EFNIR: De Atramentis Document Blue Grey

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: De Atramentis Document Blue Grey

This is review #369 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:

Post-recording notes: This was gifted to me by a generous FPNer. As far as I can tell, this was formerly named "Document Fog Grey" but is not the same as non-document Fog Grey (review #107). The ink soaked into the swatch card so quickly that it was near impossible to spread it out and show it from "light" to "heavy" application. Yet An Ink Guy shows its viscosity on the dry side of normal (but with very, very fast dry time). No idea what to make of that.

The microscope slide had nothing new. Interestingly, it didn't seem to have any settling in the vial, which is unusual for a pigmented ink. The ink did *not* want to come off the slide. Had to soak it in home made pen flush for a while. Cleaning was surprisingly easy with just water, but my section seems to have a very slight pinkish purple stain that only appears in some light-honesly, I wonder if it's my imagination. Rubbing and pen flush did nothing. Guess we'll see.

Zoomed in photo (Might be a little dark, but not too far off. The blotchiness of the image makes it hard to match reality which is one flat, solid color.)

Screenshot (Text is too dark.)

Scan of Completed Review (This is the best color representation.)

Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper) (Colors aren't too far off, but should be greyer. The copy paper image is closer.)

Line width (Roughly 370µm. The "I" in "Ink:". Magnification is 100x. The grid is 100x100µm. The scale is 390µm, with thirteen divisions of 30µm each. With 369 inks measured, the average line width is 299µm.) (Not quite the widest line.)

Swatch card comparison (You'd think I'd have a zillion close colors, but not really. The ones that do compare, compare to the lighter application of Blue Grey, not the heavier. The image makes Prussian Blue and Indigo too grey, while Rubinato and Document Blue Grey aren't grey enough and are too dark.)

Water Test Results (Color's not too far off.)

Previous Review: Collection Traced Wushan.

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap.

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View a list of my inks, complete with review results in a google sheet.

Need to catch up on The Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh? Find the whole story here. Or read Part 8: The Ice Fields Adventure.

Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

[yazeh]

Great review @LizEF . 

This seems like one of your widest, if not the widest line. The behavior reminds me of De Atramentis Cyan & Turquoise, which were as bad. I poured the samples in an ink brush. Every time I use it, I need to wet the paper beforehand otherwise the ink sticks to the paper ( reminds me of Curling. ) 

 

I was checking my review and I had the same problem with a transparent pen. It stains. 

I was distracted while reading the story, wondering how Essri would done his cape. Would he slide in, or have special magic buttons. ⚕️

Thanks for reviewing this ink. It was fun pre-christmas gift. 🙏 

Wish you and your loved ones a merry one. 🌲🌰🎅🌟

 

 

[LizEF]

46 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Great review @LizEF . 

Thanks!

 

46 minutes ago, yazeh said:

This seems like one of your widest, if not the widest line.

Not the widest - Baystate Blue is holding tightly to its lead  - but yeah, very wide.  That's not unusual for De Atramentis inks.

 

47 minutes ago, yazeh said:

The behavior reminds me of De Atramentis Cyan & Turquoise, which were as bad.

 Yep.  One of those two (the Document inks, which I assume is what you mean) has a reputation for bleeding through everything.

 

48 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I poured the samples in an ink brush. Every time I use it, I need to wet the paper beforehand otherwise the ink sticks to the paper ( reminds me of Curling. ) 

 What's the connection to curling? Do they wet the ice?  It's been ages since I watched it - it's one of those oddly fascinating and bizarre sports (like, "what the heck are they doing, and why" and "I can't stop watching this" all at once. )

 

50 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I was checking my review and I had the same problem with a transparent pen. It stains. 

 Thanks!  I think the stain is either gone or has faded with the subsequent inks - or so it seems.

 

51 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I was distracted while reading the story, wondering how Essri would done his cape. Would he slide in, or have special magic buttons. ⚕️

 From episode 357 Noodler's El Lawrence, it's magical - operates by voice command and wraps itself over his back.

 

54 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Thanks for reviewing this ink.

You're most welcome!

 

54 minutes ago, yazeh said:

It was fun pre-christmas gift. 🙏 

Wish you and your loved ones a merry one. 🌲🌰🎅🌟

Thank you!  The same to you and to everyone who sees this!

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Not the widest - Baystate Blue is holding tightly to its lead  - but yeah, very wide.  That's not unusual for De Atramentis inks.

Good to know! 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

 Yep.  One of those two (the Document inks, which I assume is what you mean) has a reputation for bleeding through everything.

Both of them! 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

 

 What's the connection to curling? Do they wet the ice?  It's been ages since I watched it - it's one of those oddly fascinating and bizarre sports (like, "what the heck are they doing, and why" and "I can't stop watching this" all at once. )

Same here. It's the broom part.  I have a wet water brush and the ink water brush. On the wet paper, I need to dilute, direct, spread the ink as it touch the wet paper. It reminds me of curling. If I forget, I'll have huge blob of blue in that spot. Documents inks are difficult to manoeuvre.  

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

 

 Thanks!  I think the stain is either gone or has faded with the subsequent inks - or so it seems.

Good! 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

 From episode 357 Noodler's El Lawrence, it's magical - operates by voice command and wraps itself over his back.

Thanks for the reminder.  

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Thank you!  The same to you and to everyone who sees this!

 🙏🙏🙏

[Sailor Kenshin]

This blue-gray ink is exactly the kind of color I love.  
 

Had:  Diamine Prussian Blue; have Diamine Indigo.  Similar in color, but not pigmented.  I gave away my Monteverde Documental Blue for exactly that reason.

 

Love the story.  My brave, heroic Etthhri!  🐍 Be careful, fella.  
 

Thanks for this review, on a day when everything seems the color of the DA ink.  I really enjoy them, @LizEF.

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

I have a wet water brush and the ink water brush. On the wet paper, I need to dilute, direct, spread the ink as it touch the wet paper. It reminds me of curling. If I forget, I'll have huge blob of blue in that spot. Documents inks are difficult to manoeuvre.  

I'm totally having visions of you curling-drawing with your two brush pens sweeping the page!  Love it!  What a fabulous image.

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

This blue-gray ink is exactly the kind of color I love.  
 

Had:  Diamine Prussian Blue; have Diamine Indigo.  Similar in color, but not pigmented.  I gave away my Monteverde Documental Blue for exactly that reason.

Me, too, though I wasn't all that excited about it in use.  Perhaps from the super-wide line, or maybe I've just seen so many from this color range that it's not as exciting...

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Love the story.  My brave, heroic Etthhri!  🐍 Be careful, fella.  

 Thanks!

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thanks for this review, on a day when everything seems the color of the DA ink.

You're most welcome!

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I really enjoy them, @LizEF.

 Thanks!!

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

I'm totally having visions of you curling-drawing with your two brush pens sweeping the page!  Love it!  What a fabulous image.

😸

[Sailor Kenshin]

There's an artist's color, Payne's Gray, that I've loved for decades; DA Doc. Blue Gray is an almost exact match.

[LizEF]

36 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

There's an artist's color, Payne's Gray, that I've loved for decades; DA Doc. Blue Gray is an almost exact match.

Yes! But even Payne's Gray isn't always the same color, depending on the manufacturer.  L'Artisan Pastellier Callifolio have a Payne's Grey (or did, I think) that I would have tried by now, but people keep sending me ink to review!! 

[yazeh]

56 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Yes! But even Payne's Gray isn't always the same color, depending on the manufacturer.  L'Artisan Pastellier Callifolio have a Payne's Grey (or did, I think) that I would have tried by now, but people keep sending me ink to review!! 

And that how @LizEF hired a few elves. 🧝‍♂️ 

[LizEF]

5 minutes ago, yazeh said:

And that how @LizEF hired a few elves. 🧝‍♂️