Spring Ink Palettes

It’s the first day of spring, which is great because I’m so sick of winter! The first sign of spring I usually notice in Washington is daffodils and right now they are blooming all over. This week I’ve been pulling out the kids’ spring clothes, putting away their winter coats and getting started on spring cleaning. I’ve had a lot of requests for spring ink palettes lately so here are 8 ink palettes for spring…

Pastels

This first one is perfect for Easter-pastel colors but still readable.

• Robert Oster Whisper Red: I’ve fallen hard for this ink lately, I always seem to have a pen full of it.

• Papier Plume Sazerac: one of my favorite oranges

• Colorverse Adobe: yellow inks are hard, this is one of the more unusual yellow inks I’ve tried

• Diamine Spring Green: bright and cheerful

• Robert Oster Viola: it’s a bit dry, so I prefer to use this ink in wetter pens, but I love the color

• Papier Plume Garden District Azalea: I always fall back on this one during the spring, it’s a favorite

Spring doesn’t have to mean pastels, this is a good light but bright option.

• Robert Oster Yellow Sunset: one of my favorite yellows

• Monteverde Topaz: I need to review this one soon, it’s pretty great

• Kobe #30 Oji Cherry: bright, wet and wonderful

• Monteverde Erinite: this color reminds me of green necco wafers

• Diamine Aqua Blue: a great basic blue

• Diamine Lavender

Pinky

All the spring flowers make me want to use pinks and purples.

• Sailor Jentle Fuji-musume: one of my favorite spring purples

• Diamine Silver Fox: I love this grey, I use it every month

• Robert Oster Pinky

• Lamy Vibrant Pink

Here’s some dusky options, less bright but still colorful.

• De Atramentis Mint Turquoise

• Colorverse Jupiter Flyby

• Robert Oster Tangerine

• Robert Oster Honey Bee

• Robert Oster Dusky Pink

Cheerful

• Diamine Royal Blue

• Diamine Carnation

• Robert Oster African Gold

• Robert Oster Australian Sky Blue

• Monteverde Moonstone: one of my favorite brown inks

Bright ‘n fun, for those days I need some cheering up.

• Robert Oster Whisper Red

• Robert Oster Peach: I love orange inks that lean more yellow than red

• Robert Oster Yellow Sunset

• Diamine Kelly Green

• Robert Oster Pacific Ocean Teal

• Diamine Kensington Blue

Fresh

Diamine Soft Mint is one of my favorite teal inks, and I use it every spring.

• Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutsuji

• Pilot Iroshizuku Kosumosu

• Waterman Tender Purple

• Sheaffer Skrip Purple

• Diamine Steel Blue

• Diamine Soft Mint

Some days I just want all of the bright things, and these ones fit the bill.

• Sailor Jentle Apricot

• Diamine Gerbera: a favorite orange and a good shader

• Diamine Scarlet

• Monteverde Garnet: I reach for this ink often, one of my favorites

• Cross Violet

• Monteverde Amethyst

What’s your favorite spring ink?