Currently my go to blue ink is Noodlers La Couleur Royale... this is not really a true blue but a deep blue with a back hint of purple... in my fine nibbed pens it always performs well and dries quick and has a nice solid color..
I am thinking of trying out PR's DC Supershow Electric Blue...

Does anyone have both inks and if so could you post side my side comparisons...
The review I saw of the PR ink looks interesting... but I am wondering if it is a good dark blue.
It appears dark with an interesting electric brightness.

I don't use a lot of blue and really don't want to have 3-4 variations of a color I rarely use...

I may catch a lot of flack for this. I do no find DC Supershow electric blue to be that different than DC Supershow blue and it is not that different than American Blue. When you put Electric against American there is a difference but the three I mentioned seem to be evolutionary colors American to Electric. Have you considered Visconti Blue?

Hi Tom,

First, let me say that blue is my passion. I've been on a search for the perfect blue for a long time, hence my "blue ink blues" sales. I have, of late, zeroed in on a few that I really like. For me the Electric DC Blue is really pretty close to perfect for a blue. It's a very rich and deep true blue (no hints of purple or other undertones). My favorite of the dark blues is Private Reserve's Midnight Blues. Another deep rich true blue but in a much darker hue that is not overwhelmed by black as in many blue blacks.

Here's the comparison you requested. Unfortunately, each shade is quite different when you see them up close and personal. I'm afraid my photo doesn't quite project the nuances.



I like DC Supershow Blue but I think the Electric blue is nicer. I used Ottoman Azure for quite a while before I met Electric Blue. Now I'm Electric Blue all the way.

I do like LaColeur Royale as well as Diamine Royal Purple. Both colors are very dense and rich and provide a nice change from blue. I can use Royal Purple in any pen and it will appear purple. I have to use LaColeur Royale in a broad or stub nibbed pen to get the purple hue to stand out more.

As for my other favs, they are:

Private Reserve Chocolat (Absolutely freakin' fabulous deep dark brown)
Noodlers Red Black

So there's my two cents...

Laura

It looks to me like Electric blue might be moving in on Levenger cobalt - true blue but dark (midnight blues and black magic blue are a bit purplish but beautiful colors).

Have you tried cobalt and if so, can you say what you think of it compared to electric blue?

I second that!

Other question: It's too late, as I've already ordered it, but what are your thoughts on Pelikan Blue? Not necessarily on the blueness, cuz I'm not too particular on the "perfect" blue, but about its performance as an ink.

I haven't tried Levenger's colors. I have seen them in their stores though. The cobalt seemed to me to be a bit lighter and more translucent.

Funny you should say that the midnight blues is purplish. I don't see purple undertones in the midnight blues at all. Just like monitors, we all see the colors differently.

Here's my take on some of the various shades I've tried...

Private Reserve Midnight Blues - Muted royal blue (Like DC Supershow Blue mixed with a few drops of black)
Noodlers Legal Lapis - Grey, Green, Blue (Bleh!!!)
Diamine Blue Black - True blue black (deep dark and rich with green undertones) Striking and rich
Noodlers Navy - Nearly identical to Diamine blue black with a touch more green
Noodlers Blue Black - Nearly identical to Diamine blue black with a touch more black
Noodlers Midnight Blue - Dark grey blue (darker than Legal Lapis, no green undertones...still Bleh!!!)
Aurora Blue - True blue with purplish undertones but not near as purple as LaColeur Royale. I used to use this color almost exclusively many years ago but now with all the other wonderful blues out there it's
taken a back seat. It doesn't quite have the richness and depth as the DC colors.
Noodlers Luxury Blue (Pendemondium) True blue with faint purple undertones. Looks a bit washed out to me
Pelikan 4001 Blue - Sort of a periwinkle blue. Also appears washed out to me
Waterman Blue - Slightly bluer than Pelikan 4001 but also appears washed out
Private Reserve Sonic Blue - Grey blue...more grey than blue. Not for me.

Hope that helps!!!

Pelikan blue behaves pretty well. It's been my experience that most blue inks behave pretty well. I've had some minor problems with the Noodlers inks and Pelikan 4001 Brown. They can make my pens hard to start and may gum things up a bit...nothing very serious though.

Griz,

My observation is that, more so than other blues I use, DC Electric tends to show a bit less color in a fine point. So for me, DC Electric looks great in a swab (as in the helpful sample above) but writes a bit too dark for my taste in the EF nibs I prefer. Given your stated preferences, that might be right up your alley!

Best,

Dan

yup - sounds like cobalt. In every pen I have, cobalt is a pure dark blue. In a wet fine or EF line, it nears black. If Electric Blue can do that, I can give up hating Levenger for their 50% price increase.

Now, Cobalt may have changed since I last purchased.

As far as Midnight having a slight purple hue - I could be "misremembering." I just remembered that sitting right next to Cobalt, it wasn't "true" to my eye. But I honestly don't remember if it was purple-leaning or green-leaning anymore.

I do really like PR American Blue.

My blues are PR DC Supershow Blue and PR Midnight Blues. It is hard to imagine being happier with any other blue, though I do intend to try out the FPN blue, Visconti blue, and possibly the new cobalt-like alkaline Noodler's blue that has apparently just come out and has been mentioned in the marketplace. I guess I do also have Legal Lapis, but it's such a different color I don't even really consider it or other blue-blacks when thinking of blue. Midnight Blues is very nice because it really is a dark blue more than a blue-black. DC Supershow is really vibrant and stands out from everything.

Levengers Cobalt is a good solid dark blue. Lately I have been into Diamine blues with Mediterranean Blue and Presidential Blue, of the two the Pres blue would be more in line with what you were looking for. From PR I love DC Blue and American blue, deep strong blues. And then there is the supersaturated gorgeous blue of Parker Penman Sapphire.

I used Diamine Med Blue for awhile, but have switched to PR Tropical Blue --- it seems to have more of a "blue" color than Med Blue.

That plus PR American Blue seem to be the 2 blues I am using the most. I do really like American Blue too.


I noticed Pendemonium describes Diamine Florida Blue and PR Tropical Blue as identical. Am I the only one who disagrees? One seems "deeper" than the other.