Two Year (Behind Glass) Fade Test

[bottled.Ink]

Here's a two year behind-glass fade test.

ink number zero is Noodler's Blue Ghost, it was

about 50% faded under UV light.

[Consulting_Detective]

Wow, this really proves that Noodler's inks area really bulletproof...

 

-C.D

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Very cool test. It certainly seems that blacks are the best archival choice. A couple of those look like they were freshly written. What are the intensely white lines on #8 and #21? It almost looks like white-out.

[lgsoltek]

Very cool test. It certainly seems that blacks are the best archival choice. A couple of those look like they were freshly written. What are the intensely white lines on #8 and #21? It almost looks like white-out.

 

I think those are folding lines.

[bottled.Ink]

 

I think those are folding lines.

that's right; my nephews ran the test and mailed the

results back to me. I didn't put much effort into uncreasing

the pages.

[inkyfingr]

Nice experiment!

[Daisy25]

This is probably a silly question, but how do inks fare in the long run when not exposed to light? Are inks in journal books lasting?

[Wandering Man]

Good job. Looks like they all did well when kept in the drawer for two years.

 

I'll tell my mom to go in the closet to read my letters.

[visvamitra]

Spectacular. A pity Pumpkin fades, it's such a nice color to use.

[amberleadavis]

THANK YOU!! I love these tests.

 

All of my fade tests are behind a UV protective glass. Any glass sold of windows around here have a UV treatment. Inks often fade.

 

Thank you for sharing!

[bossy]

Thanks, interesting test. Noodler wins again.

[WilsonCQB1911]

Great post, thank you! Very informative stuff.

[Binge]

Very awesome test! If you're ever in my neck of the woods I'll buy you a drink.

[jandrese]

Very interesting. Thanks for making the effort to record this effect over time.

[chewytulip]

Wow. I thought Rome Burning only did the color shift when exposed to water - this makes it more interesting to me. (Like I should start making "fridge art" for everyone I know, so I can watch the ink change color over time.)

[stephanos]

That is both highly informative and quite a lesson in (non)permanence. Thank you.

[KBeezie]

Wow, this really proves that Noodler's inks area really bulletproof...

 

-C.D

You mean eternal. Bulletproof properties are not for protection against UV, but 'eternal' properties are.

 

http://noodlersink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/103012_noodlers-ink-properties.pdf

[amberleadavis]

This is probably a silly question, but how do inks fare in the long run when not exposed to light? Are inks in journal books lasting?

 

It's not a silly question.

 

Here is another person's explanation.

 

Dye fading is, essentially, due to oxidation, and UV exposure "photoexcites" the dyes, leading to a faster oxidation rate, and thus a faster fading rate.

 

Which is to say, dye fading in a dark dry notebook and dye fading in a UV-exposed window are actually fading via the same mechanism, but the process is accelerated due to the added energy of UV absorption.

 

Which is to say, UV torture tests are a great way to determine the longevity of dye coloration in a dark, dry notebook. Assuming the paper does not somehow contribute to the problem.

[yogalarva]

This is awesome! I love doing these kinds of tests myself but because there are so many inks out there to be tested, the more data the merrier! :-)

[LionRoar]

This is probably a silly question, but how do inks fare in the long run when not exposed to light? Are inks in journal books lasting?

 

From what I know about this stuff, dyes fade when exposed to light. In a closed notebook or in a drawer, this shouldn't be a problem (unless the dye reacts to the air, which could be a possibility). Certainly I have stuff I've written in colored ink from more than a decade ago that look prefectly unfaded in closed notebooks.

 

Some of those dyes faded so much that they are invisible! I still wouldn't trust even the blacks to hold up over decade. You should NOT use fountain pens for artwork that will be displayed.

 

For true archival ink, you need to buy India ink from an art supply store and use that with a dip pen (because it will ruin fountain pens).

 

Art supply stores also sell felt-tip pens that have archival pigmented ink, and honestl those are a much better deal for any type of writing that will be exposed to light and you want to remain permanent.