Opalescent Fountain Pen Ink?

[sotto2]

If I haven't found it and eaten it already, a 3-week old Krispy Kreme donut goes to the first person who provides the brand, writing sample, and store location for an opalescent fountain pen ink. (and just sheen doesn't count)

 

Many tanks.

[inkstainedruth]

Not sure what you mean by "opalescent" (as opposed to obvious -- not subtle -- sheen); for "in your face" sheen, there's Private Reserve DC Supeshow Blue, but I don't know if that's what you're looking for.

As for the Krispy Kreme -- I'll pass. If it's not freshly hot out of the oven it's not worth eating (and I actually prefer Dunkin Donuts, thanks -- Krispy Kremes are too sweet for me).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

​ETA: And if you're looking for something to match a gel pen ink, I don't think you'll be that successful -- I believe they are formulated differently from FP inks.

I spent some time last fall trying to match the color and sheen from a sample of a dark reddish purple gel pen ink and wasn't wholly successful (Diamine Merlot wasn't bad; De Atramentis Patchouli was close, but smells awful and didn't really have the sheen). The only real plus out of the process was that I discovered Noodler's Purple Heart (a Goulet Pens exclusive, IIRC), Private Reserve Ebony Purple, R&K Scabiosa and Organics Studio Red Rubber Ball and Purplillusion (both of which of those last two I fear are LE inks). None of those were matches either, but it made for an interesting experiment.

Edited June 27, 2014 by inkstainedruth

[sotto2]

o·pal·es·cent

ˌōpəˈlesənt/

adjective

adjective: opalescent

1. 
   
   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   showing varying colors as an opal does.

   
   

   
   
   synonyms:
   
   iridescent, prismatic, rainbowlike, kaleidoscopic, multicolored, many-hued, lustrous, shimmering, glittering, sparkling, variegated, scintillating, shot, moiré, opaline, milky, pearly, nacreous
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   

[Sasha Royale]

"opalescent" is used by those who see the glass to be "half full". It is caused by refraction of light in the layers of the gemstone.

 

When the glass is "half empty" , we see "non-homogeneous" color in our fountain pen ink. Show of hands, please >>>

How many want fountain pen ink thick enough to deploy in layers. All kidding aside, pose this question to folks at

an art store. I think paint and brush is more likely the answer.

[inkstainedruth]

Well, if you mean "iridescent" I'm not sure how that would be different from an ink with sheen. If you mean multicolored, you could take a look at reviews of Iroshihzuku Kosumosu, which is supposed to shade from pink to orange. I say "supposed to" because I couldn't get it to do that -- needed a wetter and broader pen than anything I had at the time... and in incandescent light it just looked like overripe watermelon.

If you mean many-hued, there's always Noodler's Rome Burning. But I doubt that you mean in the way that RB changes color (er, has the top layer of color wash off) when wet....

I actually am familiar with opals (black opal is one of my favorite kinds of gemstone, but completely unaffordable unless I win the lottery). I was questioning your meaning in relation to inks. I suspect you need an ink that will be fairly wet, and I'm not sure that sheen isn't actually what you're looking for. I'll still recommend DCSSB -- with the caveat that it dries very slowly (smudgy several weeks after it's "dry" on the page). But is a gorgeous color (red sheen on a blue that's somewhere between sapphire and cobalt in color in of itself).

I would take a look at the "Inks that sheen" thread and look at the scans people have posted.

Hmm. Have not tried the "new" reformulation of J Herbin Rouge Hematite; I have some of the original (with the gold flecks in it). The intermediate reformulation got rid of the flecks as clogging to feeds, and the newest version, IIRC, put some of that back. The other possibility would be to go to dip pens and get some sort of metallic ink, or to learn how to do gilding (there's nothing quite like burnished gold leaf ). I'd be afraid to mix shell gold with ink unless you were specifically putting it in a dip pen, but I can ask people I know who have used it for calligraphy and illumination whether they've used it with anything other than a brush.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Gaslight]

 

o·pal·es·cent

ˌōpəˈlesənt/

adjective

adjective: opalescent

1. showing varying colors as an opal does.

   synonyms: iridescent, prismatic, rainbowlike, kaleidoscopic, multicolored, many-hued, lustrous, shimmering, glittering, sparkling, variegated, scintillating, shot, moiré, opaline, milky, pearly, nacreous

 

 

 

Sounds like (and pictures on wikipedia look like) an effect which can only be seen in objects/liquids with layers and/or particles. Fountain pen ink is a solution, so I don't think it's possible to see opalescence in FP ink...

