Inks for Correspondences!

Today’s blog post comes from Cindy in Canada, a LetterMo member with a passion for beautiful inks, who writes in to share her thoughts about and samples of the inks that she has been using this year for LetterMo.

The Beginning

When I re-entered the world of letter writing and virtual letter writing socials in 2020, I noticed some letter writers are fountain pen users and would light up when they talk about their pens and inks. I looked into them out of curiosity and was instantaneously drawn into the world of fountain pens inks. The range of colours, shades, shimmers, and even sheen offer options far beyond any other writing utensils I’ve seen. And so, down the rabbit hole I went. 

Currently Inked

I love switching between colours when I write, so I tend to have 10-15 pens inked at a time. All the colours of the rainbow would be represented, often with a lighter and darker shade for red, blue and green. In addition, there would be a pink, brown, grey, and at least one colour that’s hard to describe. At least 2-3 inks would contain shimmers, and the seasons do play a role in ink selection. 

Some Favourites

Similar to “there’s no such thing as a favourite child”, that’s how I feel about inks. There are some I find myself drawn to more often, and I’ve picked out a few to highlight. The swatches are done on Rhodia paper. Some writings are done with fountain pens, and others with a glass pen. 

Red – Diamine red dragon was picked for this lunar new year, when I wanted a seasonal colour that also reflects the year of the dragon.

Orange – Pilot yu-yake is a warm orange. It also reminds me of all the citrus fruits in abundant quantities around lunar new year, as they signify luck. 

Yellow – I am on a forever hunt for a perfect yellow that reminds me of sunshine, but still visible in writing. Diamine fortune’s gold from the latest Inkvent calendar caught my attention, and comes close to what I have in mind. 

Green – Kyo No Oto moegi iro is a lush green that makes me think of the meadow. It works all year round. 

Blue – There is no shortage of blue inks to choose from. Ink Institute’s Bannan line from the Taipei metro line series is a beautiful colour, and has creative designs for the packaging. Taipei main station, the busiest train in Taiwan, is located on the Bannan line. 

Purple – Sailor potsu potsu is one of the “sound of rain” series. The name brings a smile to my face every time I use it. 

Pink – cherry blossom season is coming up soon, and Kyo Iro’s cherry blossom of Keage fits the season perfectly. It’s also dark enough to show up well in fine nibs. 

Shading ink – Troublemaker’s (yes, that’s the name of the brand) fox glove is a great example of a “combination colour” ink. The shading is more visible in broader nibs. 

Shimmering ink – I’m now collecting shimmering inks with contrasting colours. Robert Oster’s no fixed address is a bright red ink with blue shimmers. 

There are always more inks to talk about, but we’ll be here for days! I am curious to hear which inks you’re writing with, or which ones you would like to try. Let me know in the comments.

5 thoughts on “Inks for Correspondences!”

    1. Thank you Leila! Every colour can probably have their own post 🙂
      For this past Christmas, I used Diamine magical forest (silver shimmers) as a seasonal ink after getting a bottle for 50% off. ON Inks green mango is a light green I really like – may need to be used in broader nibs. Monteverde olive green is a nice olive colour, and I’m still on the search for a dark green ink I feel passionate about.

  1. Hi Cindy, I just love your blog but I’m surprised I don’t have most of the inks you described (and I have oodles!) Have you tried Pelikan Golden Beryl? Lots of shimmer, so only works best in a larger nib or glass pen. As for green inks, Leila, Private Reserve Avocado is a beautiful deep green, Birmingham Oil Beetle is more of a teal with red but one of my favorite ‘rich’ colors and Caran D’ache Vibrant Green is perfect for my favorite holiday, St. Patrick’s Day! Robert Oster Envy is also a lovely spring green. Thanks so much for the info! One can never have enough inks, don’t you think?

    1. Hi Karen,
      There’re always more inks to discover! I love the green ones you’ve named – I haven’t heard of those either!
      I do have a bottle of golden beryl I got on sale – still unopened though. I’ve heard great things about it, and I’m looking forward to inking up a pen 🙂

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.