Diamine Misty Blue

[Sandy1]

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~≈~

Fidelity

• The ink I used may be compared to the 'official' depiction on the Diamine site. LINK
  
• Though Wiki is mute on "Misty Blue" as a colour, Dorothy Moore graces us with her interpretation. LINK

Figure 1.

Swabs & Swatch

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK795_zpsb54dc2f0.jpg

Figure 2.

NIB-ism ✑

Paper: HPJ1124.

Depicts nibs' down-stroke line-width and pens' relative wetness.

Distance between feint vertical pencil lines is 25mm.

Thumbnail:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/th_INK794_zps53d0e3b4.jpg

L → R: Pilot, M200, Skyline, 330, Max, Safari.

 

Figure 3.

Paper Base Tints:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Private%20Reserve%20Chocolate/86f3378c.jpg

L → R: HPJ1124, Rhodia, G Lalo, Royal, Staples.

 

 

WRITTEN SAMPLES - Moby Dick

Ruling: 8mm.

 

Figure 4.

Paper: HPJ1124.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK798-A_zpsd456ee16.jpg

Figure 5.

Paper: Rhodia.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK799_zps67b80b02.jpg

 

Figure 6.

Paper: G Lalo.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK800_zpse04d00b1.jpg

 

Figure 7.

Paper: Royal.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK801_zps68296664.jpg

Figure 8.

Paper: Staples.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK802_zps4c38dfc2.jpg

Figure 9.

Grocery List.

Paper: Pulp.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK804_zpsb49882c1.jpg

 

OTHER STUFF

 

Figure 10.

Smear/Dry Times & Wet Tests.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/INK797_zps4468910a.jpg

Figure 11.

Bleed- Show-Through on Staples 20lb.

Thumbnail:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/th_INK803_zps20873887.jpg

Figure 12.

Change of Appearance.

• In a prior Review of this ink by Member DanielCoffey LINK, there was mention that DMBl "lightens significantly" shortly after writing, and up to one day hence. Such was my experience.
• Upon posting this Topic, it was evident that the images I produced were not satisfactory, so were deleted. As time & tides permit, another set will be generated, then posted within this thread.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

 

Type:

• Simple dye-based fountain pen ink.

Presentation:

• Bottle.

Availability:

• Available when Topic posted.

Daily writer?

• Possible.

A go-to ink?

• When a low-chroma Green-leaning Blue is desired.

USE

 

Business:

(From the office of Ms Blue-Black.)

• Possible for general business use, though it has neither animation or gravitas.
• May be just the thing for routine correspondence that does not require special handling or high priority - an "all's well" ink - yet I do not recall seeing a similar colour used in a business office, so it may not go entirely unnoticed. (?)
• For personal work product, it does offer a pleasant writing experience, though I would enhance readability by running it at fairly high density and suppress the shading.
• Highly unlikely to be mimicked by ballpoint, rollerball, etc.
• Line quality is up to the task of teeny-tiny marginalia from slightly dry hair's-breadth nibs.
• Will do the necessary for dedicated forms work.
• A possible for mark-up or editing of Black-printed material, but lacks ⚡zap⚡ for error correction or marking.

Illustrations / Graphics:

N.B. Change of colour/density is evident. That may be a deal-breaker if one cannot previsualise the ink's final appearance.

• Seems most suitable as a ground or transitional colour.
• The low chroma may be useful on charts/graphs for items that occupy a large amount of space, but are not particularly important.
• If shading can be suppressed, line quality supports generating labels & taut narrow lines.
• As a watercolour, it has little water resistance, and colour appears to be quite uniform, so may be suitable for washes and reworking with a wet brush, though it may well leave an indistinct artefact.

Students:

• A possible choice for general notes, though water resistance is negligible, hence requires one to safeguard what was written.
• A reasonable choice for assignments, but may be just outside the prescribed 'Blue or Black' inks.

Personal:

• No doubt.
• A pleasant step aside from my usual Blue to Blue-Black inks.
• Certainly possible for pro forma personal business writing, but for that bumph I'd choose yet another of those default Blues. (Lamy Blue has taken to lurking.)
• The interesting colour, shading, and roomy performance envelope combine to make DMBl one of those inks that is likely to be under the radar of those who prefer a saturated line and snappy high chroma colours, such as PR American Blue & Noodler's Batstate Blue.
• I like the easy-on-the-eye aspect and fluid nature of the ink, which rolls along with modest inertia.
• A bit too dark for breathless blurtings or featherweight chatter; better suited to the longer letter rather than a despatch.
• I continue to explore this ink using various pens & papers. At this time I prefer extremes of either narrow pale lines or wide dark lines.
• Shaped and flexi nibs do quite well indeed, though in my hand I prefer the results from Stubs rather than the sharper Italic nibs.
• When the ink is pale, I sense a somewhat vintage character, and Misty Blue lives up to its name.

