Blue and Purple Ink samples have been received!

[Elaine]

Yes, and no

 

I'll answer this later today.

[HyperCamper]

Thanks in advance for all your efforts, A-Team!

[BruceK]

I don't know if this has been suggested before as I'm relatively new here, so if it has I apologize in advance.

 

Has anyone considered putting a small Gretag MacBeth color chart in the same photo as the ink samples? The color chart provides some calibrated colors that can be used to correct any color casts that would be due to scanning or digital camera settings or idiosyncrasies.

 

Bruce

 

 

[HeathnKara]

I haven't seen any more information on the new ink samples. Does anyone have an update? Thanks.

 

Heath

[Elaine]

I haven't seen any more information on the new ink samples. Does anyone have an update? Thanks.

 

Heath

 

Ok, here's the deal. Making a short story long:

 

The original plan was for me to receive the samples, divide them up into vials and send them out to the other admins. That way there would be other people who could attempt to provide good scans. I have had no luck in coming close.

 

There are 8 purple/plum/magenta samples and 5 blues.

 

I made a sampler of the purple/plum/magentas. (Here's the coming clean part). None of them are what I've been looking for (think PR plum). However There are two that when mixed together make a wonderful color. Nathan told me to get him the proportions and he'll work on it. I finally had time to do that today and will call him this afternoon with the results. Does this mean I've chosen the color for FPN? No, but I'm calling in my "payment" for all the work I put into the site and making sure the color I want is in the parade. If it isn't chosen, I will probably market it myself.

 

As for the blues, Nathan has recently acquired material that makes some interesting possibilities. One mixture he described sounds very interesting, but it would have a long dry time. He's going to send me a sample of that with the new Plum.

 

Since it is very costly to send packages to the other admins I don't want to have to do it twice, so I'm going to wait for the new samples. (A week or two?) Things should move quickly after that. In additon, I'll be sending just the sampler with the old and the new colors to one of the admins who has the technical ability to get the colors right. A letter will reach him much faster than the package of ink vials.

 

Meanwhile, since I'm not able to get a good copy on the web of my samples, here are some descriptions (I'm not an artist and my ability to describe may be a bit lacking, sorry):

 

Blue 1 - Clear deep cobalt. No shading, but it works very nicely with flex

 

Blue 2 - Similar to Blue 1, but with some shading. Barely noticeable feathering with flex. Very nice shading with a 2mm italic dip nib.

 

Blue 3 - Also on the cobalt side

 

Blue 4 - Leaning towards navy, very nice shading even with a medium nib, but more so with an italic nib. With a dip flex nib on FPN note pad there is some feathering. Nathan tells me that this kind of ink may do better with cheaper paper. I haven't tried.

 

Blue 5 - Blue black. Some shading

 

Purple/Plum/Magenta (PPM) 1 - Of all the PPMs, this one is the most plum

 

PPM 2 - Leaning to the red side

 

PPM 3 - Nice deep wine with red undertones with some shading.

 

PPM 4 - moving towards a rusty brick

 

PPM 5 - Similar to #4 with a hint more red and nice shading. No so much purple/plum

 

PPM 6 - More of a red, with hints of orange

 

PPM 7 - A purer purple. It hints at shading.

 

PPM 8 - This is the black tulip that people asked for

 

My mixture is 1 & 7 mixed together.

Edited September 11, 2007 by Elaine

[PelikanPenman]

Elaine, quick question, if a colour is not chosen by the Admins, but it is a colour we like, what would be the possiblity to get a couple bottles made? I am most curious to see the Plum #8.

 

Cheers.

[goodyear]

I now have high hopes for blues 1 and 2!

[wimg]

Elaine, quick question, if a colour is not chosen by the Admins, but it is a colour we like, what would be the possiblity to get a couple bottles made? I am most curious to see the Plum #8.

 

Cheers.

 

Define few? The minimum first order is 144 bottles of the stuff, after which it can be a smaller set, but then, preferably not. Some of these colours are very, very hard to make in smaller volumes, due to the extremely small quantities of dyes that go in just to give it that extra little punch in the mix of dyes and additives wwhich constitute the main ingredients. Plus, it is very difficult to get very small quantities of dyes.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[Melnicki]

I admit I've been apprehensive about the whole semi-democratic process of determining the color of the next FPN inks, especially when someone claims "payment" for honorable work that they do. But to be honest, I'd much rather have the admins rigorously test out all these samples and report their opinions and scans (the way it's going) than to just post a few scans and vote on them based on how it looks on the screen. The comments Elaine has given already -- about their properties in different pens -- is so much more valuable. I really think we're likely to pick the most enjoyable ink that way, with good old fieldwork. (Just think, the more people that notice that the FPN ink is one of the best colors out there, the more people will pay attention to our lovely community here, not to mention FP-proselytizing in general!)

 

And thus, I applaud you Elaine for your efforts, and recommend everyone remain patient. (Anyone live near her to bake her cookies?!!) A slow and careful and thorough and informative effort will lead us to the best ink of the bunch!!

[Stylo]

...If it isn't chosen, I will probably market it myself.

 

 

Elaine, could you elaborate on what you mean by that?

 

[awannemacher]

Elaine,

 

I too wanted to add that I appriciate everything that you and the other admins have done/are doing/will do. I also want to say that I like your experimenting and trying new ink combinations as this all goes towards the final selection.

 

Here's to waiting for the new inks.

 

Andrew Wannemacher

[hexyr]

Hi Elaine,

 

Any chance we will get to see the colors at NJ pen show???

 

fingers crossed

[Elaine]

Hi Elaine,

 

Any chance we will get to see the colors at NJ pen show???

 

fingers crossed

 

I'll bring the samplers I've made - but you'll have to find me Or you can come to the gathering at my house on Friday evening to see them. Perhaps the new plum and an interesting blue for us to consider (rich blue, great shading but very long dry time) will have arrived by then and I'll be able to show those as well.

[Stylo]

I can't wait to see the final samples. I can feel the bottles waiting to be filled and shipped already. Elaine, do you think that hoping for the inks to be ready in about a month is realistic at all or are we looking at a longer time period for everything to be finalized and ready?

 

[wimg]

I can't wait to see the final samples. I can feel the bottles waiting to be filled and shipped already. Elaine, do you think that hoping for the inks to be ready in about a month is realistic at all or are we looking at a longer time period for everything to be finalized and ready?

Stylo,

 

We still need a label design competition, just like last time. I really loved the outcome and design of that one, and even Nathan is rumoured to have admitted that this was the best label design on a bottle of Noodler's ink, ever... .

 

I am sure we can do another one, just as good, with all the talent in our little nuthouse on the digital prairie here, but I do think with all that still needs to be done, it is probably a little over a month before shipping can start...

 

Warm regards, Wim

[HeathnKara]

I know this is a hobby for everyone, but just checking since nothing has been posted in a couple of weeks. Any progress on the ink or label front?

 

Heath

[Legal Eagle]

Wow.... This is very interesting.

[Elaine]

...If it isn't chosen, I will probably market it myself.

 

 

Elaine, could you elaborate on what you mean by that?

 

Sorry I didn't answer this sooner. I missed it somehow. I want this color and think there's a market for it. I may consider becoming a Noodler's Inc. distributor for this one ink if Noodler's to creates it.