Dr. Ph. Martin's Synchromatic Water Colors

[BamaPen]

Does anyone know if it would be safe to use Dr. Ph. Mrtin's Synchromatic Water Colors in a fountain pen? On the bottle it shows that it can be used with a technical pen, brush, or airbrush. Any ideas?

[jBeckett]

Can and should are two very different things. Pretty much any kind of liquid will work in a fountain pen "for a while" but it can damage it pretty badly as well. Best to just stick to "for fountain pens" ink.

[OiRogers]

My first inclination is "No". These are a pigment based product aren't they? Guessing they'd foul your feed sooner rather than later. It would be safer than India Ink I'd guess, but I'd avoid feeding them to my pens.

 

Have you tried contacting the manufacturer to seek the "official word"?

[WillSW]

Would you mix up watercolors and put them in your fountain pen? Seems like you should stick to fountain pen inks, which aren't all that different in effect than watercolors. That's why we love shading.

[stevlight]

Do NOT use in a fountain pen--they are made from pigment dissolved in liquid and the particulate will clog your feed. You can use india ink in a technical pen but NOT in a FP so that on the label does not mean it is safe.

[bitterwonder]

No. See above.

Also, Dr Martins stain very vividly.

[Tweel]

I have a different precaution. The "synchromatic" watercolors seem to be transparent ones -- dye- rather than pigment-based. So, although the flow might not be ideal, they probably would work in a FP. However, transparent watercolors usually aren't lightfast, and in fact can disappear quite quickly (I've discovered, to my chagrin).

 

-- Brian

[encremental]

Correct - Dr Martin's watercolour is outrageously fugitive.

 

I bought a full set for painting (seduced by the bright colours) but before using them, I took the precaution of making two test sheets, one of which I pasted in my north facing window, the other I kept in a drawer. Within two weeks, the sheet in the window had faded to nothing, and so, reluctantly I gave my (rather expensive) set away. These colours can really only be used for commercial art & consequent reproduction (which to be fair, is what they are intended for), pretty though they are. Anything else and it's tears before bedtime.

 

John