March 2013 Maryland Uv Fade Test

[mrcharlie]

On March 25, 2013 I cut this sheet in half and put one half in the west (I think) facing window of my bedroom in central Maryland. The inks tested are:

• Rohrer & Klingner Cassia
• Diamine Deep Magenta
• Scribal Work Shop Nessie Purple
• Schneider Blue (from a cartridge)
• Scribal Work Shop Zhulong Red
• Late 1940's Vintage Sheaffer's Skrip Permanent Red
• J. Herbin Rouge Caroubier
• Levenger mix of 1/2 Amethyst and 1/2 Cardinal Red
• 1940s Vintage Skrip mix of 1/2 Permanent Red and 1/2 Washable Purple
• Levenger Cardinal Red

Here is the initial scan of the test sheet prior to being cut and 1/2 put in the window. Click on it for the full size scan.

http://imageshack.us/a/img405/7922/txap.jpg

[mrcharlie]

I scanned this test after just less than 1 month, on April 21, 2013, and again after nearly 3 months, on June 15, 2013. The short summary is that Scribal Work Shop Nessie Purple is awesome at resisting UV, and none of the rest are going last.

 

Here is the April scan; click on it for full size.

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img221/7337/19zr.jpg

 

 

And here is the June scan; also click on it for full size. As you might expect with most blue, purple, and red dyes, about half the inks are wiped out, the other half are mostly destroyed but still have a barely readable remnant. But SWS Nessie Purple has not changed to any noticeable extent. Truly exceptional UV fade resistance.

 

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img594/8599/ufu8.jpg

Edited June 16, 2013 by mrcharlie

[Cake]

Cool project/experiment! I enjoyed these scans. From seeing your results, I might try Scribal Work Shop Nessie Purple.

[amberleadavis]

Oooh, Cardinal red did better than I expected (though not well enough to classify as fade resistant). Thank you for the hard work!

[mrcharlie]

The latest scan, done on July 23, 2013. You can click on it for the full size scan.

 

Everything on this sheet is now basically destroyed except SWS Nessie Purple, which is approximately unchanged.

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img20/2367/8ntb.jpg

[amberleadavis]

I find it interesting the Levenger Cobalt held up, but your Levenger mix (1/2 cobalt) did not.

[mrcharlie]

I find it interesting the Levenger Cobalt held up, but your Levenger mix (1/2 cobalt) did not.

 

It isn't 1/2 cobalt; it is 1/2 amethyst and 1/2 cardinal.

[amberleadavis]

OH.... well, that' means I should learn how to read.

 

BTW, how does Cardinal hold up?

[mrcharlie]

OH.... well, that' means I should learn how to read.

 

BTW, how does Cardinal hold up?

 

Same as every other red on the page. Doesn't.

[amberleadavis]

Bummer

[mrcharlie]

Scanned again after sundown on August 31, 2013.

 

The only reason to keep scanning this one is to see SWS Nessie Purple holding up. Everything else is already erased or so close to it as not to matter.

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img405/3208/fjgv.jpg

[amberleadavis]

Wow, reds and purples just don't want to play in the sun do they? I love Cardinal Red because it so true and wonderful, and it's at lest still legible, but dang.

 

 

Thank you for all the hard work!

[WirsPlm]

Obviously I need to place an order for some Scribal workshop inks.

[visvamitra]

That's great idea

[Zilknitha]

This is really interesting. What is it about the red inks that stops it from being uv resistant? Is to do with the ink reacting with the paper? Or somthing else?

[amberleadavis]

It's not just reds.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Tests/Fade/2012/First_Tests/2012-Exp2/slides/2012-07-06-exp2_09.jpg

[wykeite]

This is really interesting. What is it about the red inks that stops it from being uv resistant? Is to do with the ink reacting with the paper? Or somthing else?

I had a red car once and no two panels on it were the same shade. I spoke to a friend that had a car dealership and he told me that red is notorious for fading. Apparently the pigment used is very unstable. Maybe it's the same with ink pigments, then again maybe that's rubbish.