A Fastidious Guide to Ink Hi Reader: I love ink, and I want you to, too. Sure, ink can be a messy business, but not if you know a few tricks I’ve picked up over many ink-stained years. First off, what is ink exactly? Basically, it’s pigment or dye suspended in some sort of liquid or vehicle. But the qualities of those few ingredients make a big difference in how the ink works. For instance, ballpoint pen ink is made from dye mixed with oil, so it’s nice and thick when it rolls out of the pen...