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Given the assertion often made by others that Sailor kiwaguro pigment ink is (totally, utterly, 100%, or some other adjective meaning absolutely) waterproof, which I know is not factually true, and the assertion I've often made about Sailor souboku and seiboku being completely waterproof (which I now know is also not factually true), I decided to put the nine pigment inks I have to the test. They are: Pelikan Fount India black inkPlatinum Black Carbon InkPlatinum Brun Sepia Pigment InkSailor kiwaguro black inkSailor souboku blue-black inkSailor seiboku blue-black inkSailor STORiA Night Blue inkSailor STORiA Magic Purple inkSailor STORiA Lion Light Brown ink These inks shed colour observably while the page was being soaked in a bath of clean water: and this photo of the page after drying attests that the three blue-black and blue inks are in fact not completely waterproof, even though they fared much better Pelikan Fount India and Sailor kiwaguro: Out of the black inks, only Platinum Black Carbon Ink is completely waterproof. I cannot see any colour come off either Sailor STORiA Lion Light Brown or Platinum Brun Sepia Pigment Ink with my naked eye during or after soaking, and it may take a new test with a full page of writing with one of those inks individually for me to know for sure, but for now I'll also assume that they're completely waterproof. Of course, writing in all of the pigment inks tested remained very legible. Here's the full page after drying. (Click to bring up a larger image.)

Tintenlabor Encre Royal (Royal Ink) Ink Review # 217 --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in iron gall inks. What differentiates this ink from other brands is that you would know the iron content. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Meister, David. Encre Royal has a 4 g/L per liter iron content. The highest iron content in Tintenlabor inks is 6 g/L and lowest is 1 g/L. This is the final iteration of Purple Black 2 that I reviewed before, and what an improvement. Ink has a higher dye load and because it uses a unique purple dye, that stabilizes the formula and possibly prolong shelf-life. The flow is wet and ink is lubricated. Color is bright purple(when wet) and oxidizes to a dusky purple. It has excellent water resistance. As with iron gall inks, the more the ink cures, the more waterproof it becomes. For artists, iron gall inks are not as light fast as pigment inks. For cleaning it’s best to add a bit of pure ascorbic acid to the water and agitate. It’s best to use well-sealed fountain pens that can be dismantled. Never use ammonia-based cleaners with iron gall inks. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb 📸 Photo (artificial light) Photos were taken 3 weeks after scan. Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Hammermill 20 lb copy paper Wet ink Closeup of ink oxidized 🔍 Comparison Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. Color is difficult to capture. Color is close to Diamine Vivaldi. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Purple Rose Mouse is hiding a special offering under his umbrella. 😊 Tintenlabor Basalt, Tinten Encre Royal, Iron gall inks, Talens Mixed Media. Who's the Greatest Now? INKTOBER52 PROMPT NO.50 IS "VILLAIN". Ego and villain are siblings. Tintenlabor Encre Royal, Basalt iron gall inks, Jacques Herbin Rouge Amarante, Van Dieman's Here Kitty Kitty, Talens Mixed Media Notebook. --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) , Flex. - What I Liked: Well lubricated, wet ink, gorgeous colour. - What I Did Not Like: I love IG inks, I’m biased. - What Some Might Not Like: Iron gall ink are high maintenance inks. - Writing Experience: Lovely. - Pros: Waterproof, well-lubricated, gorgeous inks. - Cons: Tariffs for some countries. IG inks cannot be abandoned in fountain pens and need special care if left in pen for long time. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Yes - Ghosting: Only with flex and white nibs. - Bleed Through: Same as above. - Flow Rate: Wet. - Lubrication: Excellent. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Excellent. - Saturation: Beautifully purple. - Sheen: No. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): Did not notice. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: I use a pinch of ascorbic acid in water, when I clean IG inks for my sanity and peace of mind. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - Available 30/50 ml bottles directly from website. https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/encre-royal --- 💬 Closing This is lovely, dark waterproof iron gall ink. I’ve enjoyed writing and drawing with it. 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.

Octopus Write & Draw – Orange Bunny Ink Review # 214 --- 🧾 Description One of three oranges from the Write and Draw series, waterproof and lightfast. According to the Octopus website these inks were developed with Kaweco and Diplomat pens. Ink is a bright-ish orange (depending on the paper), with some shading and short dry times. Ink has below-average to average lubrication depending on the nib size. There is ghosting and bleed-through on copy paper. If you let the ink dry in your pen, you’ll regret it. For cleaning, one would need both cleaning solution and a pen jacuzzi. This is a close-up of the feed, after 12 hours of soaking in water. The pigments were softened. It's now in the pen jacuzzi, but I guess it'll need some serious ink-foliation. Octopus lists detailed usage and cleaning instructions on their website, including recommended storage and expiry information. https://www.octopus-fluids.de/en/write-draw-inks --- 🧪 Chroma --- It's a bright orange. Prepare your sunglasses. 😎 ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Quotes “Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That’s the problem.” — A.A. Milne “It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” — Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” — Lewis Carroll “What would the world be without sunshine and rabbits?” — Beatrix Potter (attributed to, which I misspelled ) Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb 📸 Photo (artificial light) Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Hammermill 20lb Closeup 🔍 Comparison Col-o-ring paper scanned. Colors are approximative. --- 💧 Water Test Before - After --- 🎨 Artwork INKTOBER52 PROMPT NO.47 GOOSE When they hear the nostalgic call of the geese flying south, Cat & mouse feel the silence in their soul; left to face the cold of the winter alone. Tintenlabor Basalt, Sakura Pigma Micron, Uniball White, Octopus WD Orange Bunny, Jacques Herbin 1798 - Diamant Bleu Sneaker sneaked in a sneaker.... INKTOBER52 PROMPT NO.46 - Sneaker Octopus W&D Bunny Orange, Tintenlabor Basalt, uni-ball Signo White, Talens Mixed Media Notebook. Blame in on Mame! Kitty had dressed to the nines. Mouse the Mac had promised to take her out to see Gilda, the Bun Fatale. As the night wore on he looked more like Mouse the Rat, drunk on cheese and bunny orange! Octopus Write & Draw Bunny Orange, Tintenlabor Basalt iron gall ink (background) Van Dieman's Here Kitty Kitty Shimmer ink, Diamine Earl Grey mixed with a bit of blue. Fabriano Mixed Media Paper. --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) , Kanwrite Desire with FPR Ultraflex nib. - What I Liked: Bright orange colour for drawing. - What I Did Not Like: A bit harsh for lighting. Cleaning needs patience and Ultrasonic cleaner. - What Some Might Not Like: Pigment ink. Cleaning. - Writing Experience: Good. - Pros: Good if you need a waterproof orange ink. - Cons: Cleaning. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: To some extent. - Ghosting: With most nibs. - Bleed Through: Moderate. - Flow Rate: Wet. - Lubrication: Depends on nib. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Did not notice. - Saturation: Nope. - Sheen: Silver sheen on Iroful under artificial LED light. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): It has potential. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: A pain. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - Available in 10/50 ml bottles all over the world. 10 ml bottles are not readily available. --- 💬 Closing This is a bright sunny orange. With a wet pen the colour will have more pzazz. One must use them in well-sealed pens that can be readily dismantled. 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.

