Thank you to Dromgoole’s for letting me review this set and feel like I can be part of the cool crowd.

I never did have those markers. Either I was too old when they were introduced to the market or I wasn’t cool enough – I’m not sure. However, now I can relive that disappointment with a new set from Monteverde – Color Changing Inks.

The set comes in a nice magnetically closing box that looks great on a bookshelf, saving you space in your ink drawer. It consists of 9 colorful inks and one clear color changer bottle.

The color changer ink is a bit thicker than normal inks but has little to no odor and leaves no trace of a mark on paper.

I decided to start with filling up a few Kakimori refillable felt tip pens, but I swatched the following cards as I normally do – paintbrush and a dip pen.

This part was so fun! Each color changes differently with the addition of the color changer ink. Some, like the black and brown, change rather slowly and can take several minutes to fully change. Others, especially the Green and Blue, change as soon as the color changer touches them.

I learned through trial and error that you should let the first ink totally dry before adding the color changing ink. Also, be careful if you go back over your clear ink with a second coat as it can spread.

The color changer ink acts almost like a bleach pen, but not as harsh to the paper.

You can see in the swatch below that the color changer pushed slightly to the edges of the heavier swatch. A fun effect to watch.

As a graduate from Virginia Tech, I deeply appreciate the Burgundy to Orange color since it is the school color combination.

You can see a dark version of the color changed pink haloing the entire swatch of the Dark Blue ink below – almost like the deep blue portion shrank back to reveal the color underneath.

The Fuchsia ink was nearly bleached to white with the color changing ink, but the ink itself feathered quite a bit in the swatch below – Cosmo Air Light paper.

The Pink that came from the color changing ink on Green ink is a unique combination – the pink comes through as rather dark at first but lightens over time.

I also loved the Purple to Yellow combination – a very dark ink that lightens dramatically to Yellow.

The Red ink seemed to be closer to orange than actual red.

You can see on a few of these swatch cards that some colors performed poorly in the feathering department, although this is not enough for me to not use the ink.

Below is the Monteverde Color Changing lineup on Midori MD paper:

The Monteverde Color Changing lineup on Tomoe River (TR7) 52gsm paper:

Finally, the Monteverde Color Changing lineup on Cosmo Air Light paper:

The set as I have shown it is available at retailers who carry Monteverde inks for $124 or $13 per ink bottle and $7 per bottle of color changer.

Which color duo is your favorite combination?

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items in this review were provided at a discounted rate for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: Monteverde Color Changing Ink Set appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

My favorite feature of the Penlux line is the boxes. Each box is cut from a single piece of cardstock and folded in such a way that no glue is necessary.

Ok, I was wrong. My favorite feature of the Penlux ink line is the colors. They are fabulous! The three inks I have here are in the vintage line of the Mo inks.

Penlux Mo Pine is incredibly close to Sailor Rikyu-cha. to the point that it seems likely that Penlux may have been utilizing Sailor’s ink manufacturing skills when producing Pine.

I also love the changes in Pine on various papers. Tomoe River paper brings out a subtle coppery sheen.

Penlux Mo Pine on Tomoe River (TR7) 52 gsm paper:

Midori MD paper shows off the yellow and brown undertones.

Penlux Mo Pine on Midori MD paper:

Pine looks like a completely different ink on Cosmo Air Light paper. The shading here is amazing.

Penlux Mo Pine on Cosmo Air Light 83 gsm paper:

Penlux Mo Amber has a lovely combination of rusty orange and brown, again with plenty of shading.

The shading seems more pronounced on Tomoe River paper with a hint of greenish sheen.

Penlux Mo Amber on Tomoe River (TR7) 52 gsm paper:

Midori MD paper has shading but some of the depth of the color is flattened out.

Penlux Mo Amber on Midori MD paper:

On Cosmo Air Light paper, I saw a touch of feathering in some of the writing. Here, the ink looks a bit dusty as well.

Penlux Mo Amber on Cosmo Air Light 83 gsm paper:

Penlux Mo Rouge is not a color I usually reach for. But as part of the set of vintage colors, I couldn’t pass it up.

Tomoe River paper shows more of the blue undertones for a burgundy ink with green-gold sheen.

Penlux Mo Rouge on Tomoe River (TR7) 52 gsm paper:

On Midori MD paper, Rouge has a dusty and faded appearance.

Penlux Mo Rouge on Midori MD paper:

The change in Rouge on Cosmo Air Light paper is dramatic – the blue undertones dominate the color for more of a grape purple.

Penlux Mo Rouge on Cosmo Air Light 83 gsm paper:

Do you have a favorite from this trio of inks? Have you found rare or beloved inks in strange locations?

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were purchased by me for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: PenLux Mo Inks appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

The Write & Draw ink line consists of 50mL glass bottles that I have found for $17.33 at Vanness Pen Shop. This works out to about $0.35 per mL – a great deal for colorful water resistant inks.

The color lineup today isn’t as colorful as part 1. Here we have the blues, grays, greens, and the one black ink. Blue Koi is a brilliant sapphire blue, Grey Meerkat is a neutral grey, and my favorite blue – Blue Lynx.

Grey Fox is one that I would classify as a blue-black.

I have a feeling that Petrol Axolotl will be a popular choice in this line – a dark teal that reminds me of the popular Taccia Sabimidori ink. Green Eagle is a nice bright green that leans a bit towards yellow, but not much.

The last three colors – Green Squirrel, Grey Frog, and Black Elephant make quite a trio. Green Squirrel is a fun muddy green and Black Elephant is a deep, dark, opaque black – as a pigment ink, it can achieve the true black not found in dye based inks.

Octopus Write & Draw inks on Midori Cotton paper:

Octopus Write & Draw inks on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

Octopus Write & Draw inks on Midori MD paper:

Octopus Write & Draw inks on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

In part 1 of this review, I promised to test the water resistance of the Octopus Write & Draw inks. To test this, I first sprinkled several drops of water on every color swatch – here I’m showing the test on Midori MD paper.

After letting this sit for one minute, I blotted each swatch with a clean paper towel.

Not a single trace of ink on the paper towel.

I repeated this with the inks from part 1. The same result. I could not get the ink off the paper.

I decided on another test – I held the Black Elephant swatch under running water for 30 seconds and again blotted the paper dry. Nothing. The swatch looked identical before and after the flowing water.

I am truly impressed with the water resistance of the Write & Draw inks. Colorful waterproof inks are hard to find, but I have found all 25 colors to withstand brutal levels of water. I would consider these a great purchase at their price point.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided at a discount by Vanness Pen Shop for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: Octopus Write & Draw Inks Part 2 appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Ferris Wheel Press’s newest set is themed around New York – Lights on Broadway, Grand Central Skies, and Central Park Greens.

The three colors are quite eye-catching and bright.

The first color in this set, Grand Central Skies, is a sparkling ink with a base color of a minty green. Private Reserve DC Supershow Green is a close match but lacks the sparkle.

The silver sparkle in Grand Central Skies shows up in writing as well as the ink swatch.

Ferris Wheel Press Grand Central Skies on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

And the sparkle shot on Tomoe River paper:

Ferris Wheel Press Grand Central Skies on Midori MD paper:

Ferris Wheel Press Grand Central Skies on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper. Notice that the sparkle does spread easily on this paper.

The next ink in this set, Central Park Greens, is a bit less saturated than Diamine Light Green but very close. I’ve found it to be perfectly legible on any paper, even with an extra fine nib.

Ferris Wheel Press Central Park Greens on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

Ferris Wheel Press Central Park Greens on Midori MD paper:

Ferris Wheel Press Central Park Greens on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

The final ink in the New York set is Lights on Broadway. This color is a less saturated version of Diamine Deep Magenta – an eye-searing ink. Lights on Broadway, however, is a gentler pink-purple ink that stays bright but not annoyingly so.

Ferris Wheel Press Lights on Broadway on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

Ferris Wheel Press Lights on Broadway on Midori MD paper:

Ferris Wheel Press Lights on Broadway on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

While this set does come at a higher price – about $15 for 15mL total (full sized bottles of each are $22 for 38mL) – you do get a chance to try out all three New York inks for the price. If you would like to have a few pen fills of each ink, this is a great way to do so! Be warned, though, that the tiny bottles do not accommodate any pen nib that I know about. You can fill a converter directly from the bottle or use a syringe to fill an eye dropper. For me, the small annoyance is well worth it.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided by Dromgoole’s for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: Ferris Wheel Press New York Set appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

I appreciate the minimal packaging with all Troublemaker inks – a simple card stock box and large plastic bottles that are dark enough to protect the ink from most light.

Troublemaker Nenita is a dark burgundy red – not so dark that it appears black in writing, though.

The sheen is what makes this ink pop, however. A green-gold sheen shows up in the correct light. The sheen is a bit muted – this keeps it from overwhelming the base color and keeps the ink from smearing after it dries.

