Definition: Bistre ink is a traditional ink made by boiling wood soot. The resulting ink color depends on the type of wood burnt to make the soot. Authentic Bistre is made from Beechwood and gives a transparent, dark brown with yellow undertones. Traditionally prepared Bistre is not considered fugitive but is not entirely stable: improperly aged Bistre is acidic and may fade, while better quality Bistre inks will darken somewhat over time.
Bistre is sometimes used to describe a shade of dark warm brown, hex code #3D2B1F. Note that the color you'll see on screen depends on the accuracy of your screen calibration.
Pronunciation: bis-ter
Common Misspellings: Bister
Examples:
Bistre ink is thought to have been widely used until Sepia ink became popular, however, its brown color is similar to other inks, and so is difficult to identify in historical artworks.