Tintenlabor goldrausch – “Gold Rush” (formerly Gold Black) Ink Review # 198 --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in iron gall inks. What separates this brand from similar ones is that the iron content is disclosed. In this case, 6 g/L, which is the highest. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Meister, David. This is my favorite Tintenlabor ink; it’s unique and fun to use. It starts as gold, then oxidizes to a gorgeous dark brown with lovely shading, or to a glossy black, depending on the wetness of the pen. With a very wet Ahab, it could bleed through some papers, yet in a Lamy Safari it was fantastic, the same with the Kakuno. After a month, I was sorry to say adieu. Cleaning is much easier than with other IG inks. After rinsing overnight, there was a black residue inside all sections, which I removed with a Q-tip. I still gave it a diluted ascorbic acid “special treatment” in the pen jacuzzi (tip of a teaspoon in a cup of water) and a bit of rinsing. Everything was clean in less than 18 hours. Ink is water-resistant / waterproof. The more oxidized it is, the more waterproof. Note: With IG inks, never use traditional ammonia-based cleaning solutions. Note 2: Tintenlabor has renamed some of the old inks and discontinued the rest. However, it is my understanding that David will make them for you, if you ask kindly. In conclusion: if you want the brown colour, opt for a dry pen; if you want the glossy black opt for a wet pen. Ideally, use pens that can be dismantled completely. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Note: I did the review before the name change happened. Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb 📸 Photo Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Hammermill Oxidization 🔍 Comparison --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Home Tintenlabor Gold Black Diamine Registrar's J Herbin Diabolo Menthe Yellow highlighter Bleach Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Tintenlabor Goldrausch and Alpenstein ( grey) Paper is Talens Mixed Media --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) Ahab with FPR superflex and ebonite feed. - What I Liked: Writing, color, sketching, oxidization to brown or glossy black. - What I Did Not Like: If I were to nitpick, sometimes it looked transparent with fine nibs. - What Some Might Not Like: IG ink phobia. - Writing Experience: Excellent - Pros: Marvellous oxidization, - Cons: It’s an IG ink. So you can’t forget it in a pen. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Lovely with dry pens. - Ghosting: With wet pens. - Bleed Through: Yes, with very wet pens. - Flow Rate: Wet - Lubrication: ok - Nib Dry-out: If you let the ink too long in a pen, it might evaporate. - Start-up: Good in general. - Saturation: Saturated baby! - Sheen: Glossy black with Ahab but no sheen, - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): It could leave a black residue in section. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Relatively easily compared to other IG inks. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available in 30/50 ml bottle. https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/goldrausch --- 💬 Closing In all my years of testing and reviewing inks, this ink exceeded my expectations. It’s a unique product for the discerning ink lover. 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.

Tintenlabor Azur Noir Ink Review # 190 Full name: azur noir, dunkelblau / schwarz (dark blue-black) --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in Iron Gall inks. What differentiates this ink from other brands is that you would know the iron content. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Mesiter, David. Azur Noir is the last of the blue inks. According to the website, it has the highest iron content, 6 gr/l, and is best suited for wet pens. Unlike the other reviewed inks, the wet ink is blue-black; however, with time, it will oxidize to black with a tinge of blue. This was most challenging to control with Ahab. Ink leaves a blackish iron residue in the converter and section, and is best used with pens that can be dismantled. Ink ghosted on cheap, thin paper with some nibs, but of the four blues, this and Violet Blue seem best for cheap, thin copy paper (your mileage might vary). Essri and Diamine Registrars are still the best for cheap paper. As with iron gall inks, it's best to clean them directly with a diluted ascorbic acid solution. Pens need long soaking (think spa, jacuzzi ), ideally an ultrasonic cleaner, Q-tip and the rest. Never use ammonia-based cleaning solutions to clean iron gall inks. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68 gsm Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photo Photos were taken 14 days after the scan. Rhodia, Irofu, Hammermill Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Oxidation 🔍 Comparison A full page of 4 tintenlabor blue inks. Comparison of ghosting and bleedthrough of 6 iron gall inks Note Essri seems to be the winner, still. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork She Who Wears the Storm TIntenlabor Azur Noir/Violet Blue, Talens Mixed Media Paper. Boxer pup Inks and paper Oxidation Kitty and pup Tintenlabor Azur Noir and Gold --- - Pens Used: Pilot Elite EF gold nib, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Ahab with a FPR ultraflex nib. - What I Liked: Color. Wetness - What I Did Not Like: It could be temperamental with Ahab. With other pens, it was great. - What Some Might Not Like: IG high-maintenance ink. - Writing Experience: Excellent. - Pros: Wet, well-lubricated, lovely dark colour. - Cons: Pain to clean. You’ll have ghosting on cheap paper. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Lovely. - Ghosting: Unfortunately, yes, on cheap, thin copy paper. - Bleed Through: If you insist on writing with a wet pen on the above paper. - Flow Rate: Wet. - Lubrication: Lovely. - Nib Dry-out: If left long enough uncapped, it might need some coaxing to write with. - Start-up: It was excellent on all pens, except Ahab. - Saturation: Dark and profound. - Sheen: Did not notice. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Yes on Ahab. - Staining (Pen): There’ll be a black iron content. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: You’ll need some ascorbic acid, Q-tips, etc to clean. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available in 30/50 ml bottle. https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/azur-noir-dunkelblau-schwarz --- 💬 Closing At one point, iron gall fatigue set in, and I found myself wondering—what’s the point of so many variations of blue iron gall inks? It wasn’t until I laid out a full page of the four inks that I understood: each ink oxidizes differently. Some deepen to charcoal, others reveal strands of navy or hints of midnight blue in the black. That’s also why I’ve decided to review Essri and Diamine Registrar’s next—to continue this journey. I hope you won’t mind a few more blue-blacks along the way, as not all blue-blacks are created equal. 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.

