Inky T O D - Serious Ink - Are Only Blue, Black And Blue-Black Serious?

[amberleadavis]

Again I steal the word from Sandy1's stupendous vocabulary .... GRAVITAS ... What inks visually convey that what you are writing or drawing is serious?

 

Now, I would suggest that historically the IG Blue-Black inks used in birth records (think ESSRI) have become synonymous with serious.

 

Does Penman Emerald or Deep Dark Green convey the same commitment?

 

What are your thoughts?

[Lou Erickson]

Dark colors. A darkish blue, blue black, or black are clearly going to be accepted as "serious". A dark purple - Diamine Grape, for example - could be accepted, and be a subtle difference.

 

Bright or pale colors don't strike me as too serious. Even some blues - Kon-Peki is very bright, and might be okay, and might not. It's almost turquoise, which isn't really serious.

 

Depends on where you are. I could easily take notes in meetings at work in any random color I want; where I work doesn't care much. Would I want to sign the deed to my house in orange ink? Not so much.

[Blue_Moon]

Dark colors. A darkish blue, blue black, or black are clearly going to be accepted as "serious". A dark purple - Diamine Grape, for example - could be accepted, and be a subtle difference.

 

Bright or pale colors don't strike me as too serious.

 

I concur. Darker colors do connote a more serious frame of mind. The Diamine deep dark colors from Cult Pens strike me as very serious colors. Lighter colors seem, to me, to relate to lightheartedness.

[hardyoyo]

Gray can also be serious. Some blacks shade from gray to black (Waterman/Parker black, for example). Here's a fun fact: modern Parker blue/black starts out *very serious*, but, the longer you keep a note written in Parker blue/black in your pocket (pockets not required, they just speed up the process), the "jauntier" the note will get, turning a bright-ish turquoise. This makes the ink very handy for to-do lists, as older items are self-highliting. Better get to that phone call, it's only going to look goofier in a day. Though, it's not exactly waterproof, so, check your pockets.

[MusterMark]

I agree with everything that's been said so far about blue-black. I also think lighter (but pale) blues have a classic business look, especially on yellow legal pads. I'm thinking "true blue" inks here like Waterman Serenity Blue or Aurora Blue.

 

On white paper, a green-black could pass as serious, though. After all, I think I read on this forum a few weeks ago that admirals used it in the navy back in the day. I think they'd have something to say about all this.

[migo984]

I think the sepias have a serious demeanour, especially those with grey undertones.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Serious....blue, dark blue, blue-black, and black....all others are not....in spite of use of a dark purple 150-200 years or so ago. You are writing to idiots...so must be Sandy1 up channel serious.

 

DA Royal Blue is as purple tinged in a blue ink is as far as one can go.

 

It must be boring ... or the egotistical idiot might think you don't bend over and kiss where the sun don't shine with enough respect. For such idiot's there is no cure..until retired...then one wouldn't waste any valuable ink writing them then anyway.

One can SMS...that day...and rejoice...he'd only been replaced by 4 others of the same ilk.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Lisya72]

Diamine Grape is a good one, PR Ebony Purple is another stealth "not really black," that I like. I also use brown and gray inks if the situation calls for seriousness but I don't feel like using black or blue.

[amberleadavis]

I think it's notable that even the rollerballs have some stealth colors:

 

http://www.uniball-na.com/blx/images/subhead-swatches.png

 

http://www.uniball-na.com/blx/images/BLXink.png

[shumanfu]

Something written in blood can be pretty serious too!

[amberleadavis]

Something written in blood can be pretty serious too!

 

I don't know, I think that goes from gravitas into just gravely creepy.

[queenofpens]

When I was a much younger woman, etiquette books (Emily Post, Amy Vanderbilt, long, long before Miss Manners got published) all said that only blue, blue black, or black were acceptable in polite company. And if it was a note of condolence, only blue black or black - and on your best monogrammed stationery.

 

Then, sometime in middle age, I discovered that I remember better, study better, and produce more creative work, with lots of colors available.

 

So I decided that the quality of my work was more important than etiquette rules and now routinely carry multiple pens with as many colors as I can - although, sometimes it's a problem with one drying out in the Texas heat before I get to it.

 

Still, I believe there are times when a serious ink is needed and not just for condolence notes.

 

There are times when I want to be perceived as a grown-up and my collection of student pens filled with bright colors does not contribute to the perception I want to create.

 

If it's my best business suit instead of "business casual," then I carry a pen and ink that match - usually blue or blue-black.

[amberleadavis]

When I was a much younger woman, etiquette books (Emily Post, Amy Vanderbilt, long, long before Miss Manners got published) all said that only blue, blue black, or black were acceptable in polite company. And if it was a note of condolence, only blue black or black - and on your best monogrammed stationery.

 

Then, sometime in middle age, I discovered that I remember better, study better, and produce more creative work, with lots of colors available.

 

So I decided that the quality of my work was more important than etiquette rules and now routinely carry multiple pens with as many colors as I can - although, sometimes it's a problem with one drying out in the Texas heat before I get to it.

 

Still, I believe there are times when a serious ink is needed and not just for condolence notes.

 

There are times when I want to be perceived as a grown-up and my collection of student pens filled with bright colors does not contribute to the perception I want to create.

 

If it's my best business suit instead of "business casual," then I carry a pen and ink that match - usually blue or blue-black.

 

 

Ah, well said.