On the properties of inks (dummy's guide to ink descriptions)

So... There you are, new to the realm of  colours... And, even worse, each ink has all those mysterious properties to it...

Shading, drying, flow, feathering...

Stay tuned

10 inky quotes for Monday

So, here are 10 inky quotes for Monday:

“A scholars ink lasts longer than a martyrs blood”

 Irish Saying

“Don't think it, ink it.”

 Mark Victor Hansen

“I dip my pen in the blackest ink, because I'm not afraid of falling into my inkpot.”

 Ralph Waldo Emerson  (American Poet, Lecturer and Essayist, 1803-1882)

“Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless.”

 Milton Friedman  (American Economist, b.1912)

“If I lose the light of the sun, I will write by candlelight, moonlight, no light. If I lose paper and ink, I will write in blood on forgotten walls. I will write always. I will capture nights all over the world and bring them to you.”

Henry Rollins  (American Rock Singer, Author, Actor and Poet, b.1961)

“A scholars ink lasts longer than a martyrs blood”

 Irish Saying

“The palest ink is better than the sharpest memory”

Chinese Proverb

“Write till your ink be dry, and with your tears

Moist it again, and frame some feeling line

That may discover such integrity.”

William Shakespeare  (English Dramatist, Playwright and Poet, 1564-1616)

“Let there be gall enough in thy ink; though thou write with a goose-pen, no matter.”

William Shakespeare  (English Dramatist, Playwright and Poet, 1564-1616)

“He hath not fed of the dainties that are bred in a book; he hath not eat paper, as it were; he hath not drunk ink.”

William Shakespeare  (English Dramatist, Playwright and Poet, 1564-1616)

How to make your own ink

I've just found that page, where making a few types of inks is described. Would you guys use those in your fountain pens?

Colours obtained:

Reviews of available inks

I think it is rather handy to easily find reviews of inks available. Here are links to reviews on FPN, as well as various blogs etc. I've chosen the reviews with respect to quality of review and colour reproduction.

I've also written a guide to ink properties.

Mind, that colours may vary from screen to screen.

Now, that's an EXPENSIVE ink

Hi,

You guys thought, that Iroshizuku inks are expensive? Ok, I know, ink is not that bad, it's just the postage...

Next shot: you thought, that Templar Ink is expensive? Well, it kind of is at 8 USD per 10ml bottle.

Now, that's an EXPENSIVE ink - roughly 10 times the price of modern waterman and twice that of Templar Ink.

Another great resource for ink reviews

Hi,

I've just found a great webiste with LOTS of ink reviews. I have no idea, how a single person could collect so many inks - well, at some point I hope to take his place ;-)

Adam

University College London - Exhibition on the history of INK

I highly recommend that event!

 

Here you can read a review of the exhibition