FPN Van Gogh Starry Night Blue

[simonrob]

Interesting variations between these two scans. To my eye, that one on the right looks just like PR-Midnite Blue. I actually didn't purchase a bottle because I thought it might look so similar to PR-MB. I'm just going to have to see it in person before I decide.

 

I'll be sure to compare it side-by-side with PR-MB once I get a sample of Starry Night.

 

A more apt comparison, I think, is with Noodler's Midnight Blue. PR's Midnight Blues is not quite as dark as Starry Night and quite a bit more blue. Nooder's Midnight Blue is more-or-less as dark as Starry Night but also more blue (but not to the extent that PR's Midnight Blues is). The difference is subtle. Written with a wet nib, they look essentially the same. Smear some about on a page (or, presumably, write with a broad italic nib), where the ink is thinner the difference is noticeable. However, it's so slight that if someone told me they were the same ink, but from different batches, I would believe it. (My two bottles of Noodler's Nightshade are at least as different from each other as Starry Night and Midnight Blue.) Starry Night is quite a nice colour, but of the three I like it least (PR's Midnight Blues the most); and I would suggest that anyone who already Noodler's Midnight Blue doesn't need Starry Night.

 

Simon

[JDlugosz]

OK, what color is it?

 

http://www.dlugosz.com/Hosted/InkScans/Noodler's/Starry%20Night/ColorPicker.png

 

The Hue is 211°, which is lower (more toward Cyan, less from true Blue) than PR Midnight Blues. It also has even less saturation than PM-MB at its darkest. That is, it's more gray than blue. On this picture, the Brightness slider is shown, and it is cyan at the top, black at the bottom, and gray in the middle.

 

These scans have calibrated correct values in the file, with an embedded ICC profile for Adobe RGB. You should be able to compare any of my review scans side-by-side to see the difference, because the exposure and adjustment is exactly the same in each ink scan. To aid color perception on your monitor, there is a thin white border to show the paper color (the paper is faintly blue in sunlight) and a gray matte. The matte is perfectly neutral, so judge the color relative to that.

 

In particular, you can compare against PR-MB in the same Wing Sung 237 pen.

 

http://www.dlugosz.com/Hosted/InkScans/Noodler's/Starry%20Night/Sample1-text.jpg

 

http://www.dlugosz.com/Hosted/InkScans/Noodler's/Starry%20Night/Sample1-figure.jpg

 

http://www.dlugosz.com/Hosted/InkScans/Noodler's/Starry%20Night/Sample2.jpg

 

http://www.dlugosz.com/Hosted/InkScans/Noodler's/Starry%20Night/feather.jpg

 

—John

 

http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/88x31.png These images are hosted on my site, only to relieve the server burden. I specifically grant the right of FPN to re-host them, back them up, or otherwise to maintain continuity of this content, as they see fit.

[Ernst Bitterman]

This is the ink for pens that Pelikan Blue-Black doesn't work in. I've had it down a fine Snorkel Admiral (moist) and a Waterman Phileas (middling). It's the colour just before black in the night sky, intimating without admitting to blueness, out of the former, and a deeper, burly version of the watery aspect of the Pelikan colour out of the other-- blue-black indeed, with a firm grip on the sense of black. It is, indeed, darker than the Pelikan even when the Pelikan comes out of a pen it agrees with.

 

 

The only complaint I have: I know a 'full bottle' is usually desirable, but I needed a *little* headspace - I couldn't use the ink without sending a little trickle down the side of the bottle (fortunately narrowly missing the label!)

 

Amen, brother! I have a suspicion that the Noodler's Ink Labs are rather closer to sea level than my living room.

 

[Stylo]

(My two bottles of Noodler's Nightshade are at least as different from each other as Starry Night and Midnight Blue.) Starry Night is quite a nice colour, but of the three I like it least (PR's Midnight Blues the most); and I would suggest that anyone who already Noodler's Midnight Blue doesn't need Starry Night.

 

You just provided an answer to a question that had been nagging me for quite a while.

 

Thanks

 

[Ernst Bitterman]

I did a water-soak test last night-- after 10 minutes in the water, the ink faded somewhat but I'd still rate it as a very dark grey; if not bulletproof, it's highly projectile-resistant. I think I know what I'm signing my oncoming child's birth documents with.

