Ink Mixing: Blacks, Browns And Greys

[Ash1]

Hello,

I am wondering whether it is possible to mix colors to create blacks, browns and greys. If it is possible what colors would I need to make them?

 

Thanks,

Ash

[mmg122]

Certainly grey can be produced by diluting black. I doubt that a satisfactory black can be produced by mixing inks. Don't have a clue about brown.

[mhguda]

Red and green make a nice brown. You have to experiment a little with what inks and what proportions though.

[rudyhou]

from my experience, you can pretty much mix left over inks of different major colors together, and you'll end up with a deep dark brown-ish ink color tone, depending on which ink color used more. but yes, as 'mhguda' mentioned, the same can be achieved from mixing red with green. as for black and grey, use the darkest black and the lightest grey you have or can buy and get various tones of black and grey ink colors, depending on the mixing formula.

[Canopus]

You have to keep color theory in mind, the subtractive method specially since it relates to reflections such as dyes on paper. Basically you start with three "basic" colors: Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. With those three you can create all sorts of color including black and brown. You have secondary colors like blue, red and green. Then you have "tinted" colors that push to one color more than the other. And then you have tertiary colors which are more complex, brown and all its variants fall into that.

 

Dyes which are already secondary colors like green should be though out as being both cyan and yellow for mixing purposes, like with Montblanc Toffee Brown which is a green dyes plus magenta one. Or to get close to a desirable color so you just have to adjust the hue a little bit

 

I'm still learning about it so I can't tell much more than that. I know that browns are a mixture of all three basic dyes but in moderation, and black is all three in full strength. I assume that grey would be a diluted black, but I'm really unsure about it. Frankly I would look for a grey dye first and use it as a "cheat", if it's close to your desirable color why not go for it?

 

One tip I can give you is to do ink chromatography, it will let you understand how colors work as well as seeing what components are in an ink, hence you have an idea of what to do with it. Another tip is to use a glass dip pen. Not only are they awesome but they are also really easy to clean.

[acidjuicemotel]

Equal parts Liberty's Elysium + Diamine Red Dragon = Noodler's Walnut

[gammada]

Late to this party, but am using my very own recipe mixing 2-parts J.Herbin Vert Pré + 1-part Waterman Tender Purple + 1-part Waterman Audacious Red which gets me a similar color note than that of my Lamy Al-Star Coffee pen.

 

Edit: For some odd reason the image is bottom-up, sorry!

Edited September 1, 2015 by gammada

[penrivers]

_{Lol, years ago I used to mix whatever I found in my spare and almost used ink botles, not anymore, if you want to do this, at least use the same color hue, or warm or cold colors. One question: where does the Green colors fall ?.}

Edited September 9, 2015 by penrivers

[penrivers]

Restored.

[gammada]

_{Lol, years ago I used to mix whatever I found in my spare and almost used ink botles, not anymore, if you want to do this, at least use the same color hue, or warm or cold colors. One question: where does the Green colors fall ?.}

Why? So far, I've been using my "recipes" without any apparent side-effects.

 

I used Vert Pre as the base for my brown. It's a very beautiful ink with awesome shading and a green tone that varies from line to line.

[inkstainedruth]

Why? So far, I've been using my "recipes" without any apparent side-effects.

 

I used Vert Pre as the base for my brown. It's a very beautiful ink with awesome shading and a green tone that varies from line to line.

Because some inks don't play well together. Although that has more to do with chemistry and pH (someone decided to mix their own blue-black ink a couple of years ago, using Noodler's Black and Bay State Blue; the results were, um, not pretty...).

This is an interesting topic. I've noticed that different black inks seem to have different underlying tones to them. For instance, Quink Black seems to have a blue undertone, while Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black has more of a brownish undertone.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[penrivers]

Many conotations in this subject, even horrible ones. Let the Europeans and Americans discuss the chemistry side of the matter, I, as a humble Mexican in province wish to notate just the change in colors,but slighty, that I don't care what you mix. I favor blues with blacks, and reds with browns, greens can work in both sides, but you can mix as you wish.

