Does Anyone Use Red Ink Anymore?

[Solitaire146]

Does anyone use red ink anymore? In fountain, ballpoint or rollerball? In my experience it's becoming less and less common and I wonder whether it's because of the "aggressive" or "brash" connotation associated with red ink. Some might argue people seem to be afraid of being perceived as "offensive" in the modern culture and perhaps this is related in some way to what I perceive as a decline in the use of red ink. Thoughts?

[silverlifter]

I have a Wing Sung 3008 permanently inked with Robert Oster Fire Engine Red on my desk at work, for marking up documents.

 

I have no idea how anyone could be so precious as to consider markup in red "aggressive" or "offensive"; humans make mistakes, drawing attention to those mistakes is how we learn. Doing so in pastels isn't sensitive, it is asinine.

[Karmachanic]

At least three people or so If Ancient Copper counts as red, then you can add me to the list.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/279273-inky-t-o-d-color-swatches-red-please-post-your-pictures-and-tell-us-your-thoughts/

Edited June 24, 2020 by Karmachanic

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

About 18 years ago i had a pilot rollerball with red ink, we all know the one. It's the ubiquitous red pen for the last 30 or so years

Anyway, at one point i was sending something back to my QC Dept pointing out that no, i was in fact correct as per the manual.

 

no big deal, it was something along the lines of "see page 50 for justification blah blah blah"

 

My boss pulled me aside to tell me that my QCer had complained that i was using Red ink and that she felt it was like being "corrected by a teacher" and that the red ink meant i was "talking down to her"... It was just the pen i had within reach! the fact that it stood out on the page was a bonus.

 

This is in 2001-2005 ish... from someone in their late 30s! I guess she didn't like having an early 20 something simply point out that she had been incorrect and had missed something in a manual that had hundreds of pages of text!

 

Apparently the snowflake generation had come early to that workplace. I don't miss it. Too bad it has since become so pervasive.

 

I prefer this attitude:

 

TLDR:

I am not responsible for how YOU (or anyone else) feel(s).

 

That said, PC culture having taken over and gone WAAAAYYYYYYY too far, you're probably right in what has caused the decline of red ink

 

Teachers-shouldnt-use-red-coloured-pens-mark-homework-like-shouting-upsets-pupils.html

As an answer to this article: In a generation, people will find "'aqua' (blue-green)" ink offensive. Just watch.

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

I have a Wing Sung 3008 permanently inked with Robert Oster Fire Engine Red on my desk at work, for marking up documents.

 

I have no idea how anyone could be so precious as to consider markup in red "aggressive" or "offensive"; humans make mistakes, drawing attention to those mistakes is how we learn. Doing so in pastels isn't sensitive, it is asinine.

THIS!

[ErrantSmudge]

About two decades ago, I was an engineer working with a group of technical writers. I frequently reviewed their manuscripts with a Lamy Safari and Waterman Red ink. The writers told me they really did not like the color red because of its connotations with schoolteachers and aggressiveness. I switched to Lamy Turquoise and they were much happier!

[BaronWulfraed]

Most of my reds aren't... (note: the parentheticals are how /I/ classified the bottle)

 

Colorverse Multiverse Electron (orange-red); The Red Planet Mars Attacks (brick red); Trailblazer in Space V2 Rocket (red-orange)

 

Diamine Ancient Copper; Guitar Cherry Sunburst; Shimmer-tastic Firefly (red-orange)

 

Fahrneys/Private Reserve era Orange Crush (orange)

 

Levenger Claret (pink side of red), Fireball (orange-red), Pinkly (speaks for itself), Shiraz (purple side of red); Classic Cardinal Red (the exception to the "aren't" -- and as a result, seldom used); Perennial Blazing Sunset (orange)

 

Monteverde Gemstone set Fireopal (brick red), Garnet (purple red), Ruby (deep red -- probably the second exception), Topaz (orange)

 

Pilot/Namiki Seven Gods set Benzai-ten (coral pink), Bishamon-ten (another plain red); Fall/Winter set Yama-Budo (purple red); Summer set Momiji (probably close to plain red), Yu-Yake (orange)

 

Pelikan Star Ruby

 

Platinum Classic Cassis Black

 

Taccia Daidai (orange), Momo (pink); Ukiyo-e Sharaku Koiame (orange red brown).

 

NOTE: I've not used the Pilot sets, nor the Monteverde (though I did open the bottles to check for stuff when the spate of bad inks was announced)

 

 

I tended (when I had a life, vs these days of running though Sudoku books) reserve the "red"s for markup and highlighting notes.

