How Do You Play With Your New Inks?

[fountainpenlady]

Recently, I kind of went a little overboard inks. Coming to me soon, several inks, including several from Pilot Iroshizuku line. Well, I am a true red bottled ink lover to my heart. Other than mixing hues of red ink and filling up my favorite fountain pen, I am not really experienced in actually testing inks for use. Do you simply fill up one fountain pen and use ink until no longer in the fountain pen, then change to another color? Do you just put enough to slightly give you some sense of the ink, maybe write with it a couple of lines, then discard? How do you play when you have a new batch of more than one ink and want to simply play by using in one or more sittings different hues of newly acquired inks? All suggestions welcome, I know if I am feeling giddy now, won't know where to begin when inks arrive.

[ac12]

I keep an ink sample binder.

I get a new ink then complete my sample page with that ink.

Using a Morrisset M and XF nib I write on 4 different papers, to see what the ink looks like on the 4 papers with the 2 different size nibs. This is because I found that some inks look different, depending on what paper I write on.

Then I write a paragraph, to see how it looks like with more than 2 lines of text.

 

The wrinkle comes with my other pens. Some/many of my pens do not match the ink flow of my sample pens. I have pens that are wetter and dryer than the Morrisset, so the ink line will look different; darker and wider or lighter and narrower. So the ink sample pages are just a guideline.

 

I also have in the binder a page for each pen, where I will write a line of text with each ink that I use in the pen. This way I can compare how a particular ink looks like in different pens.

 

Once all that is done, I will load up a half load of ink, to test with. I only do a half load, in case I decide that I do NOT like the ink. I will then write in my journal, a LOT, to get a feel of the ink in the pen.

- If I like the ink, I will go on to a full load.

- If I don't care for the ink, I will stop after that half load.

- If I do not like the ink, I might purge the remaining ink and flush the pen.

There have been a few cases where I was indifferent at the beginning, but after a while of using the ink, I begin to like the color. This is why I give the ink a "fair shake," to get beyond the initial impression.

[F104]

Usually, I make tea, and the bottle and I sit down to a nice friendly game of checkers over a cup...

 

Seriously, when I get new ink, first, I study it a bit--just look at it and think about it--then, in the fullness of time, I load a pen to the gills with it and write with it, in an ordinary fashion, until it gives me an insoluble problem, or it's all used up.

 

(Note that I usually give ink a first run in a pen I'm familiar with, and don't worry too much about, should problems proving catastrophic arise.)

 

But from time to time I find something that gives me pause. I'm still thinking about the best way to test my J. Herbin Stormy Grey. It's characteristics may cause me to alter my usual approach.

[Crewel]

I'm usually a bit disorganized when it comes to playing with inks, but it follows a general pattern.

 

(1) Depending on how many pens I have inked at the moment, I choose 2-3 pens to test the ink usually all being wet type of writers. Generally, the drier the pen, the lighter the color so I want to test/see the full gamut of color. One pen would be for regular writing, F or M nibs (sometimes Broad), and the another would be for fancier writing, italic nibs or flex nibs.

 

(2) Write a page or two with each pen to determine behavior. You may have noticed that a fully charged feed will allow for deep saturated colors in the first sentence or paragraph and gradually decrease in saturation or hue the more you write. That happens with some of my pens. Others have a nib & feed combination that keeps a steady flow so this characteristic is not so dramatic. I tend to only write on Rhodia papers to minimize any feathering, and unless the pen is a gusher, I generally do not have any feathering issues. Sometimes I may doodle on copy paper just to see if the ink performs well on cheaper paper.

 

(3) Hold the page(s) up and view what I wrought. If the ink behaves well, looks good on paper, and I like the color, I'll usually end up using that ink over the course of a month or longer depending on how much the ink speaks to me.

 

To me, all my inks are an investment so I would not dump or neglect any of them, even if the ink is not a favorite. Hence I have too many pens filled with various different inks. Some of my journal pages look like rainbows in paragraph form - imagine each paragraph written with a different color. The only time I would consider ridding an ink is SITB or because I just detest the ink. To show how frugal I am with the inks, I have a Goulet sample vial full of leftover/dregs of ink from previous fills or close-to-empty bottles/samples and mix for some unusual franken-ink.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Crewel

[penswordnoassemblyrequired]

Everyone is filled with so much reverence I'm quite dismayed with myself.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Usually, I make tea, and the bottle and I sit down to a nice friendly game of checkers over a cup...

