ink (two sessions)

The combination preparations put together and use of the ink. 

6. Complete and Application of Ink (Last Session)

  • Application of inks on paper
  • Discussion on the characteristics and colour of different inks

There will be two groups:

  • Group 1: Sunday and Tuesday (from 16:00 to 22:00)
    Date starting September 29 to October 22
  • Group 2: Monday and Thursday (from 16:00 to 22:00)
    Date Starting September 30 to October 23

Single sessions will be on Saturdays (from 16:00 to 22:00)
28 September 5, 12, 19, 26 and 31 October.

Single session (Saturdays) = 150 QAR
Month Plan (8 sessions, twice a week) = 1,200 QAR

The workshop can accommodate up to 20 participants for the monthly and single sessions, from ages 12 years old and up. It is suitable for teenagers, adults, art and calligraphy practitioners and enthusiasts, art historians, and academics.

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