Kwz Ink - Grapefruit

[chromantic]

My 2nd review is KWZ Ink's Grapefruit.

 

This is a lovely orange, a little darker than medium but not Cult's Deep Dark territory. I was a little disappointed it wasn't darker in the Baoer F I was using but you can see that it's a bit darker in the M Parker 45 that I added for the review. The ink seems well-behaved, nice flow, no hard starts of skipping to speak of, no see- or bleed-through, no feathering. A little shading is evident with the medium nib, but just orange to slightly darker orange, not the Apache Sunset yellow-to-red kind. Dries really fast, only smeared at 1 sec for me.

 

If you like orange, I can certainly recommend this. Now, as far as grapefruit goes ...

 

As I mentioned, I was a bit disappointed initially that the ink wasn't as dark as I was expecting from various scans I'd seen. There's also the matter of grapefruit not being 'orange' - as lovely an orange as it is, it's just not very grapefruity-looking.

 

Vanness Pens had sent along a sample of Diamine Ruby with the KWZ. On the spur of the moment, I mixed some with the KWZI at 1:1 - that's the mystery guest ink at the bottom of the review. I realize it's not the color KWZ set out to make but it does look, to me, more like actual grapefruit. I might play around with the ratio a bit, maybe a liiiiiiittle less Ruby.

 

And a question about the q-tip swipes - are you supposed to let the swipe dry before adding the additional swipes? That's how I ended up with 1-3-5 instead of 1-2-3.

 

!! ADVISEMENT !!

 

I'm not sure what you may be seeing, but on my monitor the color on this scan does not accurately represent the actual color of the ink, it's both darker and way too red.

 

The actual ink is orange, a bright, vibrant orange, like the orange crayon is the basic 8-color set or an orange in the produce department at the grocery store. It's not a yellow-y orange or a reddish orange, it's orange.

 

If you're seeing orange, and you like the color, buy it. If, however, you're seeing a dark reddish color, then don't buy it expecting it to look like that because it doesn't.

 

Well, that's it for now.

Edited March 30, 2016 by parkerguy

[visvamitra]

I enjoy this ink.

[Tas]

Thanks for the review.

 

Keep them coming

[Sakura FP Gallery]

Yes ! +1 for me. I also like this colour. Its a pink grapefruit. Special.

[chromantic]

Well, after spending a couple hours playing with the scanner software, here's a reasonably accurate representation of the color. You can now see that's it is, indeed, orange. Future reviews should benefit from this learning experience.

[amberleadavis]

Chromantic, good job getting started. As you compare more inks, you will get faster. Thanks for sharing!

[chromantic]

I'd been wondering why people were writing their ink tests on colored paper. D'oh!

[chromantic]

I just wanted to say that I was wrong about the color being 'just orange' and not the red-orange I was expecting it to be. Chalk it up to inexperience and cheap paper and perhaps not wet enough writers. I had moved it to a fine, somewhat dry Vector where it still looked pretty much 'just orange' but then I tried it on the BnR spiral I bought - what a difference! Distinctly darker and redder. And moving it to a medium Inflection with its thicker, wetter line has really brought out its loveliness.

 

 

While the color is pretty accurate, the line is heavier in the photo - there is some shading you can't really see here.

[Tom Kellie]

~ chromantic:

 

Thank you for this review from several years ago.

I enjoyed reading it this evening.

KWZ Grapefruit has been at the top of my wish list for half a year.

Tom K.

[chromantic]

Thanks, Tom. In the 2nd sample on the BnR, the ink lays down thick enough that you can feel it when you run your finger over it after it dries and has a very shiny look, almost like enamel model paint or nail polish.

[almoore]

+1

Great review. Probably my favourite orange, certainly the one I recommend the most.

 

Al

[Tom Kellie]

Thanks, Tom. In the 2nd sample on the BnR, the ink lays down thick enough that you can feel it when you run your finger over it after it dries and has a very shiny look, almost like enamel model paint or nail polish.

 

~ chromantic:

 

As you've described KWZ Grapefruit above, it's an ink like no other.

There's a vivacious intensity about it, yet not ever flagrant.

It's deserves wide appreciation.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

+1

Great review. Probably my favourite orange, certainly the one I recommend the most.

 

Al

 

~ almoore:

 

Thank you!

Your strong recommendation above underscores what an outstanding ink KWZ Grapefruit is.

I'll join you in recommending it to others.

Tom K.