Ink and Quill: an Easy and Low Cost DIY

Storyline

I was actually looking for solving a very different problem when I end up with this idea.

I read DIY instructions elsewhere on how to make a quill and I add an idea.

How to combine a quill from a feather with a straw... I tried it did not work as I expected. I came up with another straw like component: a coton bud... yes that.

I tried it and it works greatly. Just try yourselves!!!!

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Step 1: Inventory

Equipment list:

-a flat candle

-a coton bud

-a scissor

-Optional: a razor blade (be very cautious with this extremely sharp blade, you can hurt yourselves and suffer from severe injuries**** in that case do not work alone in the room!)

- a mascara / eye liner not water resistant

if you are like me, and you are not a user of such cosmetics, :D Borrow secretly one from your girl friend ... or your mother - in this order-.

Step 2: Prepare the "quill"

This step and the next are a bit tricky but as coton buds cost almost nothing you can even cut several times a coton bud...

The art consists in cutting the coton bud first diagonnally with an angle of about 45 degres (as shown on the picture)

and then cutting the coton bud again at a smaller angle smaller than 30 degres and below the first cut so that you obtain two edge, as shown in the second picture.

Step 3: Cut the Coton Bud in the Middle

cut along the middle line the coton bud with the scissors or the razor blade (caution, very sharp, danger of severe injuries do not work alone in the room)

the length of this transversal cut is a few millimeters. not too much.

you can cut the tip of quill to obtain the calllygraphic style you want.

Step 4: Making the Ink From Mascara

so put generous amounts of black fluid onto the flat candle.

For that two or three times applying the brush on the candle must give satisfaction

It is very important that the mascara is not water resistant otherwise this will not work.

Add a drop or two of water as indicated on C on the picture shown.

Mix the mascara and the water with the help of a tip until you obtain an homogeneous fluid

Step 5: Use Your Coton Bud Quill

the inconvenient of the quill is the low volume it can store and restitute... you can force however the system to store more ink and release it.

How?

by pressing the side of the coton bud and then putting the tip into the ink and by releasing the pressure.

It will force more ink into the coton bud as you create a vacuum.

You can then press to release the excess of ink upon wishes.

for larger tip, the flow of ink is more important, as a consequence, you need to refill the quill quite often.

Nevertheless, it works pretty well.

in the first picture you see an ink with a low initial content of mascara, but the second picture shows a much stronger result!