 

Seriously, when I get new ink, first, I study it a bit--just look at it and think about it--then, in the fullness of time, I load a pen to the gills with it and write with it, in an ordinary fashion, until it gives me an insoluble problem, or it's all used up.

 

(Note that I usually give ink a first run in a pen I'm familiar with, and don't worry too much about, should problems proving catastrophic arise.)

 

But from time to time I find something that gives me pause. I'm still thinking about the best way to test my J. Herbin Stormy Grey. It's characteristics may cause me to alter my usual approach.

 

Get a pen with a big fat wet nib that you can easily clean out. Then shake it every time you write.

 

 

For testing inks, I choose any pen I know well, then fill only about a quarter-tank. If I like the ink it gets refilled. If not, I keep trying other pens, because there really IS a perfect pen-ink match.

 

Also, I test on several different paper types, including vintage American notebooks, Staples Bagasse, and some Clairefontaine or Rhodia.

 

Fountainpenlady, load up. Have fun. Make mistakes. It's only ink.

[Davros]

I enjoy coming up with elaborate plans for ink testing, but in real life, I just end up inking a pen and then using it in the wild.

[fountainpenlady]

I'm usually a bit disorganized when it comes to playing with inks, but it follows a general pattern.

 

(1) Depending on how many pens I have inked at the moment, I choose 2-3 pens to test the ink usually all being wet type of writers. Generally, the drier the pen, the lighter the color so I want to test/see the full gamut of color. One pen would be for regular writing, F or M nibs (sometimes Broad), and the another would be for fancier writing, italic nibs or flex nibs.

 

(2) Write a page or two with each pen to determine behavior. You may have noticed that a fully charged feed will allow for deep saturated colors in the first sentence or paragraph and gradually decrease in saturation or hue the more you write. That happens with some of my pens. Others have a nib & feed combination that keeps a steady flow so this characteristic is not so dramatic. I tend to only write on Rhodia papers to minimize any feathering, and unless the pen is a gusher, I generally do not have any feathering issues. Sometimes I may doodle on copy paper just to see if the ink performs well on cheaper paper.

 

(3) Hold the page(s) up and view what I wrought. If the ink behaves well, looks good on paper, and I like the color, I'll usually end up using that ink over the course of a month or longer depending on how much the ink speaks to me.

 

To me, all my inks are an investment so I would not dump or neglect any of them, even if the ink is not a favorite. Hence I have too many pens filled with various different inks. Some of my journal pages look like rainbows in paragraph form - imagine each paragraph written with a different color. The only time I would consider ridding an ink is SITB or because I just detest the ink. To show how frugal I am with the inks, I have a Goulet sample vial full of leftover/dregs of ink from previous fills or close-to-empty bottles/samples and mix for some unusual franken-ink.

I like your method. I only have pen with extra fine point nibs so I would probably have to alter your suggestion a little. I do have two inks which I absolutely detest reached out to someone who posted they would like free ink, but no response so far. The two inks are a Goulet tube of 3ml of Carnival, believe it is Diamine. The second is almost a full amount of Levenger Pomegranate. I transfrerred the Levenger contents from its original container. The Carnvial, in my opinion, nothing special in terms of red, the pomegranate looks nothing like pomegranate, looks like muddy water, not the blues singer either. I also journal write and glad I am not the only one whose journal pages resemble rainbows in paragraph form. I have a few of Goulet sample tubes, the order I am expecting includes several from Goulet. I requested Goulet combine two of the 2ml, of one sample in order to lesson my collection; it is not huge, but I want to keep the tube number small.

[fountainpenlady]

I enjoy coming up with elaborate plans for ink testing, but in real life, I just end up inking a pen and then using it in the wild.

I used to write poetry, we would call it "FreeStyle." I like your method and will keep it in mind.

[migo984]

Put it in a pen & write with it. It's just ink.

[fountainpenlady]

Get a pen with a big fat wet nib that you can easily clean out. Then shake it every time you write.

 

 

For testing inks, I choose any pen I know well, then fill only about a quarter-tank. If I like the ink it gets refilled. If not, I keep trying other pens, because there really IS a perfect pen-ink match.

 

Also, I test on several different paper types, including vintage American notebooks, Staples Bagasse, and some Clairefontaine or Rhodia.

 

Fountainpenlady, load up. Have fun. Make mistakes. It's only ink.

