Used primarily in traditional and ceremonial tattooing, Indian ink is valued for its deep black color and permanence on the skin. It is commonly used in hand-poked tattoo methods and stick-and-poke techniques due to its consistency and availability. In art, it serves as a reliable drawing and calligraphy ink, especially in pen and brush work, where high contrast and opacity are desired. Its carbon-based composition makes it lightfast and resistant to fading, ideal for archival-quality illustrations and technical drawings. Indian ink is also utilized in medical applications, such as in lymph node mapping during surgical procedures, where it helps visualize tissue structures. Additionally, it has been used in microbiology to enhance contrast when observing fungal cells or capsules under the microscope, leveraging its negative staining properties.