Diamine Registrars Ink Review # 192 --- 🧾 Description Diamine Registrars is a classic iron gall ink. It’s my last blue-black IG ink review. In a perfect world, I would have tested Akkerman’s IG and KWZ’s blue-black. It’s my least favorite IG ink, mostly because I tested it after Essri. It doesn’t mean it’s bad or anything. NO, it’s an excellent IG ink, but I think I’ve reached IG fatigue. Ink writes blue to blue-black and oxidizes immediately to dark blue-black or black with a wet flex nib. Ink flow is drier than Essri, and on occasion, if forgotten, the pen will need some coaxing to write. In Safari, it did fine. Cleaning, like all iron gall inks, requires patience and care—ideally, powdered ascorbic acid, pen jacuzzi, soaking, and a bit of scrubbing. 🛁 If you buy the 100 ml bottle, you need to transfer it into glass bottles. Iron gall inks have expiry dates, so depending on the level of oxygen in the bottle, the precipitation process can accelerate. Do not shake IG ink bottles, in case the ink has expired. You don't want iron particles to get stuck in your feed. Iron gall inks are waterproof, but not lightfast. In case of prolonged humidity above 70%, the ink will deteriorate. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photos Photos were taken two weeks after the review. Rhodia/ Irofu Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm Hammermill Oxidation 🔍 Comparison Note that these swatches will oxidize over time. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork I created numerous draft sketches with this ink, but only a few finished pieces. Cancer (Zodiac) Inktober yearlong challenge 2025 The zodiac sign Cancer originated in Babylonian astronomy, where it was known as AL.LUL, a hybrid creature with the body of a turtle and elements of a fish or crab. It was associated with the summer solstice and symbolized cosmic transition. The Greeks later reinterpreted the sign as a crab, linking it to the myth of Heracles and the Hydra. Ancient doctors thought tumors with spreading veins looked like a crab’s legs. The Greek word karkinos meant both “crab” and the disease. Latin kept the name—so did the zodiac. Here is my interpretation: a cigar-smoking crab (incorporating my cat & mouse theme) in the heat of summer, perched atop a hybrid turtle wearing a Mesopotamian headdress. Diamine Registrars' Iron gall, J Herbin Bleu Calanque, Diabolo Menthe, Diamine Sepia. Paper is Strathmore. Mr. Percival Inspired by the movie Storm Boy, about a boy who saves three baby Pelicans. In the story, every time a Pelican dies, a storm brews. Paper is Talens Mixed Media --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) , Kanwrite Desire, fitted with a FPR flex - What I Liked: The writing was great with M-B nibs. - What I Did Not Like: Writing with Japanese Ef nib. - What Some Might Not Like: IG ink. Lower lubrication. - Writing Experience: Good with M/B nibs. - Pros: Waterproof, oxidation. Good on copy paper. Comes in 30 ml bottles also. - Cons: Not lightfast. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Yes - Ghosting: Faint on copy paper. - Bleed Through: Very faint with flex primed nib. - Flow Rate: Ok - Lubrication: Below average. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Good with all pens but Kakuno. - Saturation: Lovely blue-black to black. - Sheen: No. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: I went directly with ascorbic acid and pen jacuzzi through several cycles. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available in 30ml glass bottles or 100 ml plastic bottles. --- 💬 Closing This is an excellent iron gall ink by Diamine, readily available in small 30 ml bottles and big 100 ml plastic bottles. The only hick for me was that the writing expereice in comparison with Essri is not up to par, but this is just a matter of taste. 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. :)

Essri (Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrars Ink) Ink Review # 191 --- 🧾 Description One of the classics of iron gall inks. Its lineage goes back to Stephens in 1834. In 1976, when the former ceased production, one of the former associates launched ESSRI (Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrars Ink), carrying on that iron gall ink tradition ESSRI comes in 110 ml plastic bottles, which should ideally be decanted into smaller glass bottles, as plastic is porous and allows air exchange over time. Like all iron gall inks, it has an expiry date. A Dutch scientific website dedicated to the history and preservation of iron gall inks [https://www.irongallink.org/how-to-make-ink-trouble-shooting-chart.html] suggests that gently blowing into the bottle before sealing it may prolong the ink’s life: the expelled carbon dioxide, being heavier than oxygen, can create a protective barrier over the surface. When I mentioned this trick in some of my earliest IG reviews, a few readers mocked the idea. But a few years later, I revisited my inks and found that a quarter-full 20 ml bottle had precipitated, while a full bottle from the same batch remained perfectly stable. Ink oxidizes immediately from medium/ dark blue to blue black. If one uses wet flex nibs, it oxidizes to black almost immediately. This is still one of the best Iron gall inks I’ve ever used. Bottom line: If you’re condemned to use cheap paper, no ink beats Essri in comfort, behavior, and ease of use. Note, as with all Iron gall inks, one should ideally use a diluted ascorbic acid solution, patience, and lots of flushing to clean the pen. Never use conventional cleaning solutions for iron gall inks. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photo Rhodia/ Iroful Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm / Hammermill 20lb Oxidation 🔍 Comparison I redid the Essri swatches to compare with the original swatch done three years ago. Comparison with other grey inks: --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Mountain Dew Essri - Talens Mixed media Oxidation Invoking Tishtar Cat and mouse enact a traditional Tirgan custom: the symbolic throwing of water to encourage rainfall. Rooted in ancient Persian mythology, this midsummer practice was associated with Tishtar—the celestial figure linked to Sirius and water—who battles drought to bring rain. The festival occurs shortly after the summer solstice and reflects seasonal concerns with heat, fertility, and renewal. Fountain pen inks used: ESSRI, Diamine Sepia, J. Herbin Bleu Calanque Solstice Inktober challenge While researching the solstice in different cultures, I came upon an ancient pre-Islamic Persian tradition. It honored the midsummer battle of Tishtar—the deity of water—against the demon of drought, to summon rain. While this festivity happens a week or so after the summer solstice, it seems fitting to celebrate one of the four elements. Inks used: Essri Iron gall ink J Herbin Bouton d'or/ Bleu calanque Noodler's Apache Sunset --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) , Ahab with a FPR ultraflex nib. - What I Liked: Ease of use, behavior on cheap paper. - What I Did Not Like: Expirey date. - What Some Might Not Like: Iron gall ink. - Writing Experience: Exceptional. - Pros: Waterproof, excellent for cheap paper. - Cons: It comes only in 110 ml plastic bottles and needs to be decanted into glass bottles. Expiry date. Cleaning. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Lovely - Ghosting: Minor ghosting with a wet flex nib. - Bleed Through: None. - Flow Rate: Wet - Lubrication: Surprisingly good. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Excellent. - Saturation: Dark charocoal - Sheen: A bit on Iroful - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Like most iron gall inks, one needs pure ascorbic acid for cleaning, Q-tip and patience. - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available only in 110 ml bottles, from Essri website. Shipping is included in the price. Link: http://www.registrarsink.co.uk/registrars_ink.html --- 💬 Closing Among all the iron gall inks I’ve reviewed, Essri is still among the best, especially for those condemned to use cheap paper. Its downsides, as noted above, are a huge volume plastic bottle and expiry date. Nothing is eternal. 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.

