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Are you new to fountain pens, or trying to decide if fountain pens are for you? Reply here with your questions and our helpful members will do their best to answer!
#FPNewbie #FountainPens
@penfount how does one usually go about learning whether an ink’s pigment is natural or synthetic? I feel like outside certain examples I have a hard time figuring this out!
Good question, and one I don't have a good answer for. Never occurred to me to ask! Any reason why you would prefer a natural color over synthetic? Also, just because a dye is natural doesn't mean there aren't synthetic additives to adjust pH and lubrication...
Besides dyes and water, ink manufacturers add fungicide and other substances like lubricants. So, I would say, most inks are synthetic colors. Most ink manufacturers don't list ingredients, so there isn't a way to figure that out.
@backtoanalog @ashinonyx same thoughts here.
I've been looking into ink making of late using foraged ingredients. I'm not considering those for fountain pen use as there are so many factors that are not great for that use.
You need fungicide as @backtoanalog started. You can use natural ingredients but I doubt manufacturers do as it's not always reliable.
@backtoanalog @ashinonyx You also have to consider the pH you end up with. That can also be a tricky balance to achieve. For certain colours you also have to use things like iron which would not be good long-term for your paper if nothing else.
And then there are pigments that could clog the feed.
It can get quite complex.
@allysseriordan @backtoanalog thank you both!
May I ask what you plan to use your foraged inks for? I am interested in natural dyeing and foraging as well 
Also, if either of you have any recommendations for resources on the history of inks/pens, or even resources on what you’ve talked about here, I’d love to see them! I’d love to learn more.
@ashinonyx @backtoanalog I'm looking at anthotypes at the moment :) I'm also thinking of writing with them, but with a dip pen rather than fountain pen.
Sure. I enjoyed 'Make Ink' by Jason Logan and 'Wild Dyer' by Abigail Booth. Both felt like good introductions with a lot of room for you to experiment.
There are tons of books on fabric dyes. It might be worth looking into the second hand market for books that specialise in plants in your area.
@ashinonyx @backtoanalog my best advice for foraging is check, double check, triple check using multiple resources. If you're in doubt about a plant, leave it be.
Always leave the first plant you see. It could be one of the last in your area. Check if more are around.
Be sure to forage a little often so there are enough resources left for other beings and for the plants to reproduce/not die/ be damaged from over foraging.
@allysseriordan thank you again!
Anthotypes seem so cool! I look forward to seeing yours. I have also thought about getting a dip pen for use with inks.
I have many natural dyeing books on the wish list! So far the only one I have is Gathering Colour by Caitlin ffrench.
The foraging mindset of taking sustainably is part of what draws me to the practice. I would also like to experiment with invasive plants as a way to use them up!
@ashinonyx Thanks 
That sounds like a great book. I'm adding it to my wish list.
Oh that sounds great :) That's a nice way to think about it and use the plants in different ways.
Do you have specific plans for your exploration of dyes and inks?
@allysseriordan no specific plans (yet), it’s just something I’d like to explore. Somewhere down the line I’d really love to make a garment myself from start to finish (or as much as I can) but we’re definitely not there yet!
@ashinonyx that would be so cool :)
I've been looking up weaving a little. It's such a fascinating process. If I get to it though it'd be much much later than now. I do not have room or time for another hobby in life 
@allysseriordan me neither, but I keep collecting them anyway haha
I have no plans for foraging for inks. As far as resource on history of inks:
https://penvibe.com/a-history-of-ink-from-ancient-origins-to-modern-innovations/
@backtoanalog awesome, thank you!
@ashinonyx @penfount there are three different types of colorants for fountain pen inks. The most common is dye only, the second is dye plus iron gall, and the third is pigments. Dye and iron gall dissolve in the base which is water. Pigments are basically small colored particles in suspension.
Iron gall is the oldest of these types of ink, and you can find a recipe to make iron gall ink from natural ingredients. Try the ink recipe forum on Fountain Pen Network: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/forum/126-inky-recipes/
@paradoxmo amazing! Thank you so much! I love the look of iron gall inks and I’m hoping to pick some up soon 
@ashinonyx I like the Platinum Classic inks, like Platinum Cassis Black is a good one: https://penfount.social/@paradoxmo/112521900242274575