Inkvent 2019 – Day 18: Holly (sheen)

Holly – this ink is aptly named. Not only is it a beautifully dark green ink, but it sheens red. I think this one would pair well with yesterday’s Poinsettia. Definitely on the blue side of the Green spectrum – when I rinsed the dip pen the water was teal.

As dark as it is, it’s definitely brighter than the Seasons Greetings from a couple days ago, although looks to share the same sheen characteristics. I can imagine some interesting results based on the nib and paper combinations with these two.

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Inkvent 2019 – Day 17: Poinsetta (standard)

Well, first I have to say… All those years, and not only did I have no idea how to spell it but I’ve probably been pronouncing the name incorrectly as well. Poinsetta is a red. A real red – not light, or a bit orange, or a bit brown but a nice solid, serious red (just a touch toward the bluer end of the spectrum perhaps). It compares closely to my favourite red.

I spent a long time going through every red our local Stationer Reid’s had, and Caran d’Ache Sunset was the only one I found to be neutral and liked. Widow maker has become my favourite red, and is quite close. Diamine’s Poinsetta is right in this range when I compare writing samples of Caran d’Ache Sunset, and Noodler’s Widow Maker side by side with it – so if you like a red that is almost the colour of blood, this one might be of interest.

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Inkvent 2019 – Day 16: Festive Cheer (sheen)

The calendar is beginning to run out of doors to open as we hit day 16. After opening today’s, I wasn’t sure what to expect – the label looked more charcoal, when I opened the top I thought the ink in the bottle might be another dark blue but the ink on the white lid looked like a deep green.

Writing with it though, reveals it to be a deep, malachite green (says swiataaboc) and looking at the darker end of the colour range of malachite photos I would agree. This is a beautiful colour on all of the papers, with a crimson red sheen (on the bagesse at least).

I’m really starting to wonder what colour the larger bottle on the 25th will be. So far we’ve had: 5 blues, 4 reds, 1 silver/grey, 2 browns, 3 greens, and Gold Star (to be honest, I’m not quite sure how to call that one). You might also be able to argue Noel & Mulled Wine are red-browns, rather than brown-reds but I see them closer to the former option.

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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.)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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