Botanical Ink Course Online — From Galls to Nettles
This online series teaches the fundamentals of natural ink making across seven recorded sessions, so you can build skills at your own pace.
What you'll learn
Each session goes deep into one topic, building toward a comprehensive foundation in botanical ink-making you can apply to your art, writing, or creative practice. Recordings are available for all sessions — the live sessions have already run, so you can start immediately and watch in any order. Every session includes a PDF with slides, comprehensive notes, and a summary of the Q&A, so you can skim the material and jump straight to the part you need.
- Session 1: Introduction to Wild Colour. An overview of how and where Princetown Press makes its inks and fine art.
- Session 2: Making Oak Gall Ink. The classic technique used by artists and writers for centuries, including how to find or buy oak galls.
- Session 3: Making Ink with Tannin-Rich Plants. Extraction techniques for oranges, reds, and blacks from plants in your area.
- Session 4: Ink from Kitchen Scraps. Turning avocado stones, red cabbage, and onion skins into ink.
- Session 5: Modifiers for Botanical Inks. Adjusting pH and adding iron to change colour and improve lightfastness.
- Session 6: Ageing Inks. How inks change over time, and how to spot natural ageing versus spoilage.
- Session 7: Nettle Inks. Making fresh ink and dried pigments from nettles as the plants emerge in spring.
Perfect for:
- Artists wanting to expand their natural materials toolkit
- Calligraphers interested in growing beyond store-bought colours
- Writers interested in traditional ink-making
- Anyone curious about working with botanical colours
- Those who want to learn at their own pace with recorded access
Common questions
Do I need any special equipment?
None to watch the recordings. Most recipes use kitchen-safe ingredients and equipment you already own, or materials you can forage for free.
Is this course live or recorded?
All seven sessions are fully recorded — the original live sessions have concluded, so you can sign up and start at any time, in any order.
Do I need any prior experience to take this course?
No — the series is designed to take a complete beginner through to a confident, self-sufficient ink-maker.
What's included with each session?
Each session includes the recorded video, a PDF of slides and notes, and a written summary of the live Q&A from that session.
How much does the course cost?
£20 for the complete seven-session series, including all recordings, handouts, and supplier recommendations.
Want to go deeper?
If you find yourself inspired by these techniques and want hands-on guidance, in-person workshops are also available at the Devon studio — full-day sessions with individual attention and professional equipment.
For landowners or estates interested in how this practice translates into a commissioned piece for a specific place, get in touch about a commission.
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase
This online series teaches the fundamentals of natural ink making across seven recorded sessions, so you can build skills at your own pace.
What you'll learn
Each session goes deep into one topic, building toward a comprehensive foundation in botanical ink-making you can apply to your art, writing, or creative practice. Recordings are available for all sessions — the live sessions have already run, so you can start immediately and watch in any order. Every session includes a PDF with slides, comprehensive notes, and a summary of the Q&A, so you can skim the material and jump straight to the part you need.
- Session 1: Introduction to Wild Colour. An overview of how and where Princetown Press makes its inks and fine art.
- Session 2: Making Oak Gall Ink. The classic technique used by artists and writers for centuries, including how to find or buy oak galls.
- Session 3: Making Ink with Tannin-Rich Plants. Extraction techniques for oranges, reds, and blacks from plants in your area.
- Session 4: Ink from Kitchen Scraps. Turning avocado stones, red cabbage, and onion skins into ink.
- Session 5: Modifiers for Botanical Inks. Adjusting pH and adding iron to change colour and improve lightfastness.
- Session 6: Ageing Inks. How inks change over time, and how to spot natural ageing versus spoilage.
- Session 7: Nettle Inks. Making fresh ink and dried pigments from nettles as the plants emerge in spring.
Perfect for:
- Artists wanting to expand their natural materials toolkit
- Calligraphers interested in growing beyond store-bought colours
- Writers interested in traditional ink-making
- Anyone curious about working with botanical colours
- Those who want to learn at their own pace with recorded access
Common questions
Do I need any special equipment?
None to watch the recordings. Most recipes use kitchen-safe ingredients and equipment you already own, or materials you can forage for free.
Is this course live or recorded?
All seven sessions are fully recorded — the original live sessions have concluded, so you can sign up and start at any time, in any order.
Do I need any prior experience to take this course?
No — the series is designed to take a complete beginner through to a confident, self-sufficient ink-maker.
What's included with each session?
Each session includes the recorded video, a PDF of slides and notes, and a written summary of the live Q&A from that session.
How much does the course cost?
£20 for the complete seven-session series, including all recordings, handouts, and supplier recommendations.
Want to go deeper?
If you find yourself inspired by these techniques and want hands-on guidance, in-person workshops are also available at the Devon studio — full-day sessions with individual attention and professional equipment.
For landowners or estates interested in how this practice translates into a commissioned piece for a specific place, get in touch about a commission.
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase
