J Herbin Terre de Feu

[pilotheinrich]

Here's one to simper beside Ann's much better handwriting and review of this ink.

 

I tried Terre de Feu because I just got a new Visconti with a very wet broad nib, so I wanted a less saturated, less heavy, less dark ink and Terre de Feu seemed to fit the bill.

 

Like most Herbin inks, it is very subtle. It flows nicely from the pen and lends itself to some beautiful shading. In the sample below on Clairefontaine paper, note the variation in color where it's darker in the strokes and lighter in the loops.

 

 

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww292/heinrich773/text.jpg

 

As to the color, it appears closer to J. Herbin's sample than Ann got. However, it appears J. Herbin has updated the swatches. Here's what they have now:

 

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww292/heinrich773/herbin.png

If you check Ann's review, the swatch is much lighter, more rosy and pink than the one I found on the J. Herbin site four years later.

 

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww292/heinrich773/terredefeujherbinchartpartaa5.gif

 

 

The color on the box top is still much more red than the actual ink. The bottle labeling is closer:

 

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww292/heinrich773/boxbottle.jpg

 

I usually don't like brown inks, but the reddish brick quality of this ink, its relative lack of feathering, and its nice shading all combine to make it appear quite rich and luxurious on the page.

 

Any ink is wet in this pen, but Terre de Feu dries fast enough so that I don't smear as a write, but slow enough that it can ink the page behind it when I turn the page over.

 

I did a quick water test, but no pictures. The ink fades without smearing and loses its reddish tints so that it almost morphs into a light version of Cacao du Bresil.

 

You get the usual J. Herbin bottle with the ink rest that no Visconti of mine will fit on. It's a difficult bottle for filling, but I use the traveling inkpot, so this doesn't present that much of a pain for me.

 

And now for my confession. Yes, I wanted a lighter ink, but what I really wanted was an ink to match my new Arte Mudjar with the wet broad palladium nib. You be the judge!

 

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww292/heinrich773/mudjar.jpg

[Truppi327]

Thanks for the great review. I was thinking about purchasing this ink soon but was unsure.

 

Nice Pen.

Edited May 15, 2010 by Truppi327

[fuchsiaprincess]

Thank you for a great review! What a great match for your Arte Mudejar

[Ondina]

Nice review, I like the ink and its wonderful properties. The bottle I had was reddish than in your first picture, closer to the last one with the pen on top. What a dream of a pen!. And your handwriting is very nice. Thank you.

[slimshaneee]

Thanks for the review. Good looking ink

[WendyNC]

Thanks for doing this review. I was using this ink just last night (using a wet Ragtime) and thinking that we needed another review from the current batch of ink. To my eye, it looks just like the Carolina clay in my back yard.

[Dr Lopez]

My batch of this Herbin Terre de Feu is definitively more red, just like Ondina said.

[lovemy51]

........................... i'm still in awe about the visconti mudejar............. sorry, nice ink too.

[GouletPens]

Thanks for the review. It's important to point out this ink is really not saturated much....you'll need a wet writer for this one. If you want to throw this ink in a pen with an EF nib, you won't be happy. It looks great here though. It definitely looks more red in person, at least more red than it looks on my monitor. It's dang near impossible to get this ink to look accurate on a computer screen.

[FrankB]

Thanks for the review.

 

I have to agree with Brian that Terre de Feu requires a wet M or broadish nib. I am notorious for not being able to clearly identify colors, but for me this ink (brownish with varying degrees of redness) is my ideal "sepia." This is one of my favorite Herbin inks.

[Ed Ronax]

Great review and a great looking ink, thanks.

[pilotheinrich]

Thanks for the review. It's important to point out this ink is really not saturated much....you'll need a wet writer for this one. If you want to throw this ink in a pen with an EF nib, you won't be happy. It looks great here though. It definitely looks more red in person, at least more red than it looks on my monitor. It's dang near impossible to get this ink to look accurate on a computer screen.

 

 

Right about the computer screen. You have to see it, and it's one of those inks that changes personality based on the light. And to see it by candlelight in a red-lit bar (I'm headed there now) is just magic.

 

I bought this ink from you, Brian, and will have to get more. It's true it needs a broad. The upside (or downside, depending on how much you like to buy ink) is that the Arte Mudejar with the B nib is WET WET THIRSTY WET so that it needs its massive reservoir refilled each day! I've never gone through ink so fast. Now I know why the B lovers out there want the bigger J. Herbin bottles!

[Scriptorium Pens]

If you want a color that is almost identical but more saturated, try De Atramentis Shakespeare Dark Brown. It shows up better in finer nibs. I use & love both colors, but only use the Herebin in a broad nib, while I can use the DA in any nib.

[Scriptorium Pens]

Oops. Double post. Sorry!

Edited May 18, 2010 by Tortoise

[GirchyGirchy]

I just picked up a bottle of this in Paris two weeks ago, and threw it in my Filcao this morning. I like it so far!

 

I am, however, kicking myself for NOT buying a bottle of the 340th ink.

[Margana]

The pen is fabulous! Terre de Feu produces a soft red-brown line from a fine nib that has its uses especially on cream colored paper. A wide, wet nib really punches up the color as your examples demonstrate so well. Either way it's a lovely ink.

[GirchyGirchy]

Grrr! I didn't get much use out of mine yet, the Filcao started leaking Terre de Feu all over the Feu'ing place via the blind cap.

[coyotewhisper]

I have been using this ink for about a month. It flows beatifully and it is vry left handed friendly. I like the subtle shading of the color.

[Ron2]

Thanks for the review. This really helps me to know that it is very close to the light, brown ink that I have had in my mind for my "perfect" brown. I want a ligher shade, rather than the darker Havana shade.

 

I saw this ink on a closeout today, and thought it would be much more red due to the swatch/color code on the box. For that reason, I held off buying it and came to your valuable review to check. BUT, WOW! If is this ink is on the browner rather than redder side of the color spectrum, then I am definitely going back tomorrow to pick up a great buy and color.

 

Oh, and I am also jealous of your Arte Mudejar. And I congratulate you too, because it looks like a perfect marriage of pen and ink, as if the colors were made for each other.

 

Thanks.

[Misfit]

This ink would look good on Rhodia ColorS paper. When I next visit you, pilotheinrich, I'm bringing an empty pen.