Ink Review #1281: Monteverde Red Velvet

Monteverde Red Velvet is a dark maroon red, perfect for fall and winter. You can find this ink at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Red Velvet is a dark maroon red.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks much less saturated.

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: low shading, no sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in most nib sizes but no bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Red Velvet is closest to Ferris Wheel Press Candy Marsala. Click here to see the Monteverde inks together, and click here to see the red inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Lamy Al-star Purple with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a slightly dry flow.

Overall, this is not my favorite Monteverde ink. Normally I really enjoy Monteverde inks, but this one falls a bit flat for me. It’s a little too unsaturated and a little too dry.

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 #1280: Diamine Terracotta

Diamine Terracotta is part of the 150th Anniversary collection released in 2014. I purchased my sample of ink from Pen Chalet.

The color:

Terracotta is a medium red-brown.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has a tiny bit of black 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: None

Other properties: medium shading, tiny black sheen, and no shimmer. The sheen is only visible in large swabs on Tomoe River Paper.

On Staples 24 lb copy paper there was some feathering in most nib sizes, but no bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Terracotta is just a little bit lighter than Diamine Cherry Sunburst. Click here to see the Diamine inks together, and click here to see the brown inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pilot Vanishing Point Copper with a fine nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely medium brown. It’s a great addition to the 150th Anniversary collection.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ink myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. This page does contain affiliate links but this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1279: Ink Institute Jade Vine

Ink Institute is known mostly for their Taipei Metro ink collection, but they also have a Botanical Series ink collection. Jade Vine from the Botanical Series is an interesting unsaturated blue. Thanks to Shigure Inks for sending this ink over for review!

The color:

Jade Vine is a light, unsaturated blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some pretty shading. It almost turns pink where pooled.

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, no sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 20 lb copy paper there was feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Jade Vine is a little bit darker and less green than Papier Plume Lake Michigan Winter. Click here to see the Ink Institute inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pilot Vanishing Point Tropical Turquoise with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a dry flow.

Overall, I love the color of this ink, but the flow is a bit dry for me. It can also be pretty pale in the smaller nib sizes, so I would stick to broader wetter pens for this ink.

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Shigure Inks for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1278: Ink Institute Bannan Line

We’ve made it to the end of the Taipei Metro series so let’s take a look at the last one-Ink Institute Bannan Line. Thanks to Shigure Inks for sending this ink over for review!

The color:

Bannan Line is a medium bright blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some pretty 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: 15 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: Low

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

On Staples 20 lb copy paper there was feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Bannan Line is similar to Blackstone Barrier Reef Blue and Diamine Asa Blue. Click here to see the Ink Institute inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a TWSBI Eco Transparent Blue with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this ink is a lovely color and pretty well behaved, but there are a lot of other inks out there similar to this one.

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Shigure Inks for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1277: Ink Institute Songshan-xindian Line

There are so many pretty green inks out there! Let’s try out Ink Institute Songshan-xindian Line from the Taipei Metro series. Thanks to Shigure Inks for sending this ink over for review!

The color:

Songshan-xindian Line is a medium green that leans just a little bit toward blue.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks more blue than it does in writing.

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: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On Staples 20 lb copy paper there was feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Songshan-xindian is just a little big lighter than Robert Oster Peppermint. Click here to see the Ink Institute inks together, and click here to see the green inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Sailor Pro Gear Shamrock with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely green ink. It’s a good option if you are looking for an ink just a little bit lighter than Robert Oster Peppermint.

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Shigure Inks for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1276: Ink Institute Circular Line

We have a few more Ink Institue inks to get through, so today let’s take a look at Ink Institute Circular Line from the Taipei Metro series. Thanks to Shigure Inks for sending this ink over for review!

The color:

Circular Line is a bright sunny yellow.

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: 50 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On Staples 20 lb copy paper there was feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Circular Line is similar to Private Reserve Buttercup and Sailor Ink Studio 770. Click here to see the Ink Institute inks together, and click here to see the yellow inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a TWSBI Eco Yellow with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a slightly dry flow.

Overall, this is a lovely basic yellow ink-no shading or sheen in writing, but a bright sunny color. This ink would be great for summer.

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Shigure Inks for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1275: Ink Institute Zhonghe-xinlu Line

I’m a sucker for a good golden yellow ink in the fall, so let’s take a look at Ink Institute Zhonghe-xinlu Line from the Taipei Metro series. Thanks to Shigure Inks for sending this ink over for review!

The color:

Zhonghe-xinlu is a complex golden yellow-brown.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks more flat, less vibrant, and frankly less interesting. It’s rare for me not to love an ink more based on how it behaves in large swabs on TRP, but it just doesn’t improve this ink.

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: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On Staples 20 lb copy paper there was feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Zhonghe-xinlu is a bit more brown than Kobe Taisanji Yellow but less brown than Franklin-Christoph Honeycomb. Click here to see the Ink Institute inks together, and click here to see the yellow inks together.

Longer writing:

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

Overall, the color is amazing-perfect for fall and it does have some beautiful shading, but I do wish it was just a little bit wetter.

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Shigure Inks for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1274: Robert Oster Tokyo Blue Denim

Robert Oster Tokyo Blue Denim was originally exclusive to the Tokyo International Pen Show in 2019 at the Preco Corp table and is now available worldwide. You can find this ink for sale at Pen Chalet (aff. link) or Vanness Pens.

The color:

Tokyo Blue Denim is a dark blue than shades from light blue to almost black.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some amazing shading and a little bit of 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: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: high shading, tiny black sheen, and no shimmer.

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

Comparison Swabs:

In writing Tokyo Blue Denim is a little bit darker than Sailor’s Sailor. Click here to see the Robert Oster inks together, and click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Pelikan M605 White Transparent with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely blue ink, one of my current favorite Robert Oster blues. It has some amazing shading and is a beautiful color.

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 #1273: Ink Institute Tamshui-xinyi Line

We reviewed an Ink Institute ink yesterday, so today we are looking at another one from the same collection, Ink Institute Tanshui-xinyi Line from the Taipei Metro series. Thanks to Shigure Inks for sending this ink over for review!

The color:

Tanshui-xinyi is a dark vibrant red.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink turns grey, yellow and white where it pooled to dry.

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: low shading, no sheen, and no shimmer.

On Staples 20 lb copy paper there was some feathering in most nib sizes and some bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Tanshui-xinyi is closest to Noodler’s Tokyo Gift. Click here to see the Ink Institute inks together, and click here to see the red inks together.

Longer writing:

I used an Esterbrook Estie Merachino with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had a slightly dry flow.

Overall, it’s a great color and pretty well behaved, but it is just a little bit drier than I prefer.

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Shigure Inks for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.

Ink Review #1272: Ink Institute Wenhu Line

I had never tried any Ink Institute inks before, so when a batch of them came in the mail I immediately inked them up to try them out, starting with Wenhu Line from the Taipei Metro series. Thanks to Shigure Inks for sending this ink over for review!

The color:

Wenhu Line is a medium red-brown.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some interesting 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: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On Staples 20 lb copy paper there was some feathering in most nib sizes and some bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

In writing, Wenhu Line is closest to Birmingham Walnut St. Brown. Click here to see the Ink Institute inks together, and click here to see the brown inks together.

Longer writing:

I used a Lamy Al-star Bronze with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink had an average flow.

Overall, this is a lovely, well-behaved ink. I love this ink for the autumn season. Look for more Ink Institute ink reviews later this week!

Disclaimer: This ink was provided by Shigure Inks for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are my own. This page does not contain affiliate links and this post is not sponsored in any way.