Troublemaker Nenita on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

Troublemaker Nenita on Midori MD paper:

Troublemaker Nenita on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

Troublemaker Moon River is quite different from Nenita. This is a multi-chromatic ink that shows plenty of shading with a color somewhere between grey, pink, and green. It brings to mind other recent multi-chromatic inks like Sailor Studio 123 and Sailor Yurameku Seki, but I think it is more helpful to show it compared to other standard inks. The swatch is close to Vinta Pangtangi but in writing, Moon River appears as a dusty rose.

Troublemaker Moon River on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

Troublemaker Moon River on Midori MD paper:

Troublemaker Moon River on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

I love the degree to which Moon River changes from paper to paper.

Troublemaker inks can be a bit hard to find in the US, however, it seems that more retailers are beginning to stock the ink. At $0.28 per mL, I would definitely recommend picking up a bottle!

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were purchased by me. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: Troublemaker Nenita and Moon River appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Sailor Hawaii and Sailor North Dakota are a beautiful pair of inks – a multi-chromatic purple and a light mint green.

According to the package insert, Sailor North Dakota is “a soft green ink that brings to mind the vast grassy prairies home to the iconic bison hearts found in the state.” While I do love the color of this ink, I’m not sure it reminds me much of the color of grass. It is close to Robert Oster’s Elf’s Cap, although several shades lighter.

North Dakota on Midori MD paper:

North Dakota on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

North Dakota on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

North Dakota is a pleasant color, but unless it is used with a broad or stub nib, it will be difficult to read.

Sailor Hawaii, according to the package insert, is “a light blue ink with undertones of pink to represent the exquisite ocean sunsets enjoyed on this incredible island state.” Hawaii could pass as a periwinkle blue, but I would label it as a purple ink. It is very close to Sailor Manyo Nekoyanagi, although Hawaii has an addition of amazing shading and the various colors in the ink can be found even in writing.

Sailor Hawaii on Midori MD paper:

Sailor Hawaii on Tomoe River 52gsm (TR7) paper:

Sailor Hawaii on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

Hawaii is a gorgeous ink and the shading takes it to the level of need-to-have for me. Using it with a flexible nib, the ink is dramatic, and, being purple, perfect for me.

As usual, the downside of the Sailor 50 States collection is the price. Each bottle is sold at $25 for 20 mL of ink or $1.25 per mL, one of the highest prices in the ink market (excluding out-of-production or rare inks). However, the 50 States collection is perfect if you are looking for a thoughtful gift for a pen friend. Sending a bottle of ink representing a state with a special meaning could be a perfect present.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided by Dromgoole’s for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: Sailor Hawaii and North Dakota appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Troublemaker packages their ink in 60mL dark plastic bottles. I have found some variation in price, but you can find it at Vanness for $24 (for shimmer inks) or $16.50 (for non shimmer inks).

Now for the inks themselves!

The base ink color for Butterfly Dream is an avocado green of medium saturation while Polar Lights is a dark purple-grey. Each ink shows some shading but nothing dramatic. I’ve seen a touch of sheen in each as well.

The two inks really stand out when the light is at the right angle. Butterfly Dream has a blue/purple shimmer and Polar Lights has a turquoise or green shimmer.

Polar Lights is a darker ink than Robert Oster Sterling Silver, but the two are close.

Polar Lights on Midori MD paper:

Midori MD paper at a different angle:

Polar Lights on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

Cosmo Air Light paper at a different angle:

And Tomoe River (52gsm TR7) paper:

Tomoe River paper at a different angle:

Butterfly Dream is my favorite of these two inks and is incredibly close to KWZ’s Prairie Green (Galen Leather exclusive ink). Prairie Green has lots of gold shimmer, however, while Butterfly Dream is a blue/purple.

Butterfly Dream on Tomoe River (52gsm TR7) paper:

Tomoe River paper at a different angle:

Butterfly Dream on Midori MD paper:

Midori MD paper at a different angle:

Butterfly Dream on Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper:

And Cosmo Air Light paper at a different angle:

I have kept a pen (a TWSBI Go pen, medium nib) inked with Butterfly Dream for the past two weeks with no sign of blockage or slow ink flow so far. TWSBIs are a favorite of mine with sparkle inks since the feed has a slightly wider channel than other pen feeds.

What is your take on the new Troublemaker inks? Will these be on your to-buy list?

