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Kitty Ink Pot - Unstoppable Snake Ink Review # 235 --- 🧾 Description This chromo-shading belongs to the 2025 Kitty Ink Pot series. It honors the year of the Snake. The official name is The Snake is Unstoppable. Many thanks to @A Smug Dill for introducing me to this brand. The bottles are quite cute: The colour is difficult to describe. It’s a light green-grey when wet, then it dries to a tan-grey. It was most striking with a 1.9 mm, flex, and dip pen nibs. A hint of gold or bronze haloing effect appears, though don’t expect fireworks, unless you use an ink brush. This ink is made for Midori paper. With other papers it’s just decent. The ink is medium-dry with slightly below-average lubrication. It’s well-behaved on copy paper unless you start flex dancing on it. This ink is best for art and calligraphy with wide or very wet flex nibs. However, my FPnibs nib with its triple-channeled ebonite feed was often starved of ink. Over time it grew on me, and I enjoyed using it for drawing. It has decent water-resistance and it’s easy to clean with most pens. With some, it’s more involved. A decent ink with a unique colour, though not worth the price or the hassle to obtain if you’re specifically looking for a chromo-shading ink. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (Photos) - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/stub 1.1, 1.9), Karas Kustoms Vertex with FPnibs Ultra-flex and extra-wet ebonite feed, Hongdian forest Blade nib, Brause Pumkin dip pen. Quotes: · Rhodia DotPad “There is no need to be overly serious; the world itself is not solemn.” Qian Zhongshu (1910–1998), Chinese novelist and scholar · Iroful “The most amusing things in the world usually carry a bit of risk.” Wang Xiaobo (1952–1997), Chinese novelist and essayist · Midori “I am merely someone who enjoys a bit of liveliness.” — Eileen Chang (1920–1995), Chinese novelist and essayist · Tomoe River 68gsm “Days are lived forward, not backward.” — Yu Hua (b. 1960), Chinese novelist · Hammermill 20lb “Originally there was no road; when many walk it, it becomes one.” — Lu Xun (1881–1936), Chinese writer and cultural critic Translation by ChatGPT. Published translations may differ in wording and tone. Rhodia Iroful Midori Tomoe River 68gsm Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews. Hammermill 20lb Close-up 🔍 Comparison Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. I have no ink like this. Scan colour is off. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork The Sphinx and the Snek Inspired by @LizEF, Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh. Fountain pen and ink brush, Kitty Ink Pot, Unstoppable Snake, Talens Mixed Media Sketchbook Puttin' on the Ritz Inktober52 – Prompt 8: Pretend Cat & Mouse like puttin’ on the Ritz when the world looks blue, pretending everything will be okay, as long as there’s imagination. Kitty Ink Pot Unstoppable Snake, Jinchen Lantau Dream, Yellow highlighter, Signo White gel pen Talens Mixed Media Sketchbook. Guardian Fountain pen study inspired by the hybrid guardians of ancient Mesopotamia. Kitty Ink pot Unstoppable snake, Jinchen Lantau Island, Talens Mixed Media Inktober52: Prompt 9: Horse Cat & Mouse were inspired to travel back in time and experience firsthand the Parthian shot. Kitty Inkpot Unstoppable Snake, J. Herbin Bleu Azur, JinChen Lantau Dream, Talens Mixed Media Sketchbook. Parts Fountain pen and inkbrush, Kitty Ink Pot Unstoppable Snake ink, Talens Mixed Media Notebook. --- - What I Liked: Ink washes. Flex nib on Midori. - What I Did Not Like: The hype. Lack of lubrication. Price if not on sale. - Writing Experience: Ok, but I’ve seen better. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Lovely. - Ghosting: Only with flex nib. - Bleed Through: Same as above. - Flow Rate: Watery, yet it couldn’t supply ink for the flex nib. - Lubrication: Not bad, could be better. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: No problems. - Saturation: Nope. - Sheen: If sheen is chromo-shading then yes. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Only with dip pen. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): No. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Ok with most. Only one pen needed a bit more effort. - Water Resistance: None on coated paper. --- 🛒 Availability - Available in 30 ml bottles from AliExpress and other Chinese websites. --- 💬 Closing I had high hopes for this ink, but unless you’re an artist or calligrapher, you won’t see much of its chromo-shading potential in regular writing. That said, it’s a unique colour and worth considering. No fountain pens were harmed in preparing this ink review. Please don’t hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments — the more the merrier.

