Vert Reseda - J. Herbin

[visvamitra]

J. Herbin was established in 1670.

 

M. Herbin was a sailor, and from his many journeys to India he brought back to Paris formulas for manufacturing sealing wax. His special lacquer formula improved the quality of the seals in adhesion and neatness, helping him to become famous throughout the kingdom.

 

J. Herbin is also the oldest name in ink production in the world.

 

By 1700, the company was producing “l’Encre de la Tete Noire,” followed by “Perle des Encres,” (The Jewel of Inks) and “l’Encre des Vaisseaux” (The Ink of Ships).

J. Herbin made ink for Louis XIV, and a black ink for the sole use of Victor Hugo, author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables. These formulas still reside in our company headquarters in Paris.

 

That's what J. Herbin says about themselves. They've been on the market for quite some time and I guess they now what they're doing. However upon trying Vert reseda I've asked myself where is the ink? I see some colored water.

 

Vert Reseda is the worst ink I've ever used. Not only the "color" is ugly, lack of saturation makes it totally inpractical. I like moderately saturated inks but that doesn't mean I'm into writing with water.

 

Ink splash

http://imageshack.com/a/img901/9952/fbw1BR.jpg

Software ID:

 

http://imageshack.com/a/img908/7316/46tsuc.jpg

Color range

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/4238/80Ys2n.jpg

 

Calendar - Kaweco Sport Classic, eyedropper, broadf nib

 

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/1198/yE5feT.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/8228/p8AKcw.jpg

 

 

 

 

[Morphling27]

That's sad it's a bad ink - I know most J. Herbin inks aren't super saturated, but disappointed to see this one that bad. They usually have very good properties otherwise.

[lgsoltek]

This ink is so typical J. Herbin: too watery and too light. It hurts my eyes, together with Diabolo menthe, Bouquet d'antan, Gris nuage, Bleu azur... That's why I've had a prejudice against J. Herbin for a long time, until I purchased a few of their rare saturated inks like Lie de thé, Lierre sauvage and the 1670 series, which are quite impressive.

[KaB]

Can't help but wonder: 'what were they thinking?' (Or maybe: 'what were they drinking?'

[stevesurf]

Yes, for me, Lierre Sauvage and Vert Empire are far more useful, but occasionally, I use inks like Vert Reseda and Bleu Azur just to try something different.

[Mesu]

Can't help but wonder: 'what were they thinking?' (Or maybe: 'what were they drinking?'

Something more saturated than this ink

[Kyouju]

I actually really like this colour... as a wash/fill when I'm painting, anyway. I never use it for writing unless it's with a very wet flex or dip nib, though: it gets a nice, almost luminous (teal-ish) green shade then.

[PDW]

I never use it for writing unless it's with a very wet flex or dip nib, though: it gets a nice, almost luminous (teal-ish) green shade then.

 

Could you post a sample of what it looks like out of a wet pen?

[Kyouju]

 

Could you post a sample of what it looks like out of a wet pen?

Sure Though it'll have to be when I return to the country -- I'm travelling and don't have my bottle.

 

In the meantime, I recommend a look at member mhphoto's review of the ink. The one done with a Brause 66 is a superb example of what I described. His flex FP sample is a little lighter than what I usually get with mine, though that's probably just since I tend to use only the hosepipes with this ink.

[visvamitra]

Well I guess one can make some use of it for coloring or brushing but not for writing with regular pen

[bone215]

I really like this color. Smooth and mellow.

Make sure you shake your Herbin inks before removing from bottle, both of mine perform better that way.

[bstnnyc]

Great review as usual visvamitra! As much as I love my Herbin inks, like you, I hated this one. As others have noted, it looked more saturated in my wet writers so I didn't have as much of a legibility issue as an issue with the ink's performance. This is one of the most watery Herbin inks I've used -- to the point that it usually adds at least a nib size or two to whatever I put it in. And despite its wetness it does not allow the nib to glide smoothly across the page, so I've never enjoyed writing with... (Plus, like you, I just didn't like the color )

[senzen]

Great review but I have to confess I'm starting to like it!