Search the Community

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.