Light Fastness Scans

[fiberdrunk]

This test was begun 4/25/10. Some of the inks were added later in December '10 and May '11 (those are noted in the list below). Both were written on graph paper (the lines faded on the sunny sample).

 

This is the sample that was kept in the dark indoors (click on the link to see it larger):

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6227/6280401563_efc02c6e7e_z.jpg

 

 

This is the sample that was kept in a sunny window (click on the link to see it larger):

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6280919722_c4506a01fd_z.jpg

 

Inks tested:

 

Magic Color Delta Violet (acrylic ink)

Magic Color Warm Red

Magic Color Earth Brown

Magic Color Grecian Olive

Magic Color Sepia Brown

Magic Color Rust

 

Rotring ArtistColor Orange (vintage acrylic)

Rotring ArtistColor Yellow Gold

Rotring ArtistColor Yellow

Rotring ArtistColor Blue Violet

Rotring ArtistColor Turquoise

Rotring ArtistColor Purple

Rotring ArtistColor Blue

Rotring ArtistColor Brown

Rotring ArtistColor Green

Rotring ArtistColor Red

Rotring ArtistColor Neutral Black

 

Calli Jet Black India

Calli Scarlet

Calli Blue

Calli Burgundy

Calli Brown

Calli Green

 

J. Herbin Violette

J. Herbin Orange

J. Herbin Cafe

J. Herbin Rouge

J. Herbin Bleue

J. Herbin Rose

 

Noodler's Blue Ghost

Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses (added May '11)

Noodler's Bay State Blue (added May '11)

Noodler's Tsvetayeva (added May '11)

Noodler's Rachmaninov (added May '11)

Noodler's Tchaikovsky (added May '11)

Noodler's Lermontov (added May '11)

Noodler's #41 Brown (added May '11)

Noodler's Socrates (added May '11)

Noodler's Galileo Manuscript Brown (added May '11)

Noodler's Esenin (added May '11)

Noodler's Bad Green Gator (added May '11)

Noodler's Kunt Te-Chung Royal Purple

Noodler's Heart of Darkness

 

Waterman Havana

Reform Black

Osmiroid Green (vintage)

Levenger Raven Black

Higgins Fountain Pen India

Parker Quink (ink cartridge)

Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown

Winsor & Newton Sepia

Namiki Blue

Sheaffer King's Gold

Platingnum Calligrapher's Black

R & K Scabiosa (added May '11)

Chesterfield Archival Vault (added Dec. '10)

Montblanc Blue-Black (added Dec. '10)

 

In case you're wondering where Blue Ghost was written, it was written under the J. Herbin Cafe!

 

Conclusion: the inks that did best with little or no fading were the acrylic inks (Magic Color and Rotring ArtistColor, both of which are acid-free) and the following Noodler's bulletproof inks: Kung Te-Chung, Heart of Darkness, Bad Green Gator and Socrates. Other honorable mentions were Winsor & Newton Sepia, Levenger Raven Black & Higgins Fountain Pen India. So if your quest is absolute permanence, I think you can have full confidence in these inks.

Edited October 25, 2011 by fiberdrunk

[kronos77]

Ouch! I haven't thought much about lightfastness until recently. Those are some scary scans you posted.

 

It seems that even those sold as lightfast don't really hold up.

[fiberdrunk]

Ouch! I haven't thought much about lightfastness until recently. Those are some scary scans you posted.

 

It seems that even those sold as lightfast don't really hold up.

 

So true! I remember a calligraphy catalog saying that the J. Herbin inks it sold were lightfast, and those were the first to fade into oblivion! So yes, always do your own testing.

[Ada]

Very interesting -- thanks for posting this, Fiberdrunk!

[zuku]

fiberdrunk this is an extraordinary test, full of useful information. I recognize your discipline. I know it is not easy to do this type of tests where many samples are included ( I do watercolor and made a chart of lightfastness and it was a lot of work, time and attention involved).

One is amazed by some results, like BSB, totally gone! And Waterman Sepia did incredibly fine!

Was there water involved on the testing? Parker Quink and others seem washed.

I am very happy seeing Socrates standing out among the survivors. It is really hard to make such a color as lightfast as this test shows. Reds, pinks ("Mader Rose" comes to mind) are known for their lack of lightfastness.

Does Magic Color Grecian Olive is ok for fountain pens?

Very useful chart, thank you.