[LizEF]

About two decades ago, I was an engineer working with a group of technical writers. I frequently reviewed their manuscripts with a Lamy Safari and Waterman Red ink. The writers told me they really did not like the color red because of its connotations with schoolteachers and aggressiveness. I switched to Lamy Turquoise and they were much happier!

I would have drawn this in red and told them to build a bridge...

http://paradoxcommunity.com/vps/2020/GetOverIt.jpg

[Intensity]

I don't use red as a primary writing color, just for accents or drawings. Usually something not "generic" red, but orange-red or else a dark red, or a wine red, or brown-red.

 

One of my current favorites is a Sailor Ink Studio #973, which is a complex concoction that shifts between orange-brown-red tones depending on pen and paper (and sheens a silvery color).

[Astronymus]

I use red from time to time. If someone doesn't like it... deal with it. ️

[PatientType]

I use red in editing or making notes to texts. I also break out the red ink, along with other colors, for things like Christmas cards and birthday cards. Beyond that, I may pen a letter in red when the spirit moves me or if the first fountain pen I pick up is already inked. I like the different shades of red so why bother to observe convention?

 

[I-am-not-really-here]

I have never been in a position to write on paper "LOOK HERE! YOU MADE A MISTAKE!" so I cannot say if red would have been the chosen color. I have always liked purple so perhaps R&K Solferino instead?

[Intensity]

I have never been in a position to write on paper "LOOK HERE! YOU MADE A MISTAKE!" so I cannot say if red would have been the chosen color. I have always liked purple so perhaps R&K Solferino instead?

 

That's true, if I were to write comments on someone's work, I'd probably use something less "correction" and more "suggestion", like a brown or a dark teal ink. Red usually means "no" or "attention" in western cultures. So if I am sending someone a screenshot of, say, a bill with a wrong amount, I might circle it in red as an illustration. Then circle something correct in green.

Edited June 24, 2020 by Intensity

[ScarletWoodland]

If I recall, most of my teachers made their notes in pencil so I don't have that reaction to red.

 

I do find straightforward reds aggressively boring for some reason but use a lot of off-reds like Diamine Oxblood, Sailor Yodaki and Okuyama, a bit of Black Swan In English Roses. Even Diamine Wild Strawberry is pretty glorious actually but I have to let it condense in a Noodler's pen for a few days after filling.

 

All this said, I rarely if ever use my pens for work, so anyone's opinion of my colour choice is entirely their problem. If I were in a job where I had to correct someone of an equal or higher position's work then I would probably avoid red to soften the blow. Maybe a nice, bright plum like Saguaro Wine or Yama Budo.

[lapis]

Sure do. Everyday. For anything important. Saves having/wanting to highlight it Mostly Poppy or Wild Strawberry.

[GOTO10]

Franklin-Christoph Urushi Red - got it in an eye dropper Edison Collier with Sailor Cross Concord nib. Love it to death and it looks amazing.

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

I would have drawn this in red and told them to build a bridge...

http://paradoxcommunity.com/vps/2020/GetOverIt.jpg

LOVE THiS!

[LizEF]

LOVE THiS!

Thanks!

 

[No longer directed at anyone in particular, just commenting on some points from this thread.]

 

I have to say, I really don't get it. First, why is receiving correction in school (regardless of ink color or whatever) traumatic? It's school, you're supposed to get corrected when you make a mistake. This is a good thing. And second, once you're no longer in school, how can the ink color used possibly matter, beyond whether it stands out well enough from the printed text?

 

Which (standing out) is the whole point and why red ink, or Akkerman Oranje Boven, or R&K Solferino (for examples) makes for good mark-up (correction, editing, whatever).

 

Apparently, I'm a crotchety old woman. GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

 

(Was being a little extreme there on purpose, didn't mean it, but as long as you're out there, maybe pull some weeds? Pretty please?)

[ErrantSmudge]

I would have drawn this in red and told them to build a bridge...

http://paradoxcommunity.com/vps/2020/GetOverIt.jpg

Sometimes I'm the last one to get a joke, but this goes completely over my head.

 

I just finished a language class where the instructor graded all our essays in red ink (ballpoint, but whatever). It doesn't bother me in the slightest and I use red ink all the time but I can understand why some people don't like it.

[austollie]

Yes, I absolutely use red ink for marking up texts (particularly contractual documents). After using a whole bottle of Waterman Red (not dark enough for me- I toned it down with a couple of drops of Parker Black), trying Noodler's burgundy (not red enough), I switched to Lamy Red.

 

When I want to mark up my colleagues' texts, I generally use green ink. That's less in your face.