Tintenlabor Dark Blue 3 (New Formula) (Eisengallustinte 3, dunkelblau / schwarz) Ink Review # 189 --- 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in Iron Gall inks. What differentiates this ink from other brands is that you would know the iron content. The samples were sent to me by the Ink-Meister, David. This is the new formula of Dark Blue 3, a Blue Black iron gall with 5 g/l iron and high dye content. I haven't tested the old formula, so I cannot compare them. But this is a wet ink. On most papers I tested, the ink oxidized immediately from sky blue/petrol blue (depending on the nib width) to blue-black/ grey. Midori was the only exception, which took 12 hours. Ink is almost waterproof from the moment it dries. With a very wet, primed flex nib, I saw feathering on Midori and Hammermill. While there was some ghosting and bleed through on the latter, there was none on my cheap shopping list paper. As with iron gall inks, it's best to clean them directly with a diluted ascorbic acid solution (to make your life easier). Never use ammonia-based cleaning solutions to clean iron gall inks. For more information, check this thread, especially our resident scientist @InesF explanations on page 2. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples (scan) Rhodia / Iroful Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm While it's written Blue 2 on the Tomoe River paper, it's actually Blue 3. Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photo Rhodia, Hammermill, Iroful Midori, Tomoe River 68 gsm Oxidation 🔍 Comparison Tintenlabor Dark Blue 2 vs Dark Blue 3 - Artificial vs natural light Swatches: --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Dragonfly Tintenlabor Azur Noir/ Dark Blue 3 ( it's the background blue black) Paper is Talents Mixed Media. Part of Inktober yearlong challenge 2025. Dragonflies were very important in Samurai culture. Fado Tintenlabor Azur Noir (fado singer), the Portuguese guitar, and the landscape were done with Tintenlabor Dark Blue 3 – Paper is Strathmore. I'm a fan of fado music — a traditional Portuguese genre often played with the Portuguese guitar. It evokes saudade, an untranslatable feeling that blends nostalgia, longing, loss, and yearning. I Don’t want to be Human Tintenlabor Dark Blue 3/Noodler’s Red Rattler Eel A salute to all the cats who’ve had enough of human nonsense — and let their tongues, and their mouse companions, say it all. --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR ultraflex - What I Liked: Nice wet, decent lubrication. - What I Did Not Like: Nitpicking: With some nibs, the base color was petrol blue, not my favorite colour. - What Some Might Not Like: Cleaning and IG inks. - Writing Experience: Delightful. - Pros: Waterproof. Lovely colours. Small bottle. - Cons: You can buy it only from the website. It's not as good as Essri for copy paper. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Good. - Ghosting: Yes on Hammermill, not on shopping list. - Bleed Through: Flex nib can't handle copy paper. - Flow Rate: Wet, to very wet. - Lubrication: Very good. - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Great with most pens. Kakuno was a bit fussy. - Saturation: Lovely - Sheen: Did not notice. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Only with a wet flex primed nib. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): You'll need a Q-Tip. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: Like all IG inks, water, a pinch of ascorbic acid, Q-tip and patience is necessary. - Water Resistance: Excellent after oxidation. --- 🛒 Availability - [ ] Available in 30/50 ml bottle directly: https://tintenlabor.mycommerce.shop/products/eisengallustinte-3-dunkelblau-schwarz --- 💬 Closing This is lovely ink by Tintenlabor. The final question remains: What is the difference between Dark Blue 2 and Dark Blue 3? Both oxidize to a charcoal grey colour. Blue 2 has low dye content, and Blue 3 has high dye content, but both look similar in the end. 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.

Tintenlabor Purple Black 2 - (New Formula) Ink Review # 186 --- 🧾 Description Purple Black 2 is a gorgeous, mysterious, dark purple, waterproof iron gall ink by Tintenlabor. David the Ink-Mesiter graciously sent me the new formula, and it was worth the wait. German name: Eisengallustinte 2, purpur / schwarz It has a delicious flow and looks lovely on all papers. However, it's not suitable for thin, absorbent papers like Hammermill. It can feather, ghost, and bleed through to some extent. It uses the same unique stabilizing dye as Purple Black 1, but in a lesser quantity. The iron content is 4 gr/l as opposed to 3 gr/l of Purple Black 1. The oxidation process is slower; it hasn't darkened compared to Green Black 2 and retained the smoky purple colour. Finally, the price is a fraction of Purple Black 1's. I have only cleaned the Pilot Kakuno. After soaking overnight, the pen was clean. However, I had to scrub the section and the Con-40 converter with a Q-tip, and the feed was covered with purple dye, even though when I wrapped the pen filled with water around tissue paper, the paper was clear. I have noticed that many inks, IG or not, like to cling to the plastic component of the Kakuno. Update: Cleaning Lamy Safari and Kanwrite was straightforward. After overnight soaking in water and a little soaking in diluted vinegar, the pens were as clean as a whistle. And as a reminder, don't use ammonia-based fountain pen cleaners with Iron gall inks; white vinegar in diluted form should be ok. It would be prudent to soak the pen in a white vinegar solution as a safe measure. Regardless of this, I enjoyed writing and drawing with this ink. It was as delicious with a Japanese Ef nib as any other nib. --- 🧪 Chroma --- ✍️ Writing Samples Rhodia / Iroful Midori/ Tomoe River 68gsm Hammermill 20lb --- 📸 Photos The colour is more accurate here: Midori/ Hammermill Oxidation in real time (iroful paper) --- 🔍 Comparison I've kept the old formula swatch so that you can observe their respective oxidation process. --- 💧 Water Test --- 🎨 Artwork Rock n'Roll Tinten labor, Dark Purple 2 (New formula), Gold, and Violet Blue Unconditional Tintenlabor Dark Purple 2 (New formula, Dark Green 1 Flamenco (Old formula) Purple Rain (old formula) Paper is Talens Mixed Media. Ink has not oxidized over time. A Delicate Balance Pilot Kakuno Ef/ Talens Mixed Media Paper --- - Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF / F / M / B / Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR ultraflex nib. - What I Liked: Very well-behaved ink, lovely colour, a joy to write or sketch with, nice lubrication. Price - What I Did Not Like: If I want to nitpick, it's the cleaning. - What Some Might Not Like: Iron gall inks. - Writing Experience: Excellent. Lovely interior colour. - Pros: Stable ink, stable color. Waterproof. - Cons: Cleaning might be a bit more labour-intensive, but not as bad as other inks I've had. 🧷 Ink Characteristics - Shading: Yes. - Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. - Bleed Through: Yes, on thin, cheap paper. - Flow Rate: Wet - Lubrication: Good - Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. - Start-up: Excellent. - Saturation: Gorgeous. - Sheen: No. - Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes on this Hammermill paper. - Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice. - Staining (Pen): Pilot Kakuno needed a Q-tip. - Clogging: No. - Cleaning: It could be - Water Resistance: Excellent. --- 🛒 Availability - Available in 30/50 ml bottles directly from Tintenlabor --- 💬 Closing This is another excellent colour from Tintenlabor; it is elegant, mysterious, and royal—a pleasure to use. 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