[sotto2]

I hadn't had enough old Krispy Kreme donuts today, so I'm going to have to tweak my original post and say I'm looking for pearlescent fountain pen inks. The only thing I've found is J. Herbin's Encre Nacree, but they specifically state it is NOT for fountain pens.

 

It's about 2/3 of the way down at this link:

 

http://www.jherbin.com/specialty_inks.shtml

 

 

And I'm looking for this kind of shimmery, pearl-y opal-y effect, only in a fountain pen safe ink:

 

http://i60.tinypic.com/14m8hp2.jpg

Edited June 27, 2014 by sotto2

[FPFan]

I think you will only find this in A) paints and Japanese made GEL Pens.

[Sinistral1]

It cannot be done at this particular point in the space/time contiguim (sp?). As a long-time calligrapher, I am able to use gouach color mixed with various gouach "pearls" and gold, silver, etc. to create a custom ink that is metallic and can be used in a dip pen. The problem, as I understand it, is that the "flakes" that make up the sparkle are too big to pass from the ink reservoir, through the section and nib to flow out and write. I suppose if they make these flakes small enough to easily move through the pen, then they are not big enough to reflect the light, which is how they sparkle.

 

So, in this case, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

 

Since my gouach mix doesn't have to flow through the section and also doesn't have the chance to let the flakes settle at the bottom of an ink reservoir (which would be another flow problem I didn't even mention), it works really, really well. Most gel pens write a pretty wide line - so that the flakes have room to come out of the pen and not get plugged up in the tip.

 

For me, the sheening inks are a very satisfactory compromise. Maybe some day somebody will figure out how to make a shiny material small enough to shine and flow through a fountain pen, but I don't think that has happened yet.

[sotto2]

It cannot be done at this particular point in the space/time contiguim (sp?). As a long-time calligrapher, I am able to use gouach color mixed with various gouach "pearls" and gold, silver, etc. to create a custom ink that is metallic and can be used in a dip pen. The problem, as I understand it, is that the "flakes" that make up the sparkle are too big to pass from the ink reservoir, through the section and nib to flow out and write. I suppose if they make these flakes small enough to easily move through the pen, then they are not big enough to reflect the light, which is how they sparkle.

 

So, in this case, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

 

Since my gouach mix doesn't have to flow through the section and also doesn't have the chance to let the flakes settle at the bottom of an ink reservoir (which would be another flow problem I didn't even mention), it works really, really well. Most gel pens write a pretty wide line - so that the flakes have room to come out of the pen and not get plugged up in the tip.

 

For me, the sheening inks are a very satisfactory compromise. Maybe some day somebody will figure out how to make a shiny material small enough to shine and flow through a fountain pen, but I don't think that has happened yet.

 

You mean I can't have my donut and eat it too?? :-|

 

Thanks for the great explanation. So I wonder why somebody doesn't make some paper with the flakes on it that are activated by any fountain pen ink, thus effectively converting the ink lines from a fountain pen to pearlescent lines. Not a big enough audience maybe.

[Sinistral1]

I can't say for sure, but that might be opening up a whole 'nother can of worms!

 

I remain content to know that my pearly ink will be in every ink shop when I get to heaven.

[Octo]

Try doing a search within "inks with a sheen" for "Sky High" Then do another search for Sky High in the regular ink reviews listing and make a comparison. With a dip pen Sky High might just be your answer.

[sotto2]

Sorry, not interested in pearlescent inks for dip pens, but thanks!

[tfwall]

The other possibility would be to go to dip pens and get some sort of metallic ink, or to learn how to do gilding (there's nothing quite like burnished gold leaf ). I'd be afraid to mix shell gold with ink unless you were specifically putting it in a dip pen, but I can ask people I know who have used it for calligraphy and illumination whether they've used it with anything other than a brush.

 

That FP ink exists, but it is expensive.

[sotto2]

OK, that Krispy Kreme donut is now 3 weeks and 1 day old....

[Cepasaccus]

The OVI (Optical variable ink) on bank notes is based on "pigments", which are multilayered. The changing 5 on the new 5-Euro note has a pigment with 7 layers where the center layer is magnetic. I doubt these inks can be suitable for fountain pens. An I am not sure if consistency and drying time of an ink is suitable for these pigments to arrange themself properly.

[amberleadavis]

Sotto2 - I have some great metallic papers that are fun and FP friendly.

[sotto2]

Thanks, Amberlea. Where can a person pick some of those up?

[amberleadavis]

Send me your address and I'll mail you a few sheets. I bought envelopes first, but the paper I found at paperworks.com.

[sotto2]

PM sent, Amberlea. And I thank u.