September Skies Ink Palette

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We are partway into September! The temperature is supposed to drop down into the seventies tomorrow and I can’t wait for the cooler weather. I’m planning out some ink palettes for this month, and Robert Oster Deep Sea is such a good color, one that I use often.

I love this combo of purples so much, especially with the pop of coral. I use a lot of purples in the fall, and Diamine Mystique is a good one.

Yay for all the oranges in the fall! I love Jacques Herbin Orange Soleil-it’s nice and smooth while still being vibrant.

I love this combo so much! Robert Oster Thunderstorm has been a long time favorite of mine.

I love creating these ink palette posts. They make me so happy. I hope you enjoy them too!

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

Ink Review #2837: De Atramentis Honey

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Today’s ink is De Atramentis Honey from the Fragrance collection. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers, my sample came from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Honey is a bright medium yellow that smells like honey.

*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 not much shading.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: no shading, no sheen, and no shimmer, but it does have fragrance.

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

Comparison Swabs:

There are lots of other inks that are of a similar color. 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 an average flow.

Overall, I found this ink to be too pale in writing to be easily read. It didn’t have the feathering issues that a lot of other fragranced inks have. It’s very similar to De Atramentis Gold Yellow-you probably don’t need both.

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 #2836: De Atramentis Gold Yellow

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Today’s ink is De Atramentis Gold Yellow from the Standard collection, aka De Atramentis Zodiac Leo and Osmanthus. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers, my sample came from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Gold Yellow is a bright medium yellow.

*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 not much shading.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

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

Comparison Swabs:

There are lots of other inks that are of a similar color. Click here to see the yellow inks together.

Longer Writing:

I cannot find the writing sample for this ink. I have looked and looked, and I’m out of ink so I can’t re-do it. Sorry!

Overall, I found this ink to be too pale in writing to be easily read. I’m not a fan.

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 #2835: De Atramentis Old Gold

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This week we are focusing on De Atramentis inks, next we are looking at De Atramentis Old Gold from the Standard collection, aka De Atramentis Pineapple. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers, my sample came from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Old Gold is a medium golden yellow.

*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 not much shading.

Writing samples:

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

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

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

Comparison Swabs:

Old Gold is similar to Van Dieman’s Peanut Brittle. Click here to see the yellow inks together.

Longer Writing:

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

Overall, it’s hard to find yellow inks that I really like, but this one is lovely. It’s a deeper yellow, which means its easier to see and read.

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 #2834: De Atramentis Gold

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This week we are focusing on De Atramentis inks, next up is De Atramentis Gold from the Standard collection, aka De Atramentis Emma Goldman. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers, my sample came from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Gold is a vibrant deep yellow.

*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 just a little bit of shading.

Writing samples:

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

*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 feathering in all nib sizes and some bleeding.

Comparison Swabs:

Gold is closest to Inkebara Dandelion in writing. Click here to see the yellow inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Kaweco Sport with a broad nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has an average flow.

Overall, I found Gold to be a nice color but still readable. I prefer it in a broad nib, where the color is deeper and most readable.

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 #2833: De Atramentis Dark Orange

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This week we are focusing on De Atramentis inks, starting with De Atramentis Dark Orange from the Standard collection. You can find this ink for sale at most retailers, my sample came from Vanness Pens.

The color:

Dark Orange is a terracotta orange.

*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 less saturated than 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, as well as on cheap copy paper.

*For my writing samples I use:

Dry time: 30 seconds

Water resistance: Low

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

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

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

Comparison Swabs:

Dark Orange is less vibrant than Robert Oster Whiskey. Click here to see the orange inks together.

Longer Writing:

I used a Kaweco Al-sport with a medium nib on a Taroko Enigma notebook. The ink has an average flow.

Overall, this is a good autumnal orange. It’s well behaved and has an average dry time, but it doesn’t have any shading/sheen/shimmer to make it stand out from the crowd.

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.

2800 Inks

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We have surpassed 2800 ink reviews, so it’s time for a favorites post! Here are some of my current favorite inks from the inks I’ve already reviewed. It’s almost fall so I’m leaning more toward the deeper colors.

Black Inks:

  • Sailor Jentle Black-This is my favorite everyday black. I often have three different pens inked up with it. I need to pick up a new bottle.

  • Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi-This is probably my second most used black ink. It flows really well.

  • Cross Black-Why aren’t more people talking about this ink? It’s lovely.

  • Platinum Carbon Black-This is the ink I reach for when I want a water-resistant black.

Blue Black Inks:

  • Bungubox 4B-I’ve had great luck with this ink drying fast (around 15 seconds) so it’s one I use if I’m taking fast notes.

  • Sailor Nano Sou-boku-I love this ink for when I need an office appropriate color. It’s water resistant but well behaved.

  • Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai-I love the flow of this ink. It’s probably my most-used blue black.

  • Sailor Nano Sei-boku-This is another good water resistant blue black. I really love how much character it has.

Grey Inks:

  • Monteverde Smoke Noir-I love the color of this ink!

  • Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-same-I hate that Pilot discontinued this ink. I was so lucky that a reader recently sent me in a bottle so I won’t run out any time soon, but I haven’t found the perfect replacement for it yet.

  • Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun-I don’t think I’ve found a Pilot ink so far that I don’t like. This one is a great color and flows well.

