Final answer:
Bistre is a grayish brown ink from resinous wood soot, while Sepia is a dark brown ink from cuttlefish or squid ink sacs. Both have been used for art and writing, each providing distinct tonal qualities to the works they are used in.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bistre is a grayish-brown ink that was traditionally made from the soot of wood specifically resinous wood. This type of ink has been used for centuries for drawing and writing. On the other hand, Sepia is a darker brown ink originally derived from the ink sacs of cuttlefish or squid. It is well-known for its warm, rich brown tones and has been valued in both art and photography for its aesthetic quality.
In the context of traditional brush and ink drawing, artists employed various tools. Brushes could be crafted from various natural materials, like bamboo, wood, or feathers, with tips that helped control the flow of ink. The iron gall ink is another type of ink, known for its purple-black color, and is made by combining tannic acids with iron salts from vegetables. To apply the ink to paper, artists frequently used dip pens, which transported the ink from the bottle to paper with precision and finesse.
For an ideal writing or drawing experience, the brush, ink, and inkstone were essential. Calligraphers often used specialty papers made from rice or mulberry, which interact with ink in a specific way to achieve desirable results. The paper's texture, the brush's size, the ink's density, and the artist's stroke technique all contribute to the character and quality of the final artwork.