I am collecting my writing paper along the way now. I have a Rhodia tablet, I like unlined/blank pages. I also just found some sheet of paper which are a nice texture and can use them to write short letters with my new inks. I will have to stick to the fountain pens I write with in rotation and love. All of them are extra fine nibs, but they all do not write with the same line, in my opinion. If I can manage to not spill any of the ink, I will be doing well and having fun indeed. Still shaking my head about dropping most of a sample in of Fuyu-gaki on my bed! Yes, a beautiful shade of orange which never made it to any of my fountain pens.

[F104]

Get a pen with a big fat wet nib that you can easily clean out. Then shake it every time you write.

 

 

That could be problematical. Most of my nibs are fine or finer; I have only one broad, and that slips on a Safari. Not sure that would be that easy to clean out, though it wouldn't be that tough. My Unica is a pretty wet pen, with a European Fine that's substantial, but I'm not sure that's the pen to put the Stormy Grey in, either. But you go to paper with the nibs you have, I suppose. Probably go with the Broad Safari. I shall remember to shake before use. Thanks!

[Davros]

I have not had any issues with Stormy Gray in any of the pens I've used it in (and I've used quite a few pens of various sizes and builds). You don't really need to shake, just gently rotate or turn over your pen once or twice. The gold redistributes into the ink really fast.

[fountainpenlady]

I have not had any issues with Stormy Gray in any of the pens I've used it in (and I've used quite a few pens of various sizes and builds). You don't really need to shake, just gently rotate or turn over your pen once or twice. The gold redistributes into the ink really fast.

I recall several years ago, I had the burgandy edition. I believe I did not use it and gave it away because the gold kept clogging up fountain pen. I liked almost everything else about it though, just could not tolerate how the gold particles acted towards my beauties.

[Pickwick]

Everyone is filled with so much reverence I'm quite dismayed with myself.

May I join you? I buy an ink color I like, fill my pen and write several letters until the bottle is finished and then choose another color ink which I find interesting!

[fountainpenlady]

Everyone is filled with so much reverence I'm quite dismayed with myself.

I read you, but I like to read suggestions from others. Believe how people select an ink, test it out in a pen, I assume they like, if not love and proceed to write with it in order to see whether all come together in unison or not is interesting. Pen, ink, paper, handwriting, all coming together synchronized for an individual. Some people have a science to thier method, some have something simple and others are freestyle. Although, I have had goulet samples, I have seldom deviated from my love of red exclusively. Even when I tried new hues, it was because I mixed two I already possess which no doubt are red together, creating a new shade. I have two bottles of MontBlanc blue I have had for years, rarely were they ever used. Over the last couple of days, I decided to explore sampling inks, different colors I would not necessarily make my primary, or even purchase or sample. I guess I might still be considered a newbie when it comes to the most simple and yet important element of loving fountain pens, playing with inks, writing with them to see how they feel in the pen, appear on paper, work along with my writing, enjoying the process.

[fountainpenlady]

May I join you? I buy an ink color I like, fill my pen and write several letters until the bottle is finished and then choose another color ink which I find interesting!

You use up the entire bottle before going to another color? You don't ever change your ink until you have thoroughly and completely used the ink? Suppose you get bored? Do you ever get bored of using one ink? Even my love for red allows me to be able to use different shades of red in different pens in rotation. I also have bottled inks, inks I fill in my Lamys with a syringe and cartridge to only use perhaps that one filling before trying a new color.

[visvamitra]

Hmmm - I play with them and always have at least six pen inked with different colors.

[fountainpenlady]

Hmmm - I play with them and always have at least six pen inked with different colors.

I like your method, although, I may have to see how much ink is left in some of my pens.

 

Hmmm - I play with them and always have at least six pen inked with different colors.

Like your method, I will have to see how much ink I already have in my fountain pens first. I may have to either use up some ink by doing some extensive writing, or part with the last drops of some ink in favor of getting a couple of my pens ready. I had to considerably reduce my collection to four. Any given time, they are all pretty much filled with red ink.

[Sailor Kenshin]

That could be problematical. Most of my nibs are fine or finer; I have only one broad, and that slips on a Safari. Not sure that would be that easy to clean out, though it wouldn't be that tough. My Unica is a pretty wet pen, with a European Fine that's substantial, but I'm not sure that's the pen to put the Stormy Grey in, either. But you go to paper with the nibs you have, I suppose. Probably go with the Broad Safari. I shall remember to shake before use. Thanks!

I bet the Safari will do just fine. Got a bulb syringe?