Tintenlabor Dark Green 2 (Dunkelgrün / schwarz 2) Ink review # 185 🧾 Description Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company that specializes in iron gall-based inks. These inks are unique in that the iron content is known to the user beforehand. You can find more about this ink here. There are three Green inks: Dark Green 1 (3 gr/l) Dark Green 2 (4 gr/l) and Aprilis Argente (6 gr/l). The new formulation of Dark Green 2, a low-dye, medium-iron-content ink that instantly oxidizes from bright green to dark grey or black, even on watercolour paper. The flow is wet, and the lubrication is below average but still pleasant. I will post a comparison review of the two formulas later on here. Other inks with high oxidation rate are Gold Black and Aprilis Argente. This ink can leave black iron residue on some pens and stain nibs. A diluted solution of white vinegar, water, and lots of soaking was necessary to clean. I removed the nib stain with a stain remover (Pink solution) and Q-tip from the nib. Do not use ammonia-based cleaning solutions to clean iron gall inks. 🧪 Chroma ✍️ Writing Samples Rhodia & Iroful Midori & TR68gsm Hammermill 20lb 📸 Photo Oxidation in real time on Iroful paper (artificial LED light). I wasn't fast enough. Oxidation in real time on TR 68 gsm. The bright green line is the colour going down. 🔍 Comparison Observe how the oxidation process changed the colour of the inks over time. Dark Green 2 (New Formula) oxidized overnight. After application After oxidation 💧 Water Test 🎨 Art Work Black Panther A fun drawing using the Dark Green 2/ Purple Black2 (new formula) on Fabriano watercolor paper. I ain't your taurus Part of the year-long Inktober challenge: Taurus Tintenlabor Dark Green 2 (old formula) Montblanc Origins Coral Funky Fungi Tintenlabor Dark Green2 /Violet Blue, Noodler's Red Rattler's Eel Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF / F / M / B / Stub 1.1), Vintage Unic wet noodle flex What I Liked: Oxidation, iron gall ink What I Did Not Like: Not easy to clean What Some Might Not Like: Cleaning, iron gall Writing Experience: Pros: Immediate oxidation. Waterproof, Cons: Cleaning could be difficult. You need to soak in white vinegar (not balsamic, obviously ) 🧷 Ink Characteristics Shading: Some shading, especially with M nib and above. Ghosting: Yes on Hammermill Bleed Through: Yes, with wet/ flex pens. Flow Rate: Wet Lubrication: Good Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. Start-up: With most pens ok. Saturation: Delicious and complex Shading Potential: With some pens yes. Sheen: Did not notice. Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice Staining (Pen): Yes. Black iron residue can stick on the converter. Clogging: Did not notice Cleaning: A pain. Lots of soaking in vinegar. Though surprisingly only water with Jinhao X159. Water Resistance: Excellent. 🛒 Availability Available in 30, 50 ml bottles 💬 Closing I enjoyed using this ink, despite its drawbacks. If you want this extreme oxidation, this is the one for you. If you want one with less hassle, TIntenlabor Gold Black could be another option. 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!

De Atramentis Document Brown Review #176 I was inspired by a video on 6 best brown inks for artist sto test this ink. You can find the De Atramentis review here: I extracted the ink from the cartridges and filled the Safari. The first day, ink was slightly sluggish, lubrication below average. The 2nd day the flow was better, and the lubrication excellent. The same was for the Kanwrite Desire with the Ultraflex FPR nib. It made a Pilot Kakuno scratchy nib sing. I liked it so much, that I am at my fourth cartridge now. If I were to buy a bottle, though, I would go for Document Sepia or maybe one of the Octopus inks. It was amazing on copy paper, even an ultra-wet Kanwrite didn’t bleed through. There's some shading, with some nibs, though I won't award it any prizes Cleaning could be a pain. I had to soak it in cleaning solution, to make sure. I still have the Kanwrite and Lamy to clean. Chroma: Writing Samples: I reverse wrote with the Lamy Safari Ef nib to create an UEF (Ultra extra fine line) . The UEF (Ultra-Extra fine] is reverse writing with Lamy Safari. There's no ghosting, the scanner is exaggerating Photo: Sheen and shading on Iroful under artificial LED light. Comparison: Water test: Left side (10 seconds under running water. After 24 hours) Art Work: Stunt: Part of the inktober yearlong challenge. Paper is Talens Mixed Media Paper Mousey does a stunt between the caracal's ears Mouse does a stint at the Opera, and cat a stunt on the Chandelier Another inktober challenge sketch Legend of Arthur The blue ink is J Herbin Bleu Calanque... Part of of @InesF monthly challenge thread · Pens used: Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) , Kanwrite with FPR ultra flex nib. · What I liked: Writing /sketch especially with EF nib, and Ultraflex nib. · What I did not like: It was a bit on reddish side. · What some might not like: AFOPI (Abnormal Fear of Pigment inks ), Cleaning · Shading: It won’t win any prizes. · Ghosting: None · Bleed through: None. · Flow Rate: Nice and wet after it settles down · Lubrication: Good. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Reddish brown. · Shading Potential: Pen, paper dependant. · Sheen: A bit with Iroful paper only, under artificial LED light. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: It's a pigment ink. Kakuno went through multiple flushing, overnight soak and as as a safe measure, 30 minutes in cleaning solution. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: International short cartridges, 45 ml bottles, Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Noodler’s Empire Red Another eternal/forgery proof Coral red from Noodler’s, originally specific for the British market but now available in North America. It's pricier than the normal lineup of Noodler's line. Ink is touted as fluorescent but I couldn't detect any fluorescence with my UV flashlight. It’s wet, coral red ink , lacking in the lubrication department. It’s pleasant enough to use, but I won’t be buying a bottle of it, in case you’re wondering. It has some shading as you can see with a broad nib. All the other shading you see, is exaggerated by the scanner. I used most of the ink on cheap envelopes and it really behaved well. Let's start with the chroma, which looks like blood red. Writing samples: I tried to find humorous quotes about the holiday season to add some levity Photo: Comparison: Water test: and finally an art work: Stirred not shaken, which I hope it's self explanatory Other inks used: Platinum Carbon Black Akkerman Delfts Blauw J Herbin Vert Empire Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Nibcreaper semi-flex What I liked: Colour, didn’t dry up in long writing sessions. What I did not like: Lack of lubrication, long dry time on Japanese paper, What some might not like: Long dry times on Japanese paper, price Shading: Not really, only Ghosting: Faint on copy paper Bleed through: Negligible on copy paper. Flow Rate: Wet Lubrication: Below average. Nib Dry-out: Not at all. Start-up: No. Saturation: Reddish. Shading Potential: With broad nibs Sheen: Beyond dismal. Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. Staining (pen): Did not notice. Clogging: No. Cleaning: It’s a waterproof, red ink, so do the math. Water resistance: Excellant Availability: 90 ml / 3 oz bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write & Draw – Brown Seahorse This is a gorgeous, complex grey/brown with hints of burgundy, a match made in heaven for a dry pen and Japanese paper. Unfortunalty, I misplaced the chroma, but if it's any indication of the Octopus write & draw inks, it's a single dye component. It is very wet, well lubricated, and is one of the fastest drying inks, I ever used, which explains why there’s some bleed through /ghosting on Rhodia, even more so than on Hammermill! Writing Samples: I used respectively a Sheaffer Targe F reverse, Lamy Safari and for the final flex lines I used a Kanwrite Desire with an Ahab semi flex nib and for the name of the author I used the Sheaffer Targa, which has a semi-flex nib. Photo: Too my eyes, ink in more elegant with a drier pen that brings out the complexity and shading only on Japanese paper. There’s a hint of silver sheen/ reflection, under led lights, like most Octopus Write and Draw inks. Here you can see how it reflects on Iroful paper. Please note that the camera exaggerates the "sheen". This is only seen under certain angles with artificial lighting. Comparison: Water test: Left side 10 seconds under running water. Art Work: This was a quick sketch on a Talens Pocket sketchbook. Jacques Herbin Turquoise de Perse Noodler's Lexingtion Gray · Pens used: Sheaffer Targa F (reverse), Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Kanwrite Desire with Ahab nib · What I liked: Colour. · What I did not like: Bleed through on c · What some might not like: Bleed through on Rhodia. It loves most Japanese paper. · Shading: Yes, on Japanese paper. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper, Rhodia. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Very Wet · Lubrication: Lovely. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Not saturated. · Shading Potential: Japanese Paper. · Sheen: Faint silver sheen on Japanese Paper, like most Octopus inks, under artificial light. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: It's a pigment ink, so you might need a cleaning solution. I had to use one for the targa. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles, Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write & Draw Orange Monkey A slightly "neon-ish" light orange pigment ink by Octopus. Like most orange inks it is slightly below average in the lubrication department, with dry Ef nibs, but otherwise a pleasant writer. Ink is kind of flat under artificial led lights on most papers, but it goes crazy on Iroful paper with shades of peach, yellow orange up to red. There’s a silver sheen like most Octopus inks under artificial light on some Japanese papers, especially Iroful. It is legible, but a wetter pen, wider nib might be advantageous and of course good paper. Cleaning was easy, but I recommend a lit dunking in a cleaning solution. Octopus has a host of warnings and does not recommend you using it in your favorite shiny fountain pen. And recommends a well-sealed pen, which is a no brainer. About Octopus inks: They also suggest that the shelf life of their ink is two years, which is a bit surprising. This ink is ISO 12757-2 and DIN ISO 14145-2 and it's vegan in case you want to drink it Here is the list of complete line up: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Chroma: Writing Samples: I reverse wrote with an Ef nib. Please note colour is very difficult to scan. Photo: Colour is almost distracting on Iroful. Iroful /Rhodia Day light Note how the lines are wider on Iroful and thinner on Rhodia Same paper Artificial led light during the day. (Your typical overcast late fall light ). The led is angled towards the wall and not the paper. Note how Iroful goes all funky and Rhodia demur Now this photo was taken at night, with Iroful paper, with the same led light, same angle. Ink is dry I assure you. Note depending the angle the colour changes. The combination of ink and paper at night reminds me of colour changing gems. It can be distracting Comparison: Scan is not alright, but it gives you an idea. Caran d'ache is a very bright orange for ex. Water test: Left side 10 seconds under running water. Art Work: And the cat created the monkey in Zeus' image A combination of impatience, wrong paper (I used an absorbent paper for pencil ) and mediocre drawing skills led to this sketch. I'll try to give it a bit of oomph with this story, I heard from my cat whispered in her sleep. 🙀 Once upon a time, Zeus left his throne dallying along with some shepherdess. Γάτα (Gáta), Zeus’ latest creation, climbed upon his comfy, cushiony throne, with, Ποντίκι (Pontíki, the Mouse) it’s sidekick. Pontíki stood guard, looking at the sky for Zeus’ signature thunderbolt, but he didn’t return. Gáta decided to create a being in Zeus's image, so he would feed it, keep it entertained and clean the litterbox! But being a Cat and not a deity, Gáta pushed said all the wrong incantations and thus the monkey was created. All it wanted was bananas, coconut trees and a lot of vines to swing. When Zeus returned he was so enraged that he banished Gáta to Earth and made Pontíki the Mouse and his descendants the cats prey as punishment, for eternity. With time, Zeus missed Gáta, his purring. So he created man to serve its descendants. This creation myth, of course, was rewritten by Man, who could not accept that monkeys were created before him and that he was to serve the Cat and not rule to the world. To this day, Man lives with this illusion. The following is a reproduction of Gáta creating the monkey. Octopus Write & Draw Orange Monkey Octopus Write & Draw Brown Seahorse (The cat's body, monkey's face, etc) Jacques Herbin Turquoise de Perse Noodler's Red Rattler's Red and Lexingtion Gray for the outlines.... · Pens used: Lamy (Reverse EF, EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate nib · What I liked: The colour on Iroful paper. · What I did not like: Pale flat, color on Rhodia. · What some might not like: Pigment ink, palish colour. · Shading: Paper dependant. · Ghosting: No. · Bleed through: No. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Slightly below average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Pale · Shading Potential: Paper dependant. · Sheen: On Iroful paper. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: I let it soak overnight, water was clear after all but after soaking in cleaning solution there was some orange pigment left. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write & Draw Green Ostrich A very nice waterproof, lightfast bright murky-ish Green, with slightly below average lubrication. If you want a darker one, go for Crane Green. A note about Ostriches. It’s a common misconception that Ostriches hide their head under the sand, it couldn’t be further from truth. Apparently they look for food on the ground and when they lay their eggs, they have to turn them regularly, hence giving the impression that they are hiding in the sand. If they are in danger, they run instead and very fast. However, human often hide their head in the proverbial sand of denial The scans are off on Midori and Tomoe River 68 gsm paper. The other papers are alright. Chroma: Writing Samples: I used a reverse Ef for the Ultra Extra fine line. As I mentioned before the scans of Midori and Tomoe River GSM are off. Photo: Midori and Tomoe River 68 gsm Comparison: Water test: Left side 10 seconds under running water. Art Work: Walk on the Wild Side Paper is Canson Mixed Media Octopus Write & Draw inks used: Ostrich & trees: Green Ostrich Orange: Orange monkey Tree trunks: Brown Seahorse Other inks: Jacques Herbin: Turquoise de Perse, J Herbin, Lie de Thé (eiffel tower)and Noodler's Lexington Gray · Pens used: Lamy (Reverse EF/Ef/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate. · What I liked: Colour, drawing ostriches. · What I did not like: Nothing much. · What some might not like: Fear of pigment inks? · Shading: Yes · Ghosting: None on cheap paper. · Bleed through: A bit depending on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Slightly below average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Not saturated. · Shading Potential: Ok. · Sheen: Silver sheen on Iroful, like most octopus W& D inks. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Easy, but as it’s a pigment ink YMMV. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles, Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

