Calligraphy ink (sumi)traditionally comes in the form of a solid stick, often carved or decorated with gold or colored characters. Inksticks are basically made of soot held together with glue.
With inksticks, an inkstone (suzuri)is necessary. Inkstones are usually made from slate and typically have both a flat surface for grinding and a reservoir for holding the ink. The calligrapher pours a little water in the reservoir and then rubs the moistened inkstick against the stone to make the ink.
Ready-made liquid ink is also available. Purists prefer the quality of hand-ground ink, and say that preparing the ink helps put the calligrapher in the proper frame of mind for writing.
