J Herbin Gris Nuage

[yazeh]

J Herbin Gris Nuage

 

Ink Review # 207

 

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🧾 Description

 

Gris Nuage (Grey Cloud) is a very legible delicious light grey, with below average lubrication, wet and minimal shading. It’s most handsome on white paper. 

 

I enjoyed it most with Pilot Elite EF gold nib, and Karas Vertex with a full flex FPNibs with ebonite feed. With Lamy Safari it depended on nib size and paper. With fude nib it was scratchy. 

 

It can have a faint reddish halo on Iroful. 

 

If you want an expressive grey this can be an ok choice. For drawing, I found it too pale. I prefer darker greys, so I can create different values. 

 

 

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 🧪 Chroma

 

 

 

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 ✍️ Writing Samples (scan)

Rhodia / Iroful

 

 

 

Midori  /Tomoe River 68gsm

 

 

 

Hammermill 20lb  

 

 

 

 📸 Photo

Rhodia/ Iroful

 

 

 

Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm

 

 

 

Hammermill 20lb

 

 

 

Close-up Iroful

 

 

 

 

 🔍 Comparison

 

 

 

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 💧 Water Test

 

 

 

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 🎨 Artwork

Silver lining

Inspired by French expression, “La tête dans les nuages” (head in the clouds).

Pebeo Silver marker and De Atramentis Document Cyan/turquoise mix, Talens Mixed Media.

 

 

 

Inktober 2025 - Day 9 - Heavy

J Herbin Gris Nuage/ Diamine Grey (the darker grey) 

 

 

 

Inktober 2025 - Day  12 -Shredded

The mouse is having a fit over the cat’s midlife crisis — being “shredded.”

J Herbin Gris Nuage, Diamine Grey (mouse).

 

 

 

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- Pens Used: Pilot Elite EF,  Lamy (EF/F/M/B) , Jinhao 450 fude, Karas Vertex with FPNIBs extra wet ebonite feed. 

- What I Liked:   Colour, drawing.

- What I Did Not Like: Low lubrication with EF/F/B and Fude nibs. 

- Writing Experience: Depended on nib size, wetness. 

- Pros: Lovely tinge of grey. Small bottles.

- Cons: Low lubrication. Pale

 

 🧷 Ink Characteristics

 

- Shading: Some.

- Ghosting: Yes on copy paper. 

- Bleed Through: Same as above. 

- Flow Rate:  Wet.

- Lubrication:  Below average. 

- Nib Dry-out:  Did not notice.

- Start-up: Did not notice.

- Saturation:  Pale but legible. 

- Sheen:  Faint reddish on Iroful.  

- Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Faint, stylish with flex nib. Gives a vintage feel. 

- Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.

- Staining (Pen): No. 

- Clogging: No.

- Cleaning: Easy.

- Water Resistance: Decent.

 

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 🛒 Availability

 

- Available in 10/30 ml bottles and small international ink cartridges. 

 

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 💬 Closing

 

I was expecting a very pale grey; however, I was surprised by its legibility. With a good pen it can sing, with a dry pen and the wrong nib, it could be awful. For art work it is difficult to create nuance. 

 

No fountain pens were hurt in preparing this review.  

 

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

 

 

 

[LizEF]

Wonderful, @yazeh!  I do like these cooler greys - but then, one of my favorite greys is warm, so maybe I just like greys - but only for short durations.  I had to go look up my review to see what I thought of it - didn't help much.   But I didn't recommend it for EF nibs - a bit too pale to read comfortably.  I do agree that it looks best on very white paper!

 

Good quotes!  (Though I don't under stand the one on TR: "canal? hanged itself"? )

 

Love the swatches, as always - so much fun.

 

But we're here for the artwork!   Seems to me that having one's head in the clouds is a good thing, in moderation.  How else are we to discover the best things to do with the rest of our time?  

 

Absolutely love "Heavy" - that is one dense mousey and confused kitty! 

 

Your shredded kitty makes me think of Klaw - he gots serious upper arm and shoulder muscles!  Smoke is more ... well rounded. 

 

Thanks for ending my overcast weekend with an enjoyable grey!  

[Sailor Kenshin]

It's in my ink supply.  But haven't used Gris Nuage lately.  

 

This time, the chroma is a unicolor, sideways, tailless goldfish.  

Love the 'shredded' reference.  And the other artwork.  This ink seems to have decent water resistence. 🐭 😸

 

(Can't read quotes, in need of new eyeglasses.) 

 

@yazeh, thanks again for your ink-splorations.

[lamarax]

That blueish tint, as it appears in the photos, strongly resembles Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun...

 

So I guess if you want pronounced shading + lubrication (a rare combination indeed), you got an alternative to Gris Nuage, albeit a more expensive one

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Wonderful, @yazeh!  I do like these cooler greys - but then, one of my favorite greys is warm, so maybe I just like greys - but only for short durations.

