Private Reserve - Red Inks Swatch Tests

April 3, 2017

I’ve been putting off testing these Private Reserve inks for some time and I can’t figure out why? I tested a handful a while ago and was somewhat scathing about them. Well, I’ve just tested another 42 of them and in hindsight, maybe I was a just a little too harsh. Okay, what you’ll see over the next four posts is a range of inks that are certainly inconsistent BUT amongst them are some real characters.

Dakota Red – A good rich red with no chromatic qualities but a very heavy dark sheen. Writes well.

Rose Rage – This was a little weird when blended with water and granulated into a sludge. No chromatic qualities. Some reaction with bleach. Nice colour when writing.

Shell Pink – Blends well with water and neon reaction with bleach. No chromatic qualities. Bleeds a little when writing. Not a colour for me.

Plum – Blends well with water and a limited reaction with bleach. No chromatic qualities. Writes well.

Burgundy Mist – Lovely. Blends well with water and a dull gold reaction with bleach. Chromatically wonderful – deep purples, blues, salmon pinks and blue greys. Super writing colour and flows through the nib well.

Black Cherry – Doesn’t blend that well with water and a limited reaction with bleach. Chromatically reveals – deep red browns, dark blues and salmon pinks. Super writing colour and flows through the nib well.

Claret – Blends very well with water and a dull gold reaction with bleach. Chromatically gradates from deep wine reds to salmon pinks and blue greys. Flows through the nib well.

Arabian Rose – Blends very well with water and a neon gold reaction with bleach. Chromatically gradates from deep crimson to pale blue greys. Flows through the nib well.

Burgundy Mist and Black Cherry are well worth further investigation.

Announcement: I have finally given into pressure and opened an ETSY shop. If you’d like to buy any of the original art featured on my site you can purchase it here. I will do my upmost to add value to your investment over time – click here to access the shop . I am also accepting commissions for swatch tests. So, if you have a favourite ink(s) and some words for someone special, or maybe just for yourself, drop me a line and we can discuss further.

I hope you enjoy the results as much as I have testing them. And by the way, there are many other reviews throughout this blog. If you’d like to know more about this project, please take a look at the Mission Statement.

All tests on Bockingford 200lb watercolour paper using a dip pen with titanium zebra G flex nib for the bleach work and a Noodler’s Ahab for the ink work.

Ink samples sourced through Goulet Pens.

Just for the record – I do this for myself, I receive no remuneration what-so-ever and I tell it exactly how I see it.

https://quinkandbleach.wordpress.com

Edited April 3, 2017 by NickiStew

April 3, 2017

Wonderful Review Nick!!..

"Inconsistent" is a very good word for it. Years ago (eons ago actually) I fell in love with Burgundy Mist and quickly got a bottle. I am very sad to say, that the gorgeous "burgundy" color turn in to a brown sludge.

I haven't had much luck with Private Reserve... of the original 5 bottles I bought, three of them became unusable.. (brown sludge). My Naples Blue still going strong, and is a lovely color.

CONGRATS on your ETSY store !!!.. Must be hard to part with those beauties ... ..

C.

April 4, 2017

Wonderful Review Nick!!..

"Inconsistent" is a very good word for it. Years ago (eons ago actually) I fell in love with Burgundy Mist and quickly got a bottle. I am very sad to say, that the gorgeous "burgundy" color turn in to a brown sludge.

I haven't had much luck with Private Reserve... of the original 5 bottles I bought, three of them became unusable.. (brown sludge). My Naples Blue still going strong, and is a lovely color.

CONGRATS on your ETSY store !!!.. Must be hard to part with those beauties ... ..

C.

Interesting you should mention that. The Dakota red was also gloopy in consistency as were two other ink samples which may suggest that these samples were quite old. I have formulated an opinion about this brand which I'll publish in my final post of the four.

The ETSY shop is a 'suck it and see' venture. The mounting framing and posting has all been tested and works well. I hope that the pricing is fair as I don't want to alienate any potential buyer. Any less and it's not affordable to do - so we'll run it for 12 months and see where we are at.

Sadly, fountain pen ink art won't be featuring in the Kent Creative Art finals this year. I'll email for some feedback and see what the judging panel thought. Fountain pen ink art is still in its infancy and its quite feasible that it's maybe a little too left field at this moment in time for the mainstream creative market.