Octopus Fluids have very kindly sent me a set of their brand new Celestial Shimmer Inks to swatch test. The initial six colour ink range is being launched today – World Art Day!
So what’s so special about these? With many competitors having already released shimmer inks, Octopus Fluids noted that many of them share common weaknesses including: inconsistent ink flow; clogged nib units; fast pigment settling; and, residues that are difficult to clean from pen feeds.
What Octopus Fluids are wishing to achieve is a smooth and reliable writing experience – without compromise.
And the result is a set of carefully balanced shimmer pigments that stay suspended in the ink for longer, resulting in: a consistent ink flow; a reduced residue in the fountain pen; easier cleaning; and, a uniform writing result with a stable shimmer. And you do get a lot of shimmer!
In fountain pens with a good ink flow, the inks perform reliably – even during longer writing sessions, without the need to rotate or shake the pen while writing.
The six inks photographed under halogen lighting
The colours of the Celestial Collection are:
Lunar Mirage – A cool grey with a subtle green shimmer – like moonlight diffused through mist.
Cosmic Ore – A warm brown with copper shimmer – like a rare mineral from the depths of the cosmos.
Stellar Flame – An intense red with violet shimmer – dynamic like a stellar explosion.
Gaia’s Grove – A vivid green with harmonious shimmer – inspired by nature and growth.
Neptune’s Crown – A deep blue with golden shimmer – inspired by the ocean and the crown of the god of the sea.
Helios’ Glow – A radiant yellow with golden shimmer – bringing the energy and warmth of the sun onto the page.
The six inks photographed in daylight
The six new colours are available in: 30 ml, 10 ml and a 6-piece set (10 ml) with more colors coming soon. And very pleasing they are too!
For further information check out the Octopus Fluids website: Click here.
The six inks photographed in daylight
An expressive calligraphic shimmer blend of Neptune’s Crown, Helios’ Glow and Stellar Flame under halogen lighting.
And HEY! If you’re interested to know more about how to use fountain pen inks in more creative ways – whether it’s simply to observe their chromatic behaviours, or, to recreate one of my swatch cards, or, to learn how to use them in watercolour painting, illustration and calligraphy, why not check out my online course or, even better, sign up for a workshop?
FOUNTAIN PEN INK ART 