De Atramentis Document Orange I reviewed it’s sibling ink a few weeks ago, this is a paler version, watery and lacks lubrication. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/375068-de-atramentis-artist-orange/ When I first tested this ink few years ago, it didn’t leave a good impression. It still has not changed. If you're addicted to fountainpens and looking for a cure, this ink it is. My hand refuses to reach for the pen, I'm cured On the plus says it’s good on copy paper, and for those who love shading it does, but the legibility becomes compromised. If you absolutely need a waterproof orange, I will go for the Artist version (it’s cheaper and more lubricated) or try one of the numerous Octopus Write and Draw oranges. I would say this ink is only useful for art, ink washes and mixing. Note the images are harsh so you might need sunglasses 😎 Chroma: Writing Samples: It's impossible to scan and difficult to photograph. I added full page comparison with De Atramentis Artist Orange, so you can make up your mind: I didn't use a flex pen, I dipped a Brause rose dip pen nib. Scan: : Photo: These were photographed with the Northern light It didn't bleed through copy paper This was done 3 years, on HP 32 paper with my impressions: Comparison: Water test: Was done several years ago, so kitty is safe And finally a humorous art work, entitled Fred & Ginger Inks used: Platinum Carbon Black and an unidentified Greenish ink (probably Diamine Dark Forest) · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B, 1.1), Brause dip pen nib. · What I liked: Writing on copy paper, but most of all emptying my pen. · What I did not like: Almost everything. · What some might not like: It’s a pigment ink, it's pale. · Shading: Yes · Ghosting: No. · Bleed through: No. · Flow Rate: Watery · Lubrication: Dry · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Pastel · Shading Potential: Surprisingly yes. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): It stained the feed with orange after soaking all night in cleaning solution. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Like all pigment inks the more it stays in the pain the more difficult the cleaning. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 45 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

De Atramentis Artist Orange This is similar to the Document line but has less of its properties. inks and can be mixed and matched with either Artist or Document lines. It's an anemic orange or a punchy yellow depending how you see it. It’s wet, lubrication slightly below average and is not suitable for cheap thin papers, nor letter writing, unless you’re passive aggressive. 😛 It did weirdly stain a few spots on my already badly stained Kakuno, had flow issues with it and the Kanwrite ( I had to prime to feed) but with the Lamy Safari it worked fine. It’s almost impossible to scan. Photo shows best the colour of the ink. It’s best on Midori cream paper where the shading is most prominent. Surprisingly with B/ 1.1. nibs it becomes paler. I believe this is best used for art work and Wabbits 🐰🥕 You can use it both as yellow or orange in washes or mix it with Artist/ Document Red to give it a bit of oomph. It's slightly cheaper than Document inks (the bottles are 50 ml as opposed to the 45 ml of the documents). Let’s start with the chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Note the difference in colour. Comparison: Note how the scanner has deformed almost all oranges. Water test: For animal lovers, no felines were hurt during this test and finally an art work, entitled September 19, 1914 It's based on the Reims Cathedral Smiling Angel statue, which was decapitated during the early days of World War I by a flaming beam. Reims cathedral is significant in French history as its were the French Kings were crowned. The statue was restored and is still smiling Inks used, De Atramentis Artist Orange, Platinum Carbon Black, J Herbin Bleu des profondeurs · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B, BB), Kanwrite with Ahab flex. · What I liked: On Midori (Ef-M nibs), using for washes. It can pass both for yellow and orange. · What I did not like: Writing with it. I could barely read myself. · What some might not like: It’s a pigment ink, it’s pale. · Shading: Surprisingly yes. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Slightly belove average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: It didn’t like Kakuno or Kanwrite. · Saturation: Pastel · Shading Potential: Surprisingly quite good. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Yes a few spots on the Kakuno. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: The more it stays in your pain the more difficult it’ll be. · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw - Grey Merkat I’m not sure why they made a “mistake” with the spelling. I’m sure meerkat’s won’t mind I post this information systematically on all Octopus Write & Draw ink reviews: They suggest that the shelf life of their ink is two years, which is a bit surprising. The ink is ISO 12757-2 and DIN ISO 14145-2 Here is the list of complete line up: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 And warnings: https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ Now to the review. This is a nice, wet, juicy grey, like a 6b pencil. The chroma, shows some green surprisingly : It writes wonderfully with all pens, especially the Japanese Ef nib. It might be too wet for some. It’s waterproof and especially great for sketching and washes. I saw shading with a B nib. But the scanner disagrees and sees it all over the place Writing Samples: It seems I'm a bit dyslexic and have inverted the name It's Grey Merkat. Also my automatic spell check has corrected the spelling There was a hint of ghosting on this paper: There's some ghosting/bleed through on copy paper but it's much much better than Herbin inks Photo: Comparison: Water test: And finally an artwork, inspired by Meerkats, entitled: Art of the Fugue and another one a prompt of Inktober yearly challenge: River It's a nod to the song Moon River from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. The Yellow ink is J Herbin Bouton d'or · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copper flex nib. · What I liked: Writing, drawing, washing. · What I did not like: Liking it so much. · What some might not like: It’s a pigment ink, it might be too wet for some. · Shading: If you scan your writing · Ghosting: Faint on Tomoe River 68 gr paper. · Bleed through: With F nibs onwards on copy paper. But much better than Herbin inks. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Above average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Gorgeous grey. · Shading Potential: With M/B nibs and dry pens. · Sheen: Did not notice. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: Nope. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

De Atramentis Artist Violet Once in a while there's an ink, where the writing experience surpasses the colour. This is one of them. I just wanted to keep on writing. Thankfully the colour is the gorgeous violet. The cleaning was relatively easy but And I would recommend having a cleaning solution nearby. As it’s a purple/violet ink, it might stain transparent sections and convertors. It did my Kanwrite convertor. Thankfully there's always Sailor Doyou or Noodler's Eel Red to de-stain. Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: While the scan capture "ghosting" there's almost none. Photo: Paper is Mnemosyne Comparison: Watertest: This is after 12 hours. The left side was held under water, and the smudges you see is wet paper (left side) and finally an art work, the first prompt of the yearly inktober challenge 2024, "Hunt" The background is Noodler's La Reine Mauve. For those who have attempted dip pen calligraphy it's a homage to Hunt nibs · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, (EF/F/M/B, BB), Kanwrite with an Ahab nib. · What I liked: Well lubricated ink. I enjoyed writing especially with the Ahab nib. · What I did not like: With BB nib, I had no control. · What some might not like: It’s a pigment ink. · Shading: Only with a flex nib. · Ghosting: There’s a bit on copy paper. · Bleed through: Very well behaved. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Above average · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Moderately saturated. · Shading Potential: Dismal. · Sheen: Nope. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice, but possible. