Looking For Interesting/proffesional Ink

[Runnin_Ute]

Diamine Sherwood Green is dark enough to be professional (read homework acceptable unless your professors mandate blue or black only) and still interesting. Or a variety of different blue blacks. BlackStone Green Cashmere depending on the way you mix it can be a green/black on the dark side to something lighter but interesting. (if you can get a hold of some)

 

How about a dark red? BlackStone Red Cashmere or Levenger Pomegranate - depending on the paper and pen it can approach a reddish brown. The Pomegranate looks like the fruit it is named after. Great 50 ml bottle too.

 

Waterman Serenity Blue is a super well behaved wet ink. Color isn't as interesting as some others.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

[SeeksAdvice]

Zhivago doesn't dry worth *expletive* for me. Even in low humidity, forced-air heated offices. Can't recommend that one.

[LionRoar]

At the moment, I'm looking for an ink that is interesting enough that i will be excited to use it, but still remains professional enough to use in class for notes.

 

Since they are notes that only you are going to read, does it matter if it doesn't look professional?

 

I recently bought a bottle of Diamine Midnight because it's a nice blue color that's dark and legible (thus quite practical), but still looks blue and not black. It has a reputation for being well behaved. It's said to be a little bit less dye-saturated than some newer Diamine colors or Private Reserve colors (which are beautiful but I have had problems with them).

 

I've only used it in one Pelikan pen so I am not familiar enough yet with it to say for sure how it behaves.

 

It's my feeling that Florida/Serenity Blue (very highly recommended for good behavior) is too light of a shade of blue and harder to read, although it's the same shade of blue as in a Pilot Precise V5.

Edited February 9, 2015 by LionRoar

[amberleadavis]

Dear MuttonChew, Did you notice a theme? It doesn't need to be black or blue-black to be professional or legible. Also, try some samples. Learn what you like and what works well with your pens.

[LionRoar]

Dear MuttonChew, Did you notice a theme? It doesn't need to be black or blue-black to be professional or legible. Also, try some samples. Learn what you like and what works well with your pens.

 

Well blue and black are the normal ink colors widely used by nearly everyone, so if you write with those colors it will not stand out. Also, darker colors are more easily legible.

 

I don't know that "professional" is really the right word to use, because professionals are expected to share word-processor-written documents and not subject others to reading their handwriting.

 

The correct word, perhaps is "mature" or "adult," because brightly colored inks remind one of the aesthetics of teenage girls.

[amberleadavis]

LionRoar, I disagree with you. (And that's okay).

 

First you misstated my contention. Note, I said that the ink need not be Black or BLUE-BLACK to be professional or legible. At no point in time did I state that blue is not a heavily used color. Someone around here posted a link about the number of pens including rollerballs, ballpoints and gels and the predominant color is no longer black, but blue. Nevertheless, I agree with you, using black or blue-black won't make you stand out. Some blues (BSB and Kon Peki for example) will always stand out.

 

As for brightly colored inks not being mature or adult, I am in a rather stuffy business: I successfully sue banks. So, while I cheerfully use Cape Cod Cranberry in my digital signature for letters, my aesthetics are not that of a teenage girl. Rather my color choices are deliberate and considered decisions of a well educated professional woman - I own bright colors including pink. (Though I sign contracts in Luxury Blue.)

 

edit: My teenage daughter just informed me that she does not use "bright pink" (Diamine Cerise) or "princess blue" (Kon Peki) because her teacher only allows her to use black or blue. (We can talk another time about whether or not Kon Peki is blue.)

 

Finally, in my office, where I pay my staff, I do subject them to my handwriting. They can type the documents that should be freely (or expensively) shared.

 

As for the original poster, I stand by my suggestion that the OP try samples and consider inks in addition to Black and Blue-Black. At a minimum, consider dark blues, dark greens, dark burgundies and dark purples. (Those stealthy and sneaky colors that look black most the time.)

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Samples are always a good idea. There are inks I thought I'd love and absolutely hated after trying a sample. Often times, the color looks nothing like the photos.

