Three years ago I put together a spring palette of understated inks. No dual-toned, sparkly colors in this lot. Just gentle, soothing shades.
As this year’s flowers fade and the pastel petals float away, this palette is the final link to spring. I want to hold on to that as the summer swelter looms. I loathe the heat and appreciate the cooling, soft colors and minimal maintenance these inks require.
It wasn’t the plan, but while playing with Daniel Smith Prussian Blue watercolor, I discovered that on natural white paper, it’s nearly a perfect match for Iroshizuku tsuki-yo ink. The paper warms the colors slightly as is my preference.
The doodles initiated a practice session for two seldom used brushes. Then swatches and slender lines followed. Finally, squiggles and tiny trees emerged. Once the page was filled, the hunt for a matching ink was on. There might be better matches, but of the inks on hand, tsuki-yo came the closest. As always, playing with paint and ink was good, clean fun.
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Daniel Smith Prussian Blue Watercolor
Princeton Neptune 4750 1/4″ square wash brush
November pens and inks comprise a colorful palette for paper tests and a few letters. Midori Traveler’s Notebook takes it all in stride.
The photo of Macy was a lucky catch as she zoomed around the room getting dry after her bath. By the time she winds down, she looks like a puff ball and feels wonderfully silky.
Japanese ink and pens caught my eye this week while I worked on a long pen review. Working on the photos today. Unfortunately, the coloring book doesn’t work with fountain pens so colored pencils will have to do. Even so, it’s a relaxing way to spend a little down-time.
Macy after her Saturday night bath.
Ink lovers have spoken and the results are in for the Iroshizuku poll. Tsuki-yo and Yama-budo tied for favorite with Kon-peki just a step behind. Asa-gao came in next with Shin-kai and Ku-jaku tied for fourth place. Every color earned votes so there are no losers in this line of inks.
Polls on Inkophile are about you so I never vote in them. However, Tsuki-yo, Ku-jaku, and Syo-ro are my top three although I own bottles of fewer than half of the colors. Perhaps one I don’t own would make my short list. Ina-ho looks promising. Which one will you buy next?
Well, sort of. These are the inks in use today from the assortment of pens on my desk. The tally is telling with seven of nine in the blue family. The nibs are with one exception in the wide range and only the Platinum and Lamy nibs were not tweaked in some way. The paper is the outstanding Tomoe River from PaperForFountainPens.com. It might be unfair that it makes every ink and nib look good, but that’s hardly a complaint.
March is the month in which green ink invariably gets a twirl. This year it will be either J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage or Iroshizuku Shin-Ryoku or possibly both. Now for the pen. Italic or flex? Which would you choose for green ink?
The ink colors could be more saturated and the paper is actually a warm white, but adjusting the scan might make it less honest. So no adjustments this time.
Inkophile
