Kwz Iron Gall Orange (Image-Heavy)

[0xabad1dea]

KWZ Iron Gall Orange

 

(reposted from my tumblr. This is my first review on fpn)

 

Orange is my favorite color and the mystic allure of iron gall is irresistible but note this dries from dark orange to more of a metallic bronze. The water resistance immediately after drying is poor compared to a conventional iron gall but see my attached test over several months (!) that shows the acid will eventually burn in. This ink has a strong sweet smell which bothers me in poorly vented areas though I’m not really noticing it at the moment. As you can see, it has some shading which gives it a faux shiny effect. In a heavier nib (included in the pictures) it will shade much darker but the fundamental color is still metallic brown in my journal after four months.

Keeping this ink sealed and out of sunlight is a must. It comes in an opaque jar. (In one of the other reviews here on fpn, the color had gone slightly off towards green-gold due to exposure.)

While I do not have any to test, I suspect KWZ IG Mandarin is more of a true orange. I like this ink but it doesn’t match my jewels-and-pastels color palette at all.

http://i.imgur.com/vq4R3UQ.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/iSzxfqT.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/KywaGxh.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/WAkpHbB.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/YXjXsuo.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/jAgedYQ.jpg

[lgsoltek]

Nice one! Thank you!

[mulrich]

I like the color a lot, more of a brown but I like that. I thought IG ink would have better water resistance though

[0xabad1dea]

I like the color a lot, more of a brown but I like that. I thought IG ink would have better water resistance though

I can only assume the process of coloring it so far from the usual blue-black compromises the waterproofness. But as you can see from where I let it sit for a few months and then watered it, the gall core does just what Wikipedia says it does (slowly burn in) even if the golden component still washes right off.

[lgsoltek]

I think the longer you leave it on paper, the more water resistant it is.

[visvamitra]

Thank you for nice review.

[Uncial]

The mandarin sample I initially got was very similar to this. I like quite strong and bright oranges and while the mandarin shaded very well, the colour just didn't float my boat. However, I had another sample of it and it came out quite differently; a kind of subdued, subtle orange colour. I quite liked it. I suspect the formulation changed at some point, but I don't know what the new one is - or, I got an overly oxidised initial sample.

[lapis]

Nice review! Bronze is the best name IMO.

 

Mike

[amberleadavis]

Thank you for the great review.