Scribbled Lives Week 27—Mystery Ink

“Traces of the Soul” is a documentary featuring 12 contemporary calligraphers, one of whom adds red wine to his sumi ink. Well, why not?

I attempted to emulate the artist’s halo effect surrounding the black sumi ink.

However, after a number of disappointing experiments using varying combinations of wine and sumi…this was my best effort.

Maybe I need more expensive red wine—or less expensive! Beet juice adds a splash of warmth not possible with wine.

Sumi, red wine, beet juice, and graphite; folded pen on cold press watercolour paper. Background is pasted paper designed by Madeleine Durham in luscious colours reminiscent of wine.