As I set up a new dye garden, I’ve been uprooting and relocating a lot of ferns, leaving me with heaps of leaf debris. Instead of letting it go to waste, I turned to Judith’s book to see if there was a way to transform this plant material into ink. And there it was, a recipe for Bracken Ink.I had to give it a go. I followed the instructions (admittedly skipping the filtering step, hence the added ‘texture’), and it worked beautifully! I modified the process by adding sodium carbonate, which shifted the colour to a stunning orange rust brown with a soft yellow undertone. (See swatches) Intrigued, I experimented further, introducing iron sulphate (which deepened the ink to a dark teal green) and copper acetate (yielding a gorgeous sap green). Safety note: I wore gloves for protection, just in case. I’d love to hear if you have tried any recipes from the book or even tried making a fern lake pigment?I’m incredibly grateful for this book, especially as I’ve been expanding my ink making practice with weekly experiments. Plant and Ink is a richly illustrated, user friendly guide that not only offers fantastic ink recipes but also includes binder formulas, perfect for anyone passionate about natural inks. I would highly recommend checking this book out, especially if you want to broaden your botanical ink horizons.

If you go down to the woods today…you’re sure of some good supplies. I think it’s fair to say that only the most dedicated muesli-knitter is likely to source all their materials this way, however… Let’s get the elephant out of the room first, shall we? I do not for one moment think that you’re going to abandon your local art shop and start combing the forest floor for inks, colours and ‘brushes’. Nor should you. However, once upon a time that was exactly what you would have done, and those earth colours you love so much? Well. Plant and Ink by Judith Rosema will provide you with all the information you’re ever likely to need about making plant-based inks, pastels, pens and brushes, as well as surfaces you can draw and paint on. Do you need, or even want to? I think you’ll find that, whatever your requirements, these are instructive and worthwhile explorations of the natural world.

Judith Rosema is a botanical artist, illustrator, multi-disciplinary creative and sustainable entrepreneur. She trained at an art academy in the Netherlands, where she specialized in graphics (lithos, lino prints, wood prints and etches). Afterwards she started her career as an artist and has exhibited her work in the Netherlands and Belgium.

In 2009, concerned by the suffering inflicted on the planet, Judith decided she no longer wanted to work with materials that harm our world, so began to experiment with plants and flowers found by roadsides, exploring their dyeing properties.

In 2017 she founded Het lnkt Atelier (The Ink Atelier), a sustainable company which focuses on the production of botanical inks, and organizes workshops, courses and group trips.

Judith lives in Den Bosch, Netherlands.