Author Topic: Favorite matte black ink?  (Read 2209 times)

Offline Jamie

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Favorite matte black ink?
« on: January 16, 2016, 10:40:56 PM »
I've found on this forum most people seem to really like inks like the sumi ones because they're really shiny on the page, and while that can be pretty in it's own way, personally I like a nice matte black better.

Does anyone know of, or have a favorite matte black ink? Personally I haven't been able to find anything that is both a decent dark black, is matte, and performs in a nib even remotely as well as a sumi ink.


Offline schin

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Re: Favorite matte black ink?
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2016, 02:43:18 AM »
Black gouache will dry a nice matte!
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Offline Inked botanicals

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Re: Favorite matte black ink?
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2016, 04:43:01 AM »
My first purchase of a black ink bottle was Windsor&Newton Matte Black. I remember I liked it very much! It was quite dense so I added water drops as necessary.
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Offline AndyT

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Re: Favorite matte black ink?
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2016, 04:46:24 AM »
Walker's Copperplate ink dries matte.  It's also decidedly black ... eventually.  (I'm looking at a piece of writing I did about a week ago on unfamiliar paper and the ink looks just right now, including some uncharacteristically heavy shades.  At the time it went on light grey, and I thought "here we go again - invisible ink", but after a few minutes it was an unappealing shade of mid brown.  This stuff reacts instantly on Rhodia but with some papers it can take several weeks, making it less than ideal for correspondence).  Anyway, Schin can advise on the American equivalents which I guess would be Old World or McCaffrey's.  In my experience all iron gall inks write nicely, but nothing's perfect and judicious matching of paper to ink is a must if you're in a hurry.

Offline Jamie

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Re: Favorite matte black ink?
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2016, 05:35:26 AM »
Thank you all for the wonderful responses so far!

I already had some black goache sitting around, can't believe I hadn't actually tried that yet.

Offline JohnNealBooks

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Re: Favorite matte black ink?
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2016, 07:04:31 PM »
I can second the vote for WN Matte Black (calligraphy) ink.  This ink is nice and rich black in color. 

http://www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/s?keyword=I69

Cheers, Michael