 

As for a stealthy color, consider this also:

 

[Mercian]

If you can get them easily, Rohrer & Klinger Salix (blue-black) and Scabiosa (purple-grey) are both interesting.

Salix remains the bluest of the iron-gall blue-blacks after it has dried/oxidised. Scabiosa's colour is sui generis.

 

Both are iron-gall inks, so don't they feather (even on cheap paper), and have a good amount of water resistance, which would have been very useful to me during my own university years

What makes them more interesting is that they will change colour after you have written with them (as the iron salts in them oxidise on the page).

 

Of course, being iron-gall inks means that you need to take more care when cleaning them out of your pens, and should NEVER let them dry out in a pen. Because the ink is acidic, you should also only use them in pens whose metal components are gold or stainless steel. Iron-gall ink will gradually dissolve other metals!

 

An iron-gall ink that many people find to be very interesting is ESSRI (Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrar's Ink). If you are interested in an iron-gall blue-black, I recommend the extensive thread about it that developed under the very informative review of it by Sandy1

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I like Salix a lot. Be aware that it is dry, dry, dry, dry.

[Runnin_Ute]

LionRoar, I disagree with you. (And that's okay).

 

First you misstated my contention. Note, I said that the ink need not be Black or BLUE-BLACK to be professional or legible. At no point in time did I state that blue is not a heavily used color. Someone around here posted a link about the number of pens including rollerballs, ballpoints and gels and the predominant color is no longer black, but blue. Nevertheless, I agree with you, using black or blue-black won't make you stand out. Some blues (BSB and Kon Peki for example) will always stand out.

 

As for brightly colored inks not being mature or adult, I am in a rather stuffy business: I successfully sue banks. So, while I cheerfully use Cape Cod Cranberry in my digital signature for letters, my aesthetics are not that of a teenage girl. Rather my color choices are deliberate and considered decisions of a well educated professional woman - I own bright colors including pink. (Though I sign contracts in Luxury Blue.)

 

edit: My teenage daughter just informed me that she does not use "bright pink" (Diamine Cerise) or "princess blue" (Kon Peki) because her teacher only allows her to use black or blue. (We can talk another time about whether or not Kon Peki is blue.)

 

Finally, in my office, where I pay my staff, I do subject them to my handwriting. They can type the documents that should be freely (or expensively) shared.

 

As for the original poster, I stand by my suggestion that the OP try samples and consider inks in addition to Black and Blue-Black. At a minimum, consider dark blues, dark greens, dark burgundies and dark purples. (Those stealthy and sneaky colors that look black most the time.)

 

Well said!! One of the reasons I picked up (and suggested) Diamine Sherwood Green is exactly what you stated - especially in a fine nib. For years I was a Raven Black, Cobalt Blue or Pelikan 4001 Blue Black guy. My first two bottles of ink were the first two. The Cobalt Blue got finished first. Used it a lot for signatures on tax returns so I would send the right copy to the taxing authority. (sales tax returns and 47 states including DC) The Raven Black got finished off in 2013, the first bottle of blue black before that.

 

Right now I have the following in pens:

 

Nostalgic Impressions Purple

Thistle #1 & #2

Red Cashmere

Blue Cashmere

Black Cashmere

Diamine Blue Black

Diamine Steel Blue

Pelikan 4001 Blue Black

Levenger Pomegranate

Enidame/websters blue black

Diamine Sherwood Green

Waterman Serenity Blue

Akkerman Voorhout Violet

54th Massachusetts

Sterling Violet

 

A couple of these need to be refilled or changed - the 54th Mass, Serenity Blue,maybe the Black Cashmere.

 

I will use all of them in a work setting in one way or another. The purples/violets - especially the NIP and Sterling - for markup or notes. The Voorhout Violet - even in a medium nibbed pen is dark enough to be "sneaky". Most of the rest I wouldn't hesitate to put on a document going to a client. The reds might be borderline - they are dark reds - almost brown depending on nib and paper.