Hosia Ink Studio – An Nang Ink Review # 222 --- 🧾 Description According to Soe & Soe website “An Nang is a dark grey chromo-shading ink with bronze-yellow shading. Annan was an imperial protectorate of Ancient China, located in modern day Vietnam.” But in reality, one sees a medium, blue-tinged grey with medium to extreme shading on most papers. The chromo-shading attributes appear under specific conditions: 1. Powerful daylight LED 2. Coated paper, (ideally Japanese) 3. Dip pen or a very wet fude, or double BB nib. (Note the wider the nib, the lighter the grey.) 4. Looking at a specific angle. Otherwise, you won’t see anything, just dark ink. However, with ink washes a lovely bronze “sheen” and a purplish background appears. Using a chromo-shading ink on copy paper is akin to having caviar on stale crackers. Regardless the ink will behave so badly you’ll think bulletproof inks are well-behaved. Lubrication ranges from average to slightly below average, depending on nib size and ink load. Ink is not water resistant on coated paper, however, on Mixed Media Paper, the ink soaked into the paper was relatively water resistant. I enjoyed using this ink with a dip pen and artwork. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Quotes: English translations or adapted renderings from Vietnamese sources. Nguyễn An Ninh — Vietnamese journalist “Peace that is declared by others often arrives as silence, not as justice.” Nguyễn Du — Vietnamese poet “What seems peaceful on the surface may only be patience learned through time.” “Clouds pass, rivers remain, and what endures is never what first appears.” Nguyễn Huy Thiệp — Vietnamese writer “Silence is often mistaken for harmony by those who do not live within it.” “A country is not made of borders, but of the lives quietly carried within them.” Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews. Hammermill 20lb 📸 Photos Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Closeup Calligraphy with dip pen (Brause rose) Paper is Logical Closeup – Chromo-shading 🔍 Comparison Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Don't mess with my buddy! Inspired by a photo I took of my cat sitting on my lap. Pilot F3A, Talens Mixed Media. Where Does the Wind Begin? Inspired by a poem by the Vietnamese poet Xuân Quỳnh and the Citadel of Thăng Long . Mouse immortalized his beloved Cat on the wall by surreptitiously moving the lichen about. --- - Pens Used: Pilot F3A EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Jinhao 450 fude nib, Brause rose nib dip pen. - What I Liked: Writing with a fude nib. Capturing the occasional bronze halo. Drawing and ink washes. Calligraphy. - What I Did Not Like: Price, shipping. - Writing Experience: Preferred with wetter, wider nibs. - Pros: Lovely for art, calligraphy. - Cons: Not interesting with EF, F nibs. Sheen is not really visible. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Extreme on Iroful. - Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper. - Bleed Through: Yes, on copy paper. - Flow Rate: Average. - Lubrication: Below average depending on pen & nib. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Ok. - Saturation: Depending nib size. - Sheen: Call it sheen or chromo-shading. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: On copy paper you can stuff a pillow or knit a scarf. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): No. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Relatively easy. - Water Resistance: If paper is absorbent, it’s water resistant, on coated paper no dice. --- 🛒 Availability - Available in 30/ml bottles, from AliExpress and similar websites or Soe &Soe in Australia. --- 💬 Closing If you’re curious about a chromo-shading ink, go for another one, unless you love grey inks, enjoy calligraphy, dip pens, or use fude, BB nibs or love sketching, and can afford shipping from China or Australia. No fountain pens were hurt in preparing this review. Please don’t hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments — the more the merrier.