 

[Viseguy]

Starry Night is quite a nice colour, but of the three I like it least (PR's Midnight Blues the most); and I would suggest that anyone who already Noodler's Midnight Blue doesn't need Starry Night.

Unless you need (or want) water resistance. Starry Night has a good deal of that; Noodler's Midnight Blue, very little. The tradeoff is that, with Starry Night, you also get a lot more gray, which makes it hard for me to warm to. I much prefer PR Midnight Blues or Noodler's Manhattan Blue (both of which, incidentally, have respectable water resistance).

[angel]

Unless you need (or want) water resistance. Starry Night has a good deal of that; Noodler's Midnight Blue, very little.

 

I have both Noodler's Midnight Blue and Starry Night. I still have to check for water resistance, thanks for mentioning it, Viseguy!

 

Attached is a scan (unretouched; sorry, I don't know how to calibrate) of the 2 inks. Starry Night appears darker than Midnight Blue on the HP paper, a dark blue-grey with more blue than grey to my eyes. I dipped a Waterman flex pen (still have to learn how to write flex) to write the samples.

 

 

 

[bossy]

Could be my monitor, but that's got to be the muddiest color I've seen for a 'blue' ink.

[Ernst Bitterman]

More on water resistance-- I messed up a cheque yesterday, so I left it standing in a cup of water for about 10 hours. The high-notes of blue seem to migrate towards the dry part of the paper (very peacocky and unexpected), some components seem to slide down the paper, leaving a very dark greyish-purple remainer that doesn't seem likely to shift. Gratifying permanence.

[bdngrd]

I have just used my new bottle of FPN blue and I have to say I really like it. It has a great feel, and the color seems vintage and very nice. I have to shout out a thanks to everyone who worked on this project. (and to the other colors as well. I like them too, but the blue is my fav.)

Edited July 20, 2008 by bdngrd

[Wino In Training]

Isn't this somewhat similar to Noodler's Manhattan Blue?

[Dr.Grace]

IMO, Manhattan Blue is much different. It's more like a dark tealish blue-black. Clearer and not as grayish and dark as Starry Night Blue.

[Elaine]

Could be my monitor, but that's got to be the muddiest color I've seen for a 'blue' ink.

 

It's your monitor

[IPv6Freely]

This ink looks a lot like my Private Reserve 'Sonic Blue' that I love oh so much

[bossy]

Could be my monitor, but that's got to be the muddiest color I've seen for a 'blue' ink.

 

It's your monitor

Checked it's calibration against this image (below).

No adjustments were required (on my monitor)

http://i37.tinypic.com/f6gis.jpg

[SammyZadgan]

got my bottle of FPN Starry Nights...straightaway i knew i wanted this in my pel m1000...its a bit of a wet writter, which i why my result are a little different to the review version.

 

I dont get as much shading...and the colour is darker...

 

but hell...is this a nice looking ink or what!!!

 

i have always liked the idea of a blue-black, but could never find one that i liked...this one is the one.

 

just want to say thankyou to all the people that worked on getting this ink made by Noodler...looking at the results, it was all well worth it.

 

sammy

[vjacobo]

Just tried FPN starry nights in my Pilot custom 742 fa (flex). The ink is noticeably smoother than the former ink I was using (Skrip blue black) and has a very wonderful deep dark color. Very little shading in my pen, as I have a rather wet writer. Maybe as I flex it more, I will produce greater shading variation. Nice ink! Thanks FPN!!!!

[rfenter]

I understand that FPN VG Starry Night Blue is highly saturated. Are there pens in which you wouldn't use it? Are there recommendations for pen maintenance which you would highlight? Thanks so much!

[djmaher]

Has anyone compared this ink to Air-Corp Blue- Black? Also, comparison to Legal Lapis??

 

Just curious as to how these compare...

 

Thanks!!

 

X

[Mongo]

Has anyone compared this ink to Air-Corp Blue- Black?

 

Aircorps Blue-Black is much greener than Van Gogh Starry Night Blue.

 

-- Dave