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Relatively easy, though you might need a pen cleaning solution just in case. · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw Red Koala This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Octopus has a host of warning on their site, basically recommending their inks only in cheap, well-sealed pens. https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ The naming of the inks is whimsical, the colour followed by an arbitrary animal. It's a well behaved, lubricated and wet coral red ink. It's not a colour I really appreciate. Chroma: Writing Samples: Color seems off on Hammermill. Photo: Comparison: Water test: à and finally an uninspired artwork: There's a hint of Platinum Carbon Black and Akkerman's Delfts Blauw · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Kanwrite with an Ahab nib · What I liked: Waterproofness · What I did not like: The colour. · What some might not like: Same as above. · Shading: Nope. · Ghosting: Yes on copy paper, depending pen, nib, pressure. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Wet. · Lubrication: Good. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: What do you think? · Shading Potential: Mmmm! · Sheen: Did not notice. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: It’s a red pigment ink. Emphasis on both colour and type. However, it was quite easy to clean. · Water resistance: Excellant · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw Brown Penguin This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Octopus has a host of warning on their site, basically recommending their inks only in cheap, well-sealed pens. https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ The naming of the inks is whimsical, the colour followed by an arbitrary animal, unless there are brown penguins and red Koala’s roaming about. The ink is well behaved, wet, and well lubricated, yet I am underwhelmed by the colour. I would recommend you getting a sample before investing in a whole bottle. The reddish tinge is obvious in the chroma: Writing samples: It's alright on copy paper. But don't flex on it or use a wide/wet combo. Those brown smudges are not bleed through. Photo: Comparison: Water test And finally, an artwork. Note the ink had stayed for two week in the pen, so it became darker. Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Osmiorid Copperplate What I liked: The colour, very fast dry times. What I did not like: Not much. But I’m not in love. What some might not like: Shading: It seems there is Ghosting: A tiny bit on copy paper. Bleed through: A tiny bit when the needle tip of the copper plate pierces the paper. Flow Rate: Good. Lubrication: Slightly below average. Nib Dry-out: Only once during nib exchange. Start-up: No. Saturation: No. Shading Potential: No. Sheen: Same as above. Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Nope. Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. Staining (pen): No. Clogging: No. Cleaning: Easy Water resistance: Excellent. Availability: 50 ml bottle. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus - Write and Draw - Brown Colibri Intriguing colour reminds me of persimmons, which grew on me over time. Very well behaved, even on copy paper, has lovely shading. This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: the complete line of 38 inks: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Octopus has a host of warning on their site, basically using their inks only in cheap, well sealed pens. ttps://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: quotes are from azquotes website, I'm not sure how accurate they are A drop of another ink forced to become creative... Very well behaved on Hammermill. Photo: Comparison: Water test: (Left side was held under water for 10s) And a little artwork, which is a variation on the same theme: · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with an Ahab flex. · What I liked: Very well-behaved ink. Intriguing colour. · What I did not like: Ironically, I’m not so sure about the colour · What some might not like: Nothing much. · Shading: Yes, there is some. · Ghosting: None. · Bleed through: None. · Flow Rate: Very wet · Lubrication: Slightly below average · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Not really. · Shading Potential: On good paper, yes. · 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: Easy · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw - Violet Giraffe This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano-pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/e...colours?c=4671 I really enjoyed using this, elegant, classy ink. It’s a gorgeous purple, very well lubricated, especially pleasant to write with. However, it does not like copy paper. I went as far as inking a wet vintage pen and regretted it, as the amount of ink it spewed out made it impossible to control the pen, so I won’t recommend you filling your Pelikan “firehose” with a triple B nib 😜 Octopus has a host of warning on their site. ttps://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ So as a test, I let it dry up a bit in my Lamy Safari, basically forgetting it for a week or so, letting evaporation do its thing. Still the cleaning was surprisingly easy. I was disappointed when I did the water test. The ink is water resistant but lost a bit of it's charm. In conclusion, I would recommend this ink for a well sealed, dry-ish pen. Chroma is uninspiring: Writing samples: This ink is a snob. It does not like copy paper. Photo: I have no ink that remotely approaches this one: Water test: I was surprised/ disappointed by the result as you can see the ink was partially removed under running water. and finally a tiny art work, General Giraffe: The other ink is J Herbin, Ambre de Birmanie: · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Conway Stewart 330 double oblique flex (very wet) · What I liked: Elegant, classy colour, breathtaking will almost all nibs, · What I did not like: Not 100% waterproof, not a deal breaker, but I was expecting more from a pigment ink, longish dry times. · What some might not like: Longish dry times, hates copy paper… · Shading: Medium onwards · Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper · Bleed through: Yes, on copy paper · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed. · Start-up: Not noticed. · Saturation: Delicious. · Shading Potential: I can’t see much. · Sheen: Faint with the very wet nib. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, on copy paper. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not noticed. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: No. · Water resistance: Very good but the excess ink washed off. · Availability: 50 ml Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw Ink - Blue Chameleon After reviewing so many inks, it's rare that I get excited about an ink or a new brand. This is one of them. I’ve been tempted to procure a bottle. It's a gorgeous grey blurple, well lubricated that I enjoyed writing in all nibs but the Japanese Ef, Kakuno. it transformed the needle tip of Osmiroid into a dream nib. It's a pigment ink, light fast, waterproof and has all the ISO accreditation you would want. Please note like most pigment inks, it's best using it in a well sealed pen and preferably not your expensive pens. You can read more about it: https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ and the complete line of 38 inks: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/7331/write-and-draw-ink-set-waterproof-drawing-ink-for-fountain-pens-38-colours?c=4671 Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: It doesn't like copy paper much: photo of the Tome River page A little calligraphic work done with thee Osmiroid Copperplate nib (Mnemosyne notebook) Comparison: Water test: (left side was held underwater for 10 seconds and the wiped with tissue paper) And a tiny artwork to showcase the range of the ink (Paper is Talens mixed media) · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Osmiroid copperplate nib · What I liked: Writing with, cushiony feel, intriguing, classy colour. · What I did not like: Writing with Japanese Ef nib · What some might not like: It doesn’t like copy paper · Shading: Yes. · Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper · Bleed through: same as above. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent · Nib Dry-out: Nope. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Elegant · Sheen: Faint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier