Iroshizuku Co-Razy View Group Review!

[Lou Erickson]

http://www.rdwarf.com/users/wwonko/images/fpn/iro/2014-09-22_Group_Review_Header.png

Iroshizuku Co-Razy View Group Review!

Pilot’s Iroshizuku inks are beautiful but expensive, and therefore somewhat unknown. Let’s try them out together, so we can see what results others get, and talk about them together!

It’s more fun to do things with other people, so this is a chance to try something at the same time other people are, and to discuss it together.

This is not a group buy! This is a group of people doing something similar together. If you want the ink to try, you’ve got to find it yourself. Naturally, we can do that together, too.

What Will Happen

Each month there will be one Iroshizuku color picked, and we’ll discuss it and collect reviews of that one color in a thread for that color over in the Ink Reviews forum.

Personally, I will keep at least one pen inked with that color for the entire month, and will have several scans to share. I’ll also make a point to post a sampler sheet with a variety of nib widths.

The next month’s ink will be listed a week or two early so that you can find your bottle, or order a bottle or a sample of the color to try, if you wish to do so.

How To Join

You are welcome to participate in any month you like. If you have a bottle and want to share a writing sample, great! If you are intrigued by the color and want to order a sample or even a whole bottle, you’re welcome to do that too.

If you think a color is ugly, you can skip that month. If you are busy, skip that month. It’s okay!

There are several ways you can participate!

Working Together

Let’s go Co-Razy! Things are more fun when people do them together, so I’m going to encourage everyone to try and write half a review! Well, a half-width review, anyway.

Amberlea has been doing the Co-Razy Views (CRV) for a while, and it is interesting to see how different people’s pens and handwriting look together. Like this! It lets you really compare them and get a feel for how the ink may behave in ways you might not see.

If you have time to write twice, and want to have a penpal, you can write a letter. Write your letter using half the width of the page. Extra bonus coolness if you include the things Amberlea suggests discussing! Scan and post it in the review thread as normal. Then, mail it to me. PM me for my address.

I don’t have time to reply to all of them - I wish I could! - so I’ll be mailing you someone else’s review. If there’s an odd number, I’ll write the remaining one.

When someone’s letter comes, you write a reply on the second half of the page, next to the original person’s review. Talk back, agree, disagree, doodle, say whatever. Then scan it in and add it to that month’s scans and comparisons thread.

On your reply you’re welcome to use the month’s color in your pen and hand, or to use a similar color so people can see how they compare to one another. Both are interesting and valuable!

Solo Contributions

If you don’t have time to mess about with the mail, but you have or get the month’s color, feel free to and add scans of your use of that ink. Please let us know what paper and pen you’re using.

The side-by-side Co-Razy Views are always interesting, so if you want to do one on your own, that’s great too. Compare the month’s ink against a different ink you have, or to show how it looks in two different pens! You don’t have to mail things anywhere to do a comparison!

For the same extra coolness, consider including all the things Amberlea discusses in her review thread.

Discussions

If you have the ink, or have tried the ink in the past, and would like to share your experiences, please chime in on the thread. Scans or photos are great, but not everyone has the time or equipment to make that happen. That’s no problem! Let us know what you think. Ask people questions, too!

The Ink Schedule

Here’s the schedule for what ink will be the focus of each month!

Month

Season

Ink

English

Color

October 2014

Autumn

Tsuki-yo

Moonlight

Dark Blue

November 2014

Autumn

Yu-yake

Sunset

Orange

December 2014

Winter

Shin-kai

Deep Sea

Dark Blue

January 2015

Winter

Fuyu-Gaki

Winter Persimmon

Orange-Red

February 2015

Winter

Fuyu-syogun

Old Man Winter

Grey

March 2015

Spring

Syo-ro

Dew on Pine Tree

Dark Green

April 2015

Spring

Kosumosu

Cosmos

Pink Red

May 2015

Spring

Ku-jaku

Peacock

Blue-Green

June 2015

Summer

Murasaki-shikibu

Japanese Beautyberry

Purple

July 2015

Summer

Tsukushi

Horsetail

Brown

August 2015

Summer

Asa-gao

Morning Glory

Dark Blue

September 2015

Autumn

Kiri-same

Autumn Shower

Grey

October 2015

Autumn

Momiji

Autumn Leaves

Red

November 2015

Autumn

Yama-guri

Wild Chestnut

Brown

December 2015

Winter

Kon-peki

Deep Cerulean Blue

Dark Blue

January 2016

Winter

Take-sumi

Bamboo Charcoal

Black

February 2016

Winter

Ama-iro

Sky Blue

Light Blue

March 2016

Spring

Chiku-rin

Bamboo Forest

Yellow Green

April 2016

Spring

Ajisai

Hydrangea

Medium Blue

May 2016

Spring

Shin-ryoku

Forest Green

Green

June 2016

Summer

Yama-budo

Crimson Glory Vine

Magenta

July 2016

Summer

Tsuyu-kusa

Asiatic Dayflower

Blue

August 2016

Summer

Tsttsuji

Azalea

Pink

September 2016

Autumn

Ina-ho

Rice Ear

Tan/Light Brown

Thanks To

Many thanks to Amberlea for being inspiring and encouraging, and co-ordinating with the moderators of the other forums to make sure these go to the right forum.

More thanks to Amberlea for her jumping in and helping with eye-catching titles.

Thanks, too, to the enthusiastic people who helped me be sure this would be interesting and fun. Let's do it!

Questions?

Ask away!

[Lou Erickson]

Iroshizuku Group Review Index

This is a list of all the threads for discussion of each month’s color. The threads can be found in the ”Ink Reviews” section of the forum. As the threads are created, they’ll be made into links in this post.

Iroshizuku - Tsuki-yo (Moonlight) - CRV - Group Review - 2014-10

Iroshizuku - Yu-yake (Sunset) - CRV - Group Review - 2014-11

Iroshizuku - Shin-kai (Deep Sea) - CRV - Group Review - 2014-12

Iroshizuku - Fuyu-gaki (Winter Persimmon) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-01

Iroshizuku - Fuyu-syogun (Old Man Winter) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-02

Iroshizuku - Syo-ro (Dew on Pine Tree) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-03

Iroshizuku - Kosumosu (Cosmos) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-04

Iroshizuku - Ku-jaku - CRV (Peacock) - Group Review - 2015-05

Iroshizuku - Murasaki-shikibu (Japanese Beautyberry) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-06

Iroshizuku - Tsukushi (Horsetail) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-07

Iroshizuku - Asa-gao (Morning Glory) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-08

Iroshizuku - Kiri-same - CRV - Group Review - 2015-09

Iroshizuku - Momiji (Autumn Leaves) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-10

Iroshizuku - Yama-guri (Wild Chestnut) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-11

Iroshizuku - Kon-peki (Deep Cerulean Blue) - CRV - Group Review - 2015-12

Iroshizuku - Take-sumi (Bamboo Charcoal) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-01

Iroshizuku - Ama-iro (Sky Blue) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-02

Iroshizuku - Chiku-rin (Bamboo Forest) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-03

Iroshizuku - Ajisai - CRV (Hydrangea) - Group Review - 2016-04

Iroshizuku - Shin-ryoku (Forest Green) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-05

Iroshizuku - Yama-budo (Crimson Glory Vine) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-06

Iroshizuku - Tsuyu-kusa (Asiatic Dayflower) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-07

Iroshizuku - Tsutsuji (Azalea) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-08

Iroshizuku - Ina-ho (Rice Ear) - CRV - Group Review - 2016-09

Edited June 25, 2015 by amberleadavis

[Morwen]

I already own most of the colors, only 5 are missing and 2 of those are on the way to me . I will try to participate - but I have never written reviews before, I hope I can do it!

[AHoppy]

Well, I can't help out for over a year, but I will if I can and don't forget

 

Never mind, I still have a Tsuki-yo sample

Edited September 23, 2014 by AHoppy

[A144]

Cool idea, I'm definitely keeping an eye on this project! I'll also try to join in on the months I have samples and bottles for!

[tinysnail]

I'm so glad this is happening! I'll have to load up on samples. Generally, I am not the biggest fan of blue inks, so this will be a good project for broadening my horizons, at least a little. It'll be cool to see how different some of these inks look in different pens, on different paper, with different users.

[Algester]

I have Yu-yake, Fuyu-syogun, Take-sumi, Inaho, Murasaki-shikibu with me sadly I can't afford the bottles to the philippines yet...

Edited September 23, 2014 by Algester

[mtnbiker62]

I will chip in when I can...I have 5 or 6 bottles...mostly in the blue and black families.

[Lou Erickson]

I'm still waiting for my Tsuki-yo to arrive, myself. I'm looking forward to going through all of them, as it gives me plenty of chances to use different pens with a predictable ink. Adds some structure to my ink selection for a while.

 

Looking forward to seeing what everyone adds!

Edited September 23, 2014 by Lou Erickson

[Elyptic]

Just placed an order with Goulet for the first three colors!

 

I also ordered a medium sized, Side staplebound Rhodia notebook for ink sample testing. I've wanted to try Rhodia for a while, and for the price ($3.30), it seemed like the perfect book to use for ink samples.

 

Decided that I'd go with ink samples to start, figuring that if I like the sample, I can add bottles to the next order I place. Also, it seems that three months at a time makes sense for shipping cost savings.

 

And of course, any time I order anything from them, I always find a few extras, so really ordering every three months is better for my wallet!

[mtnbiker62]

I have been wanting to do a comparison of Tsuki-yo and Diamine Twilight...this will be a most excellent opportunity!

[amberleadavis]

Thank you for the kind words. I've already mailed a submission off to you to kick start the project. I love the P/I inks - I was sad for a while because they aren't waterproof, but I found that they often held up well to fade tests and that thrills me. I'm super excited to be part of this great community building project. Thank you.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Hmmm.... I have Tsuki-yo, and I think I'd like to play along.

 

Do I have to mail or can I just scan?

[mrchan]

An interesting idea, I have coincidentally ordered a Tsuki-Yo myself before reading this post. I shall be getting it in the mail but not really sure when. Will look forward to posting

[SeeksAdvice]

I have:

 

Tsuki-Yo

Tsuyu-Kusa

Ama-Iro

Kon-Peki

Asa-Gao

Take-Sumi

Tsukushi

 

I could contribute something.

[Lou Erickson]

Hmmm.... I have Tsuki-yo, and I think I'd like to play along.

 

Do I have to mail or can I just scan?

Feel free to just scan if you're short on time. More contributions are better. Try a CRV with different pens or comparing the monthly ink to a similar ink you own.

[amberleadavis]

Scans are awesome additions, but the shared written letters are like little bundles of joy.

[GSteer]

Anyone else in the UK/EU area taking part? Would be easier for postal timings to mail between ourselves I feel I'll also be scanning and uploading too.

[siima]

This sounds like a good idea. I have to order more Iroshizuku inks. Perfect excuse!

[cybaea]

I am so glad this idea got off the ground. Will try to join from October