Noodler's North African Violet

[Mongo]

This is a review of Noodler's North African Violet ("NAV" hereafter). Feedback is welcome.

 

Please note: The written review says there is no shading with this ink, but the images look as if there's strong shading. I keep the light levels in my home office and my office at work fairly low. Under those conditions, the ink appeared not to shade. After I saw these images on screen, I looked at the pages under a bright lamp and in sunlight. In brighter light shading is evident, but it's not as strong as it appears in these images.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/Bottle-Cap-and-Pen-2---Web.jpg

 

NAV is supplied in a 3 oz. bottle. It's part of the new Noodler's "V-Mail" series of inks. I purchased mine from Swisher Pens. Most of this review was written with a Levenger True Writer "Starry Night" pen with a medium nib.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/AfricanViolet-Page1d-Web.jpg

 

Please see the note, above, about shading.

 

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv16/dmoeller60/AfricanViolet-Page2f-Web.jpg

 

Regarding the water test: Some ink was definitely rinsed onto the blank parts of the paper. The paper took on a very light violet tone in places. The writing didn't look any lighter after the paper had dried.

 

It's difficult to capture the exact color of this ink, especially in a compressed jpeg file. NAV is a saturated ink that looks very much like Noodler's Baystate Concord Grape on paper.

 

I used this ink exclusively at work last week, and I was very happy with its performance. It's an ink that "just works" for me. I'll be trying some of the other V-Mail inks over the next few weeks, and will be happy to review them if anyone's interested.

 

Be well,

Dave

[dizzypen]

OOOOOoooooooooooOOOOOOoooooooooooo! Pretty.

 

Just what I need... yet another purple ink.

[Signum1]

Nice review. I recently got my set of Noodler's V-Mail inks too. I'm looking forward to the shading with this series of Noodler's Inks. Please hold off on reviewing the Operation Overload Orange.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Signum1

[Edgar Allan Bo]

oooooh, THAT'S what I've been waiting for... ...

 

 

But I've just bought tons of new inks... ...

Edited July 6, 2009 by sk2yshine

[GardenWeasel]

Mine (NAV - I like that!) arrived a few days ago, and I can't wait to ink my EDC pen. But it won't have the decency to run out of ink! Can't wait! Great review! thanks!

[George]

That is a great, virbrant purple. Nathan did a great job on this series of ink.

 

George

[Thornton]

I wasn't sure what else could be done with violet as Noodler's has quite a few, but this is excellent. It looks much more vibrant than some of the other violets in the Noodler's stable.

[Viseguy]

Thanks for this review. An attractive purple -- a tad lighter than Purple Wampum, if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, but still having a measure of gravitas.

 

It would be nice if someone could do a side-by-side comparison of NAV, Purple, Purple Martin, Purple Wampum, and Violet.

[blopplop]

Nice review. I recently got my set of Noodler's V-Mail inks too. I'm looking forward to the shading with this series of Noodler's Inks. Please hold off on reviewing the Operation Overload Orange.

 

Will you be doing a Midway Blue review?

 

Dave

[reprieve]

Thank you for this! I can't wait to see reviews of the other colors in this V-mail series.

Edited July 7, 2009 by reprieve

[blopplop]

How rude of me not to comment on the review. I apologize.

 

Very nice review on what looks to be a beautiful ink. I just picked up the Midway Blue and Mandalay Maroon. Looks like this will be another color I'll be grabbing.

 

Dave

Edited July 7, 2009 by blopplop

[HDoug]

Thanks for the review. I've been looking for a water resistant purple or violet I can live with, but although I love the color of La Reine Mauve and Violet Vote, they both feather like crazy. Does anyone have any experience with these inks to give me any kind of expectation about NAV compared to them?

 

Doug

[pmsalty]

Thanks for the review, nice!

PMS

[ProfMike]

OOOOOoooooooooooOOOOOOoooooooooooo! Pretty.

 

Just what I need... yet another purple ink.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself!! Oh, bother...

[woodworker]

wooow a realy great ink! Thank you, any bleedtrough on moleskine paper tested??

[ToasterPastry]

What about feathering and/or bleeding?

[Mongo]

What about feathering and/or bleeding?

Neither of these has been a significant problem with this ink. The worst paper I normally run into is the cheap 20# copier paper that we use at work. Everything seems to bleed through it, and many inks feather badly on it. With this ink and a wet nib, there is a small amount of bleeding through in places. If I look at it closely, I can see feathering in places where the pen slowed down while I was writing. I don't see these issues with a fine nib, or with a dry, broad nib. I've not had these problems with any of the other papers that I've tried.

 

-- Dave

[Mongo]

wooow a realy great ink! Thank you, any bleedtrough on moleskine paper tested??

In response to your question I pulled out a Moleskine journal and tried this ink on it. Using a wet medium nib, there's absolutely no bleed through. (There was also no feathering.) I've read reports about inconsistencies in the paper used in Moleskine journals, so you might not get the same result.

 

-- Dave

[Mongo]

That is a great, virbrant purple. Nathan did a great job on this series of ink.

 

George

"Vibrant" is the perfect word for this ink. It has the same kind of vibrancy that Baystate Concord Grape has. They're not as vibrant as Baystate Blue, but they do stand out compared to other purple/violet inks.

[dandelion]

Lovely ink & an excellent review!