Anyone have an ink notebook

[Nikhil]

I had a a spare Sasquatch notebook and decided to make it an ink book. I have 3 sections in my ink book, one for all the ink-pen combos I make, another for the ink swabs from my ink bottles, and I final one for writing ink color samples for all the main inks, like all the Aurora, PR, Parker, Nooder's, etc inks. How long 'till it will be finished?! Anyone else do this?

[Strang]

I keep an ink book. It contains two writing samples of all the inks I try, from two different pens.

[oldnavy1988]

Yes. I have a small Rhodia graph notebook that I write one page in for each ink. I call it my ink log. At first I used index cards (yuk) but found this was a much better alternative. Unless I completely miss the mark, I think many of the members of FPN keep such documentation.

[dizzypen]

I had an ink notebook, but converted to an index card system. It works well for me.

[withoutink]

Fantastic idea, thanks for sharing. A newbie like me will really benefit from something like this. I think Ill hit Target tomorrow and grab a Rhodia notebook...

[Nikhil]

Fantastic idea, thanks for sharing. A newbie like me will really benefit from something like this. I think Ill hit Target tomorrow and grab a Rhodia notebook...

Thanks for your response. When I went to Target, they had a great selection of notebooks. They only had Rhodia graph were I went, but I hear many people that Target has lined.

[Bill]

I'm on my second "official" one but don't keep it up much nowadays. New pen/nib/ink combos get recorded with the date. Sometime I simply write the date and do a sample from each pen in the rotation at that time. I often do similar samples in the back of whatever notebook I happen to be using.

 

It's interesting to see how one ink looks different with different nibs and different paper. It's also instructive to see the look of an ink after time passes, how an ink darkens through evaporation in various pens, or to see what an ink looks like that I have not used for a long time.

 

Bill

Edited November 24, 2009 by Bill

[withoutink]

Anyone mind scanning a few pages of whats inside your ink notebooks? Just looking for inspiration...

[JakobS]

I recently started one, I am using a Staples Bagasse Composition notebook. Because I did not know what to do with it( having three), I decided to keep a little ink book. I am giving three pages to each ink, and then am writing a little note for each pen used with that ink. Then, I write the alphabet out in capitals, and numbers 1-20, a few lines and circles. I have put down ten inks so far, having started it around two months ago. I actually forgot about it until I saw this topic, but haven't missed any inks that I have been using since I started it. I make sure to use nibs that are specifically made to write in a certain way, italic, flex etc. to express their specific qualities, so it is neat to turn the pages and see so many varieties of hands and scripts! I don't keep all my entries the same length, and you can probably tell my favorite inks by how long their entries are, though my first entries were shorter overall. So far all but Sailor Jentle Black have one pen entry, so there is much more to be recorded....on to Ink #11....

[Scriptorium Pens]

I keep an ink notebook on paper and in Evernote. In the paper notebook I have a section where I write the name of each ink as I get it, in its own color, then have sections for each color family with about 3 lines each to give a good idea of the color. I use Evernote to keep a digital notebook on pens and inks. I crop images of ink swatches from vendor sites and from FPN reviews . I then use those images to create an ink reference of all the inks I have, color grouped, and another reference page of inks I think I might like to try. Just today, I decided to start making a page of pen & ink combos, and it was a lot of fun to switch around various ink swatches & pens to see what I liked the best. I also keep clippings of all the great info I run across here on the FPN that I think might come in handy some day. (No affiliation with Evernote, just a big fan of its usefulness and cross-platform compatibility.)

[jk0592]

I use a Rhodia notebook in A4 format and spiral back. I write a few lines in it each time a fountain pen is filled with ink, including the date, the pen and the ink. Like this, I can always track down what ink is in what pen, and how long it has been so. This is is a necessary supplement to my tendency to easily forget about such details.

[Phormio]

I sort of have two. One is the back of my Moleskine and the other is on a standard, no frills (but not recycled) note pad so that I have a reference on two mediums. Having said that, the note pad is a more structured reference whilst the moleskine entries are more random.

[GreenVelvet]

I also just record any pen refill, and sometimes doodle or compare inks in my notebook. I'm on my third one now, and I will not be without one again.

 

Anyone mind scanning a few pages of whats inside your ink notebooks? Just looking for inspiration...

