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Inks for journal writing
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keyboard_arrow_downRayF
22218
Feb 23, 2018
Paper is where it all begins. No point in worrying about the right ink (or pen) unless you have a reliable foundation to work with. One of the best I've ever found (paper/notebook) is also one of the least known. They can be a little difficult to find, so buy three when you do. I haven't found *any* ink that presents any sort of problem with this paper. And did I mention each notebook comes with 300 sheets?! Here's a link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V54FUX2/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3UIAJZS6J5Z1P&colid=21RKWGO5IVGJ9&psc=0
jaguarish
147
Jan 26, 2018
I have a few suggestions: (1) fountain pen friendly paper usually means it is a smoother (less absorbing) surface. so you can try writing on cheaper paper! (2) try carrying a sheet of absorbent paper as a blotting paper eg. cheap copy paper or cheap watercolor paper -- in my own journalling which is an A5 booklet that I carry everywhere, I often bring along a sheet of paper which I have printed with ruled grid or lines since I prefer blank pages. This has the added bonus of being a blotting paper and a random note scratcher which I replace when it gets too messy looking. (3) someone else's post about slow drying ink suggested that diluting his problem inks actually improved drying time dramatically - of course, use only distilled or boiled water - not straight from the tap. I also do this but more for increasing the beautiful shading from an ink.
abcbill185
13
Jan 1, 2017
Two suggestions...
For ink, look into some of the Noodler "Bullet Proof" inks.
You might want to look into Baron Fig "Confidant" journals as well.
You might want to look into Baron Fig "Confidant" journals as well.
sallen
200
Sep 8, 2016
I use both Lamy and Parker Quink inks for my journaling when I use FP. Since I live in the soggy Pacific Northwest, I have to be sure my inks are fairly resistant to water as occasionally I get caught in a rain shower. Some of the no-name-brand FP ink in Ebay has been horrid for water resistance. I once mistakenly set a beer bottle wet with condensation on a page (thankfully not a journal page) and watched the ink flow away even though the writing was several months old. Thankfully, it was in a part I had already transferred to digital.
j-e-g
306
Jan 19, 2018
Just revisiting this topic - ( evil eye @SeadonkeyLove ).
I thought I’d share a small something that I find works well for me. Granted, I am not writing a book or journaling my daily events.. both would be a very dull read.
Thinking about the permanence or lack of with most inks... I thought I’d share what works for me.
I have found that using Noodler’s Lexington Gray with color inks does help make the mixture pretty water tolerable. I won’t go so far as to say it isn’t at all affected by water, but it stands up to water drop/smear really well. Not to mention that you can get some terrific colors specific to your liking.
I mix Lexington Gray with blues, reds, greens, browns .. the possibilities are endless. The two I use most often mixing it with blue and purple inks. A perfect blue-black and a deep, dusky purple. They make beautiful, water resistant inks that show excellent shading and character.
@pharaonis did a great review of Diamine’s Sepia ink and mentioned thinking sepia would be a darker brown. I haven’t tried that particular ink, but I think sepia mixed with Lex-Gray would make a very unique color with some improved permanence. I have used Lex-Gray with DeAtramentis Gold and made a beautiful golden brown.. that isn’t going to completely wash away.
I can do a water test with them if anyone is interested... or, not.
I’ll just drop that tid bit right here and tip toe off....
Forgot to add that Noodler’s describes Lexington Gray as Bullet Proof. The Jet Pens tests sallen shared indicated it was Highly Water Resistant.
j-e-g
306
Aug 23, 2016
Dementia aka Karen - Have you tried the Diamine Ancient Copper.. it's really nice and since Fall is around the corner.. I like the fall colors... I also like the Diamine Terracotta, smooth and dries quickly on Tomoe, Rhodia, bagasse. Finally, I really LOVE the Noodler's Army Green , a olive'ish green. Check out the reviews on Goulet Pen Co. looks like many good reviews specific to journal use...
SeadonkeyLove
151
Jan 18, 2018
So... I went back and read this a couple times now and you definitely answered her original question for ink suggestions. (Shrugs, I don’t know man, haha)
woleizihan
78
Keyboard Club Member
Aug 19, 2016
I would suggest using a blotter paper as a "notebook mark" . They are used to absorb ink and in this way you can use whatever ink you want.
Wynde
5
Jul 31, 2016
Have you considered using a blotter? The SevenSeas notebooks come with a blotter sheet but you can also buy them separately from Nanami. There are J Herbin Blotter pages available on Amazon. And if it really comes down to it I've used copy paper as a quick blotter - but I'm not sure if that would be absorbent enough to not smear the thick lines from an Italic nib. It works fine though for my Japanese Fine and Medium nibs. Even on Tomoe Paper.
RP68068
43
Jul 31, 2016
If you don't mind cleaning your pens a bit more often I would suggest an iron gall ink. Many modern IG inks dry very quickly and offer a great deal of water resistance. They tend to write a bit on the dry side so using them in a calligraphy nib should be perfect. I would look into Diamine Registrars, Rohrer & Klingner Salix or Sciabosa, or the old (2015 and prior) Montblanc Midnight Blue. KWZI also makes some very interesting IG inks although I am not too familiar with the drying properties so you might want run a quick search -- the nice thing about KWZI is they offer a great range of color options.
If you'd rather change the paper to avoid the long dry times, Franklin Christoph Sugar Cane paper is quite fountain pen friendly and really cuts down on dry time. Keep in mind that Tomoe River is awesome paper but it is also probably the longest dry time paper -- Rhodia is also extremely long. So to offset this you will need to choose a quick drying ink or invest in some good blotting paper.
If you'd rather change the paper to avoid the long dry times, Franklin Christoph Sugar Cane paper is quite fountain pen friendly and really cuts down on dry time. Keep in mind that Tomoe River is awesome paper but it is also probably the longest dry time paper -- Rhodia is also extremely long. So to offset this you will need to choose a quick drying ink or invest in some good blotting paper.
dementia
149
Aug 1, 2016
RP68068Thanks for the ink and paper suggestions! So far my Iroshuzuki ink is doing okay on Tomoe River paper
denise.rogers
2
Jul 31, 2016
Goulet has a list of fast drying inks here: http://www.gouletpens.com/ink-sample-package-quick-drying-inks/p/ISP-QuickDry
You could try those. You could also search on the Fountain Pen Network for threads on fast drying inks. There will be suggestions there.
You could try those. You could also search on the Fountain Pen Network for threads on fast drying inks. There will be suggestions there.
Liz
1159
Jul 28, 2016
One paper I've had a great experience with as far as accelerated dry time with FPs is the sugar cane paper in the Franklin-Christoph Firma-Flex and notepads. I've fond that the same pens will dry faster on this paper than glossier Clairefontaine, Rhodia, and the famous Tomoe River paper. I just wish they offered more journal formats!
dementia
149
Jul 29, 2016
LizHave you tried using flex nib on it? Apica is really nice but sucks with flex.
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Sorry for the lengthy post but please suggest a fast-drying ink that would look great with my Camel Midori (shades of brown). I feel bad for messing up my new journal but I guess I have to take it as lesson learned.