Sailor Shikiori Sasabune

[yazeh]

Sailor Shikiori Sasabune

 

 

Ink Review # 226

 

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🧾 Description

Many thanks to @Lithium466 for this sample.

 

Sasabune (笹舟) means “bamboo-leaf boat.”

It refers to a small, fragile boat traditionally folded from a bamboo leaf and set afloat on water.

 

Image reference: © PhotoLibrary.jp (Japan)

 

I am smitten by this ink. 

 

It’s a pale, legible, muted green. 

 

I absolutely love everything about this ink, the gentle shading, hue and how it inspired me to explore Japanese ethos & poetry through art.  

 

The ink surprisingly tames the scratchy ultra-extra-fine nib of my Osmiroid, but it was slightly scratchy with the Lamy Safari. If you have wet pens and soft nibs, it would be a better match.

 

The shading is gorgeous. This is an ink for @namrehsnoom.  

 

I won’t recommend it for copy paper; you’ll have some show/bleed-through. 

 

If I didn’t already have enough greens in this shade, I would’ve grabbed a bottle. 

 

 

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🧪 Chroma

 

 

 

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✍️ Writing Samples (Photo)

Quotes: 

·  “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.”
— Matsuo Bashō — Japanese poet

·  “The beauty of an object lies not in its form alone, but in the space it leaves untouched.”
— Jun'ichirō Tanizaki — Writer & aesthetic essayist

·  “A boat drifts because it trusts the river more than itself.”
— Shūsaku Endō — Novelist

·  “To know when to stop is to understand harmony.”
— Zeami Motokiyo — Noh playwright & theorist

·  “The brush reveals the mind more clearly than words ever could.”
— Sesshū Tōyō — Ink painter

 

The ink is un-scannable. So you have photos only.   

 

Rhodia 

 

 

 

Iroful

 

 

 

Midori

 

 

 

 

Tomoe River 68gsm

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

 

 

 

Hammermill 20 lb copy paper

 

 

 

 

Closeup (Midori)

 

 

 

 🔍 Comparison

Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. 

 

 

 

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 💧 Water Test

 

 

 

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🎨 Artwork

For Watching the Moon!

Title was inspired by a poem by Matsuo Bashō. 

 

“Planting bamboo —
it becomes a garden
for watching the moon.”

 

Fabriano Watercolor paper. 

 

 

 

Inktober52: Day 4: Cozy

Inspired by a still from Tokyo Story by Yasujirō Ozu, transposed to winter.

 

Hosia Ink Studio An Nang (grey, background), Tintenlabor Tannenwald (dark green-black), Sailor Shikiori Sasabune (green),Tintenlabor Lärchengold (brown), Jacques Herbin Gris Galet (cat and cushions), Uni-ball Signo White Gel Pen, Talens Mixed Media Notebook.

 

 

Princess Kaguya

Fountain pen ink art inspired by a still from The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

 

Sailor Shikiori Sasabune (green), Jacques Herbin Gris Galet, Kitty Ink Spot Lost Rose (purple), Lennon Tool Bar Cat General (brown), Hosia Ink Studio An Nang (light grey), Uni-ball Signo White Gel, Talens Mixed Media Notebook.

 

 

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- Pens Used: Osmiroid Copperplate nib,  Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ stub 1.1)

- What I Liked: Lovely, subtle colour with gorgeous shading for writing and drawing. 

- What I Did Not Like: I’m still looking. 

- Writing Experience: Excellent with Osimiord and M onwards nibs. I’m sure with soft F nib it’ll work fine. 

 

 🧷 Ink Characteristics

 

- Shading: Gorgeous. 

- Ghosting: A bit on copy paper. 

- Bleed Through: A bit on copy paper. 

- Flow Rate: Wet

- Lubrication: Depends on the pen. 

- Nib Dry-out: Did not notice.

- Start-up: Did not notice.

- Saturation: Enough.

- 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 20 ml bottles.

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 💬 Closing

I tested this after Ukikusa. The colour suited me much better. Drawings were much easier to create and was surprised by the range and subtility of the colour. Highly recommend for those who enjoy subtle greens.  

 

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.  

 

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

Oh, really very nice to my eyes and thanks for the great review.

 

There's lots of bamboo where I live, including at my home, and this ink color really is evocative of it. And there is something about bamboo - its contemplative-feeling-ness, its welcoming-ness to take a rest under it, the calming aroma, the sound of the wind moving through it, its flexibility hiding a characteristic strength - that's hard to put into words. I just love being near it.

 

It reminds me a little of TAG Stationery Urahairo but definitely different.

 

Many online images seem to show a greenier green (such as these: https://www.stiloestile.com/en/inks/bottled-inks/sailor-shikiori-sasabune-ink-bottle-20-ml), btw, that gets away from the bamboo feel. Hmm.

