For those of you who are regular followers, I tend to review inks by brand and in clusters by colour. I have already reviewed a handful of Noodlers ink products and you can access these by clicking the following links: Noodlers Inks are different! and Noodlers Ink Review – Magic Browns and Greens
Purple Wampum – A deep dark purple that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water but does wash out a steady gradation of the purple. No hidden hues. Limited reaction to bleach. A dark rich purple colour when used for writing.
Socrates – An uneven purple that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water and bleeds erratically. No hidden hues. Limited reaction to bleach. A weak purple colour when used for writing.
Saguaro Wine – A rich crimson that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water but does wash out a small gradation of the purple. No hidden hues. Limited reaction to bleach. A strong purple colour when used for writing.
Hellfire – A vibrant electric pink that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water but does wash out a small gradation of the pink. No hidden hues. A positive reaction to bleach turning a white gold with hint of neon. A solid pink colour when used for writing.
Ottoman Rose – A deep scarlet that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water but does wash out a small gradation purple. Very similar to the Saguaro Wine but with a touch more yellow. No hidden hues. Limited reaction to bleach. A scarlet colour when used for writing.
Mandalay Maroon – An uneven purple brown that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water and bleeds erratically. No hidden hues. Limited reaction to bleach. An uneven purple brown colour when used for writing.
Empire Red – A deep blood red that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water but does wash out a small gradation. No hidden hues. Limited reaction to bleach. A blood red colour when used for writing.
Nikita – A deep blood red that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water but does wash out a small gradation. No hidden hues. Limited reaction to bleach. A blood red colour when used for writing. Slightly yellower than the Empire Red.
Mary 1 – A deep blood red that doesn’t bleed easily when added to water but does wash out a small gradation. No hidden hues. No reaction to bleach. A blood red colour when used for writing. Slightly yellower than the Nikita.
These are good quality inks, but for an ink geek, there’s not a lot here to visually excite. As writing inks, they flow well and dry within minutes. They don’t press my buttons. Disappointing.
Just saying – this is an ongoing project. It’s all part of a process to look at things in a different way, particularly things that we simply take for granted. I have chosen fountain pen inks which I’m subjecting to household bleach and water. It’s basically random chemistry with no predictable outcomes. But as handwriting gives way to technology, what will happen to all those gorgeous inks? As this project reveals, some inks are just plain boring and do what we naturally assume ink does, so, may well be discontinued? Others, reveal wonderful, magical properties and could hopefully have a future as art materials. And, who knows, someone who sees this project may have a brainwave and apply the concept to some other random things and end up making time travel a reality? Anyway, it’s a little different and all good fun. Keep in touch, the project has a way to go yet and I haven’t even started creating the real art yet. Please click here to view the Mission Statement.
FOUNTAIN PEN INK ART 