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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.

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

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.)

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

Rohrer & Klingner sketchINK Carmen I was quite a bit excited when I started the review. The colour seemed promising however, in the end the promising colour was due to a not so thoroughly cleaned feed. The colour is quite close to Super5 Delhi which I reviewed prior. I was excited when I saw the reddish blob in the chroma but in the end was disappointed by the colour. It’s another pure orange. Writing samples: As you can see the heading and the F nib is darker but soon after the colour reverted to what it should be. A comparison page between Super5 Delhi and sketchINK Carmen It's really ugly on copy paper. photo: Comparison: Water test: (Left side was under water) And finally a homage at the opera Carmen and the fatal flower that seals the tragic destructive relationship: · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub , Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B,1.9), Kanwrite with an Ahab nib · What I liked: The name, reddish orange hint. · What I did not like: I prefer my oranges on the red side. · What some might not like: Dryish ink, nanopigment ink, · Shading: No. · Ghosting: With very wet pens and have handed writing. .. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Medium · Lubrication: Dry · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: No. · Shading Potential: Dismal. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: It's a nano pigment ink. They tend to stick to everything, so you might need to use a penflush to be sure. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Kakimori Tototo I used to love the Kakimori line with their appealing bottles and whimsical names. However, as writing inks I cannot recommend them anymore, mostly because their long dry time, ironically on Japanese paper. However, as artist inks they are fabulous, they're easy to clean and waterproof. Here is the bottle with the wooden cap, curtesy of Kakimroi website. (If you buy them directly from their website, they have standard and aluminum cap also) Here's how they describe their ink: "Tototo is the gentle melody of a special rosé poured in quiet company. A colour to elevate everyday life or celebrate a special occasion." Our original inks are inspired by Japanese word play and imagery. Listen to the colourful conversations of dripping ink." Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: Look at the smudging: Comparison: Water test (Nothing budges) And as usual an artwork, this was part of Inktober 2023 challenge: Map Inks used are: Octopus Write & Draw Fox Grey Noodler's Bad Green Gator /Apache Sunset Kakimori Tototo J Herbin Bleu Nuit (Brush pen)/ Rouge Grenat Diamine Sepia + Herbin Perle Noire · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B), · What I liked: The colour. · What I did not like: long dry times as unusual · What some might not like: As of above, and lower than average lubrication, pigment ink · Shading: Yes. · Ghosting: On cheap copy paper · Bleed through: The wetter your pen, the worst it become. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Below average · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Did not notice. · Shading Potential: It’s there. · Sheen: No · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 30 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

There’s something about Octopus Write and Draw series. They have been a breath of fresh air, in the permanent ink world. Fox Grey isn't any different. It even makes the scratchy Kakuno Ef a pleasure to write with. The colour is pleasing, a warmish blue grey. Octopus has a host of warnings and does not recommend you using it in your favorite fountain pen. And recommends a well-sealed pen, which is a no brainer. In my experience it's best to use theses inks in pens that can be fully dismantled. They also 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/ Let's start with the chroma: You can see clearly see the purplish grey. Writing samples: As you can see the wetter/wider the nib, the more ghosting /bleeding there'll be. Photo: which shows the bluish tinge. Comparison: Water test: [after 24 hrs, nothing budged] And finally a tiny artwork inspired by the ink: · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B), Kanwrite with Ahab nib · What I liked: Beautiful colour, very well behaved. · What I did not like: Nothing. · What some might not like: Doesn’t function as well with wider nibs on copy paper. · Shading: Quite nice. · Ghosting: On copy paper · Bleed through: Same as above, only with Broad /flex nibs. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Quite good. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Dark saturated grey · Shading Potential: Look for yourself. · Sheen: No · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Only with water · 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

This is an excellent ink by De Atramentis, lovely colour, well behaved and easy to clean. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: It even loved Hammermill...The pink smudges are from Noodler's Park Red, I reviewed before Photo of Tomoe River Comparison: Watertest: And finally an artwork. It was a part of a daily challenge Dystopia, inspired form the Matrix. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with an Ahab nib. · What I liked: Delightful muted colour. · What I did not like: Nothing much. · What some might not like: Fear of nano pigment inks. · Shading: Yes · Ghosting: No. · Bleed through: No. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Good. · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: No. · Shading Potential: Yes but better with wider nivs. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Very easy. · 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