Quite understandable. If I hadn't started drawing, I would've never touched greys.  Remind me, what was your favourite grey?

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

  I had to go look up my review to see what I thought of it - didn't help much.   But I didn't recommend it for EF nibs - a bit too pale to read comfortably.  I do agree that it looks best on very white paper!

I believe I used your review, as a benchmarked and used a PIlot Elite, vs the Kakuno. 🙏The former has a very forgiving and lovely EF nib.

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Good quotes!  (Though I don't under stand the one on TR: "canal? hanged itself"? )

It's one of the verses of Le plat pays,[ the flat country) by Jacques Brel. It's an ode to Belgium, his country. One of his most exquisite songs.  Here's my free translation of the stanza, (with apologies to @namrehsnoom 🙏

With clouds so low, a canal lost its way,
With clouds so low, it reminds us to be humble.
With clouds so grey, a canal hung itself,
With clouds so grey — shouldn’t we forgive it?
With the northern wind that tears itself into pieces,
With the northern wind — hear my flat country shiver and crack...

Here is very well done video that visually translates the song: 

 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Love the swatches, as always - so much fun.

 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

But we're here for the artwork!   Seems to me that having one's head in the clouds is a good thing, in moderation.  How else are we to discover the best things to do with the rest of our time?  

Indeed. We need some imagination.

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Absolutely love "Heavy" - that is one dense mousey and confused kitty! 

 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Your shredded kitty makes me think of Klaw - he gots serious upper arm and shoulder muscles!  Smoke is more ... well rounded. 

Well thankfully they're cat and won't become self-conscious. 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Thanks for ending my overcast weekend with an enjoyable grey!  

Most welcome.  

[yazeh]

3 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

It's in my ink supply.  But haven't used Gris Nuage lately.  

Time for some Inktober.  

3 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

This time, the chroma is a unicolor, sideways, tailless goldfish.  

🐟

3 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Love the 'shredded' reference.  And the other artwork.  This ink seems to have decent water resistence. 🐭 😸

It depends on paer. But yes, it's decent. 

3 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

(Can't read quotes, in need of new eyeglasses.) 

Or just zoom in.  

3 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

@yazeh, thanks again for your ink-splorations.

Most welcome.

 

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, lamarax said:

That blueish tint, as it appears in the photos, strongly resembles Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun...

1 hour ago, lamarax said:

 

So I guess if you want pronounced shading + lubrication (a rare combination indeed), you got an alternative to Gris Nuage, albeit a more expensive one

I might have tested that one. I'm not sure. If I recall it's very complex grey.

 

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

Remind me, what was your favourite grey?

I'm not sure I have a favorite, but I really liked the look of De Atramentis Document Urban Grey.

 

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

I believe I used your review, as a benchmarked and used a PIlot Elite, vs the Kakuno. 🙏The former has a very forgiving and lovely EF nib.

Yes, Pilot gold nibs tend to be a little wetter and wider than their steel nibs - not necessarily every one, but on average, based on my experience.

 

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

With clouds so low, a canal lost its way,
With clouds so low, it reminds us to be humble.
With clouds so grey, a canal hung itself,
With clouds so grey — shouldn’t we forgive it?
With the northern wind that tears itself into pieces,
With the northern wind — hear my flat country shiver and crack...

Here is very well done video that visually translates the song: 

Thanks!  Makes a little more sense, but I'm suspecting something gets lost in the translation - some idiom or cultural reference I'm lacking.

 

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

Well thankfully they're cat and won't become self-conscious. 

I have no doubt at all that Smoke is quite pleased with his chubbiness - all the better to tackle the mighty Klaw!  

[yazeh]

7 hours ago, LizEF said:

I'm not sure I have a favorite, but I really liked the look of De Atramentis Document Urban Grey.

That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure.

7 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Yes, Pilot gold nibs tend to be a little wetter and wider than their steel nibs - not necessarily every one, but on average, based on my experience.

Yes, they are lovely writers.

7 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Thanks!  Makes a little more sense, but I'm suspecting something gets lost in the translation - some idiom or cultural reference I'm lacking.

I can find you an exhaustive analysis. But I've learned that when one reads poetry, one has to listen with the heart and shut out the head. It always gets in the way.  

7 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

I have no doubt at all that Smoke is quite pleased with his chubbiness - all the better to tackle the mighty Klaw!  

 

[LizEF]

10 hours ago, yazeh said:

I can find you an exhaustive analysis. But I've learned that when one reads poetry, one has to listen with the heart and shut out the head. It always gets in the way.  

No.  Please do not waste your time.  I have this instinctive idea, but as you say, it requires me to tell my brain to go do something else.  

[yazeh]

21 hours ago, LizEF said:

No.  Please do not waste your time.  I have this instinctive idea, but as you say, it requires me to tell my brain to go do something else.  

It's not a waste of time. It stretches my mind.  See if it helps: The song explores the Flemish landscape, flat and crisscrossed with canals, with the four cardinal winds as our guide. In this stanza, the melancholy of fall is evoked, when the clouds and canals embrace: a canal got lost, a canal hung itself, before being shattered by the mad northern wind...

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

It's not a waste of time. It stretches my mind.  See if it helps: The song explores the Flemish landscape, flat and crisscrossed with canals, with the four cardinal winds as our guide. In this stanza, the melancholy of fall is evoked, when the clouds and canals embrace: a canal got lost, a canal hung itself, before being shattered by the mad northern wind...

 Thank you!  Yes, that helps.

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

 Thank you!  Yes, that helps.

☺️ 

[InesF]

WOW, Diamine Grey (Inktober 12) looks almost black compared to Gris Nuage. 😮

 

Thank you, @yazeh, for reviewing such a pale grey ink . As a take-home-message I understand that it may be too pale for writing and for drawing. However, I love your drawings and I can see that Gris-Nuage-ink-painted areas have their use.   

My favorite is Inktober 9, Heavy! 👍

 

It was, again, a bit hard to read, but I also like the quote from Magritte¹. Thank you for finding it! 👍

 

Looking forward to "more of Inktober" and "more of yazeh's ink reviews".   

 

 

 

^{1) I have to admit, I also like the paintings from René Magritte.}  

[Signum1]

Hail to Mr. Inktober! 😄

 

This ink reminds me of pencil writing. I wish I had taken a gray vial of ink with me.

 

Thanks for the ink review. I enjoyed the artworks.👍 Keep up with the great job!

[Lithium466]

On 10/12/2025 at 8:01 PM, yazeh said:

It's one of the verses of Le plat pays,[ the flat country) by Jacques Brel. It's an ode to Belgium, his country. One of his most exquisite songs.  Here's my free translation of the stanza, (with apologies to @namrehsnoom 🙏

With clouds so low, a canal lost its way,
With clouds so low, it reminds us to be humble.
With clouds so grey, a canal hung itself,
With clouds so grey — shouldn’t we forgive it?
With the northern wind that tears itself into pieces,
With the northern wind — hear my flat country shiver and crack...

Here is very well done video that visually translates the song: 

Beautiful, just like your review. Thank you.
 

[yazeh]

5 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

Beautiful, just like your review. Thank you.
 

Merci!  

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, InesF said:

WOW, Diamine Grey (Inktober 12) looks almost black compared to Gris Nuage. 😮

 

1 hour ago, InesF said:

Thank you, @yazeh, for reviewing such a pale grey ink . As a take-home-message I understand that it may be too pale for writing and for drawing. However, I love your drawings and I can see that Gris-Nuage-ink-painted areas have their use.   

It's legible for writing. I've seen artists dilute black or dark grey to obtain lighter grey values. It's more difficult with Gris Nuage, you need to apply a lot, and still.  

1 hour ago, InesF said:

My favorite is Inktober 9, Heavy! 👍

 

1 hour ago, InesF said:

It was, again, a bit hard to read, but I also like the quote from Magritte¹. Thank you for finding it! 👍

Same here.

1 hour ago, InesF said:

Looking forward to "more of Inktober" and "more of yazeh's ink reviews".   

 

I've finished almost all. 4 are left to finish.

 

1 hour ago, InesF said:

 

^{1) I have to admit, I also like the paintings from René Magritte.}  

Same here.  

[yazeh]

27 minutes ago, Signum1 said:

Hail to Mr. Inktober! 😄

 

27 minutes ago, Signum1 said:

This ink reminds me of pencil writing. I wish I had taken a gray vial of ink with me.

Grey is very practical. If you have other inks you might be able to create grey.  

27 minutes ago, Signum1 said:

Thanks for the ink review. I enjoyed the artworks.👍 Keep up with the great job!

Thanks. In case you'd missed it,  there are some very talented members posting on the inktober thread.  

 

I just wanted to add, your reviews have been an inspiration. 🙏

[Signum1]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

 

Grey is very practical. If you have other inks you might be able to create grey.  

Thanks. In case you'd missed it,  there are some very talented members posting on the inktober thread.  

 

I just wanted to add, your reviews have been an inspiration. 🙏

 Thanks for pointing out the mustache removal drawing.😀

 

Hmm... mixing inks to create gray is a thought that hasn't crossed my mind. Unfortunately, I'm not in Canada, so I don't have access to my ink-toys. 😆 

 

The ink reviews from me were motivation to practice other scripts and improve the consistency of my lettering. I'm glad you find my ink reviews as an inspiration. Please continue with your good work. I appreciate it.