Curios Wild Ink Set 2026

This year’s Curios set of three features a steadfast neighborhood favorite, Acorn cap, and two serendipitously offered colors from the garden: Dark hibiscus flower and Arctic Sun dogwood berry. Curios are named for the “curious” colors from the year, and this set is no exception.

Acorn cap: This was one of the first inks I ever created, and one of my favorites. With many an oak tree in my neighborhood, I don’t have to walk far to forage some fallen acorn caps. Some of the caps this year came from remaining shards after the squirrels and chipmunks got their cache of acorns for winter in lakes country.

Dark Hibiscus flower: Some time in August, my mother-in-law messaged me a photo of her discolored hand after trimming her garden dark hibiscus flowers. She asked if I’d like to make color with them, and the result is a beautiful green-gray-purple–like 3 in 1.

Arctic Sun Dogwood berry: We neglected to trim down our dogwood bushes this year, and they have grown to a sizeable thicket in front of our garage. So large, in fact, that they were mature enough to flower and fruit with clusters of these blackish berries. I left plenty for the birds, but was able to make this enigmatic violet color from the pot. This one tricks you into thinking there is not real color at first–it comes as it dries, like a magic ink.

Please review the ink tips and considerations in the gallery photos. I recommend painting on a 300 GSM watercolor paper. Remember to shake well before painting, and that how a color goes on paper wet is often not how it dries and oxidizes.

I am scheduling Painting with Wild Ink workshops if you’d like to deep dive into this practice. Learn more and register here!