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Flow Rate:

• Just a bit wet.

Nib Dry-out:

• Not noticed.

Start-up:

• Immediate.
• With confidence.

Lubricity:

• Really quite pleasant.
• Writing on the hard textured G Lalo was fine, even with an EF nib.
• Wide wet nibs on the smoooth Rhodia remained sure-footed.

Nib Creep:

• Not seen.

Staining (pen):

• Not seen after three days.

Clogging:

• Not seen.
• Seems unlikely.

Bleed- Show-Through:

• Staples: 330.
• HPJ1124: M200, NNPS.
• Royal: M200, NNPS.

Feathering / Wooly Line:

• More than an iota on the Royal.
• (See HiRes image below.)

Aroma:

• Very faint.
• Not objectionable.

Hand oil sensitivity:

• Not evident.

Clean-Up (pen):

• Very fast and thorough with plain water.

Mixing:

• No stated prohibitions.

Archival:

• Not claimed.

 

THE LOOK

 

Presence:

• Relaxed.
• Gently flowing.

Saturation:

• A bit low.
• Feint lines on Rhodia were not consistently over-written.

Shading Potential:

• Very good.

Line quality:

• Very nice indeed.
• Overcame the challenge of the hard textured G Lalo.
• Can spread a bit at peak ink volume: during shading and the end of a strong down-stroke.

Variability:

• Pen+nib combos used:
  • About as expected, considering the exceptionally wide range of pens used.

  [*]Papers used:

  • Slightly more than expected.

  [*]Malleability:

  • Interestingly high and nuanced.
  • A bit tricky due to the change of appearance over time, which makes generating a [large] folio of samples a good idea.
  • Changes to both pen and paper can alter the Look from soft and ephemeral to strong and firm, largely by changing the ink density through choice of pen wetness.
  • DMBl has a roomy performance envelope that withstands significant changes to pen and paper without delivering an unacceptable result, though one's sensitivity to bleed- show-through should be considered.
  • Shading is quite prevalent, though not so predictable. e.g. The soft Script nib of the Elite generated pleasant shading on HPJ1124, but the Skyline generated very little shading - even on Rhodia. (?!?)
  • To avoid unwanted colour-shift when the ink is pale, the paper base-tint needs to be taken into account .
  • DMBl opens the door to a pleasant writing experience on hard textured paper, even from narrow nibs, giving us shading and high line quality - no mean feat.
    

Hi-Res Images:

Originals are 60x30mm.

All are thumbnails.

 

Elite on HPJ1124:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/th_INK805_zps798f0879.jpg

Skyline on Rhodia:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/th_INK806_zps82824d84.jpg

330 on G. Lalo:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/th_INK807_zps80efd27a.jpg

NNPS on Royal:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/th_INK808_zpsb90bc3f1.jpg

OTHER INKS

This Review includes the same Written Sample format and some pen+paper combos as most of my previous Reviews of Blue inks. Consequently, ad hoc comparisons through manipulation of browser windows is supported.

Should that functionality not meet your requirements, I welcome your request via PM. Additional scans may be produced, but the likelihood of additional inky work is quite low.

 

Swab Swami

Thumbnail:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Misty%20Blue/th_INK796_zps0729c936.jpg

L → R: R&K Blau permanent, Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue, Pilot Blue, Pilot iroshizuku syo-ro.

 

PAPERS

 

Lovely papers:

• Smooth crisp whites.

Trip-wire Papers: ☠

• Any that cannot suppress bleed- show-through.

Copy/Printer Paper:

• Certainly.
• Wet writers should be set aside if two-sided use is required or if one is adverse to a few freckles on the backside obverse.
• Seems to shrug-off the 'haze' from OBAs.

Tinted Papers:

• Not convinced.
• Perhaps the very pale / pastel tints.

Is high-end paper 'worth it'?

• If one gets to exploring this ink's potential, high-end papers extend the range considerably.

ETC.

 

Majik:

• Not quite - a bit too low key.

Billets Doux?

• Unlikely from yours truly.

Personal Pen & Paper Pick:

• The Maxima on Rhodia.
• I do like the high % coverage from the wide nib, combined with the high density and shading.
• The Rhodia keeps the wide wet line very crisp, and suppresses bleed-through.
• The base-tint is just a bit warm, which increased the colour contrast while lowering the tonal contrast.