 

This is really blue black heavy right now due to ink testing of some of these. (sterling violet, the Thistles, and one or two others) I usually only have the Pelikan and Diamine blue blacks at any given time.

[VivienR]

My all time favorite Diamine Imperial Purple. I use that ink almost everywhere. So far didn't found an ink, which could I like better. If I would find it in a waterproof edition. I would stock up from those for the rest of my life. Although I kind of have enough ink for the rest of my life...

Usually not care what people think about it, so far they admire that I use fountain pens, and my handwriting as well the inks too. You can imagine, when I was signing my NDAs in a test center, the administrators was simply melting in joy seeing someone using fountain pen...

[Armand.D]

 

Well said!! One of the reasons I picked up (and suggested) Diamine Sherwood Green is exactly what you stated - especially in a fine nib. For years I was a Raven Black, Cobalt Blue or Pelikan 4001 Blue Black guy. My first two bottles of ink were the first two. The Cobalt Blue got finished first. Used it a lot for signatures on tax returns so I would send the right copy to the taxing authority. (sales tax returns and 47 states including DC) The Raven Black got finished off in 2013, the first bottle of blue black before that.

 

Right now I have the following in pens:

 

Nostalgic Impressions Purple

Thistle #1 & #2

Red Cashmere

Blue Cashmere

Black Cashmere

Diamine Blue Black

Diamine Steel Blue

Pelikan 4001 Blue Black

Levenger Pomegranate

Enidame/websters blue black

Diamine Sherwood Green

Waterman Serenity Blue

Akkerman Voorhout Violet

54th Massachusetts

Sterling Violet

 

A couple of these need to be refilled or changed - the 54th Mass, Serenity Blue,maybe the Black Cashmere.

 

I will use all of them in a work setting in one way or another. The purples/violets - especially the NIP and Sterling - for markup or notes. The Voorhout Violet - even in a medium nibbed pen is dark enough to be "sneaky". Most of the rest I wouldn't hesitate to put on a document going to a client. The reds might be borderline - they are dark reds - almost brown depending on nib and paper.

 

This is really blue black heavy right now due to ink testing of some of these. (sterling violet, the Thistles, and one or two others) I usually only have the Pelikan and Diamine blue blacks at any given time.

Wow, I permise myself to go to this thread as it is very interesting, thanks for this post !

 

I am at school and also in a blue/ink search process, and even if I don't have received my sample yet, Sailor Jentle Blue might be an other option to consider, from what I've heard it is a dark blue pretty well behaving

 

You maybe add options to me to look at, because I also agree that school colours must not stay only to Black/BB.

For now I plan to do this :

 

• FPR Triveni Jr / Sailor Jentle Blue
• Nemosine singularity EF / Diamine Red Dragon (underlining)
• Pilot metropolitan M / Purplix (scabiosa/salix/wm purple) mix

 

I have to keep an eye here

[Anne-Sophie]

LionRoar, I disagree with you. (And that's okay).

 

First you misstated my contention. Note, I said that the ink need not be Black or BLUE-BLACK to be professional or legible. At no point in time did I state that blue is not a heavily used color. Someone around here posted a link about the number of pens including rollerballs, ballpoints and gels and the predominant color is no longer black, but blue. Nevertheless, I agree with you, using black or blue-black won't make you stand out. Some blues (BSB and Kon Peki for example) will always stand out.

 

As for brightly colored inks not being mature or adult, I am in a rather stuffy business: I successfully sue banks. So, while I cheerfully use Cape Cod Cranberry in my digital signature for letters, my aesthetics are not that of a teenage girl. Rather my color choices are deliberate and considered decisions of a well educated professional woman - I own bright colors including pink. (Though I sign contracts in Luxury Blue.)

 

edit: My teenage daughter just informed me that she does not use "bright pink" (Diamine Cerise) or "princess blue" (Kon Peki) because her teacher only allows her to use black or blue. (We can talk another time about whether or not Kon Peki is blue.)

