The Line Is Finished -- Now It’s Time to Move
I finally finished the entire ink palette -- Brush Calligraphy and Fine Calligraphy -- both from scratch, crafted from wood charcoal I refine myself. No pre-mixed pigment, no chemical dyes -- only nearby wood, fire, and determination.
There were lots of failures in between -- batches that failed to set, mixtures that failed to mix properly, days where it all seemed to be slipping out of my hands. But I did not give up. I learned. I adapted. I rebuilt from scratch more times than I can count -- and now the formulas work.
Right as I was completing production, the contract work I had been relying on came to a close -- the project was done, and so was my salary. I had two choices -- scramble for another project, or double up on what I'd already done. I chose to roll the dice on myself and develop Char & Bloom.
I've been reaching out to retailers -- small art supply stores, boutiques, whoever comes to mind who might be interested in what I'm producing. The Etsy shop is up, listing is in progress, and I have pigment stored and ready to go out the door if orders arrive. I have some 700 lbs of raw wood -- crepe myrtle and persimmon -- and I'm preparing to get more charcoal batches done with my refined pyrolysis rig.
I sent test samples of ink out to testers and I'm just waiting to get feedback -- performance notes, criticism, good and bad. I require honest critiques so I can put the finishing touches on. I need these inks to be perfect -- smooth flow, clean line, rich black.
I'm currently waking up at 3AM -- at the studio at 4, putting in work until about noon. Then I head home and shift gears -- editing video, capturing drawing footage, applying to jobs, managing all the plates. The only thing is, I took money out to start this business -- so there's a timer ticking. But instead of letting it intimidate me, I'm using it to stay motivated -- pushing myself to present this brand, this work, at its best.
I built it from the ground up. Now it's time to put it into hands.
-- Steve