Edited September 16, 2015 by penrivers

[gammada]

This is an interesting topic. I've noticed that different black inks seem to have different underlying tones to them. For instance, Quink Black seems to have a blue undertone, while Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black has more of a brownish undertone.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Yeah, I've read about some Noodlers inks that are simply not suitable for mixing, but I just can't help it. Since my ink collection is tiny (5 bottles so far), it's just the perfect way to expand my color horizon!

 

And you're right, most of the black inks are the result of a combination of different ink tones. I've seen a few chromatography shots somewhere on the net of smeared inks and it's quite interesting to see their color spectrum and tint-bias.

 

Quink black is the reason my whole bottle shopping started; I kind of felt it was a bit brownish and it faded a little bit after a few hours, so I bought Caran's Cosmic Black in order to get a darker tone but failed miserably! It was Waterman's Tender Purple which finally gave me the dark I was looking for.

[gammada]

Many conotations in this subject, even horrible ones. Let the Europeans and Americans discuss the chemistry side of the matter, I, as a humble Mexican in province wish to notate just the change in colors,but slighty, that I don't care what you mix. I favor blues with blacks, and reds with browns, greens can work in both sides, but you can mix as you wish.

Nice to meet a fellow MX citizen, where are you from? What kind of pens do you use?

I like to experiment with everything that I can lay my hands onto, so I usually combine all 4 colors I've got to see what I can get. So far, my ink recipes have been a success, a few friends are currently using them!

[penrivers]

I was born and live in Sabinas Coahuila. I am 67 years young. In april 22 I suffered a cerebral stroke (not trying to sell my illness bu is a fact in my life), miraclously I am totally recovered and even can drive. I own maybe 96 fountain pens. my favourites are a Parker 51, and a Pelikan 215 among others. I dont use boutique inks , just Parkers quink when I can get it and of course Sheaffers Skrips, I love the latest is easy to find it. Use to mix the four or five main colors , red, greens, browns, blacks , and blues. What do you do?, how old are you? and where do you live?. I send you my Greetings.

[gammada]

I was born and live in Sabinas Coahuila. I am 67 years young. In april 22 I suffered a cerebral stroke (not trying to sell my illness bu is a fact in my life), miraclously I am totally recovered and even can drive. I own maybe 96 fountain pens. my favourites are a Parker 51, and a Pelikan 215 among others. I dont use boutique inks , just Parkers quink when I can get it and of course Sheaffers Skrips, I love the latest is easy to find it. Use to mix the four or five main colors , red, greens, browns, blacks , and blues. What do you do?, how old are you? and where do you live?. I send you my Greetings.

 

 

Wow, really glad you fully-recovered from that stroke. It's no mean feat! I guess you're a very determined man to overcome such a catastrophic event. How do you feel nowadays?

 

So what do I do? well, I'm a 41 y.o. photographer and designer working my way in Mexico City. Relatively a new comer to the fountain pen world (been using them since I was 13 y.o. but never really into them until now). My collection is tiny compared to yours and am sure not as well represented. The vast majority of my 20+ pens are color variations of Lamy Safaris and Al-Star pens but am looking to expand it by incorporating some vintage Sheaffer and Parker models at the first chance. I want to experience those nibs of yore, specially flex ones.

 

I really love writing, it's a pleasure I forgot for the better part of 10 years, but am extremely glad I got to find it again. Are you part of the pen pal community here?

[penrivers]

I am ok, I see the life with new eyes, I think I am a better person. I love photography too, it doesn't mean I am an expert or a pro it means... I love photography. I am 99 percent digital but I have lots of analogic equipment getting dust in a metallic box.

In fountain pens I tend toward vintage from restorers specially American vintage, I belong to fpn community and that's all, I am too far from a big city and to lazy to travel to a pen posse meetings in other cities. Well, I can go forever but that's all ,I wish you good luck in your career.