Ink Book - Blues

[girlieg33k]

I put together an ink sample book as a reference guide that I can leaf through, so I didn't have to guess (or worse, remember) the way a particular bottle of ink looked before filling a pen. I used a large ruled Moleskine Cahier Notebook, took a swap sample of each ink, and diptested each color with an Omas Dama (with a medium cursive italic nib reground by Richard Binder). I grouped inks by hue (blues, blueblacks, purples, browns, greens, and so forth), and I'll post each group in separate posts. For now, here are the blues:

 

Waterman Florida Blue - Diamine Florida Blue (Limited Edition Series 2) - Visconti Blue - Pelikan Blue - Yard-o-Led Blue

http://girlieg33k.googlepages.com/blues1_mod.jpg

 

 

Diamine Sapphire Blue - Diamine WES Imperial Blue - Diamine Prussian Blue - Diamine Presidential Blue (Washington DC Supershow 2004) - Diamine Indigo

http://girlieg33k.googlepages.com/blues2_mod.jpg

Edited October 9, 2007 by girlieg33k

[blueiris]

Thanks for the scans. Diamine Prussian and Indigo look almost the same on my monitor, but perhaps the Indigo is just a touch darker. I might have to get the Indigo! It's nice to see all of them, really.

Edited April 22, 2007 by blueiris

[BobR]

Thanks very much for sharing these. A great way to put ink to good use! I've found Visconti blue to be fairly heavily saturated, looking more like your writing rather than the "blob".

[lisa]

This is great! Thank you so much for posting this, it's very helpful for choosing inks unseen!

[DennisU]

Hats off to girlieg33k!!

 

Wonderful scans and writing samples. It's always interesting to see ink comparisons showing both writing and cotton swabs. I've been wondering about several of these blues... but I don't have to wonder any longer. Many, many thanks!

 

Dennis

[Will]

It's very interesting to see the scans. Do you think that dip pens alter the samples? I always get rather washed out results for the Florida blue, wheras the WES Imperial Blue is a lovely colour (quite purple when wet but drying to a lovely royal blue when dry) and appears brighter on the page for me.

 

Lovely to see the examples though.

[girlieg33k]

It's very interesting to see the scans. Do you think that dip pens alter the samples? I always get rather washed out results for the Florida blue, wheras the WES Imperial Blue is a lovely colour (quite purple when wet but drying to a lovely royal blue when dry) and appears brighter on the page for me.

 

Lovely to see the examples though.

 

The pen I used for the writing sample isn't a dip pen. The Omas Dama is a piston filler, but I didn't want to keep flushing the pen after each sample. I simply dipped the nib into the bottle to produce the writing sample after I took the swab sample -- so in effect, I was using it as a dip pen. I wasn't sure if it would alter the sample, and I tried to give myself the best possible represenation of the color by doing swab samples as well. Portions of the Ink Book includes writing samples of each ink color, with different pens -- so I can see the color variances with each pen. And yes, there are color variances depending on which pen I'm using. So I do believe that a dip pen will alter the sample.

 

I agree with you on Diamine WES Imperial Blue. I first used WES Imperial Blue in my Pilot Decimo and at first I thought it was purple, not blue. As the ink dried however, it turned blue. It was interesting to see the same effect when I diptested WES Imperial Blue with the Omas Dama.

 

With regard to Diamine Florida Blue, I also think it looks washed out -- no matter what pen I was using. I was expecting a darker, richer blue (going from the Waterman Florida Blue). Only Visconti Blue and Diamine Sapphire Blue came close to the Waterman Florida Blue's richer, deeper blue.

Edited April 22, 2007 by girlieg33k

[goodyear]

Portions of the Ink Book includes writing samples of each ink color, with different pens -- so I can see the color variances with each pen. And yes, there are color variances depending on which pen I'm using.

I started doing something like this just before Christmas. I keep a notebook, and when I fill a pen with an ink I haven't used in it before, I use it to record pen, nib, ink, and a quick brown fox. No organisation to it, just in the order I've filled the pens, but I'm finding it a handy reference.

 

My experience with WES Imperial blue is similar - a nice vibrant colour that dries from almost prple when wet. I love it. I find it a little stronger than your scan shows on my monitor.

 

Thanks for a very handy reference!

[Viseguy]

Yet another very useful (and pretty) comparison. W's Florida Blue looks smashing in the scan! Diamine Prussian Blue looks a bit more washed out than it does to me on the page, but maybe that's because here it's surrounded by other, brighter blues. The first Diamine sample is labeled "Florida", but I don't think D makes a Florida Blue. Perhaps it's Mediterranean or Aqua Blue? Anyway, great demo, g.!

[girlieg33k]

Yet another very useful (and pretty) comparison. W's Florida Blue looks smashing in the scan! Diamine Prussian Blue looks a bit more washed out than it does to me on the page, but maybe that's because here it's surrounded by other, brighter blues. The first Diamine sample is labeled "Florida", but I don't think D makes a Florida Blue. Perhaps it's Mediterranean or Aqua Blue? Anyway, great demo, g.!

 

Diamine Prussian Blue, in different pens, is a darker, deeper blue. I was frankly surprised by how washed out it looked in the sample. There is a Diamine Florida Blue, and it's a limited edition ink. I bought my bottle from The Writing Desk. The link to Diamine's Florida Blue (which shows another sample) is at:

http://www.thewritingdesk.co.uk/diamine/diamine_ink.php

 

[Viseguy]

There is a Diamine Florida Blue, and it's a limited edition ink. I bought my bottle from The Writing Desk. The link to Diamine's Florida Blue (which shows another sample) is at:

http://www.thewritingdesk.co.uk/diamine/diamine_ink.php

Ah, so! My mistake. Sorry for muddying the Florida blue waters!