  • Sailor Ink Studio 224-Multi-colored shaders have been very popular this year. Chromoshaders, dual-shaders, whatever you choose to call them, they are fun to use. I like 224 because it has the fun shading but it’s darker and more readable than the popular 123.

Brown Inks:

  • Robert Oster Melon Tea-Melon Tea is one of the inks that I pull out every fall and winter. During the cooler seasons I usually lean more towards warm/golden browns, but I love this cooler-toned one.

  • Robert Oster Caffe Crema-I love this ink’s shading. It’s a lovely brown with some character.

  • Teranishi Guitar Nostalgic Honey-I’ve been crushing on this ink hard. It’s a fabulous color with fabulous shading. Why aren’t more people trying Teranishi inks???

  • Taccia Tuchi Golden Wheat-I love the flow of Taccia inks, and this one is a gorgeous color.

Red Inks:

  • Robert Oster Australian Shiraz-I reviewed this one 8 years ago, but it’s still one I reach for every fall season.

  • Teranishi Guitar Modern Red-This is one of my new favorite red inks, it’s probably my second favorite. It’s nice and smooth and a great color.

  • Robert Oster Clay Red-I prefer the color of this ink when it’s wet-it dries a little darker, but it’s still a great red.

  • Sailor Jentle Irori-This is my favorite red ink. I know it looks bright in the swab, but it’s the perfect classic red in writing.

Pink Inks:

  • Diamine Raspberry Rose-I definitely lean more toward magenta pinks in the fall. I didn’t realize how much until I put these four swabs next to each other.

  • Sailor Delaware-I enjoyed this ink. It’s nice and well behaved.

  • Colorverse Andromeda-I love the flow of this one, but Monteverde Garnet is a good option if you’re looking for something cheaper.

  • Sailor Ink Studio 831-I really like this ink!

Orange Inks:

Yellow Inks:

  • KWZ Honey-I’m obsessed with this ink. It’s such a good color with a smooth flow. I use this one every fall and winter.

  • KWZ Old Gold-I love the flow of KWZ inks, and I love golden yellows in the fall.

  • Robert Oster Gold Antiqua-This is one of my favorite Robert Oster inks.

  • Bungubox Ebisu Gold-Ebisu is a fabulous golden brown. I love that it’s not too dark.

Green Inks:

Teal Inks:

Blue Inks:

Purple Inks:

Alright, so there are my current favorites! If you ask me tomorrow my answer will probably be different. What’s your favorite ink right now? Let me know in the comments below!

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

Ink Review: Color Traveler Time Clips Inks

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Let’s take a look at four Color Traveler inks: Fireworks, Yamanoha Itochikou, Kazusanosuke and Tsukinokorowa Saranari from the Time Clips collection. You can purchase some Color Traveler inks from Shigure Inks.

Swabs:

Left to right: Fireworks, Yamanoha Itochikou, Kazusanosuke and Tsukinokorowa Saranari

Writing samples:

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

Dry Time: 30-40 seconds

Water Resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: All four had low shading. Fireworks had multicolored shimmer.

On Walmart Pen + Gear copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Fireworks is a little darker than Diamine Sparkling Shadows.

Yamanoha Itochikou is a little more red than Robert Oster Brandy.

Kazusanosuke is closest to Troublemaker Sea Glass.

Tsukinokorowa Saranari is a little more red than Kobe Tamon Kakitsuba.

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. All four inks had average flows.

Overall, all four are nice and well behaved. I wouldn’t say that there is anything about them that makes them stand out from other inks though.

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

Ink Review: Color Traveler Saijo

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Color Traveler ink Sakagura Black, Red Brick Chimney and Persimmon belong to the Saijo collection. You can purchase some Color Traveler inks from Shigure Inks.

Swabs:

Left to right: Sakagura Black, Red Brick Chimney and Persimmon.

Writing samples:

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

Dry Time: 30-40 seconds

Water Resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: All three had low shading.

On Walmart Pen + Gear copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Sakagura Black is lighter than these other black inks, it’s almost a dark grey.

Red Brick Chimney is closest to Tono & Lims May I Help You.

Persimmon is similar to Pelikan Edelstein Mandarin.

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. All three inks had average flows.

Overall, Red Brick Chimney is my favorite out of the three. It’s an unusual color and not one there are a lot of similar inks to.

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

Ink Review: Color Traveler Miyajima

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Let’s take a look at three Color Traveler inks: Sea Eel Rice Beige, Light Brown and Scarlet. You can purchase some Color Traveler inks from Shigure Inks.

Swabs:

Left to right: Sea Eel Rice Beige, Light Brown and Scarlet

Writing samples:

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

Dry Time: 60 seconds

Water Resistance: Medium

Feathering: None

Show through: Medium

Bleeding: None

Other properties: All three had low shading.

On Walmart Pen + Gear copy paper there was some feathering and bleeding in all nib sizes.

Comparison Swabs:

Sea Eel Rice Beige is closest to Ferris Wheel Press Cream of Earl Grey.

Light Brown is similar to Diamine Brandy Snap.

Scarlet is similar to Diamine Passion Red.

I used a Taroko Enigma notebook. All three inks had average flows.

Overall, I like Light Brown the best-it’s such a pretty color, perfect for the fall season. Sea Eel Rice Beige is a little light for me.

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