Yickity Yackity:

• A most welcome newcomer to my inky array, which certainly earned one square inch of shelf space.
• Ah kushbaby, for those times when something relaxing yet a bit intriguing might pique your interest?

======

 

NUTS BOLTS & BOILERPLATE

 

Pens

• Written Samples:

A. Pilot Elite + 18K Script nib.

♥

LINK

B. Pelikan M200 + g-p steel EF nib.

C. Eversharp Skyline + 14K nib.

D. Sheaffer 330 + steel M nib.

E. Parker England Duofold Maxima + № 50 14K nib.

LINK

F. Non-Nudist Pink Safari + goosed 1.1 steel nib.

• Lines & labels:

Diamine Eau de Nil from a Pilot Penmanship + XF nib.

Papers:

• HPJ1124: Hewlett-Packard laser copy/print, 24lb.
• Rhodia: satin finish vellum, 80gsm.
• G Lalo Verge de France: natural white, laid, 100gsm.
• Royal: 25% cotton, laser/inkjet copy/print, 'letterhead', 90gsm.
• Staples: house brand multi-use copy/print, USD4/ream, bears FSC logo, 20lb.
• Pulp: Calendar page.

Imaging

• An Epson V600 scanner was used with the bundled Epson s/w at factory default settings to produce low-loss jpg files.
• Figures shown were scanned at 200 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• Hi-Res Images linked were scanned at 300 dpi & 24 bit colour.
• No post-capture manipulation of scanner output was done, other than dumb-down by Epson, Photobucket & IP.Board s/w, and one's viewing gear.

Densitometer Readings on HPJ1124:

• Red 115
• Grn 156
• Blu 205
• Lum 157

Fine Print

The accuracy and relevance of this Review depends in great part upon consistency and reliability of matériel used.

Ink does not require labelling/notice to indicate (changes in) formulation, non-hazardous ingredients, batch ID, date of manufacture, etc.

As always, YMMV, not only from materials, methods, environment, etc., but also due to differences between the stuff I used and that you may have; and manner of working.

Also, I entrust readers to separate opinion from fact; to evaluate inferences and conclusions as to their merit; and to be amused by whatever tickles your fancy.

 

-30-

Tags: Fountain Pen Ink Review Sandy1 Diamine Misty Blue Pale Blue

Edited December 15, 2012 by Sandy1

[The Good Captain]

Nice review of one of my favourites. I also highly rate their Presidential Blue and there is sufficient difference between the two colours to allow me to have them inked at the same time. I've found them both to have reasonable water-resistance and I've posted those results elsewhere.

All-in-all, a nice simple ink.

[wastelanded]

Wow. This ink isn't what I thought it was at all, from the swatches I've seen. I really like this, perhaps even more than China Blue. Which is another ink that lightens over a day's time. Where's that Visa card?

 

Excellent review as always, Sandy.

[DanF]

Sandy --- Are these samples fresh from the pen, or have they aged to allow for the fade that occurs over a day or so? Looks like an ink I'll be putting on my list. Thanks.

 

Dan

[PaperDarts]

Sandy, you've done it again. I'm off to the ink store tomorrow!

Thanks for a great review.

[Sandy1]

Nice review of one of my favourites. I also highly rate their Presidential Blue and there is sufficient difference between the two colours to allow me to have them inked at the same time. I've found them both to have reasonable water-resistance and I've posted those results elsewhere.

All-in-all, a nice simple ink.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for your kind words!

 

I think Diamine has shoe-horned some nuance into the Misty Blue bottles, so disagree that Misty Blue is a "simple" ink.

I consider 'simple' inks to be those that are highly predictable. From my limited experience, I general consider saturated inks, and most Noodler's 'bulletproof' inks to be simple - they are often relatively unresponsive to changes of pen+paper. (That sort of simplicity is an admirable property of a daily writer ink.)

Certainly, Misty Blue is perfectly fine as it comes, with few foibles. Yet I think the wily practitioner will find the ink responsive to changes of pen+paper, and such exploration quite rewarding.

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Wow. This ink isn't what I thought it was at all, from the swatches I've seen. I really like this, perhaps even more than China Blue. Which is another ink that lightens over a day's time. Where's that Visa card?

 

Excellent review as always, Sandy.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for the compliment!

 

I very much agree that swabs & swatches of Misty Blue only hint at what can come from pen onto paper.

 

It appears that I have earned my 'enabler' tag once again . . .

 

Bye,

S1

 

EDIT - to add: We have the good fortune that Member DanielCoffey has also reviewed this ink, and gifted us with fine depictions of Misty Blue from a wet pen on Rhodia. LINK

Edited December 16, 2012 by Sandy1

[Sandy1]

Sandy --- Are these samples fresh from the pen, or have they aged to allow for the fade that occurs over a day or so? Looks like an ink I'll be putting on my list. Thanks.

