The Colour of Ink is a fascinating documentary presented as part of the ReFrame Film Festival this year. This film is mainly centred around Jason Logan, an illustrator, graphic designer, art director, writer, and ink maker. It explores ink in many ways. From what it is made of and how it has been used to create art. 

I found the film very engaging to watch as it had visually satisfying clips of ink blending into other ink, showcasing the aesthetic appeal of art. Another thing that made it engaging was when they would show the artist making their art. It was not just about the ink-making but the whole process. First, they would show the gathering of supplies, the preparation of the supplies, the experimentation of making different inks, the making of the ink, and the testing of the ink. Then it would also show the other side of the process when the artist receives it. From there, you would see their initial reactions to it, their oh-so-excited responses from testing it, the making of their art, and the final result of such art. Seeing the whole process and the reasoning behind it was engaging, as it is not something that I would typically think about, and if I did, I would have no idea how it worked.

I liked that they included so many people in the documentary. They included ink makers, tattoo artists, authors, calligraphers, cartoonists, dye makers, painters, a weaver, wildlife artists, and a carver, which are the people I would expect in a film like this. However, they also included people who I had never heard of before or just would not have expected to be included. Such as paleontologists, shell dyers, cochineal farmers, and an ochre worker. It was interesting to learn how they all connect within the ink community.

The film talked about art in many different ways, but I enjoyed how Logan spoke about it. He talked about everything like it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, which was really lovely to hear. I do not think I have ever heard someone call rust or salt beautiful. However, the way he explained and showed it made perfect sense and was really interesting to see. He was also able to teach his family about the beauty they come across. His children and wife do not seem to find what he does as "messy." His wife Heidi Sopinka said, "It's sort of a crazy mess, that's also kinda incredibly beautiful."

Logan has a way of talking about ink and other aspects included in the inking process that I really enjoyed. One of my favourite things he said was, "in the bottle, it's a colour, and when it hits the paper, it's a sort of process." I liked that line so much because in my opinion, if you take the meaning to his words, you can apply it to many things not just relating to art. Logan did the same thing when he was talking about how the ink may change colour over time as it will oxidize. He said, "it's love, it's unpredictable, it's fugitive. It's kind of on the run." He unintentionally said so many things that can easily represent a deeper meaning depending on how you look at it.

The Colour of Ink is a captivating and engaging film that explores much more than just the ink itself. It reveals that you can find beauty in many things in nature and in life itself. It demonstrates the many ways and art styles that use ink, expressing a deeper meaning to it all. The presentation as a whole is also just really satisfying to see.

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The 2023 ReFrame Festival runs from January 26th-February 3rd. A list of films, tickets to events and screenings, and more information can be found on the Festival Website.