Edited October 30, 2011 by zuku

[fiberdrunk]

fiberdrunk this is an extraordinary test, full of useful information. I recognize your discipline. I know it is not easy to do this type of tests where many samples are included ( I do watercolor and made a chart of lightfastness and it was a lot of work, time and attention involved).

One is amazed by some results, like BSB, totally gone! And Waterman Sepia did incredibly fine!

Was there water involved on the testing? Parker Quink and others seem washed.

I am very happy seeing Socrates standing out among the survivors. It is really hard to make such a color as lightfast as this test shows. Reds, pinks ("Mader Rose" comes to mind) are known for their lack of lightfastness.

Does Magic Color Grecian Olive is ok for fountain pens?

Very useful chart, thank you.

 

Thank you! The sun sample did get accidentally wet a couple times, even though it was in a sleeve protector. I had taped it to the underside of a clear glass deck table so it'd be exposed to light, and somehow the water even seeped there a time or two when it rained.

 

As for the acrylics' safety in fountain pens (like the Magic Color), they do claim their transparent inks to be safe and non-clogging with fountain pens (the opaque ones are not safe, however). I really only recommend them in a Rotring ArtPen or other fountain pen where the nib feed can come completely apart for cleaning. And I don't ever recommend letting the ink dry in the pen for long periods. Keep the pen/ink combo happy by using it daily and flush as needed. I have used the listed acrylic inks safely for over 20 years without damage to a single ArtPen. It is by far the most permanent and non-smudging (even when wet) ink that I have ever found. I also recommend using "designated" ink converters for acrylic inks because this ink does tend to stain them.

The good news is, Dick Blick just started carrying Magic Color in the U.S.!

 

eta: see this link on FPN for how the Rotring ArtPen can be completely taken apart. Even the metal nib comes right off the plastic feed. The Rotring ArtPen was originally designed to be used with their Rotring ArtistColor acrylic inks (which are no longer made).

Edited October 31, 2011 by fiberdrunk

[saintsimon]

I'm surprised about Scabiosa's performance. In another lightfastness test on FPN I remember it faded much more.

Edited October 31, 2011 by saintsimon

[saketb]

Never thought about light-fastness with fountain pen inks. Well, its a great new chapter been opened.

 

Thanks a lot for the review.

[fiberdrunk]

I'm surprised about Scabiosa's performance. In another lightfastness test on FPN I remember it faded much more.

 

I was, too. The color has only been up for 5 months, though.

[tang]

Hello all, I'm looking for a ink that will fade almost completely gone in the fastest amount of time in the sun.

 

In your research which ink do you recommend with these properties? And about how long does it take for the ink to completely fade?

 

Thanks!!

[inkstainedruth]

Very comprehensive.

Okay, i think you've sold me on Noodler's Kung Te Cheng (I had been waffling over it, partly because of the color, but I really think i like it here). Of course I'm probably gonna have to buy a dedicated pen for it now.....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[fiberdrunk]

Very comprehensive.

Okay, i think you've sold me on Noodler's Kung Te Cheng (I had been waffling over it, partly because of the color, but I really think i like it here). Of course I'm probably gonna have to buy a dedicated pen for it now.....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

If you buy the 4.5 oz bottle, it comes with a Platinum Preppy eyedropper pen. I like it a lot.

[amberleadavis]

OOH, thank you! I love these kinds of tests.

 

I agree about TKC - that stuff is amazing.

[CDKeth]

I'm surprised about Scabiosa's performance. In another lightfastness test on FPN I remember it faded much more.

 

Part of that could be that this test was under a glass table top. Even plain glass is a fairly effective UV filter.

[huyked]

A terrific resource you're providing here. Thank you!

[fiberdrunk]

You're welcome!

[eldritch17]

I am interested to know how the Blue Ghost fared. Did you check it under a black light after the test was done? What was the result?

Edited March 2, 2017 by eldritch17

[fiberdrunk]

I am interested to know how the Blue Ghost fared. Did you check it under a black light after the test was done? What was the result?

 

Blue Ghost disappeared completely without a trace after the test. Not only that, but I just tested it with the UV light again, this many years later, and even the control sheet sample (the one kept in the dark) has disappeared. Sadly, this ink is not permanent, despite its bulletproof label.

Edited March 2, 2017 by fiberdrunk

[eldritch17]

That's disappointing information. I really like that ink and was hoping I could make invisible journal notes that would remain.

Edited March 3, 2017 by eldritch17

[fiberdrunk]

That's disappointing information. I really like that ink and was hoping I could make invisible journal notes that would remain.

 

I'm bummed about it, too.