Magic Color Grecian Olive

[fiberdrunk]

I'm a fan of what most people would consider difficult inks and I'm not afraid to use them in fountain pens, or at least certain fountain pens. This is my latest ink purchase, Magic Color Grecian Olive. Magic Color inks are not new to me, but this particular color is. I wrote about Magic Color inks in another thread before and you can see a color scan of the colors that are available by this maker there.

 

First off, Magic Color is an acrylic ink made in England. I've been using acrylic inks (first Rotring ArtistColor, and then Magic Color when ArtistColor went out of production) in my Rotring ArtPens for 20 years and haven't ruined a pen yet. I don't believe there is a more lightfast or permanent ink on the market... my own sunshine tests have shown little or no fading of these inks. Even many of the Noodler's bulletproof inks I have tested have shown some fading of at least some component of the ink. Acrylic inks don't budge. These inks are also acid-free.

 

This particular color (Grecian Olive) has not shown any feathering or bleed-through on the few papers I have tested it on. The ink is highly waterproof (shellac-free) and pigmented. The only place in the USA that I know of that sells it is Paper & Ink Arts, where it goes for $5.95 plus shipping for a 1-ounce (28 ml) bottle that includes an eyedropper on the lid.

 

These inks can stain an ink converter, especially if left in them a long time. So I recommend "designated converters" per color. The Rotring ArtPen can be taken apart for easy cleaning and was originally designed for use with their Rotring ArtistColor acrylic inks (now out of production). The only other pen I've tried this brand of ink in is the Platinum Preppy (color Rust). It did stain the pen but still flows. But for best results, I recommend the ArtPen if you wish to try acrylic inks. This would probably not be a good ink to set a pen down for weeks or months at a time, so keep it happy by writing often. If you use it day after day, there will be no start-up problems and the flow will be reliable. An ultrasonic cleaner can be helpful if you become neglectful and ignore the pen. Normal flushing and good pen hygiene are necessary as with any other ink.

 

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/5971659328_e3b05285b7_b.jpg

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/5971661608_a83b60dd6e_b.jpg

Edited July 24, 2011 by fiberdrunk

[USMCMom]

I really like that shade of green!!

[corniche]

I really like that shade of green!!

 

You would! :roflmho:

 

BTW, I kind of like it too.

 

- Sean

 

 

 

 

Hello Fiberdrunk,

 

I'm a little confused; is this ink current production or NOS? (The label looks '70s; early '80s vintage).

 

All the best,

 

Sean

[USMCMom]

I really like that shade of green!!

 

You would! :roflmho:

 

BTW, I kind of like it too.

 

- Sean

 

 

LOL ... Yeah ... I need to get some of that green for my dippers. Shipping is a bit high, but not as bad as some places!

[fiberdrunk]

I really like that shade of green!!

 

You know, when I was young, I used to think olive green was about the ugliest color in the world. Now I'm in my 40's and seem to be gravitating towards such colors! I like it now! (By the way, my Ameraucana chickens lay eggs that are this color!)

 

eta: typos

Edited July 25, 2011 by fiberdrunk

[rockspyder]

This color reminds me of R&K Alt-Goldgrün, very similar bright olive

[fiberdrunk]

 

 

 

Hello Fiberdrunk,

 

I'm a little confused; is this ink current production or NOS? (The label looks '70s; early '80s vintage).

 

All the best,

 

Sean

 

Magic Color inks are currently in production. It's the Rotring ArtistColor inks that are no longer made.

 

eta: Here's a UK shop (SAA) that currently sells this ink and the labels look the same. Also, Artifolk. I do believe I have seen updated labels somewhere, but can't for the life of me find the link.

Edited July 25, 2011 by fiberdrunk

[fiberdrunk]

I found a cheaper place that sells Magic Color ink. The only place in the U.S. that sells it is Paper & Ink Arts (and God bless 'em for it!) but the price of a 28 ml (1 ounce) bottle is $5.95 plus $6.95 shipping... so that comes to $12.90 per ounce of ink.

 

But Artifolk in the U.K. sells both the 250 ml (8.5 oz) and 28 ml (1 ounce) size bottles. The 250 ml bottle came to $24.17 total, including airmail shipping... which comes to $2.80 an ounce. So that's a considerable savings! And they take Paypal, while Paper & Ink Arts does not. Another plus.

 

eta: typos

Edited August 14, 2011 by fiberdrunk

[SamCapote]

I really like that shade of green!!

 

You know, when I was young, I used to think olive green was about the ugliest color in the world. Now I'm in my 40's and seem to be gravitating towards such colors! I like it now! (By the way, my Ameraucana chickens lay eggs that are this color!)

 

eta: typos

 

I would not like an egg like that,

I would break them all with a bat.

 

I would take them back to the store,

and would not shop there anyrmore.

 

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

[USMCMom]

I really like that shade of green!!

 

You know, when I was young, I used to think olive green was about the ugliest color in the world. Now I'm in my 40's and seem to be gravitating towards such colors! I like it now! (By the way, my Ameraucana chickens lay eggs that are this color!)

 

eta: typos

 

I would not like an egg like that,

I would break them all with a bat.

 

I would take them back to the store,

and would not shop there anyrmore.

 

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

 

:clap1: Very good!! I like that, but I still like that color. LOL\\

Edited August 15, 2011 by USMCMom

[Jagdeep]

WOW

very nice

But a helluva lotta yellow after glance colour there. Is it the scanner or the ink?

[drifting]

I quite like the colour! Thanks for the review.

 

(By the way, my Ameraucana chickens lay eggs that are this color!)

 

Man, the things I learn on this site! At first I thought you meant the yolks were that colour, and wondered what you were feeding them, having seen yolks from the palest of yellows (wheat fed) to pumpkin orange (corn fed) to almost caramel coloured (free range grass/bug fed), but then the google set me straight. The shells! How do those eggs taste?

 

Ryan. who now regrets skipping breakfast this morning.

[fiberdrunk]

WOW

very nice

But a helluva lotta yellow after glance colour there. Is it the scanner or the ink?

 

The scanned ink looks brighter than the original. Not so much yellow in reality.

[fiberdrunk]

I quite like the colour! Thanks for the review.

 

(By the way, my Ameraucana chickens lay eggs that are this color!)

 

Man, the things I learn on this site! At first I thought you meant the yolks were that colour, and wondered what you were feeding them, having seen yolks from the palest of yellows (wheat fed) to pumpkin orange (corn fed) to almost caramel coloured (free range grass/bug fed), but then the google set me straight. The shells! How do those eggs taste?

 

Ryan. who now regrets skipping breakfast this morning.

 

 

LOL! I guess I should've included a photo. Here's a belated one.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/5964131519_d2d3e0a9d7_b.jpg

 

The eggs taste wonderful, way better than store-bought. The eggs looks small in this photo because it was the hen's very first one. It takes a few weeks for the eggs to "get up to size."