Jacques Herbin - Rouge Amarante

[yazeh]

Jacques Herbin Rouge Amarante (Red Amaranth) 

 

Ink Review # 216

 

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🧾 Description

 

This is one of the 5 new inks by Jacques Herbin presented in the classic J Herbin 10/30 ml bottles. Here are the 5 suspects: 

 

 

Rouge Amarante, (Red Amaranth): Amarante in ancient Greek symbolized the eternal flower of the gods. The sacred Aztec plant with unfading flowers was given this name. Its nutritious grains were used in sacred ceremonies binding the Aztecs to Huitzilopochtli, God of the rising sun, who reincarnated the fallen soldiers as hummingbirds. Because of its similarity to the act of communion, Spanish conquistadors banned its use and tried their best to erase it, like many conquerors do. 

 

Ink, depending on nib size, wetness, varies between a home brew wine to a rich burgundy. 

Ink has slightly below average lubrication with drier pens. The normally scratchy Pilot Kakuno was lovely, Lamy Safari EF/F nibs slightly scratchy. M, B nibs lovely. Ink shines with M to Stub nibs. Shading is well present though disappears with the over wet flex nib. 

 

Ink is well-behaved with most nibs on copy paper. 

Cleaning needs more flushing, it’s a red dye after all.   

 

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🧪 Chroma

 

 

 

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✍️ Writing Samples (scan)

1. Voltaire

“The amaranth flower grows forever.”

2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

“Amaranth withers only in unworthy hands.”

3. Marcel Proust

“The true paradises are the paradises we have lost.”

4. René Char

“The essential is constantly threatened by the insignificant.”

Rhodia / Iroful

 

 

 

 

Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm

 

 

 

Hammermill 20lb  

 

 

 

 📸 Photo

Rhodia/ Iroful

 

 

 

Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm

 

 

 

Hammermill 20 lb copy paper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 🔍 Comparison

Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. 

 

 

 

 

 

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 💧 Water Test

 

 

 

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 🎨 Artwork

INKTOBER52 PROMPT NO.48 SAGITTARIUS

 

Inspired by a Persian miniature; reinvented with my cat and mouse theme.

 

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/persian-miniatures-anonymous-19th-cent-sagittarius-5074-c-8474dd68ab

 

Jacques Herbin Rouge Amarante, 1798 Bleu Diamant Shimmer ink, Tintenlabor Basalt iron gall ink, Uniball Signo white pen, Talens MIxed Media Notebook.

 

 

Dream of the Fallen Warriors

Cat dreamt of being reborn as an ocelot, calling all hummingbirds to join him in honouring the fallen ancestors of a conquered & forgotten people, known for "cruel" ceremonies. He later reflected: what is crueler, sacrificing on an altar or being sacrificed and forgotten as a culture? 

Jacques Herbin Rouge Amarante, Vert Cactus, Bleu Calanque, Noodler's Apache Sunset, Tintenlabor Basalt iron gall, Talens Mixed Media Notebook.

 

 

 

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- Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF,  Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1) , Flex.

- What I Liked: Colour, writing experience, drawing experience. 

- What I Did Not Like: Lack of water resistance. 

- Writing Experience: Lovely. 

- Pros: Beautiful colour, well-behaved. Darker with wetter pens. Small 10 ml bottles.

- Cons: Lack of water resistance.

 

 🧷 Ink Characteristics

 

- Shading: Subtle. 

- Ghosting: Faint

- Bleed Through: Only with wet and wide nibs. 

- Flow Rate: Wet

- Lubrication: Quite good. 

- Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. 

- Start-up: Good. 

- Saturation: Deep with wet pens, mild with dry pens. 

- Sheen: Did not notice.

- Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice.

- Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.

- Staining (Pen): I don’t think so. But it might. 

- Clogging: No.

- Cleaning: Needed more flushing than usual. 

- Water Resistance: It seems that if the ink has cured enough, there might be some water resistance. 

 

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 🛒 Availability

 

- Available in   10/30 ml Herbin ink bottles world-wide. 

 

 

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 💬 Closing

 

I really enjoyed this ink and was tempted to buy a small bottle. 

 

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]

Great review, @yazeh!  I rather like these deep reds.  I'm wondering how it compares with Oxblood.  (I'm betting Oxblood is browner.)

 

Thanks for the detailed background!  You're always good about providing those extra details.  Very helpful summary at the top.

 

The chroma isn't exactly interesting, but that solid greyish dot that stayed put suggests that color might stick if you washed all the red away...

 

Good quotes.  Very helpful swatch comparisons!  (And fun, of course!  )  The water-test drawing is fun - kitty appears to have an Amaranth hat.

 

I love the drawings, especially the Aztec warrior.  

 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and talent with us!  

[Sailor Kenshin]

I glanced at the email and thought, How can this be Tuesday?  Then I clicked on the link!  😹

 

What seemed to be a black dot in the chroma is probably the blue element.  And I have, or had, some of the comparison inks.  At least, Oscar's Copper.  Terre de Feu (which I mistakenly took to be Terre de Feh).  I have so many burgundy-ish inks, but this is appealing.

 

Thanks so much for this review, @yazeh.

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Great review, @yazeh!  I rather like these deep reds.  I'm wondering how it compares with Oxblood.  (I'm betting Oxblood is browner.)

I don't have Oxblood. But from what's I've seen it's browner as you said. Though this ink can become darker either with a wet pen or if forgotten in a pen.

 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Thanks for the detailed background!  You're always good about providing those extra details.  Very helpful summary at the top.

Thanks. It took me sometime to understand the difference between the mythical Greek flower and how its name was given to the amaranth plants.  Of course then there was the difference between the ornemental, the edible (leaves) and the mesoamerican varieties that produce grain. Then of course I got caught into the Aztec rituals and the conquistadors. Who says inks aren't fun. 

 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

The chroma isn't exactly interesting, but that solid greyish dot that stayed put suggests that color might stick if you washed all the red away...

I thought so too. I'll see if I have kept the water test paper and run it under running water and see how it fairs. I 💬 no a notebook written in this ink left in a puddle will resemble a crime scene.

 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Good quotes.

Thank Apparently in the French quotes, the word amaranth has the original meaning, eternal.

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

 Very helpful swatch comparisons!  (And fun, of course!  )  The water-test drawing is fun - kitty appears to have an Amaranth hat.

 

Yes he has an amaranth hat.

 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

I love the drawings, especially the Aztec warrior.  

I enjoyed that one too. Drawings take the most time in these reviews.

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and talent with us!  

I love learning. It was fun condensing it into a paragraph without using AI. Though it helped a lot for understanding and debating the etymology etc.

Looking forward to tomorrow and Quin and his gang of.mwrry creatures. 

 

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I glanced at the email and thought, How can this be Tuesday?  Then I clicked on the link!  😹

😸

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

What seemed to be a black dot in the chroma is probably the blue element.  And I have, or had, some of the comparison inks.  At least, Oscar's Copper.  Terre de Feu (which I mistakenly took to be Terre de Feh).  I have so many burgundy-ish inks, but this is appealing.

Yes it is very appealing.

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thanks so much for this review, @yazeh.

Thanks for taking the time and responding each week. 🙏

[LizEF]

2 hours ago, yazeh said:

It took me sometime to understand the difference between the mythical Greek flower and how its name was given to the amaranth plants.  Of course then there was the difference between the ornemental, the edible (leaves) and the mesoamerican varieties that produce grain. Then of course I got caught into the Aztec rituals and the conquistadors. Who says inks aren't fun. 

 I hope you enjoyed your stay in the Amaranth rabbit-hole!

 

2 hours ago, yazeh said:

I 💬 no a notebook written in this ink left in a puddle will resemble a crime scene.

 

2 hours ago, yazeh said:

It was fun condensing it into a paragraph without using AI.

 

2 hours ago, yazeh said:

Looking forward to tomorrow and Quin and his gang of.mwrry creatures. 

 

[USG]

Very Nice Review Yazeh !   😀👍

[yazeh]

13 minutes ago, USG said:

Very Nice Review Yazeh !   😀👍

Thanks.🙏

[yazeh]

@LizEF.& @Sailor Kenshin I'll redo the water test, tomorrow to make sure. 😊 

[inkstainedruth]

Hmmmm.  While I don't normally like darker reds, this one has piqued my interest somehow.  Possibly because unlike some other ones I've tried, this one doesn't seem to actually have brown undertones to it....

So this is a "maybe" ink for me (I suspect I'd actually have to see a writing sample in person -- but it does seem to look better coming out of broader nibs).  

But thanks as usual for the comprehensive review and fun artwork....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[lamarax]

Comme que c'est beau! :3

 

Ordered! (I've lost count on how many Herbin inks I have)

[yazeh]

11 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Hmmmm.  While I don't normally like darker reds, this one has piqued my interest somehow.  Possibly because unlike some other ones I've tried, this one doesn't seem to actually have brown undertones to it....

This one is more like rich burgundy, depending pen type 

11 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

So this is a "maybe" ink for me (I suspect I'd actually have to see a writing sample in person -- but it does seem to look better coming out of broader nibs).  

But thanks as usual for the comprehensive review and fun artwork....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Most welcome! glad you liked it. Fortunately it comes in 10 ml bottles. So your wallet will be happier.   

[yazeh]

11 hours ago, lamarax said:

Comme que c'est beau! :3

🥖

11 hours ago, lamarax said:

 

Ordered! (I've lost count on how many Herbin inks I have)

Hope you enjoy it.

 

[yazeh]

As per @Sailor Kenshin & @LizEF comments, I redid the water test. Ink has some water resistance but with caveats. You're better off having your notebook under a hose than a few drops. 

If you don't remove the obliterated ink, the drops will penetrate the paper and ruin what's written behind.

 

[LizEF]

Thanks, @yazeh!  I suspect this is the case with quite a few inks.  I also suspect it's rare one has the option of choosing how one's writing is exposed to water, but perhaps knowing this can help - e.g. if the work is important, instead of dabbing up drops, poor your glass of water over it to rinse off the loose dye...

[yazeh]

6 hours ago, LizEF said:

Thanks, @yazeh!  I suspect this is the case with quite a few inks.  I also suspect it's rare one has the option of choosing how one's writing is exposed to water, but perhaps knowing this can help - e.g. if the work is important, instead of dabbing up drops, poor your glass of water over it to rinse off the loose dye...

Yep. I've told the story before how my shopping list was bleeding through with a few flurries. Since then, I write my lists with waterproof ink, keep them in a pocket or just make digital list.