Invent 2019 – Day 15: Festive Cheer (sheen)

Wait… wait a minute… is that a purple? Is it?! Nope…. What we have today is closer to Royal Blue – deep blue with a purple leaning, much dependent on the choice of paper. The sheen is definitely more pronounced with this one though, and I can see it on 2 of the 3 types of paper pretty easily – when the light hits it right.

I’m definitely going to have to pay attention to which paper I’m using with some of these inks. I’m thinking Rhodia will be my most likely option (which is easy, as that tends to be my ‘go to’). Definitely get some nice reaction on the bagesse though – so it’s unfortunate I haven’t been able to find any that isn’t lined.)

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Invent 2019 – Day 14: Jack Frost (shimmer and sheen)

I have an odd relationship with blue ink – I don’t hate it, but I don’t really care for it either. I tend to avoid it, probably because through school everyone used blue ink in their ballpoints (the Bic crystal stick pen – great for spit-balls, but awful for writing) and I would buy boxes of black Uniball Micros.

But I do own a number of bottles of blue inks – tending to the darker side. Noodler’s FPN Van Gogh Starry Night, and similar shades where it is dark enough it is almost blue-black. I have to admit I like this blue – the metallic quality appeals to me. I have to admit I’m still not sure I’m sold on the shimmer inks. They strike me as more of a special use item – like the illuminated first letter of a chapter before the everyday ink takes over for the rest of the pages.

Jack Frost behaves noticeably differently depending on the paper (same three types I’ve been using for the last samples). Nice shimmer on the Pelikan pad. Some serious sheen on the bagesse. And while I really like the weight and surface of the HP Premium Laser it definitely doesn’t do much to support these showy inks. I’m pretty sure they now market it as Premium Inkjet (and Laser) – from what I’ve read others have commented that a lot of the inkjet papers seem to soak the ink up quickly to prevent smearing/feathering and their results are also pretty flat and bland.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Inkvent 2019 – Day 13: Mulled Wine (standard)

Well, I initially misread the label as ‘Mullet’ when I first opened the flap, so that should tell you how the morning started. Mulled Wine is a bit of a surprise right after yesterday’s Noel – the colour similarity is noticeable. (Don’t get me wrong, I like the colour, but…. a feeling of deja-vu for sure.)

That being said – from what I can see: it is a wetter ink, not quite as saturated, shading is not as subtly gradated, and a bit cooler than Noel. Samples done on three types of paper (Pelikan 2019 Hub pad, 32lb HP Premium Laser, Staples Bagesse) for comparison on how it handles. You could definitely confuse which ink you had loaded in your pen. I imagine your mileage will vary of course, depending on pen and paper.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Inkvent 2019 – Day 12: Noel (sheen)

Today’s ink is a red-brown (as opposed to a brown with pretensions of red). I had a bit of a tough time deciding, but my initial reaction was that it was more red, and when I rinsed the dip pen it definitely showed a lot of red in the water. It’s definitely not burgundy – it’s warmer and a bit lighter (I use Richard Binder’s Burgundy as my go to burgundy). Closer to the Akkerman Garuda Rood for colour, if you’ve had the pleasure of using Akkerman inks.

So far the only thing I’m not happy about with this colour is that the bottle is only 7ml.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Invent 2019 – Day 11: Elf (standard)

I’ll keep this short, just like the name.

Well, I guess I now officially have an Elf on the shelf. Today brings us another beautiful green, the sort of green you would expect to be used for official elf uniforms. A cleaner, brighter green than the Mistletoe – more of a Kelly Green for colour – deeper than an emerald or Irish green. This one looks like it will have some gorgeous shading as well.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Calgary Pen Club – Christmas Meeting TONIGHT!

Don’t forget… tonight is our annual social club meeting, which will be held at Murray’s, beginning at 7pm.

If you can’t make it, stop on by our regular 3rd Monday of the month meeting at the Sunridge Mall food court, starting at 5pm.

See you there!

Inkvent 2019 – Day 10: Winter Miracle (shimmer & sheen)

I’ve secretly been hoping for a purple ink in this set, and today I thought it had arrived. When I uncapped the vial of Winter Miracle I was sure it was purple, it went on the paper purple, and then it slowly dried… to a majestic dark blue.

Okay, this one shows some sheen, and shimmer – as advertised. But it really depends on the paper and lighting. I used the same pen on the Pelikan Hub 2019 pad, a sheet of 32lb HP Premium, and some Staples Bagesse I had handy. You’d never know it was the same ink.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Inkvent 2019 – Day 9: Nutcracker (standard)

Today brings us another brown – I bit deeper than the earlier Triple Chocolate. I was initially thinking ‘walnut’ but I had some of my browns out, so I did a quick comparison of some of them. It’s warmer than the Daniel Smith Walnut calligraphy ink. More similar to the Iroshizuku tsukushi maybe. Not sure how common some of these are – I seem to tend to some ink colours seen as odd by some members of the pen club.

It will be interesting to see if any of these become part of their regular line-up. So far, I would definitely pick up a bottle of Mistletoe, and this one.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Inkvent 2019 – Day 07: Mistletoe (standard) & Day 08: Gold Star (shimmer)

Not sure if it was random, or if Diamine opted to put a little something special for the weekend. I’ve been looking for a replacement green since Mont Blanc’s British Racing Green was discontinued, and Mistletoe may be it. A deep green, with that dusty tinge to it, and great shading. – reminiscent of olives (maybe because I haven’t had lunch yet). For some reason I’ve never been able to figure out a better way to describe it than ‘dusty’. The same sort of dusty feel that Herbin’s ‘Poussière de Lune’ has that makes it my favourite purple.

That was followed by Gold Star, which I thought was leaning heavier toward the orange side than a yellow while I was writing… but when it dried and the shimmer came out, does that ever pop. I can’t see it as a daily work ink, but it’s definitely got something for those special occasions.

But it did get me thinking…. how fast do they settle, and does one need to shake their pen filled with these shimmering/sheening inks before use? Has anyone experienced more than usual drying or clogging issues with them? (I would like to think Diamine and Herbin have been making ink long enough I shouldn’t have to worry about such things.)

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Please, feel free to comment on your experiences.

Inkvent 2019 – Day 06: Ho Ho Ho (standard)

A late post, but today’s colour is Ho Ho Ho – another red, this one a bit darker & richer. Looking at the two reds makes me think of cranberries – photos of cranberries always seem to have lighter and darker cranberries in them in two main shades of red. I definitely prefer this darker red to the lighter, slightly pinker red of Candy Cane. Closer to the red of Santa’s suit than candy stripes.

• 

• 

• 

•