Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo

[PJohnP]

Last of the set and of the day, with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo, labeled as Night Sky, and commented by one vendor as "greenish blue".

 

I've commented on this line of inks in two other posts today, Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-gaki - The sweet colour of autumn persimmons in the orchards of Japan and Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-Gao - Morning Glory, and I'll not reiterate those posts here.

 

While I'm not obsessed with specific bright blues, I do enjoy blue-black colours. My "go-to-ink" in the B-B stable was for very many years Parker Blue-Black Quink, dating back to the Solv-X days of the brand. Simple and reliable, it was a staple ink for me for two-plus decades. More recently, a colleague here on FPN urged me to branch out on different brands, and I've done a certain amount of that, including a try-out for Noodler's Coral Sea Blue that I ordered from Australia. Having enjoyed the startled looks from people when I'd sign a cheque or a credit card slip with this colour, I thought that Tsuki-yo would be fun.

 

It's a good ink, and quite likeable, but it's not very deeply into the greenish-blue end of the spectrum to my eye...

 

Here's the standard ink review form :

 

 

http://www.PhotoShare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100855/106718/Tsuki-yoonHPInkjetPaper4725_L.jpg

 

 

In fact, I don't see very much greenish-blue there at all. I used Coral Sea Blue for some comments, and the green is much more part of that ink.

 

 

On the Black 'n Red wirebound notebook paper,

 

 

http://www.PhotoShare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100855/106718/Tsuki-yoonBRNotebookPaper9466_L.jpg

 

 

I don't see it on this paper either.

 

But.

 

It's still a very good and well-behaved blue-black ink, and what's more to the point of a review, exhibits the kind of subtle shading that I enjoy in an ink, while still having a relatively saturated appearance. There's depth to the colour, and it's made me wonder if I'd find other virtues to each of the Iroshizuku inks working with brush. After all, brushwork forms the foundation of Japanese calligraphy, so it's entirely possible that these inks are even better with brush.

 

In terms of lubrication in Pelikan pens, an M605 with a medium-broad cursive italic, and another 400NN with a calligraphic 2.0 nib (hey, they're relatively cheap to get and fit most "modern" M-series Pelikans - check around for them), the Tsuki-yo runs a bit drier than the Fuyu-gaki and wetter than the Aso-gao. Of course, it's smoother than grass through... err... let me rephrase, it's extremely smooth on the Black 'n Red paper.

 

All in all, I've enjoyed this foray into the Iroshizuku inks, and the Tsuki-yo has been a pleasant ride. I'm not anticipating going through the whole line, although I'd enjoy a test of the Tsukushi and Yu-yake colours, I think. However, one of the primary reasons for me to play with the Iroshizuku inks was to test colours I'd not as easily find in other brands. In that respect, the Fuyu-gaki is quite unique and evocative; the Tsuki-yo has good colour and shading range; the Aso-gao has some nice notes; but the latter two are simply not as amazing and astounding as the Fuyu-gaki.

 

Per the just published Federal Trade Commission Guidelines related to blogging, I purchased this ink myself from Jet Pens, which came in less than forty-eight hours after web-based purchase. Sadly for my budget, I am not paid or provided with free ink from the vendor or ink-maker.

 

 

 

John P.

[Inka]

I don't see this ink as being a "Blue-Green" either, just as you've stated.

It does, however, have some nice shading when used from a 2.0 nib, seems to have a touch of "turquoise" in there instead of green.

While I still prefer the greens seen in using Coral Sea, this is still a remarkable ink to my eyes, looks more like a "Night Sky" as the name entails.

A nice review of another really nice looking ink, one I'm really looking forward to trying some day.

Thanks!

[Ondina]

Right after seeing it, Waterman Blue-Black came to mind. Very similar in color, at least coming out from the nib, isn't it? Thank you, nice review.

[zoli]

Seems to be a very good quality ink. I was also a long time user of Solv-X Blue Black but this Tsuki-yo seems to be even more reliable. Thanks for the review!

[quadrain]

Thanks for the review, I personally just bought a bottle and I haven't even opened it. The ink looks like a good quality, one thing I like to know is how's the drying time?

[PJohnP]

...one thing I like to know is how's the drying time?

 

Moderate. It's certainly not as fast drying as some other inks, but not as long to dry as others, hence my comment. However, I live at altitude in a normally low humidity environment, so my experience and comment has to be tempered with that in mind.

 

It's a lovely lovely ink.

 

 

 

John P.

[mateo44]

I agree with the statement that the drying time is middling. It's a really fabulous ink!

[ralfstc]

This is great ink, but how can people not see it as greenish? How? How? ;-)

 

R.

[Fiddler]

I did a little comparison for myself as I was trying to decide on a blue to buy, and it definitely looked greenish to me. I uploaded a photo, which is a little dark but the colours look true - it's the greenest one on the page.

Here

[lapis]

Mine is definitely green. Either it's my eyes or the charge of my ink. Main thing is that it's not my cup o' tea.

 

Lee