July Tropical Ink Palettes

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It’s the first Sunday of July, so it’s time for some new ink palettes! This month I decided to focus on a tropical theme. These flowers are gorgeous, and all sorts of pretty pinks. Paper Plume Garden District Azalea has been a longtime favorite of mine.

I always think of fruit in the summer. I love all five of these, they’re so bright and cheerful!

My brother and sister-in-law have a few parrots, so I decided to include one this month. Octopus Red Koala is one of my new favorite red inks.

Out of these five, I love KWZ El Dorado the most. It’s a readable yellow with a lot of character.

What inks are you using in July? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. This post is not sponsored.

Ink Review #2568: De Atramentis Yellow Brown

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Let’s look at De Atramentis Standard Yellow Brown. This ink is also available in a scented version called Waffle. I got my sample from Vanness Pens, but they no longer carry it. You can find Waffle at De Atramentis’s website.

The color:

Yellow Brown is right in-between a yellow and a brown.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks more brown than it did on the Col-o-ring swab.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering and bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Yellow Brown is closest to Sailor Ink Studio 670. 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 has a wet flow.

Overall, this is a nice color. It’s dark enough to be easily read, which I appreciate. I love the shading and that it’s affordable.

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2567: De Atramentis Bahama Brown

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Today’s ink is De Atramentis Standard Bahama Brown. This ink is also known as Friedrich Engels. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Bahama Brown is a medium yellow-brown.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks less yellow than it did on the Col-o-ring swab.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering and bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Bahama Brown is lighter than Robert Oster Muddy Sand, and darker than Pilot Iroshizuku Ina-ho. Click here to see the brown inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Kaweco Al-sport Dutch Pen Show with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has a wet flow.

Overall, this color is a bit unique-I only have one a little lighter and one a little darker, there’s not a lot of inks that are similar. It’s well-behaved and affordable!

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2566: De Atramentis Copper Brown

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Let’s take a look at De Atramentis Standard Copper Brown. This ink is also known as: City Rome, Zodiac Capricorn, Rune GEBO, and Chinese Zodiac Snake. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Brown is a deep red-brown, almost a burgundy red.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks less red and a little more purple than it did on the Col-o-ring swab.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering and bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Copper Brown is a little more red than Taccia Hokusai Benitsuchi. Click here to see the brown inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Sailor PGS Supernova Red with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has a wet flow.

Overall, this is a lovely ink for the fall season. It’s really close to red, just a tiny bit more brown.

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2565: De Atramentis Brown

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Today’s ink is De Atramentis Standard Brown. This ink is also known as: Miguel de Cervantes, Pear, Wood, Horses, Harvest (Autumn), Nutmeg, Thanksgiving, Eau d'Orient, Gingerbread, Erotic Art III, and Nut Cake. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Brown is a deep red-brown, almost a maroon.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink looks less red than it did on the Col-o-ring swab.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering and bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Brown is a little lighter than Diamine Rustic Brown. Click here to see the brown inks together.

Longer Writing:

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

Overall, this is a good basic brown ink with some shading. I like the nice smooth flow, and it’s affordable too!

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2564: Wearingeul The Great Sage Heaven's Equal

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Wearingeul The Great Sage Heaven's Equal is from the World Myth collection. You can find this ink for sale at Vanness Pens.

The color:

Heaven’s Equal is a maroon red with gold shimmer.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has lots of gold shimmer.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering and a few dots of bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Heaven’s Equal is closest to Ferris Wheel Press Wondrous Winterberry. Click here to see the red inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Sailor Pro Gear Slim Supernova Red with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has a dry flow.

Overall, I like the color, but the ink is too dry for me.

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2563: De Atramentis Moss Green

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De Atramentis Moss Green is from the De Atramentis Standard collection. You can find this ink for sale at some retailers including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Moss Green is a bright lime green.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink is darker than the Col-o-ring swab and has some shading.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering and bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Moss Green is a little bluer than Kobe Spring Green. Click here to see the green inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Franklin-Christoph 45 Kelly Green with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has a wet flow.

Overall, this is a lovely bright green ink. I love the wet flow and the little bit of shading.

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2562: Papier Plume Black

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Today’s ink is Papier Plume Black from the Classic collection. You can find this ink for sale at Vanness Pens or directly from Papier Plume. I love that this ink is available in 15 and 30ml bottles, and is pretty affordable too.

The color:

Black is a classic medium black.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink has some black sheen.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink worked pretty well, just a little bit of feathering and bleeding in the flex nib.

Comparison Swabs:

Black is closest to Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black. Click here to see the black inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Pelikan M205 Petrol Marbled with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has an average flow.

Overall, this is a good average, affordable black ink with a little bit of sheen in large nib sizes on Tomoe River paper.

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2561: Octopus Fluids Red Koala

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Octopus Fluids Red Koala is from the Octopus Write & Draw collection. You can find this ink for sale at Vanness Pens (I don’t know of any other US retailers that sell it).

The color:

Red Koala is a true bright red.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink is darker where it pooled, but doesn’t have any sheen.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 40 seconds

Water resistance: High

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering and a few dots of bleeding in the larger nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Red Koala is closest to Taccia Aka Red. Click here to see the red inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Lamy Safari Strawberries with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has a slightly wet flow.

Overall, I really like this ink. I love the color, it’s my favorite shade of red. I love the slightly wet flow and the high water resistance. It’s a really good water-resistant red ink.

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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

Ink Review #2560: Parker Quink Blue Black

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Parker Quink Blue Black is a classic in the fountain pen community. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers including Vanness Pens.

The color:

Blue Black is not really a blue black, it’s more of a classic blue.

*For my swab cards I use a Col-o-ring by Skylab Letterpress, a medium Pilot Ishime and a Mabie Todd Swan.

Swabs:

In large swabs on Tomoe River paper the ink is definitely blue and not blue black.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 20 seconds

Water resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

On 20 lb copy paper the ink had some feathering in all nib sizes and some bleeding in the flex nib.

Comparison Swabs:

Blue Black is closest to Birmingham Fair Wheel Blue. Click here to see the blue inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Pilot Vanishing Point Wish with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has an average flow. The ink started out darker and just got lighter and lighter as I continued to write.

Overall, it’s a good classic ink. It’s definitely blue and not blue black, but it’s still a good color and well behaved.

Thanks to all my Patrons! I couldn’t do these reviews without you! You can find my Patreon page here.

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