 

Dan

Hi,

 

 

You're welcome!

 

The samples shown are are well aged, and stable.

 

Ah, more enabling on my part!

 

Bye,

S1

[Sandy1]

Sandy, you've done it again. I'm off to the ink store tomorrow!

Thanks for a great review.

Hi,

 

You're welcome!

 

Yes, I've done it again - Misty Blue is the 113^th ink that I've reviewed on FPN.

 

Crikey! Even more enabling by yours truly.

 

Bye,

S1

[wastelanded]

Hi,

I very much agree that swabs & swatches of Misty Blue only hint at what can come from pen onto paper.

 

I like inks like that. Sometimes you just need a surprise: I keep Quink BB around for just such an emergency. Every time I get a new paper, out comes the QBB: I'm still waiting for it to burst into flame on just the right paper.

 

Misty Blue is like China Blue's cousin, it also does a metamorphosis over a day's time.

 

I am enjoying the Pelikan Türkis, by the way. It has brightened up my days considerably!

 

 

 

L~

Edited December 17, 2012 by wastelanded

[Sandy1]

Hi,

I very much agree that swabs & swatches of Misty Blue only hint at what can come from pen onto paper.

 

I like inks like that. Sometimes you just need a surprise: I keep Quink BB around for just such an emergency. Every time I get a new paper, out comes the QBB: I'm still waiting for it to burst into flame on just the right paper.

 

Misty Blue is like China Blue's cousin, it also does a metamorphosis over a day's time.

 

I am enjoying the Pelikan Türkis, by the way. It has brightened up my days considerably!

 

 

 

L~

 

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with those inks!

 

I use ye olde Quink BlBk with SOLV-X as my daily writer ink in the office because it doesn't 'burst into flame'.

 

I'm glad you like the P4T! Don't tell me you've also developed a taste for Turquoise inks on papers with a warm base-tint?!?

 

Enjoy!

 

Bye,

S1

Edited December 17, 2012 by Sandy1

[wastelanded]

Don't tell me you've also developed a taste for Turquoise inks on papers with a warm base-tint?!?

 

Is that a bad thing?

 

ETA: Original image replaced by a proper scan now I'm at work. Paper was Moleskine Volant, which is warm (and quite FP-friendly), but not as warm as the original image.

Edited December 17, 2012 by wastelanded

[Sandy1]

Don't tell me you've also developed a taste for Turquoise inks on papers with a warm base-tint?!?

 

Is that a bad thing?

 

ETA: Original image replaced by a proper scan now I'm at work. Paper was Moleskine Volant, which is warm (and quite FP-friendly), but not as warm as the original image.

 

:roflmho:

I think Turquoise inks on slightly warm [natural] papers can be exquisite!

I just didn't think that others would also find that to be the case . . .

 

Bye,

S1

Edited December 17, 2012 by Sandy1

[wastelanded]

:roflmho:

I think Turquoise inks on slightly warm [natural] papers can be exquisite!

I just didn't think that others would also find that to be the case . . .

 

I agree, it's a fantastic combination! Neither image really got the paper right. It's Moleskine Volant, surprisingly FP-friendly, or perhaps I got lucky.

 

Please, suggest a nice paper along this line of thought?

[Sandy1]

:roflmho:

I think Turquoise inks on slightly warm [natural] papers can be exquisite!

I just didn't think that others would also find that to be the case . . .

 

I agree, it's a fantastic combination! Neither image really got the paper right. It's Moleskine Volant, surprisingly FP-friendly, or perhaps I got lucky.

 

Please, suggest a nice paper along this line of thought?

Hi,

 

I like the G Lalo Verge de France white [natural] paper, but it can be a challenge to quite a few pen+ink combos, especially P4T. The Rhodia 90gsm 'R' paper is another choice, along with the Tamoe River Creme. Original Crown Mill Pure Cotton is great stuff, but a bit too absorbent to generate much shading.

 

Unfortunately I haven't found a 24lb laser copy/print paper that is FP friendly, not too expensive and of the appropriate colour. The Staples 20lb Creme that appears in some of my Brown ink Reviews has an OK colour, but is quite inconsistent, feels 'cheap' when held, and a mediocre performer.

 

You may wish to peruse the P&PR&A Forum for other likely papers. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/forum/41-paper-pen-paraphernalia-reviews-and-articles/

 

Bye,

S1

[georges zaslavsky]

very nice blue thanks for sharing