Pendemonium suggested Noodler's Marine Green or Forest Green for Diamine Umber. What do you think?

I just checked out the ink comparison page at thewritingdesk.co.uk/ and forest green looks nothing like Umber. I have umber, & I know of no other inks that are close in color to umber.

pendemonium suggestion of colors will not match Umber
I have umber also and know of nothing else that comes close

PR Sherwood Green -- on The Writing Desk's sample page, it seems the closest to me. Not sure how much to trust those samples, though -- the one for Zhivago is nowhere near like the ink in the bottle here with that name.

sorry - not even close. Umber is a unique grey-blue-green. Very much like the now-discontinued Pelikan Moss Green only, IMO, better. Sherwood is a dark vibrant emerald green.

Margana, if the concern is having to buy from TWD, then there are two things to consider. 1) A few of us love this ink and I know of one person (me) who would be willing to go into a "let's buy several bottles at once and distribut them" deal. 2)Even with the shipping cost of one bottle within the US, if you buy 3-4 bottles of Umber from The Writing Desk you will end up paying very near (if not less) of the price of the same order from a US seller.

I can't speak highly enough of TWD or of this ink. I use it a lot and have already gotten down to half a bottle. Considering that I have about 30 other inks that I use, that's a lot of use. I'd love to have at least one more bottle in stock, and would pay for two.

I just haven't seen any other ink out there that comes close among currently manufactured inks. and it's hard to find Pelikan moss green.

if you would seriously like to buy some from the UK, I'd recommend posting a proposition in the Marketplace to see if others are interested in a "bulk" buy. If you can find folks in your area, then that could eliminate US postage costs and really bring the price down below US cost. If you can't, then as I said, it still balances out. As I said, I'm open to it. And I don't mind being POC if necessary.

Please add me to the interested parties regarding a bulk purchase form TWD. I'd be happy to take a couple bottles.

PM me if you're interested.

I've been wanting a bottle of Umber as well, but I haven't managed to place my order yet. I would be willing to make the bulk purchase and redistribute if no one else has volunteered already.

KCat - From your previous enthusiastic posts I suspected they wouldn't substitute. Diamine Umber has no peer.


Ryan - I'll PM you later. Sunday events will keep me busy till evening. <_<

There is no substitute for Diamine Umber... it it unique and the best colour there is!

I could take a couple bottles too... I love the look of it..

Hi,

If these are UK only ink colours, I can't help, but if they are available for the worldwide market, I can stock them for you.

Dillon

Dillon,
The color is availble world wide. I purchased my first bottle from a retailer stateside. The problem seems to be that no one can get them to stock here in the US.
I would also like another bottle but cannot find stateside availability

When I ordered from The Writing Desk in the U.K. I found the price comparable to ink bought here in the states, and that includes shipping across the pond.

I would be in for a bottle if we're doing a mass ship from TWD, or would be very pleased to order from Dillo.

Hmm, maybe we should start another thread for which pen would be a good match for the ink ... since, of course, that's the order in which things need to be considered. Any suggestions?

Stephen

New thread --> here.

Anyone who uses both Umber and Noodler's Squeteague who might comment on the differences? The Writing Desk shows Squeteague as much bluer, but then again, Squeteague doesn't show nearly that blue for me when I use it. Does Umber have more greeny, mossy tones?

So, did anyone decide to take on a bulk buy from TWD? If so, please PM me - I'd like to be in on it for one bottle! Thanks!

Margana and I have been discussing it, Vanessa. one or the other of us will probably take "orders" soon (meaning within 24 hours I would think).

I use both. They are similar to my eye. Squeteague is darker and slighlty bluer. Umber has, as you said, more mossy tones. Umber shades more while Squeteague, in a wet writer, is quite saturated. I have a mini-review in the ink review section. I'll get the link in just a moment. I prefer umber for it's subtleties and the grey tones - but both are beautiful colors.

since writing the bit below, I've seen the differences between them more readily. My squeteague grew darker very quickly and the sample doesn't show that it is slightly bluer (not a lot) than Umber. Another reason I prefer Umber is the flow and relatively quick-drying characteristics.
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=8566

Oh, good! I'll be looking out for an announcement, then.