[Sailor Kenshin]

What a chroma!  And what a fantastic review.

 

I have Alt-GG but only use it in the spring.  And does this Sailor ink have a bit of water resistance?

 

Being somewhat of a Japanophile, I loved the quotes, the sketches, the photos, the artwork.  I would have liked it anyway.  Thanks, @yazeh!  

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, PithyProlix said:

Oh, really very nice to my eyes and thanks for the great review.

Welcome.  🙏

 

1 hour ago, PithyProlix said:

 

There's lots of bamboo where I live, including at my home, and this ink color really is evocative of it. And there is something about bamboo - its contemplative-feeling-ness, its welcoming-ness to take a rest under it, the calming aroma, the sound of the wind moving through it, its flexibility hiding a characteristic strength - that's hard to put into words. I just love being near it.

Thank you for sharing these contemplative and evocative moments with me. It gives me the opportunity to travel and feel. 🙏

1 hour ago, PithyProlix said:

It reminds me a little of TAG Stationery Urahairo but definitely different.

From what I’ve seen online, the colours are similar in tone but different in he.

If you look at my first drawing, you’ll see how bright it can be when applied with a brush. I used dry fountain pens with this ink, so it’s possible that with a wet fountain pen the green becomes greener and brighter. I’ll see if I can post a writing sample of Ukikusa and Sasabune together. I would say the former is more yell

1 hour ago, PithyProlix said:

Many online images seem to show a greenier green (such as these: https://www.stiloestile.com/en/inks/bottled-inks/sailor-shikiori-sasabune-ink-bottle-20-ml), btw, that gets away from the bamboo feel. Hmm.

If you look at my first drawing, you’ll see how bright it can be when applied with a brush. I used dry fountain pens with this ink, so it’s possible that with a wet fountain pen the green becomes greener and brighter. I’ll see if I can post a writing sample of Ukikusa and Sasabune together. I would say the former is more yellow.

[yazeh]

33 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

What a chroma!

😊

33 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 And what a fantastic review.

Thanks.🙏

33 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

I have Alt-GG but only use it in the spring.  And does this Sailor ink have a bit of water resistance?

Yes it does if you check the water test.

 

33 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Being somewhat of a Japanophile, I loved the quotes, the sketches, the photos, the artwork.  I would have liked it anyway.  Thanks, @yazeh!  

Same here. I felt quite at home with this ink and preferred it much more to Ukikusa. There's something about this colour that connects with the soul of Japan, which is soothing.

 

[LizEF]

Am very happy that you have found an ink you like so well!   IMO, Sailor's ink-makers are masters of their craft.

 

The little boat is adorable. Intriguing chroma. Wonderful quotes - that first one is wisdom indeed.

 

In the writing samples, the ink looks quite different from one to another and especially on my two different monitors.  Ah, the joy of inks and digitization.  The color therefore falls into my "I'm not sure" zone. I suspect it's too pastel for me, but I could be wrong...

 

Thank you for the fun swatch sketches and water-test drawing.  

 

And these three drawings are some of your best, IMO! I especially love Princess Kaguya - the depth and scene draw me in, wondering what she's looking at and what brought her into the bamboo forest.   But they're all wonderful - clearly this ink inspired you!

 

Thanks for a beautiful review, @yazeh!

[inkstainedruth]

@yazeh Hmmm.  This is definitely an interesting color.  Wasn't quite as pale a color as I was expecting from the description of it, but does seem to be an ink which should be used in a wetter pen or one with a wider nib.  Trying to make up my mind about it.

Thanks as usual, though for the comprehensive review, and of course, the artwork (of course now you're also making me want to see if I can find the story about Princess Kaguya in the county library system...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Am very happy that you have found an ink you like so well!   IMO, Sailor's ink-makers are masters of their craft.

This ink was really inspiring. It made me happy.

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

The little boat is adorable.

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Intriguing chroma. Wonderful quotes - that first one is wisdom indeed.

 The quotes were inspired.

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

In the writing samples, the ink looks quite different from one to another and especially on my two different monitors. 

It's the same text photographed under different light. My desk light is a very strong LED that mimics supposedly the daylight.  

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Ah, the joy of inks and digitization.  The color therefore falls into my "I'm not sure" zone. I suspect it's too pastel for me, but I could be wrong...

It is a lighter Verdi n of Kakimori Kurun. 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Thank you for the fun swatch sketches and water-test drawing.  

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

And these three drawings are some of your best, IMO! I especially love Princess Kaguya - the depth and scene draw me in, wondering what she's looking at and what brought her into the bamboo forest.   But they're all wonderful - clearly this ink inspired you!