Hosia Ink Studio - Gardenia Ink Review # 201 --- 🧾 Description This is a unique chameleon of an ink by Hosia Ink Studio. The colour is difficult to describe at times it’s a beige with a hint of pink, at times a lavender with a hint of beige. Here is the description from the Soe & Soe website: "Gardenia is a light purple to pink base chromoshading ink which can also show wheat-beige secondary shading. The Gardenia flower is native to tropical southern China, and gardenia seeds contain a powerful yellow pigment called crocin, used as a natural dye for centuries in China. Hosia Ink Studio specialises in extremely high shading dye based inks recommended for use with brush and dip pens to best show off the range of colours which change as they dry." The only reason I can think for the name is the yellow dye in the chroma, which also exists in the seed. Gardenia flowers also turn a cream color when fading. Ink has below average lubrication, OK flow, and extreme shading, especially on Iroful paper. It’s lovely on white paper. On Midori it looks awful. I preferred it most with fude and B nibs. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful I use ChatGPT to generate appropriate quotes by real people, but this time it might have adapted, edited the quotes. Scans are off, especially with Midori. Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb 📸 Photo Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Hammermill 20lb Closeup – Iroful 🔍 Comparison --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Note: The first drawing is the size of the pocket book, the 2nd A5 The Virgin Furrows Inktober challenge: Virgo Virgo, before being associated with chastity, was the goddess of fertility. The cluster of stars rising at harvest reminded the ancient Mesopotamians of furrows in the earth. The cowboy has now replaced the chaste/fertile goddess — and he too will one day be replaced by robot farmers, unless life for humans ends first. Talents Mixed Media square pocket book Quand reviendras-tu? (When will you return?) Inspired by Billie Holiday's love of Gardenias, and the seminal song by French Singer Barbara (Dis, quand reviendras-tu), to create the melancholy feeling of missing a loved one. The dark brown ink is a Tintenlabor Iron gall ink, Schokolade, Silver is Pebeo silver marker, Paper is Fabriano Mixed Media --- - Pens Used: Pilot F3A/ EF, semi-flex, Lamy (EF/F/M/B), Jinhao 450 fude. - What I Liked: Colour, fast dry times, ink washes. - What I Did Not Like: Lack of water resistance, lubrication. - Writing Experience: Mesmerizing, but with feedback. - Pros: Unique colour, shading, fast dry times. - Cons: Not available everywhere, price, lack of lubrication. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Excellent. - Ghosting: A bit with copy paper. - Bleed Through: Same as above. - Flow Rate: Decent. - Lubrication: Lacking. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Did not notice - Saturation: Not saturated. - Sheen: Faint. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): No. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Easy - Water Resistance: Good. --- 🛒 Availability Available in 5/30 ml bottles. https://soeandsoe.com.au/products/gardenia Ali Express --- 💬 Closing This is a singular ink. It’s difficult to source. It shines with fude/ stub nibs, brushes and artwork. No fountain pens were hurt in preparing this review. Please don’t hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments — the more the merrier.

Kitty Inkpot - Lost Rose Review #181 According to Soe& Soe: https://soeandsoe.com.au/products/lost-rose Lost Rose is a chormoshading purple ink with reddish pink shading and cooler purple shading, made by an Independent Ink studio in China. Part of Kitty Inkpot Season III collection Odyssey of Unknown Island. A life time ago, I read a passionate book, In Search of Lost Roses, by Thomas Christoper about a "stubborn band of eccentric characters who rescued old roses from back alleys, ramshackle cottages, and overgrown graveyards across the country." As someone who loves antique/historical roses, and felines, the combination of the brand and the name was irresistible. 🙀 Of the three "chromoshading" inks, I reviewed, I liked this one most, but not at the beginning, as ink had little to no lubrication, had no water resistance, plus I didn’t see much of a chromoshading in writing. So, I forgot the pens and got busy with new inks As I was preparing this review, I was pleasantly surprised, that in the Lamy Safari, how colour became darker, richer, and the ink flow and lubrication acceptable. However, the Sheaffer Targa refused to budge, even after priming. Only after a lot of coaxing with a water brush it decided to write. So, If you like the colour, you need a nice, wet, well sealed pen, a soft buttery nib and patience (that is fill your pen and leave it alone for some time), get a sample and treat yourself. As for the chromoshading, if you like drawing or do ink art, when applied heavily, the colour really shines and gives a third dimension to