Imprints

Oak contains a great deal of tannic acid, which makes the wood susceptible to markings from metal. Many will recognize this phenomenon from the unwanted marks that accumulate on oak tables. This same phenomenon has inspired me to set up experiments that capitalize on nature’s own chemical processes with a bit of added vinegar. Vinegar’s corrosive effect on metal speeds up the process, so that the black imprints develop into something reminiscent of India ink, coaxed outward from the metal’s placement on the oak.