Thank you. I had so much fun doing that one. The ink helped a lot. It's funny how a combination of hue, tone, colour, quotes, name help me create, while another ink might have the complete reverse effect. 

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

Thanks for a beautiful review, @yazeh!

Most welcome. 😊

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

@yazeh Hmmm.  This is definitely an interesting color.  Wasn't quite as pale a color as I was expecting from the description of it, but does seem to be an ink which should be used in a wetter pen or one with a wider nib.

Yes, one will need a wetter pen and wider nib.

 

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

Trying to make up my mind about it.

I would say it has less yellow that Ukikusa

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

Thanks as usual, though for the comprehensive review, and of course, the artwork (of course now you're also making me want to see if I can find the story about Princess Kaguya in the county library system...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Most welcome. If you have Netflix, you can stream it there. It has a mystical, nostalgic quality. It's more Ozu than Kurosawa, if it makes any sense.

 

[inkstainedruth]

No, we don't have any of the streaming services.  Our TV/internet/house phone bill are already high enough....

I did look online earlier today, though -- and apparently it's available as a children's graphic novel in a couple of the libraries in the county system (and currently checked out at a couple of others).  So, it's been added to the list of stuff I want to read at some point but don't necessarily want to buy (well, not at the moment, anyway... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[PithyProlix]

13 hours ago, yazeh said:

15 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Thanks as usual, though for the comprehensive review, and of course, the artwork (of course now you're also making me want to see if I can find the story about Princess Kaguya in the county library system...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Most welcome. If you have Netflix, you can stream it there. It has a mystical, nostalgic quality. It's more Ozu than Kurosawa, if it makes any sense.

 

Really wonderful animated film by Studio Ghibli director Isao Takahata. Highly recommend.

[yazeh]

@inkstainedruth it's based on a 10 century Japanese folk tale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.  

There are two live action versions I'm aware of. But the animation and artistry of this particular film are breathtaking, especially as everything is hand-drawn. 

 

Here is a trailer to get a feel for it. 

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks!  That looks interesting -- and the animation in the the video clip is EXQUISITE!  

Of course, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to find the actual movie easily.  I don't have any streaming services, and have not gotten the replacement DVD player ever hooked up (there are a few videos I've picked up over the years which of course I've never actually gotten to watch) and I'm trying to remember if I got that when I picked up a stereo system (also NOT hooked up yet) at a neighborhood-wide set of garage sales in a neighborhood south of me (even if I didn't find anything at some of the sales, the participants were often taking donations to help some people who were in a series of bad fires a couple weeks before; I think one of the other sales was diagonally across the street from one of the fires -- IIRC, there was some sort of issue with the gas lines in that neighborhood -- and you could STILL smell the smoke in the air (the woman running that sale said her husband rescued the woman who lived in the house which caught fire).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

You can always rent it online and stream it.

 

[inkstainedruth]

On my little laptop screen?  I don't think so..... 

Heck, there have been times when I've had to go to online meetings (stuff for the "other" hobby) and was shocked and amazed a couple of weeks ago that I could actually get Google Groups to work on my laptop (in the past some of those have been on Zoom, and I've never gotten a straight answer from ANYONE at Zoom as to whether it willl actually WORK on my laptop, so I usually have my husband set stuff up for me on his work computer and I use MY laptop for looking up stuff to add to the discussions.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

19 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

On my little laptop screen?  I don't think so..... 

Heck, there have been times when I've had to go to online meetings (stuff for the "other" hobby) and was shocked and amazed a couple of weeks ago that I could actually get Google Groups to work on my laptop (in the past some of those have been on Zoom, and I've never gotten a straight answer from ANYONE at Zoom as to whether it willl actually WORK on my laptop, so I usually have my husband set stuff up for me on his work computer and I use MY laptop for looking up stuff to add to the discussions.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Lets say you want to rent it from youtube. You can see it on your laptop, or TV, i.e. if it's SMART or has a SMART Device connected to. Alternatively, you can mirror your laptop screen on your TV with the right cable. I'm sure your husband knows how to do that.

 

[inkstainedruth]

I'm not sure sure about that.  He's a UNIX weenie, not a Mac guy....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Lithium466]

Fantastic artwork!

I'm glad you liked that ink, I was persuaded you'd prefer Ukikusa 😂

Then there is Yuki Usagi 🤩

[yazeh]

 

14 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

I'm not sure sure about that.  He's a UNIX weenie, not a Mac guy....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Ask him.  

[yazeh]

28 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

Fantastic artwork!

Thanks!

28 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

I'm glad you liked that ink, I was persuaded you'd prefer Ukikusa 😂

I like mostly subtle, muted colours. Ukikusa was too bright. 

28 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

Then there is Yuki Usagi 🤩