Vibrant Green - Caran D'ache Chromatics

[visvamitra]

When I got sick few years ago (virus called pens and inks), I started picking different inks. I was amazed by Caran d'Ache Color of the Earth inks.

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/2926/Vi7las.jpg

The thing is the inks were discontinued before I had a chance to try all of them. I was disappointed to hear Colors of the earth were replaced by Chromatics.

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/4222/n8Zvpm.jpg

OK, the bottle is cool, colors seem nice, so what's the problem?

One - no more Amazon and Grand Canyon! I can get over Amazon, with time I started to prefer murkier greens, but Grand Canyon was in my top 5 of browns.

Two - the price. OK, Chromatics bottles are 50 ml compared to Colors of the Earth 30 ml bottles yet the price per ml increased by 25,7 % (I compare prices in Poland : 55 PLN / 30 ml vs 115 PLN / 50 ml).

Are they really worth it? Well, I like the way Caran d'Ache market their products, I like the bottle and the brand. If I'll be able to try all of these inks, I'll review them here. It will take time though. At the moment I have only sample of Organic Brown and Ultraviolet bottle. Some time ago I've reviewed Infinite grey which was cool.

1. Cosmic Black
   
2. Delicate Green
   
3. Divine Pink
   
4. Electric Orange
   
5. Hypnotic Turquoise
   
6. Idyllic Blue
   
7. Infinite - Grey
   
8. Infra Red
   
9. Magnetic Blue
   
10. Organic Brown
    
11. Ultra Violet
    
12. Vibrant Green
    

Vibrant Green has moderate flow, average lubrication. I see nothing (except the price) that would set this ink apart from other green inks on the market. Also I'm not really into greens leaning toward blue and that's what we see here. I say no. This ink is a waste of money even if you can afford it. The color isn't special, it's not particularly well behaved, it has no water resistance.

Ink Splash

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/8840/N6gQru.jpg

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

http://imageshack.com/a/img913/1920/8n0xmf.jpg

Software ID

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/8656/gONeEz.jpg

Waterproofness

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/3163/AzKEig.jpg

Oxford Recycled ( 90g, satined paper ), Caran d'Ache Varius, B

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/5741/s3u2Ol.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7097/t1gn3J.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/259/MHxIDp.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/3601/JmLlA7.jpg

CIAK, Caran d'Ache Varius, Broad nib and Kaweco Sport Classic B nib

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/9909/lLVfiY.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/2866/9JqpKn.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/2070/6f3mYR.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img913/6758/BTDAbV.jpg

Cheap no-name notebook, Hero 5028, stub 1,9

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/3231/ZtFMj3.jpg

Copy paper

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/6172/dBKblc.jpg

Comparison

http://imageshack.com/a/img912/6766/itgbXQ.jpg

Edited August 28, 2015 by visvamitra

[gmax]

Thanks for another fine review.

 

In what way is this ink not well-behaved?

[visvamitra]

Well I didn't sai it's not well - behaved. I used the term particularly But more on a serious note - it's rdy, the flow is average, drying time on better papers is carzy long. When you take into account that a bottle of this ink costs 30-35 $ and cheap ROhrer & Klingner or Standardgraph ink writes better, you have to ask yoourself what's the point of paying that much for so little?

[Cyber6]

http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/MSN_Emoticons/MSN-Emoticon-thumb-down-111.gif

[mehandiratta]

thank you for the review and the genuine advice

[visvamitra]

Kawell Allrounder, fine nib on Tomoe River

Still boring

[gmax]

Ah, but there must be something in this ink that called you back

 

Glad to see that you are now enjoying Tomoe River paper. At least, I hope you are enjoying it

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks for the review. This is not a green I like, though.

Oh, and I quite agree about Grand Canyon. I was lucky enough to find a bottle of it (half off, on clearance) at Bromfield's Pen Shop in Boston last Christmastime.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[amberleadavis]

Okay, I admit, I'm one of the weirdos who didn't love Grand Canyon and did like this ink. I think, however, that I'm going to have to try JHLS since it looks really similar and so many love it.

[visvamitra]

OK. I'll admit - it's early morning here, I haven't drank coffee yet (it's brewing right now) so my brain may work slowly. Is JHLS - J'Herbin's Lierre Sauvage or something else?

[amberleadavis]

OK. I'll admit - it's early morning here, I haven't drank coffee yet (it's brewing right now) so my brain may work slowly. Is JHLS - J'Herbin's Lierre Sauvage or something else?

Yep, that's the one. I always think of it as green eggs and sausage.

 

http://images.clipartpanda.com/green-eggs-and-ham-clip-art-suess.jpg

[Fuellerfederfan]

Yep, that's the one. I always think of it as green eggs and sausage.

 

http://images.clipartpanda.com/green-eggs-and-ham-clip-art-suess.jpg

[proton007]

The Grand Canyon was something of a surprise discovery....I just found one at an Airport shop, and yes, most probably it's one of the best colors made.

 

Too bad it's only 30ml.

 

This one's nothing special.

Edited January 10, 2016 by proton007

[Glenn-SC]

Very nice color.

Thanks for the review.