As part of the Library’s reflections on its environmental impact, the staff have been looking at the ecological costs of printing – and its past and potential links with the natural world.

This exhibition includes the world’s first algae-printed book, ink made on-site from Kentish oak galls, and a rare example of Victorian ‘nature printing’.

The book 'The nature-printed British sea-weeds' mounted in a cradle so the pages are open. The left-hand page bears an intaglio print of a whole piece of seaweed in deep pink ink. The image is detailed as it was made from life, by pressing the seaweed into the engraving plate to make an impression, and printing from that. Beneath the main image are details of the different parts of the seeds, leaves, roots, etc. of the plant. These are hand-drawn engravings. The right-hand page is blank.
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The nature-printed British sea-weeds: a history, accompanied by figures and dissections of the Algae of the British Isles

WG Johnstone & A Croall, (London, 1859)

The nature-printed British sea-weeds: a history, accompanied by figures and dissections of the Algae of the British Isles

<p>WG Johnstone & A Croall, (London, 1859)</p>

Detail of the previous illustration, from the book 'The nature-printed British sea-weeds'. In this close-up it is possible to see details of individual leaves overlapping, seed pods attached to the seaweed stems, and details of texture on the stems. The unique engraving process is more visible in close-up: it is clear this is not a handmade engraving, it resembles a pressed and dried plant more closely.

Boulder Guide Book

patagonia, (Boulder, CO, 2019). Printed with algae-ink. With thanks to D&K Printing.

The pamphlet 'Boulder Guide Book' mounted in a cradle so the pages are open. The booklet is almost square-format, and printed on pale beige-yellow paper. The pages are laid out in an infographic style. At the top, printed across both pages, is a long rectangular box with a black header reading: Condensed creature compendium. This lists wildlife from the area under the headings: common, moderate, rare, and science willing. The animals illustrated range from real, commonly-seen creatures from the area, like foxes and deer, to jokingly included creatures like sharks and vampires. There are also seasonal outdoor activity recommendations in another box, city activity recommendations, and a Boulder Beer Checklist with tick boxes next to each brewery one can visit.
The book 'Origins: a sustainable print production primer' mounted in a cradle so the pages are open. The lefthand page is blue paper printed with black ink, the other is peach printed with green ink. At the head of the blue page the world 'algae' is printed five times, arranged to look like the words have fallen in a heap. The body text of the page reads: This cover is printed with algae. Algae-based ink is significant because it replaces the petroleum-based, non-renewable pigments used in conventional offset ink and has a smaller carbon footprint. Like plants, algae eat sunshine and carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Living Ink, the manufacturer, sources sources a byproduct from algae grown for spirulina production, further reducing its carbon footprint. Text of blue page ends here. The pink page has 8.9375 x 6.625 printed along the side and bottom of the page respectively, presumably the exact page dimensions. The ink colour used on this page (Pantone green PMS169) is printed on the page's outer edge, as well as technical details about the production of the booklet.
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Origins: a sustainable print production primer

D&K Printing, (Boulder, CO, [n.d.]). With thanks to D&K Printing.

Origins: a sustainable print production primer

<p>D&K Printing, (Boulder, CO, [n.d.]). With thanks to D&K Printing.</p>

Iron oak gall ink with goose quill.

A miniature jam jar containing black iron-gall ink sitting on a black velvet cushion, with a quill made from a goose feather, stripped to the shaft, lying next to it.

This ink was made on-site in a workshop lead by Sara Charles where students and Library staff tried their hands at making medieval-style iron gall ink and learned about its place in medieval bookmaking and manuscript culture.

A green cutting mat on a table with ink-making supplies set out on it. There are small corked jars of gum arabic and vitriol, some oak galls resembling small walnuts, cheesecloth for straining the ink, wooden sticks for stirring, and a larger jar to prepare the ink in.

Curated by Dr Matthew Shaw, College Librarian

With thanks to D&K Printing.

Explore more of our exhibitions

The book 'The Doors of Perception' lying flat so the cover is face-up. The cover has a blue background, with three large abstract eye designs taking up most of the space. They have geometric designs within the pupils and have red, yellow, green, and orange details so each eye is different. The author and title are at the head and foot of the cover respectively, printed in white.

06 January 2025

Perception: an exhibition

16 December 2024

‘From the author’
Portrait of Sir Joseph Williamson made in oils, by Sir Peter Lely and his studio. It is a two-thirds portrait and shows Williamson in a three-quarter pose, one hand resting on his hip and the other resting on a table draped in red fabric. The hand on the table holds a sheaf of papers. The fabrics Williamson wears and the drapery wrapped around him indicate a taste for luxurious goods.

13 June 2024

Joseph Williamson and the establishment of the transatlantic slave trade