Snot Forming In India Ink?

[Jonny_J]

Hey all, been a while since I posted (been busy drawing cartoons!) Anyhoo... I have a small shallow jar that I use as an inkwell for Speedball Super Black India ink. It's deep enough to dip a nib into, and wide enough not to tip. When ink has been in there for a couple of weeks, snot congeals on the bottom, viscous enough to stick to the tip of the nib & get lifted out of the jar. What is that? Is that the shellac in the ink congealing? Alcohol seems to re-dissolve it. Is there any way to prevent it from forming? Is the air space in the jar to blame? Do I need to worry about the same thing happening inside the big squeeze bottle when it gets airspace in it?

 

TIA,

-Jonny

Edited March 26, 2016 by Jonny_J

[majolo]

I've had this happen, same ink. I was kind of horrified as I'd been dipping my good sable brush in it.

I don't have any suggestions, but I will be watching this thread! The alcohol tip is good to hear--was it rubbing alcohol or what?

[ScienceChick]

Cheap vodka.

[Jonny_J]

I used 90% isopropyl alcohol. I've been told that denatured alcohol is better to use because it causes less bleeding, but this is such a thick tar-like ink, I don't notice any ill effects from the isopropyl, and it's what I had lying around. I bet cheap vodka would probably be OK too.

[Flaxmoore]

Cheap vodka.

Everclear. 95% pure EtOH.

[amberleadavis]

Okay, we have two types of stuff - SLIME / MOLD - or the gel stuff that is in inks. The second is not dangerous, they break back into solution with additional water, alcohol or vigorous shaking. The first (mold) is nasty.

 

http://bridalshopstore.com/images/od/hydrobeads-display-befor-after-lg.jpg

[amberleadavis]

OH, and sable brushes seem to be great carriers of mold/slime/stuff for ink, though not for paint.