 

Finally, in my office, where I pay my staff, I do subject them to my handwriting. They can type the documents that should be freely (or expensively) shared.

 

As for the original poster, I stand by my suggestion that the OP try samples and consider inks in addition to Black and Blue-Black. At a minimum, consider dark blues, dark greens, dark burgundies and dark purples. (Those stealthy and sneaky colors that look black most the time.)

 

I agree with you AmberLea!

 

The inks I am most familiar with are Herbin, their darkest tones are meant to be used in professional correspondance, which when handwritten, match with the large collection of formal stationery from Clairefontaine Triomph http://www.clairefontaine.com/EN/products-page/triomphe-n2/

 

And G Lalo social stationery http://www.exaclair.com/brands_glalo.php which is used by European governments and courts.

 

Clairefontaine has also the Pollen Brand http://clairefontaine-rhodia-2014.e-catalogues.info/8-14 which is used for birth, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, openings announcements and celebrations by everyday people.

 

I could see someone use Ambre de Birmanie or Orange Indien to contrast with a Caramel card.

 

The black, brown, cocoa and night blue cards would be perfect for Bouton d'Or a bright yellow ink.

 

 

I picked up a set of blue correspondence card on sale, I am wondering which ink will look the best, it will probably one of my pink, purple or burgundy inks.

 

I have loved writing with these colors since second grade, I am not stopping now.

 

Yeah for bright colors!

Edited February 19, 2015 by Anne-Sophie

[amberleadavis]

I realized that poor Lion_Roar probably didn't mean to step in a pile of blue-black. That being said, I inked up a bunch of blues while at the pen show.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I realized that poor Lion_Roar probably didn't mean to step in a pile of blue-black. That being said, I inked up a bunch of blues while at the pen show.

 

The Tanzanite was pretty nice.

[amberleadavis]

I also tried American Blue and before I could buy the pen, some other guy bought it specifically because it was inked with American Blue, his favorite ink. I couldn't write with the flexy nib anyway, but I did go acquire a bottle of the lovely ink from Private Reserve.

[Medsen Fey]

I have to agree with recommendations for Salix. I just got a bottle and I'm very impressed. It goes on bright blue but rapidly darkens to dark (near-navy) blue. It offers great shading which makes the writing have more eye appeal, and it writes on my crappy office paper without bleeding and feathering and is waterproof. That's a nice combination.

[Buzz_130]

I work in the world's largest bureaucracy, and I watch people in meetings take notes in red, green, brown, blue, and black ink. I've honestly been surprised at the number of fountain pen users in every meeting, and this allows people to have their own personal statement while working within the inner grindings of the bureaucratic machine. They are your notes; so sample and explore the ink characteristics and colors you enjoy.

 

Once you start turning in paperwork for others to review, consider how the recipient likes to receive information. I teach this simple observation to all young officers: is your boss a reader or a listener, and are they a format or content person? If you get to interact with the person or staff, you can figure this out very easily. And then use this information to communicate your message in the style and medium your audience uses! For example, the number of people that are reader/format types is significant and lends itself to extensive PowerPoint presentations.

 

How does this apply to your fountain pen ink choices? My boss is a reader/format individual. When I summarize and recommend staff packages for review and approval, I write with blue or blue-black ink in neat cursive for the easy signatures. For the tougher packages, I will still write by hand but print my recommendations. I don't want the color of ink to become the format and distract from the reading style of my director. If I was writing for a content person or a listener, then I could use a wider range of colors.

 

Remember, the point of writing is to communicate. Communication is a two-way street, and you have to deliver your message in a medium the recipient is ready to receive. That may help you in your choice of professional inks for turn-in.

 

Buzz

[MuttonChew]

Dear MuttonChew, Did you notice a theme? It doesn't need to be black or blue-black to be professional or legible. Also, try some samples. Learn what you like and what works well with your pens.

I did end up making a list of all the inks I have found interesting, and am planning to buy a sample of each.

If I need to keep something looking professional, i always have Lamy Black, and Liberty's Elysium at my disposal.