Ink Review #1392: Leonardo Blue

Recently a reader sent me a bottle of Leonardo Blue to try out (the bottle says blue but some of the retailers have it listed as Mediterraneo Blue). This is a new-to-me brand so I was excited to give it a go! Thanks to the reader that sent this in for review! You can find this ink for sale at a few retailers including Appelboom and Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Blue is a classic medium blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks a little bit darker and has some pink sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: medium shading, medium pink sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Blue is closest to Diamine Asa Blue. Click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Montegrappa Elmo with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, I enjoyed this ink. It’s a nice blue with plenty of shading and sheen. If you are in need of a medium blue ink this one is worth a try!

Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Octopus Fluids Inks Set 5

Let’s take a look at the last set of Octopus Fluids inks: Orchidee, Purpur, Flieder, Aubergine, Konigsblau. Thanks to Octopus Fluids for sending these inks over for review!

Swabs:

Left to right: Orchidee, Purpur, Flieder, Aubergine, Königsblau.

Ink drops:

Purpur, Flieder and Aubergine all have a little bit of sheen.

Dry Time:

All five inks dried in 10-50 seconds.

Water Resistance:

All have medium water resistance.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Feathering: Medium

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Medium

Other properties: low-medium shading, Purpur and Flieder have tiny sheen and Aubergine has low sheen and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was lots of feathering in every nib size as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Orchidee is closest to Graf von Faber-castell Electric Pink.

Purpur is closest to Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo.

Flieder is closest to Diamine Violet.

Aubergine is closest to Diamine Imperial Purple.

Konigsblau is closest to Cross Blue.

Longer Writing:

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. All of the inks had an average flow except Aubergine which had a wet flow.

Overall, out of the five Aubergine is my favorite, but all five colors look great. Unfortunately, like a lot of the other Octopus Fluids inks I’ve tried they all have more feathering and bleeding than I prefer.

Disclaimer: These inks were provided by Octopus Fluids for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and is not sponsored in any way.

Octopus Fluids Inks Set 4

Let’s take a look at the next set of Octopus Fluids inks: Moosgrun, Tiefgrun, Lindgrun, Fruhlingsgrun and Karibik. Thanks to Octopus Fluids for sending these inks over for review!

Swabs:

Left to right: Moosgrun, Tiefgrun, Lindgrun, Fruhlingsgrun and Karibik.

Ink drops:

Moosgrun and Tiefgrun both have a little bit of red sheen.

Dry Time:

All five inks dried in 5-10 seconds.

Water Resistance:

All have medium water resistance.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Feathering: Medium

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Medium

Other properties: low-medium shading, no sheen except Moosgrun and Tiefgrun and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was lots of feathering in every nib size as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Moosgrun is closest to Diamine Sherwood Green.

Tiefgrun is closest to Ink Institute Songshan-xindian Line.

Lindgrun is closest to Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-rin.

Fruhlingsgrun is a little bit lighter than Diamine Apple Glory.

Karibik is closest to Robert Oster Aqua.

Longer Writing:

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. The first three inks had an average flow, the last two had a dry flow.

Overall, out of the five Karibik is my favorite color but I do wish the flow was a bit wetter. All five have a bit too much feathering and bleeding for me.

Disclaimer: These inks were provided by Octopus Fluids for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1381: Robert Oster Australis Hydra

Robert Oster Australis Hydra is the last ink from the recent limited edition Australis collection. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens and Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Australis Hydra is a medium turquoise blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has a little bit of pink sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, tiny sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Australis Hydra seems like a lighter version of Robert Oster Fire and Ice. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pelikan M805 Vibrant Blue with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely blue ink. It’s a great option if you’ve been looking for a lighter version of Robert Oster Fire and Ice.

Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1380: Robert Oster Australis Tea

Robert Oster Australis Tea is from the recent limited edition Australis collection. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens and Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Australis Tea is a medium pistachio green.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some shading but no sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, no sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in all nib sizes as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Australis Tea has less yellow than Robert Oster Chartreuse but more yellow than Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-rin. It’s also lighter that Rohrer & Klingner Alt-goldgrun. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the green inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Kaweco Sport Sage with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a dry flow.

Overall, I don’t have a good dupe for this one which is great, but it is a bit too dry for me. It’s also a bit pale for me in the smaller nib sizes so this is not a must-have for me.

Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1379: Robert Oster Australis Rose

Robert Oster Australis Rose is from the recent limited edition Australis collection. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens and Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Australis Rose is a medium dusky rose pink.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some shading but no sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: medium shading, no sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Australis Oak is lighter than Robert Oster Plumb Nut. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the pink inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pilot Custom 74 Merlot with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a dry flow.

Overall, this ink fits right in-between Robert Oster Plumb Nut and Robert Oster Cherry Blossom. I think I’m partial to this ink just because it’s the color my grandma used to wear on her nails.

Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1378: Robert Oster Australis Oak

Robert Oster Australis Oak is a recent limited edition ink. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens and Pen Chalet (aff. link).

The color:

Australis Oak is a medium toffee brown.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some shading but no sheen.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: Low

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: medium shading, no sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Australis Oak is darker than SBRE Brown. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the brown inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pelikan M400 White Tortoise with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a dry flow.

Overall, it’s a nice addition to the Robert Oster lineup, but since it’s a limited edition ink you’ll have to grab it while it’s still available. It’s a little drier than I prefer but performed well in a wet Pelikan nib.

Disclaimer: All photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Octopus Fluids Inks Set 3

Let’s take a look at the next set of Octopus Fluids inks: Rot, Brilliant Rot, Burgunder, Orange and Mango. Thanks to Octopus Fluids for sending these inks over for review!

Swabs:

Left to right: Burgunder, Rot, Brilliant Rot, Orange and Mango.

Ink drops:

None of the inks show sheen.

Dry Time:

All five inks dried in 10-20 seconds.

Water Resistance:

All have low to medium water resistance.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Feathering: Medium

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: low shading, no sheen and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was lots of feathering in every nib size as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Burgunder is closest to Diamine Classic Red. Rot is lighter than Classic Red, Brilliant Rot is closest to Monteverde Valentine Red.

Orange is closest to Diamine Flowers Marigold.

Mango is closest to Tono & Lims Yakiimo.

Longer Writing:

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook and a Mabie Todd Swan. All five inks had an average flow.

Overall, out of the five Burgunder is my favorite. Mango and Orange can be hard to read in smaller nib sizes. All five inks do have some feathering on Rhodia and Leuchtturm.

Disclaimer: These inks were provided by Octopus Fluids for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and is not sponsored in any way.

Octopus Fluids Inks Set 2

Let’s take a look at the next set of Octopus Fluids inks: Sepia Schwarz, Weinrot, Pinie, Karamell and Bronze. Thanks to Octopus Fluids for sending these inks over for review!

Swabs:

Left to right: Sepia Schwarz, Pinie, Karamell, Bronze and Weinrot.

Ink drops:

Weinrot, Pinie and Karamell all show a little bit of sheen.

Dry Time:

All five inks dried in 20-30 seconds.

Water Resistance:

All have low to medium water resistance.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Feathering: Medium

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

Other properties: low shading, no sheen to medium sheen (Weinrot and Pinie) and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was lots of feathering in every nib size as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Sepia Schwarz is closest to Diamine Macassar. Pinie is closest to Kobe Nada Brown. Bronze is closest to Colorverse Soul.

Karamell is closest to Monteverde Pumpkin Cake.

Weinrot is closest to Montblanc Antoine de Saint-euxpery.

Longer Writing:

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. All five inks had an average but watery flow.

Overall, there’s a bit more feathering than I prefer. Out of these five, Karamell is my favorite. It’s an interesting fall golden brown.

Disclaimer: These inks were provided by Octopus Fluids for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and is not sponsored in any way.

Octopus Fluids Inks Set 1

Let’s take a look at Octopus Fluids Schwarz and Ultramarinblau. Thanks to Octopus Fluids for sending these inks over for review!

Swabs:

Left to right: Schwarz and Ultramarinblau.

Ink drops:

Schwarz doesn’t show as much shading as Ultramarinblau.

Dry Time:

Both inks dried in 20-30 seconds.

Writing samples:

Let's take a look at how the ink behaves on fountain pen friendly papers: Rhodia, Tomoe River, and Leuchtturm.

Feathering: Medium

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Medium

Other properties: low to medium shading, no sheen and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was lots of feathering in every nib size as well as some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Schwarz is closest to Sailor Ink Studio 024.

Ultramarinblau is closest to Tono & Lims I Feel So Refreshed.

Longer Writing:

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. Both inks had an average but watery flow.

Overall, they’re not bad but not fabulous. There’s more feathering and bleeding than I prefer and since the colors are very basic there a lot of better alternatives out there.

Disclaimer: These inks were provided by Octopus Fluids for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links, and is not sponsored in any way.