Author Topic: Ink recommendation for a newby  (Read 3452 times)

Offline Mike A

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Ink recommendation for a newby
« on: July 19, 2015, 07:22:04 AM »
Greetings all,
I've started my calligraphic life with a bottle of Higgins Eternal - which I've used with a dip pen, as well as using it to refill a pilot parallel pen.

There seems to be a huge range of ink possibilities - summi, walnut, chinese, gouache, iron gall... various brands and colours...
Any suggestions - or things to avoid - for my next ink purchase? Are some of these inks easier to use than others as far as the actual writing is concerned?

I do have a small collection of acrylic inks (Windsor and Newton and FW Daley Rowney) but I'm not sure these are recommended. I'm aware they do dry quickly so I would keep my dip pen nibs wet. I've no idea if they'd work in the parallel pen, but wouldn't risk it without advice.

Thoughts, suggestions, recommended threads or links all welcome...
« Last Edit: July 19, 2015, 12:01:14 PM by Mike A »

Offline Calligraphy Nut

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2015, 08:36:26 AM »
I have been using a lot of fountain pen inks with great success - brands like Noodler's, Diamine, Rohrer & Klingner, de Atramentis, Lamy, Private Reserve, J. Herbin, etc... Tons of colors and they wash out of your Parallel nice and easy.

Gouache is nice in a dip pen because it gives you a consistent opaque color where as the Fountain pen ink will be partly transparent and tend to shade darker where the ink pools heavier.

I would avoid the acrylic or any india ink in the Parallel as the nib will clog quickly and kill the pen.
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Offline AndyT

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2015, 10:17:39 AM »
Do you have any special requirements, Mike?  Super fine hairlines, say, opacity or waterproofness?  Are you likely to stick with the Parallel or would you entertain moving over to Automatic pens or poster nibs?  There are oodles of options, and someone to champion most of them.

I do think everyone ought to have a go with gouache at some stage since the possibilities are endless.  Since you're in the UK, a wander round The Works if you have one nearby should turn up a beginner's set for £3 to experiment with.  Apparently some people do use it in parallel pens - not something I'd try, but what the heck: maybe those folk like flushing fountain pens as much as I don't.  ;)

Offline Starlee

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2015, 10:22:38 AM »
Hi Mike,

I think for everyday practice with dip pens, the two most popular are Moon Palace Sumi and walnut. Personally, I don't like the transparency (or brown color) of walnut. Moon is pretty much all I use. It never lets me down. Come to think of it, the only complaint I've heard people make of Moon is its smell. It reminds me of those puck paints I used to use in kindergarten. Maybe I should branch out more, but when I am focusing on technique and the letters, I don't want playing around with inks to be a distraction. Iron gall, I haven't tried, but while it supposedly writes really well, it is corrosive and the nibs don't last as long. I have a bunch of acrylics as well. They work, but can be finicky and I find i have to dip frequently, which breaks my line. Sumi just flows so nicely! It really is a dream. As for the Parallel, I cannot advise. I am just starting out with that one myself. :)
« Last Edit: July 19, 2015, 10:25:17 AM by Starlee »
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Offline Elisabeth_M

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2015, 01:51:11 PM »
I'm a newbie, too, and I've just started to realize that the kind of ink I like with my dip pens depends on the paper and nib I'm using.  For the Rhodia pads and Mitchell Roundhand nibs, I'm pretty happy with the Windsor & Newton black ink.  For some reason, the colored ones don't work as well in the Mitchell nibs for me on Rhodia paper.  For the colored Windsor & Newton and for Dr. Ph Martin's Bombay India Inks, I prefer the Brause nibs with the Rhodia paper.  I've gotten an inexpensive set of goache to play with, but haven't tried it yet.

Speaking of paper, I've ordered some samples of onion skin and Conquerer paper from The Paper Mill to see if I like either of them as it would be cheaper to use those rather than Rhodia pads.  I also need to try the HP Premium Choice Laser paper that the pointed pen peeps all love.  I'm really hoping I like the onion skin, though, because I'll be able to easily see guidelines underneath it and can put off buying a lightbox for awhile.  :)
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Offline Achaneystudio

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2015, 02:00:31 PM »
I quit using all other black inks once I bought my first bottle of moon palace sumi... I fell in love and never went back! Love it on every paper, with every nib! <3333

Offline AndyT

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2015, 04:56:39 PM »
Iron gall, I haven't tried, but while it supposedly writes really well, it is corrosive and the nibs don't last as long.

There's some truth in that, but not all IG inks are created equal.  On the one hand you have Blots, which is made from Alien blood and will dissolve your cast iron drainpipes if you flush it down the sink, and on the other there are the fountain pen inks from Rohrer und Klingner, Pelikan et al which are benign so long as you rinse your nibs after a session.  Walker's Copperplate Ink is fairly easy going, and outperforms anything else for pointed pen I've come across - the main problem is supply which depends on whether Mr. W. feels like making it.

A measure of corrosiveness isn't necessarily a bad thing since it can relax the action of a stiff nib somewhat, so it all depends what's important to you.  For me the hairlines more than compensate for any decrease in the lifetime of a nib, but then again I'm happy to use some of the cheapest nibs on the market, and your mileage may well vary.

Offline Elisabeth_M

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2015, 11:33:53 PM »
I quit using all other black inks once I bought my first bottle of moon palace sumi... I fell in love and never went back! Love it on every paper, with every nib! <3333

I might have to try some after such a ringing endorsement!  I already blew this month's calligraphy budget on new nibs + reservoirs, purple ink, and a cheap set of goache, though.  Maybe next month!
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Offline Mike A

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2015, 08:40:29 AM »
Andy,
No particular requirements, although something 'more waterproof' would be good. Just really interested in trying out new things at the moment. I think sumi ink and gouache might be my next purchases :)
« Last Edit: July 20, 2015, 05:53:09 PM by Mike A »

Offline ericp

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2015, 12:27:57 PM »
Andy,
No particular requirements, although something 'more waterproof' would be good. Just really interested in trying out new things at he moment. I think sumi ink and gouache might be my next purchases :)
Sumi and gouache will certainly be good starting points for you.  Personally I really dig watercolor calligraphy, but I think I am one of the rare birds in this respect.  I have walnut ink and iron gall on my next purchase order.

Gouache is not waterproof.  I love it regardless, but if waterproofness is an issue for you, then you will find, by reading several threads on FF, that a few suggestions exist but absolutely no magic bullet.   (Stay away from acrylics initially.)

Offline thistledesignstudio

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2015, 01:20:57 PM »
I love Sumi for a quick go to when practicing...it never seems to fail me!  For projects & orders, I love the selection of coloured fountain pen inks & often pick up J. Herbin.
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Offline Brad franklin

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Re: Ink recommendation for a newby
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2015, 02:23:10 PM »
I use walnut for most practice. It's easy to deal with and pretty easy to clean and good to my nibs. I use moon sumi to practice when I want to use a black ink. I have Old World iron gall which works great but eats my nibs like the cookie monster. I also love vermilion sumi. To me gouache is the ultimate, If I can get it to the right constancy (which is about 40 % of the time) I love it and it's a joy to use.

It's kinda like everything else you collect nibs, inks , papers , pen holders and so on...... You find one you like and you use it.