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were purchased by me for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: Troublemaker 2022 New Inks appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

The external packaging for the Taisho inks is almost identical to some of the Taccia inks, perhaps giving hints to the actual ink manufacturer. The bottle contains 40mL of ink and has a small tag attached with space for a tiny swatch of the ink although the paper used for the tag is too absorbent to show the ink color accurately.

The three ink colors I have here are Gentle Green, Smoky Navy, and Opera Rose.

Opera Rose is an interesting color – a bit under saturated terracotta or salmon orange/pink/brown. It shades but not dramatically.

Papier Plume’s 011 ink is a few shades darker than Opera Rose, but the color is a match.

Smoky Navy has some great shading and is a lovely blue-black ink. Occasionally a hint of sheen shows up but only in the swatch.

I had a hard time finding a match to Smoky Navy in my collection. The lightest portion of the swatch is a match with Diamine Prussian Blue, and the darker areas appeared to match Robert Oster Thunderstorm, but the camera brings out much more green in Smoky Navy.

I saved my favorite of the batch for last. Gentle Green. It immediately reminded me of Taccia Sabimidori with the way is wrote blue but dried to a definite green.

When comparing Gentle Green to Sabimidori, though, the colors were further apart than I had imagined. The heavier applications of Sabimidori are close to the color in Gentle Green, but the overall color is quite different. Wearingeul Mad Hatter is a good match.

The first page below is Tomoe River (TR7) paper

Next is Midori MD paper – this paper is cream rather than the white of the other two examples.

Finally, Cosmo Air Light 83gsm paper.

Here’s another shot of the Cosmo Air Light paper, turned to catch the sheen in both Gentle Green and Smoky Navy.

Scrolling through the photos of the paper types, you may have noticed how different the Taisho Roman inks appear on each. Gentle Green is the most obvious, but all three colors change between papers. I’ve photographed pairs of notebooks to show how much they can change.

Tomoe River 52gsm is on the left with Cosmo Air Light 83gsm on the right.

Cosmo Air Light 83gsm is on the left with Midori MD on the right. These don’t even look like the same inks.

So which ink and paper combination is your favorite?

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were purchased by me for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Ink Review: Taisho Inks, Part 1 appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

2023 New Year is a fabulous bright green ink with lots of sparkle – the closest I have in my collection is Anderillium Spirula green although 2023 New Year is darker.

2023 New Year surprised me with the amount of shading – that isn’t something I usually expect with sparkling inks.

The sparkle is a bit wild – both gold and silver particles. I had no issues with 2023 New Year clogging or even hard starts – ColorVerse uses a small enough particulate that the ink flows well.

Now for the paper. The first paper here is Tomoe River paper (TR7). Lots of shading on TR paper and a bit of a black halo sheen as well.

I’ve angled the same swatch so you can get an idea of the sparkle!

Cosmo Air Light paper, as usual, brings out the blue undertones of the ink, making it more of an emerald green

Sparkling inks have a great time on Cosmo Air Light paper, although the sparkle has the tendency to drift across the page.

Midori MD paper shows ColorVerse 2023 New Year much closer to a true green.

However, the sparkling characteristics of the ink are wasted on Midori MD.

2023 New Year is a 30mL bottle and is priced at $24 MSRP which works out to $0.80 per mL. While not as expensive as Sailor’s small bottles, it is a bit pricey, but I do think the novelty of both silver and gold sparkle makes this ink worth grabbing while it is around.

DISCLAIMER: The ink included in this review was provided free of charge by Dromgoole’s for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Scribo Vert Prato is a bright yellowish green ink that makes me smile.

Scribo inks come in huge, heavy glass bottles that could break a toe but also stack nicely on top of one another, making a beautiful and eye-catching centerpiece. The bottles are hand blown glass and contain a full 90mL of ink. I love how they look in the sunlight.

Bright green ink isn’t terribly common in the ink world. One popular bright green is Akkerman #28 Hofkwartier Groen. Pen Chalet also has a store-exclusive Robert Oster ink, Paulo Verde, that is close to Vert Prato, but more of an olive tone.

As you can see below, Vert Prato is very close to Hofkwartier Groen, but a bit less of a yellow undertone. To me, Vert Prato wins because it just looks a bit more cheerful.

This is an ink that has been in a pen since I discovered it – a matching pen that also glows in the dark (the pen, not the ink). I’ve had this Benu filled with Vert Prato for about a year now – I might not ever change this duo.

Which bright green ink do you prefer? Why aren’t there more bright green inks around?

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