EFNIR: Robert Oster School Blue

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Robert Oster School Blue

This is review #93 in my series.  Here's the YouTube video:

Post-recording notes: Color is hard to capture.  Swatch shows it best, but the zooms give a good feel, even if it's too muted there.  Cleaning was quick and easy, and revealed a tiny bit of green.

And here is a screen of the final result, for those not interested in the video:

Scan of Completed Review:

Zoomed in photo:

Absorbent Paper Closeup (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper):

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap

Previous Review: Robert Oster Forest Green.

Want to influence the inky sequence?  Take the "next ink" poll.

Hope you enjoy.  Comments appreciated!

[lapis]

Really -- IYAM -- a funny color. In your first written image (just after you type "And here is a screen of the final result...."), it starts off reddish and then ends up greener. Apart from that I've never yet seen a blue school ink with green in it. The ones I've encountered (in school or later) were either "royal" or blue-black. Whatever, easy cleaning does the job. Thanks for the presentation!

[LizEF]

4 minutes ago, lapis said:

In your first written image (just after you type "And here is a screen of the final result...."), it starts off reddish and then ends up greener.

I think this is mostly my lighting being uneven - am working on that.  It may also be that the pen was writing wetter at the start than at the end, and wetter = more sheen.  Sec, I'll go get the page...  Nope, that's real life - wetter and plenty of sheen at the top, drier toward the bottom.  What I don't know why.  I do often leave the pen unused for hours before recording the review, so it could just be that the feed was more saturated than usual and evened out, or it could be the ink not keeping up with the writing speed (which is only fast in the video), or the pen could have been running low on ink - sometimes that happens, but it was long enough ago that I don't remember.

 

8 minutes ago, lapis said:

Apart from that I've never yet seen a blue school ink with green in it. The ones I've encountered (in school or later) were either "royal" or blue-black.

Yeah, that's probably why I like this - I really don't like the standard "royal blue" inks.  Also, I suspect RO was reproducing / describing a color rather than trying to market this as an ink specifically intended for use by school children.

 

11 minutes ago, lapis said:

Thanks for the presentation!

You're very welcome!

[yazeh]

Love the colour hate the name... Never liked school 

I believe this is the type of ink which shines with broad nib....

I wonder if Quinn would like the fake history of Bicbiro with this ink.

 

 

[mizgeorge]

Fab as always Liz, and what a surprise! I've skipped over this ink countless times - dismissing it as looking rather boring, and I find from this that I like it - I certainly wasn't expecting so much green, or so much shading.

 

Definitely one for the list. I've been focussing on RO greens recently as I'd found so many of the mid blues too similar, just slightly different shades of Fire and Ice, but I clearly need to revisit my thinking! 

 

Thank you!

[yazeh]

2 minutes ago, mizgeorge said:

Fab as always Liz, and what a surprise! I've skipped over this ink countless times - dismissing it as looking rather boring, and I find from this that I like it - I certainly wasn't expecting so much green, or so much shading.

 

Definitely one for the list. I've been focussing on RO greens recently as I'd found so many of the mid blues too similar, just slightly different shades of Fire and Ice, but I clearly need to revisit my thinking! 

 

Thank you!

I would be curious to see your ink cabinet mizgeorge... It must be overflowing

[LizEF]

28 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Love the colour hate the name... Never liked school 

I believe this is the type of ink which shines with broad nib....

I wonder if Quinn would like the fake history of Bicbiro with this ink.

This ink seems to be good in any nib, I think.  Maybe I'll try it in a stub next.

 

Hmm.  Yes, I suppose Quin could indeed be using this ink - interesting, but not so flashy as to draw unwanted attention.

[LizEF]

26 minutes ago, mizgeorge said:

Fab as always Liz

Thanks!

 

26 minutes ago, mizgeorge said:

and what a surprise! I've skipped over this ink countless times - dismissing it as looking rather boring, and I find from this that I like it - I certainly wasn't expecting so much green, or so much shading.

Yeah, I'm not even sure what caused me to get a sample, but I'm glad I did.

 

30 minutes ago, mizgeorge said:

so many of the mid blues too similar, just slightly different shades of Fire and Ice

Right?  It seems he makes every nuance of every shade of blue out there!  Overwhelming when you're looking through swatches, but good in that there's a better chance you'll find "the one".

[Sailor Kenshin]

I like the name (though I would expect a 'school blue' to be a little lighter) AND its properties.  Goes without saying that I like the color!

 

Thanks for another great review.

[I-am-not-really-here]

A rich blue, currently occupied by PPS, Scribe Indigo, and Van Dieman's Bass Strait Cobalt Blue.  I'll pass. More ink for somebody...!

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thanks for another great review.

You're very welcome!

[LizEF]

37 minutes ago, I-am-not-really-here said:

A rich blue, currently occupied by PPS, Scribe Indigo, and Van Dieman's Bass Strait Cobalt Blue.  I'll pass. More ink for somebody...!

Hmm.  This seems a bit less blue than PPS.  Not sure on the others.  Still, no point in getting an ink that either you don't like, or you already have lots similar.

[Tas]

Ooo, I've missed the tappety taps.
Thank you for these regular reviews 😊

[LizEF]

58 minutes ago, Tas said:

Ooo, I've missed the tappety taps.
Thank you for these regular reviews 😊

You're very welcome!

 

You could just set my playlist to run in the background, tappety-tap-tapping while you draw.   Maybe I'll make an album.  "Liz's Tappetiest Hits",  "Top Ten Taps",  "Tappin' the House Down". I could make it an mp3 for sale on Amazon.  "All proceeds go to new ink samples."

[Dimy]

Thanks for review.

 

Not the kind of blue I used in school but hey nice colour otherwise.....wonder if it caters to current school kids who use dot pens/rollers and gels........if so it might work as good colour for those starting.........if not using lappi and tablets with school from home....sigh...

 

Well all aside thanks again for review.

[LizEF]

3 hours ago, Dimy said:

Thanks for review. ...

You're very welcome.

 

I think it would be a good color for anyone required (e.g. by school rules) to use a "normal" shade of blue.

[Tas]

On 4/17/2021 at 12:10 AM, LizEF said:

You're very welcome!

 

You could just set my playlist to run in the background, tappety-tap-tapping while you draw.   Maybe I'll make an album.  "Liz's Tappetiest Hits",  "Top Ten Taps",  "Tappin' the House Down". I could make it an mp3 for sale on Amazon.  "All proceeds go to new ink samples."

Joking aside, I'm sure you could produce an ASMR reel of your writing . . . 💡

[LizEF]

17 hours ago, Tas said:

Joking aside, I'm sure you could produce an ASMR reel of your writing . . . 💡

I just might!

[LizEF]

Sigh.  FYI, I reported the previous post as spam.

[LizEF]

Here's the line width measurement. The line is one of those used for dry time.  Magnification is 100x.  The grid is 100x100µm.  The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each.  The line width for this ink is roughly 300µm.