 

As per excellent advice from FPN folks on what to do at my first pen show, I took my ink book to record samples of Noodler's inks at the New England Pen Show. Here's a peek at that.

 

And here's another look at my ink journal with a couple of comparisons.

 

This is my previous ink journal, a Clairefontaine. The one I'm using now is Exacompta (also Clairefontaine paper, I think) but has lines. I think I prefer them blank.

[matje]

Following sections in my ink book:

1. Ink swabs sorted brand wise

2. Ink swabs sorted colour wise

3. Index of custom mixes

4. Pen/ink combos sorted chronologically

 

pedantic? you bet.

[penguinmaster]

I keep two ink notebooks.

 

One is my ink review book (2 of them actually). They are circa notebooks that hold all the ink reviews I do. I typically only do one review of each ink, with whichever pen I ink first with that ink. It is done on 110# cardstock and has information I want to know about the inks. It's a quick to read overview of every ink in my collection. Well most, I still have a few I need to review (about 15 I think actually!). It also includes in the back of it a few pieces of copy paper and moleskine paper to test the inks out on.

 

I also have done multiple iterations of another ink notebook, although I think I've finally settled on my book of choice. I started using staples bagasse looseleaf paper, that was before I realized it was something I wanted to do, at that time it was more out of boredom. Once I realized the usefulness of it I started using a Staples Bagasse Composition book. I finally switched to my current and hopefully last iteration. Something a bit more durable I hope, an A4 Moleskine Folio.

 

In that book I put my favorite quote (a quote from "The Prince") from every pen I ink. It includes the date, quote, pen used, nib size, and ink used. I kick myself for switching as much as I have, because I would be pretty well on my way with lots of ink comparisons. So in that book I may have one ink a few times, but in different pens and widths, which is helpful in seeing how an ink reacts differently with different pens and widths. I enjoy flipping through even the few amount of pages I have already looking at it. It's pretty neat to see the array of colors.

 

I've included pictures of both below.

 

Ink Review Book

 

http://facstaff.uww.edu/pellizzt/inkbook/ink3.jpg

 

http://facstaff.uww.edu/pellizzt/inkbook/ink4.jpg

 

Ink Comparison Notebook (Moleskine A4 Folio)

 

http://facstaff.uww.edu/pellizzt/inkbook/ink1.jpg

 

http://facstaff.uww.edu/pellizzt/inkbook/ink2.jpg

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[lapis]

An ink notebook no, but I do have a pile of sheets I collect as an "Ink Inventory". Date of fill, pen, ink, marks re wetness, drying time, intensity, rinceability and so on. Especially comparisons of different inks in one pen, and vice versa. That way I know what inks to get again soon, and which ones to leave untouched on the shelf.

 

Mike

[Biber]

I have a small Moleskin journal that I've dedicated as my observation journal, where I keep my pen and ink reviews as well as reviews of books I've read and any other such observations I like to keep.

 

B

[Scylla]

I keep samples on index cards. I was thinking of using a notebook but the cards are easier to sort and file.

[fixedintime]

I've gone overboard -

 

At work I have index cards for each now ink, then I keep a notebook and each day I date and write one line with each pen I have with me identifying the pen and ink I am using. I try to keep that to three pens, but sometimes there are four.

 

At home I keep several notebooks

1. In each of a Rhodia, Moleskine, and a traditional notebook I write a line each time I refill a pen. That gives me info on how each pen and ink behaves on different paper.

2. For each new ink I have a #13 Rhodia pad that I fill one page for each new ink.

3. Similar to my work notebook I have a pad that I write one short line - date, pen, ink for each currently inked pen.

4. Lastly I have a notebook with one line entry that identifies the pen and ink I used in my journal for the day.

[CraigR]

I recently started using a Circa notebook which I have filled with HP 32lb high quality laser paper. There are two sections to the notebook - one for pens and the other for inks. When I fill a pen with fresh ink, I first record a line or two in the pen section including date. Secondly, I write a line or two under the ink tab and under the specific in. For instance, yesterday, I fill a 1946 Parker 51, grey, fine, with Levenger Regal. In the pen area, I made that entry with the above info and date. In the ink section, I went the the area for Levenger - Regal and recorded the same info. My intent was to be able to see what pens were inked with what ink on a given day, have writing samples for each pen with various inks and have writing samples for each ink with various pens. So far, so good. /Craig