Tusche

The composition of ink is not uniformly defined. "India ink" as a term is not legally protected.

Basically, India ink is a special form of ink that is characterized by a very strong color. This is due to the fact that it usually gets its color from pigments, which (as already shown) have high color strength and lightfastness. In addition, ink often contains a binder that allows the pigments to adhere well to the paper. This binder can be an aqueous solution of shellac, or water-soluble synthetic resins and borax.

Waterproof inks can be made by using shellac soap. In this way, some inks can be scraped off the paper with a razor blade, for example. So-called "artists' inks" often consist of fine carbon black to which shellac soap, water and setting agents have been added. In Asian ink painting, inks are often used that are rubbed with water on a special rubbing stone before use. By using a pen and brush, ink can be used to create delightful artistic works.

Note: India ink dries faster than ink and is not suitable for filling fountain pens; the pigments would clog the ink channels. Ink is also not suitable for filling printer cartridges.