Noodler’s 1984 This is the regular lineup 1984 and not one of the special edition inks. It’s a fast drying, cellulose loving ink. It absolutely hates Tomoe River 68 gr paper. It does a lot of unmentionable things to it and any cheap/thin papers. What I noticed was that if the feed is primed the ink will bleed through anything, however, if you un-prime the feed, and let it settle it works fine. Noodler’s has many bulletproof purples, which are better behaved than this one, such as Tchaikovsky or even Polar Purple to name a few. But then again, if you’re a fan of Orwell, 1984, you can rein this misbehaving ink. Either with Rhodia, Midori or Maruman, or a thick absorbent paper and a fine nib. Using a gusher is foolhardy What I noticed over the week or so using this ink, that every time, I reached a pen with this ink, I enjoyed writing with it, thanks to its excellent lubrication. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: I didn't bother posting Hammermill. You can see how it affects this paper: Photo on Maruman Mnemosyne Paper with the Kanwrite flex nib. Comparison: Watertest: The nib of the Kakuno Ef was primed. Not a good idea. As you can see how it spread. But afterwards it was alright.... and finally an artwork. Mushroom, I did a wash with this ink, and here you can see the complexity of the ink shining: Paper is a Talens Mixed media paper Other inks are Noodler's Polar Brown / De Atramentis Document Red. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno (Ef, Stub( , Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B), Kanwrite with Ahab nib · What I liked: Fast drying time, muted purple, perfect for a lefty overwrite, chroma, doing ink washes and the pleasant writing experience. · What I did not like: It’s a finicky (read high maintenance) ink. It doesn’t like certain papers at all. I prefer other purples. · What some might not like: Feathering, woolly line and the above. · Shading: Are you kidding me? · Ghosting: Yes, on Tomoe River 68gr · Bleed through: Yes, on Tomoe River 68gr with some wet pen configuration · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Didn’t notice. · Start-up: Didn’t notice. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Are you kidding me again? · Sheen: Nope. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, on some papers, especially if the feed is primed, i.e. when you fill up your pen. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: A bit · Staining (pen): Surprisingly no. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: I put it in the middle to high maintenance category, ike most purple inks. I let it soak in solution. · Water resistance: Excellent. Nothing budges. · Availability: 3 oz, 90 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Noodler's Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia This ink is exclusive to Goulet's and sold in 4.5 oz (128 ml) bottles with a free Charlie pen. I've added links for those interested to read about the creation of this ink. Italics are quotes from Goulet's website. Ink is in homage to Nathan Tardiff's great uncle Reginald Hegarty - who served upon whaleships and whose father was a whale ship captain and Manjiro Nakahama. (photo courtesy of Wikipedia) A fisherman at age 14. he was stranded on an Island (1841) and saved by an American whaler ship who brought him back to the US, (due to Japan's period of isolation) to Nathan Tardiff's hometown. He was "adopted" by the neighbour of the captain and sent to school to study English and navigation. Later he returns to Japan despite the danger of being killed and being one of the rare Japanese who lived in Mainland US, participates in the "opening of Japan" period. He was made a Samurai, later on and his sword was gifted to the Milicent Library Fairhaven, Massachusetts in 1918. While the sword was stolen in 1977, a replica was given back to the library. I would say, this is Noodler's at the best, you buy more than a bottle of ink, you buy a bottle of history, with so many layer. I'm glad it's exclusive to Goulet's and it's such a big bottle. I won't be tempted to buy it (Goulet doesn't ship to my province ) The ink reacts with bleach and creates a magnificent red and supposedly if the bleach is strong enough it'll then become purple. According to the Goulet website: These colors were designed for their symbolic value: sepia brown from 1840s whalemen's ink, red for the color of the Japanese national flag, and purple in honor of Emperor Meiji - for his reasoning affected by Manjiro Nakahama. Ink is a reddish brown, as you can see with the chroma: Writing samples: Quotes are from Herman Melville's Moby Dick, who was also a whaler and sailed from Fairhaven. T The ghosting and bleed through is minimal despite what the scan shows. However, it's best on thicker papers. Photo: Comparison: Watertest: I changed my method and poured some water on the left side of the paper and dried it with a piece of tissue. While it looks washed out I couldn't discern any ink on the tissue paper. I added some bleach and managed to create the red, but couldn't create the purple. And finally and artwork, which I named Creation which is an homage to Herman Melville, Moby DIck: I only used this ink, either in strong concentration or diluted with a touch of bleach to create the red effect. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate nib · What I liked: Extremely pleasant writing experience. · What I did not like: I’m nitpicking but maybe the hint of red in the brown, big bottle, and exclusive to Goulet's (though it's a plus, as I won't be able to order it) · What some might not like: Big bottle, exclusive to Goulet’s, tendency to stain transparent sections. · Shading: Faint · Ghosting: Faint · Bleed through: with a gusher, but I’ve seen much worse. · Flow Rate: Nice and wet · Lubrication: Very good. · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed. · Start-up: Nope · Saturation: Nope · Shading Potential: Yes. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Yes. It did stain the transparent section of Kakuno, so you need Doyou or Red Rattler's Eel nearby. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Easy, like most pigment/bulletproof inks. · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 4.5oz ≈ 128 ml Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier