Kuretake – Shimbashi-Iro

[yazeh]

Kuretake – Shimbashi-Iro

 I love Kuretake brush pens, and I was very excited to try this one. Many thanks to @Lithium466 for the sample.

These inks are to celebrate Kuretake’s 120th anniversary. According to Kuretake’s website, these 6 inks are “inspired by colors popular around the Meiji era of Japan (1868 -1912), when Kuretake was founded.”  "Shimbashi" is the name of a place found in Tokyo. The bright, bluish-green color was popular among "Geisha" in Shimbashi as it was fashionable and trendy.”

 

In short ink is wet, with average lubrication, wet, long dry times on Japanese paper and average on Rhodia. Ink is pricey for what it is. While the scans capture the green, to the naked eye I see turquoise.

 

The chroma indeed shows off the green and the blue but colour is a bright turquoise.

 

 

 

Writing Samples:

But this in not that obvious in the ink. I tried to find quotes/ texts by Meji era authors to reflect the ink.

Photo:

Comparison:

Watertest:

 

Artwork: I tried to emulate the cat and mouse theme by using  Japanese block prints. However, after finishing the drawing, I realized I had got the period and style way too wrong.

Other inks are Pelikan Edelstein Rose Quartz and Platinum Carbon Black

 

 

 

 

 

·      Pens used: Pilon F3A, Lamy (EF/F/M/B, 1.1), Noodler’s Nib creaper semi flex

·      What I liked: Gorgeous colour, drawing, doing washes.

·      What I did not like: Price

·       What some might not like: Price

·      Shading: Shade magnet

·      Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper. With very wet pen/nib combination on Rhodia.

·      Bleed through: Same as above.

·      Flow Rate: Wet

·      Lubrication: Average.

·      Nib Dry-out: Did not notice.

·      Start-up: Did not notice.

·      Saturation: Can we have a saturated turquoise.

·      Shading Potential: really nice.

·      Sheen: Very faint.

·      Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Can happen on copy paper.

·      Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice.

·      Staining (pen): Did not notice.

·      Clogging: Did not notice.

·      Cleaning: Easy

·      Water resistance: Faint.

·      Availability: 20 ml bottles.

 

Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier  

[LizEF]

Fabulous, @yazeh!  My own reviews have over-saturated me on turquoise inks, so I should withhold judgement on the color, but the chroma is interesting and the artwork fantastic!  Love Samurai Swatch Kitty-san!   Geisha-kitty with her mouse umbrella-holder is brilliant.  And regardless of period and style, your "block print" is great!   All three make me smile.  Thank you.

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Fabulous, @yazeh!  My own reviews have over-saturated me on turquoise inks, so I should withhold judgement on the color, but the chroma is interesting and the artwork fantastic!

Thanks! It's a funny that two of their anniversary inks are in the turquoise range

 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

 

  Love Samurai Swatch Kitty-san!   Geisha-kitty with her mouse umbrella-holder is brilliant.  And regardless of period and style, your "block print" is great!   All three make me smile.  Thank you.

🙏🙏🙏

[Sailor Kenshin]

I love this! Samurai Ink Comparison, Kitteh, Geisha Kitteh, and the multicolor drawing.
 

I love turquoise inks, and this one has not only a cool name but a great chroma in which I MIGHT be seeing a hint of yellow? Many thanks, Yazeh-sama, for your continuing ink-splorations. 💝 🥷🏻 👏🏻

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I love this! Samurai Ink Comparison, Kitteh, Geisha Kitteh, and the multicolor drawing.

Thank you!

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I love turquoise inks, and this one has not only a cool name but a great chroma

They have another turquoise ink in their series Kujakuryoku

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

in which I MIGHT be seeing a hint of yellow?

You're right!

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Many thanks, Yazeh-sama, for your continuing ink-splorations. 💝 🥷🏻 👏🏻

🙏

[inkstainedruth]

Not a color for me (a little too green leaning a turquoise).  But thanks as usual for the stellar review and fun artwork!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for typos

[yazeh]

Just now, inkstainedruth said:

Not a color for me (a little too green leaning a turquoise.  But thanks as usual for the stellar review and fun artwork!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

A pleasure 🙏

[Lithium466]

Thank you for that fabulous review!

I think I like the ink better in your review than in real life

[yazeh]

15 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Thank you for that fabulous review!

🙏

15 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

I think I like the ink better in your review than in real life

😜

[InesF]

Thank you, @yazeh, for this comprehensive and entertaining ink review.

I can't see anything wrong in the Japanese style drawing! Mouse has grown a bit since the water test - but this is the freedom of art, I would say.   Honestly: I love your drawing!

I'm with @LizEF, there are too many turquoise inks. I love the colour, I may love most of the inks, but I will use only two or three of them.

[yazeh]

5 hours ago, InesF said:

Thank you, @yazeh, for this comprehensive and entertaining ink review.

🙏

5 hours ago, InesF said:

I can't see anything wrong in the Japanese style drawing! Mouse has grown a bit since the water test - but this is the freedom of art, I would say.   Honestly: I love your drawing!

Oh, it's not the drawing. I was trying to use a Meiji era drawing, but later I discovered it wasn't from that period and another type of art 😛

 

5 hours ago, InesF said:

I'm with @LizEF, there are too many turquoise inks. I love the colour, I may love most of the inks, but I will use only two or three of them.

I do agree. Funny they have two turquoises in the same lineup