I was pretty excited about some new J. Herbin inks when I made this quick post. So I was obviously a little embarrassed when the Quo Vadis blog decided to feature them in a post… yikes.
Anyways, after reviewing the Kalligraphie pad recently, I decided to revisit that concept and came up with this:
My Current Collection of J. Herbin Inks. And yes, I know Perl Noire is misspelled 
The thing about dip pens… is that they always show an ink to be more saturated than it really is. So I tried to smoosh them around a bit (professional terminology) to show their real range of color. When used in a fountain pen, these inks will write in the color that you can see in the smear.
The other thing about dip pens… is that they require a really saturated ink. They’re best used with India Ink, not fountain pen ink, which is less viscous (read: more watery). I’ve had some luck using Private Reserve inks in dip pens, but on the viscosity scale of fountain pen inks, J. Herbin is by far the least saturated, least viscous ink. So making this page was a total drip-disaster. That’s why there is some pretty uneven line work here…
I find that I use J. Herbin inks a lot with brushes, which I really enjoy. And of course, in pens. I currently have two pens inked with Cacao du Bresil, actually.
Sorry, Cole, didn’t mean to put you on the spot! I love the concept, blotches and all… Anyway, it’s nice to see this batch, too.
Oh no, I was pleased to be featured! I only wished that I had spent more time on them, haha. Glad to see you over at my blog!
Cheers,
Cole
I think all of the drips and smears are what make your work here so magnificent. Your handwriting of course is really nice, but the artistry and color is just a joy to see. Well done! I too use Herbin inks with brushes for drawings and color accents, they are wonderful for that.
Lovely! I like the drips also
It’s true, fountain pen inks are tough to work with in dip pens. You can add a bit of gum arabic to the ink to help it adhere to the nib more. Also, I have been meaning to do a post of this, but you can borrow the reservoir from the Brause italic nib, and fit it on the steno or phannen nibs, works great at getting a bit more ink to work with.
Beautiful! I would frame this and hang it on my wall.
Well shucks, thank you very much! I do need to frame and hang more of my art– I barely have any on my own walls..
Excellent ideas, both of them. I’m starting a new job today which is locate right next to an art supply store (which could be either a great thing, or run me broke), and perhaps I’ll pick up some gum Arabic on my way home.
Beautiful and very useful! I like the smooshing – both aesthetically and the idea!