Sorry KCat and everyone to introduce this if arrangements have already been made, but I only just spotted this thread.

You might like to know that Cathedral Pens in the UK are offering Diamine inks at £6 a bottle, but with postage included anywhere in the world.

Their website is HERE. This may be a good solution if you can't get bulk numbers high enough to be cost-effective.

I've no connection with Cathedral Pens, other than as a customer. I've found Ian Wiliamson's service very friendly and extremely fast (next day in the UK). The Writing Desk are, of course, excellent also.

Thanks - I've bookmarked that link for possible future orders. They don't seem to have umber in stock, though - it's listed at the end, but no picture and no option to buy it.

Yes, I see what you mean. How odd (and annoying) that the one unavailable ink should be Umber. Worth an email to them?

i will try to get my thoughts organized and post this evening (Thursday) re: getting an order together. To simplify things a little bit, I will post a new thread probably in the Market forum since it will involve exchange of funds, etc.

This is my first post to FPN so Hi everyone.
I own and operate Cathedral Pens. Umber is a special order colour from Diamine. Although not listed on the site yet I do have Umber in stock if you need some just email me info@cathedralpens.co.uk. I should have it listed on the store in the next day or two (Cathedral Pens). The colour IMHO is very much on the blue side of green reminds me of being deep in a pine forest!
Ian

Sorry, forgot to say that the price is £6 for an 80ml. bottle including shipping (worldwide!!)

Hi Ian.

Thanks for the info. I've already committed this purchase to The Writing Desk but I will certainly keep you in mind. Please feel free to post an "advert" in the Marketplace Forum if you haven't already done so so that everyone knows you're there and what you stock in general.

Umber is a unique and subtle color and I can't quite understand why the US sellers haven't made an effort to stock it. I can only guess that the name throws people off. Most folks ordering something "Umber" will *expect* a brown rather than a green. We (umber addicts) are doing our part to inform the world.

Best,
KCat

Hi KCat

No problem, you'll get good service from Anna and Martin - i use them myself!

keep the ink flowing.

Ian

I've posted a request for a trade in the marketplace section. I have one bottle of umber left.

Stephen

Diamine Emerald green is a great base from which to mix deeper, more vintage greens. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Diamine Umber, although I have long wanted to find a bottle. However, I made a beautiful, very vintage mossy green today using Diamine Emerald, a dash of Noodlers Brahmin blue, and a fair amount of Mont Blanc black. The Mont Blanc black is soft, and it works very well to deepen the values of other hues.
Wildblueroan

Thanks for the suggestion!

That is exactly what I thought. I didn't really want to buy both Umber and Squetegue and was torn which to get. I got the Squetegue, because the blue-grey tones appealed to me, and was a little disappointed that it didn't quite look like the samples I had seen online. However, green has been one of my signature colours for a very long time -- for about a decade, until around 2 years ago, I used nothing but Waterman Green -- so the Squetegue has grown on me a bit. I still wonder about getting the Umber, though, or maybe JH Vert Reseda... Lots more greens await me!!!

Andrew,
I was too looking for "right" green for myself. I am not fun of "pure" greens and looking at scans of Umber, thought it is what I need. Recently in a swap I got Umber (thanks to Stephen) and little disappointed. It actually came greener than I expected.

As for Squetegue. I have one but not happy with the color either, but it is closer to what I want. Only thing, it is pretty dark. I decided to modernize it. Diluted a bit with water. It got better color and as a side effect faster drying on a paper, but still was lacking grayish undertone. Added some black, along with water and, viola, great combination for me. I can not say about recipe per ser, but my feeling like add 20% water and 10% black.

Another (similar) winning combination. Recently I got a sample from James of AirCorp Blue Black. It is much greener than I expected. I knew it is greenish, not blue black at all, but what I got is rather green. I just diluted it with water (~20-30%) and got excellent result, similar with Squetegue above.

I'm going to start a comparison page of moss greens. I've got a sample of Noodler's Army Green, a sample of Stipula Moss Green, and a mix of my own of Golden Brown w/ Navajo Turquoise. I'd also like to try a mix of Army Green with Always Greener.

Given the six or eight months it will take me to actually do this instead of thinking about it, once I am done I will scan and post.