Description
Gallnuts (Cynips gallae tinctoria) Galnoten (NL)
Family: Cynipidae
Dye: Grey-brown
Gallnuts can be used as a dye and a mordant.
When a gall wasp lays its eggs in an oak leaf, the leaf wraps itself around the eggs in response and starts to proliferate. The leaf serves as a shelter and food for the larva. The gall nut grows into a hard ‘marble’ and when the larva has hatched, it disappears through the small hole in the gall nut.
The gallnut contains a lot of tannin, which is a mordant. Therefore, there is no need to stain before painting.
By combining gallnuts with, for example, iron sulphate and bluewood, it is possible to achieve black.
Gallnuts have been used to make ink since the late Middle Ages. For this, you need a binding agent, such as guar gum and Arabic gum.
Would you like to try this out? Then quickly go to the recipe on this page!
Facts
Gallnuts…
… have been used to make ink for centuries. In combination with iron sulphate, you achieve black ink.
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