your art work. (Check the 3rd drawing below). Cleaning was ok with Safari, but with the Targa it was difficult. The orange/sepia dye was stubborn. Chroma: Writing Samples: The scan is so, so, check the photos for more accuracy. Note the colour change on absorbent paper Photo: Comparison: I have nothing like this colour. It's like a pale lavender. The scanner however, has captured the chroma shading effet. Water test: Left side (10 seconds under running water. After 24 hours) Art Work: Here is a series of thematic art work, going overboard with a little story, in italics. In search of the Lost Rose It was early June. A sudden gust filled the room with the fragrance of longing and loss. Cat & mouse had to find why their hearts were filled with so much joy and sorrow. Off the went on a journey and smelled the first rose. but mouse knew right away. A rose so uptight cannot be so generous... Kitty Inkpot - Lost Rose TIntenlabor Iron gall inks: Aprilis Argente, Dark Green 1 Rose after rose, they closed their eyes, and opened their hearts, to the scent of deep yearning and lost love... Kitty Inkpot - Lost Rose TIntenlabor Aprilis Argente, Dark Green 1 They came upon, the one, but she blushed and whispered, "Alas, it is not me," They looked above and saw the evening sky shimmering with the purple haze. "Close your eyes" and see with your heart, whispered the rose. Tintenlabor Dark Green 2 (the dark spots in the rose are also done with this ink) - Note the chromoshading with multiple application. Paper is Strathmore They closed their eyes and were transported to a lonely planet, where a baobab tree, protected a rose from a curious creature. "What are you? Why are you wearing my Prince's scarf" the rose cried, brandishing her thorns. " I am the one, he tamed," the fox replied wistfully. "He is not coming back, is he?" The rose turned purple in grief and spread her fragrance into the space, so that stars and planets know about her loss and remember. Kitty InkPot Lost Rose Tintenlabor Dark Green 1, Aprlis Argente +Mixed with lost rose. J Herbin Bouton d'or/ diluted De Atramentis Document orange... Noodler's Polar Brown Cat & mouse realized "that what is essential is invisible to the eye." But by the time they reached home, their minds had forgotten but not their hearts · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Sheaffer Targe semi-flex · What I liked: Colour. Doing multilayered washes. · What I did not like: Lack of lubrication, writing experience in the beginning and availability. · What some might not like: Lack of lubrication. · Writing experience: Borderline unpleasant, but with time it gets better. · Pros: Fast dry times, nice for artsy work. · Cons: Low lubrication. Needs a soft wide nib. · Shading: Depends on pen/ paper combo. · Ghosting: Faint. · Bleed through: A few bits here and there. · Flow Rate: Below average. · Lubrication: Below average but gets better over time. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: WIth Safari ok, with Targa, after a few weeks of not writing, it went on strike. · Saturation: Not saturated. Dusky rose. · Shading Potential: Depends on pen. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Depends on the pen. The orange/sepia dye was tenacious in the Targa only. · Water resistance: None. · Availability: 35 ml bottles Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Fanyantan Qinghai Wave According to Soe & Soe: Qinghai Wave is a chromoshading ink appearing green when wet with pink shading and teal toned haloing. There are 6 inks in Season 4 from Fanyantan, inspired by scenes found in nature. According to Chatgpt Qingahi translate to: Blue/green Sea In a nutshell: Gimmicky, watery, low lubrication, pricey ink, for ink nerds and artsy people Gorgeous pale green leaning celadon ink, made in China. Writing experience with Safari was like water, most nibs were between scratchy to atrocious. With Kanwrite flow was inconsistent with the flex, either putting too much ink or drying up mid-sentence. Ink is suitable for journaling, artwork, ink wash and calligraphy. The haloing affect is subtle and dependant on paper, pen & lighting. Also, you need heavy application, which might cause woolly lines on most papers, I used. Ink needs smooth paper, soft buttery nib. This is an ink that one can watch dry under a magnifying glass, if you need a distraction during boring meetings it might be for you I could clean the pen with only water (it stained the transparent section of Kakuno), but it needed 12 hour minimum soaking. Bottom line, if you’re curious buy a few samples and see if it’s for you or not. Chroma: Writing Samples: Ink is very difficult to scan and colour is deformed into this washed out green on Rhodia. Photo: Closeup Scan and photo: Comparison: Water test: Left side (10 seconds under running water. After 24 hours) Art Work: Cat and Mouse exploring Ink In this basic wash one can see the green and pink in the shirt and diluted in the cat's face. Background : Diluted Kala Onyx Contours: Kala Moonlight Tide Cobwebs of the Mind Lennon Tool Bar Cat General FANYANTAN - Qinghai Wave Kala Onyx wash Wave: Cat and mouse are hidden in this quick drawing. Paper is Talens Mixed media sketchbook. De Atramenits Document Cyan Tinten Labor Aprilis Argente (Iron gall ink) (lines) Noodler's Polar Brown. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR ultra-flex nib. · What I liked: Colour, Doing ink washes. · What I did not like: Price, lack of lubrication. · What some might not like: Same as above. · Writing experience: Didn't make me want to reach for the pen. · Pros: Lovely colour. · Cons: Price, low lubrication. · Shading: Yes, depending on pen/ paper combo it can become extreme. · Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper, and wit wet applications on Rhodia. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Watery · Lubrication: Very low. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok, depending on pens. · Saturation: Not saturated. · Shading Potential: Excellent. · Sheen: Yes. Halo · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes on copy paper. And with a saturated feed on Rhodia · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Yes, needed a 24 hours soak. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: A bit of a pain. · Water resistance: Meh · Availability: 20 ml bottles, Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Hosia Ink Studio - Shing Tong According to the very excellent Soe &Soe, website: "Shing Tong is a chromoshading ink with muted red base with blue haloing and golden sheen. It is said that this effect is best seen with a dip pen. " Many thanks to @A Smug Dill to introducing me to this brand and this new stationary store. Chromoshading seems to be the new wave in ink. This is the first of the three Chinese brands I'll be reviewing. For now, I found them consistently lacking in lubrication and the hype, is just hype. However, for those of you who use ink for artwork, these inks are fun to use. According to chatgpt, Shing Tong means “Sacred Hall" or "Holy Temple." In Short: Novelty ink, effects are only seen with heavy applications and on some Japanese papers, otherwise you have a dusky purple with nice shading. Inks flow is ok, in Kakuno it was a bit sluggish and laborious. Nib creaper was a bit ink starved. Lubrication is below average (you will have feedback). Dry times are on the long side on Rhodia, water resistance is decent. The complexity of ink appears mostly in washes. Cleaning is a bit difficult you'll need a cleaning solution to remove the pink dye Interestingly when applied heavily, (Or heavy handedly ) the blue dye bleeds through some papers (Copy paper/ Iroful), so I wonder if it can be used with dip pen on normal paper. Bottom line: If you don’t like feedback, it isn’t for you. If you want to see the effect, you’ll need a wet pen/ wide, buttery nib and good Japanese paper. It’s good for journaling, artwork, ink washes, calligraphy. Get a sample, if you can. Chroma: Writing Samples: Color is difficult to scan, and ink looks grey Note how on heavy application, the "chromo" parts bleeds through Photo: Color is correct Closeup: Midori TR68 Iroful Comparison: Note how scanner captures the colour of this ink. However, you can discern a hint of lavender. Water test: Right image (10 seconds under running water, 24 hours after writing) - Paper is Marumann Art Work: I have already posted a drawing, featuring this ink in my Lennon Tool Bar, Cat General review: Beauty Salon Lennon Tool Bar Cat General (tan) *FANYANTAN - Qinghai Wave (Green) *Hosia Ink Studio - Shing Tong Kala Moon light Tide Broken Kala Moonlight Tide (Grey black)/ Noodler's Red Rattler Red) Chromoshading inks: Hosia Ink Studio - Shing Tong FANYANTAN - Qinghai Wave (Green) Modern Connection While Mr. Fish, smoking his bubble pipe, filled the void of his empty castle, watching cute kitty videos on his waterproof custom made TV, Cat & Mouse were watching video deep sea videos on his smart phone. The back ground is Shing Tong Others inks used: KWZ orange Jacques Herbin Rue de la Verrerie (Fish bowl) Kala Moonlight Tide (Grey) De Atramentis Document Cyan (smart phone) · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Noodler’s Nib Creaper semi-flex · What I liked: Colour doing washes, watching ink dry · What I did not like: Lack of lubrication. Cleaning it. The hype. · What some might not like: Price, lack of lubrication · Writing experience: Not the best. · Pros: Gorgeous colour, great for doing ink washes. · Cons: Lack of lubrication. Availability, cleaning. · Shading: Lovely. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper and heavy applications on Iroful. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: ok · Lubrication: Below average. · Nib Dry-out: If the pen is uncapped, yes · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Not saturated. · Shading Potential: Good · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: l needed a cleaning solution. · Water resistance: Decent · Availability: 30 ml bottles, Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier