Jacques Herbin – Gris Galet

[yazeh]

 

 

Jacques Herbin – Gris Galet

 

Ink Review # 225

 

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🧾 Description

 

Jacques Herbin Gris Galet (Grey Pebbles) is part of a new series of inks, presented in J Herbin 10 ml and 30 ml bottles. 

 

 

 

This is the darkest grey ink in the Herbin lineup. The dark green and turquoise visible in the chromatography create a lovely grey that depending on the paper can veer from neutral grey to blue-black.  

It has lovely shading, ranging from subtle on Rhodia to extreme on Iroful. 

The ink is wet with slightly below average lubrication depending on the nib size. It sings with B nibs. 

There is some show-through and bleed-through on copy paper, but despite that it looks gorgeous. 

 

I’ve added Logical Notebook Japanese paper to the lineup.  

 

🧪 Chroma

 

 

 

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✍️ Writing Samples (scan)

Quotes: 

“Everything that endures becomes polished.”

— André Gide, French writer

“The sea is what remains when everything fades.”

— Marguerite Duras, French writer

“Pebble shores, slowly polished by the sea, speak a very ancient language.”

— Pierre Loti, French novelist

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”

— Albert Camus, French writer

“The sea is a vast desert where man is never alone.”

— Victor Hugo, French writer

 

Rhodia / Iroful

 

 

 

Midori /Tomoe River 68gsm/Logical

Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews.

 

 

Hammermill 20lb  

 

 

 

 📸 Photo

Rhodia/ Iroful

 

 

Midori / Tomoe River 68 gsm/Logical

 

 

 

Hammermill 20 lb copy paper

 

 

 

Close-up

 

 

 

 🔍 Comparison

Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. 

 

 

 

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 💧 Water Test

 

 

 

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 🎨 Artwork

Inktober 52 - Sunset

Combining the previous prompt Capricorn and the final one, Sunset

 

It was dawn. Cat was warming himself on the Suḫurmāšu (Goat-fish). His heart skipped a beat at the sight of Princess Mouse of the House of Ur, striding toward the great ziggurat to pray that the floods would temper their exuberance this year. But when her eyes met Cat’s, her step faltered, her faith trembled.

The Suḫurmāšu broke the silence.

“Today is the sunset of my era. Soon I will be nothing but a myth. Other gods will come, other temples will be built, and I will remain only a constellation.”

Cat was saddened to see the Princess in tears.

“Do not cry, Princess. Faiths will rise and fall, but love will be eternal.”

 

Jacques Herbin Gris Galet & Vert Cactus, Lennon Tool Bar Cat General, Tintenlabor Mystery ink, Talens Mixed Media Notebook. 

 

 

 

Breaking News!

Mouse was jealous of Cat, who seemed to be hypnotized by a new TV presenter.

 

Jacques Herbin Gris Galet, Tintenlabor Rothorn , Tannenwald, Pelikan Edelstein Apricot Achat, unknown blue ink, Talens Mixed Media Sketchbook. 

 

 

 

The First Declaration!

We all remember our first declaration, the vulnerability, the fear of rejection, the fear of acceptance, the fear of growing.   

 

Jacques Herbin Gris Galet (blue grey), Hosia Ink Studio An Nang (light grey with a hint of bronze), Tintenlabor Rothorn (iron gall red), Pelikan Edelstein Apricot Achat (yellow), Talens Mixed Media

 

 

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- Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ stub 1.1), Noodler’s Nib creaper with a Waterman W2 vintage flex nib. 

- What I Liked: Lovely dark grey. Chameleon ink. Shading. 

- What I Did Not Like: Nothing much.

- What Some Might Not Like: 

- Writing Experience: Lovely.

- Pros: Dark grey. Lovely colour, price range, small bottles. 

- Cons: If I want nitpick, not as lubricated as Bleu Calanque. 

 

 🧷 Ink Characteristics

 

- Shading: Yes. Extreme with Iroful, subtle on Rhodia. 

- Ghosting: Depending nib size and wetness. 

- Bleed Through: Depending nib size and wetness.

- Flow Rate: Wet

- Lubrication: Below average to average depending on pen. 

- Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. 

- Start-up: Good.

- Saturation: Lovely.

- Sheen: No. 

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

- Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.

- Staining (Pen): No 

- Clogging: No.

- Cleaning: Easy. 

- Water Resistance: Ok. 

 

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 🛒 Availability

 

- Available in   10/30 ml bottles worldwide. 

 

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 💬 Closing

 

This was a great surprise. I really enjoy the multiple personality of this ink, it’s different colour temperature and shading. It is my favorite grey ink from Herbin.

 

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]

28 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I’ve added Logical Notebook Japanese paper to the lineup.  

👏

 

Interesting color. On my screen, it looks like a grey that leans slightly to green.

 

Anywho, wonderful review! Love your drawings.   I especially like that first one - perhaps it's the desert-dweller in me.

 

Thanks, @yazeh!

 

(PS: Your Hammermill scan shoved its way into the place of the Rhodia/Iroful photo.)

[PhiloPlume]

I like the color and JHerbin inks (have a bunch of them) and also grey inks, but I am guessing this ink will be close to black for fine Japanese nibs like Pilots, Sailors, Platinum.

 

I might have to find a medium nib for this one though.  I like it!

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

👏

Thanks!

 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Interesting color. On my screen, it looks like a grey that leans slightly to green.

It depends on the light.

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Anywho, wonderful review! Love your drawings.   I especially like that first one - perhaps it's the desert-dweller in me.

Thanks!

 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Thanks, @yazeh!

 

(PS: Your Hammermill scan shoved its way into the place of the Rhodia/Iroful photo.)

Corrected. 🙏

[yazeh]

32 minutes ago, PhiloPlume said:

I like the color and JHerbin inks (have a bunch of them) and also grey inks, but I am guessing this ink will be close to black for fine Japanese nibs like Pilots, Sailors, Platinum.

I would say dark grey, charcoal.  

32 minutes ago, PhiloPlume said:

 

I might have to find a medium nib for this one though.  I like it!

It definitely needs a wider nib and good paper.  

[PhiloPlume]

1 minute ago, yazeh said:

I would say dark grey, charcoal.  

It definitely needs a wider nib and good paper.  

Okay!  I will check for a pen with a medium nib.  Don't think I have many.  Oh - some Franklin-Christophs which run a little wide for me.  Just remembered 🙂

[LizEF]

22 minutes ago, yazeh said:

It depends on the light.

D'oh! 🤦‍♀️ My screen goes into night mode, which gives everything a yellow cast.  Now I've turned that off, only the scans and the swatch card have a hint of green. The photos look more blue-leaning, as you mentioned.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Brilliant illustrations, interesting 'plummeting sourpuss' chroma.  Great quotes.

 

@yazeh, I probably won't buy this Gris (having so many grays!), but your review was a fun and fascinating read.  Thanks!

[yazeh]

11 hours ago, PhiloPlume said:

Okay!  I will check for a pen with a medium nib.  Don't think I have many.  Oh - some Franklin-Christophs which run a little wide for me.  Just remembered 🙂

As I use fountainpens both for writing and drawing I see more nuances. If I were to use fountainpens with EF nibs only for writing, life would be easier, and cheaper ink wise.

 

 

 

[yazeh]

11 hours ago, LizEF said:

D'oh! 🤦‍♀️ My screen goes into night mode, which gives everything a yellow cast.  Now I've turned that off, only the scans and the swatch card have a hint of green. The photos look more blue-leaning, as you mentioned.

Night mode deforms colours. How many times I went through that.

When I check your reviews every Tuesday it's often on the phone. I always double check them on my computer later in case I missed something.

 

[yazeh]

54 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Brilliant illustrations, interesting 'plummeting sourpuss' chroma.  Great quotes.

Thanks! 

54 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

@yazeh, I probably won't buy this Gris (having so many grays!), but your review was a fun and fascinating read.  Thanks!

Most welcome. I have amassed quite a few Grey's. Thankfully they are mostly samples.

 

[inkstainedruth]

OOOOH....  This one has definitely piqued my interest! 
Like LizEF, I noticed the green undertone to the grey, which is definitely a little different.  And the dry times (except for the flex nib) seem pretty reasonable for the most part...

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

7 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

OOOOH....  This one has definitely piqued my interest! 

 

 

7 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Like LizEF, I noticed the green undertone to the grey, which is definitely a little different.  And the dry times (except for the flex nib) seem pretty reasonable for the most part...

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

In my experience this is the best grey by Herbin. It's dark enough for writing, complex enough with wider nibs and gorgeous for washes with decent water resistance, and it comes in my favorite 10 ml bottles.  

[Misfit]

I did buy this ink thanks to the thorough review. 

[InkyProf]

Yes, this is on my list as well -- thank you!

[yazeh]

6 hours ago, Misfit said:

I did buy this ink thanks to the thorough review. 

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 🙏

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, InkyProf said:

Yes, this is on my list as well -- thank you!

Welcome. Hope you'll like it when you get it.