Unsulphured Apricot Mix

[Melnicki]

Hi there! I've been sputtering a lot about how I would like an ink the color of "unsulphured apricots", you know the dried apricots that they don't add sulfur to, so they end up a nice oxidized red-orange... my dad always buys those because the sulfured ones give him a headache...

 

So, I finally got around to getting some scans in of them. This is in no way comprehensive, and I didn't spend the time adjusting the colors, but I at least wanted to show you the ink. this is momentous now, because I discovered a mix to yield this color that is semi-waterproof (#4)...

 

#1 is Beaver and Habanero... this is the color I'm looking for, but it is horribly water-soluble. Waterproof-ness is so important for me because I drink tea all the time, and have wet fingers from labwork, so I don't like to lose my words, although it smears a very pretty color, I'll admit.

 

#2 is a dud, and I don't have it pictured. I once mixed Habanero with Eternal Brown (looked like Golden Brown) and then I added Tiananmen to make it redder, and Walnut to darken it, and I have to say it was a nice color, but not exactly what I was looking for.

 

#3 was close -- and simpler -- Swishmix Burgundy (for the semi-waterproof component) and Habanero. It was a bit too red, so...

 

#4 -- Habanero (more) and SM Burgundy (less) and Eternal Brown (less). This is pretty dang close to #1, and the words will remain if it rains.

 

I'll keep working on it, but lately I've been using this ink all the time (alternated with my other favorite new mix -- Sequoia Grey)... I feel so satisfied that I haven't the urge to buy any new inks (until I run out of Habanero!!)

 

Don't ask me for the proportions, I don't know. When I mix, it's never rigorously quantitative.

 

(pictures in subsequent posts)

Edited December 21, 2006 by Melnicki

[Melnicki]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/328928637_8eafe8b000_o.jpg

This is version #1

 

 

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/328928638_0b6b7b8f0c_o.jpg

This is version #3

 

 

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/328928640_317b572b9f_o.jpg

This is version #4

 

 

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/143/328928639_8fda0eba66_o.jpg

This is version #3 with a moderate water test. SM Burgundy remains. colors look a bit off, it's usually redder, as in the above picture of #3.

Edited December 21, 2006 by Melnicki

[Melnicki]

And here is an old review I did of #1, but I never posted it (I don't think)...

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/328928643_5ee994e73a_o.jpg

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/143/328929144_ebb9a547b3_o.jpg

[Maja]

And here is an old review I did of #1, but I never posted it (I don't think)...

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/328928643_5ee994e73a_o.jpg

 

Wow, the first three and a half lines of the scan ("I just addeed some Beaver to the converter of this pen (which is skipping a lot") look exactly like how my Noodler's Apache Sunset looks on paper in a B nib pen....

[mholve]

Definitely looks like Apache Sunset; the Habanero is just a little darker and the Cayenne darker still. Another similar color is Caran d'Ache Saffron (from Colors of the Earth collection).

 

I've been dying to pick up a bottle of either Apache Sunset (or Habanero) or Saffron. My local dealer has none of the above.

[Phthalo]

Very nice colour mixes here. I was going to try and mix up some type of interesting Eternal dark orange shade myself soon, so far I'm thinking of using Noodler's Russian Chekhov, Manuscript Brown and Golden Brown to start with...

[sonia_simone]

Matt, I keep meaning to suggest Noodler's Red-Black to you for this, probably as a starting point rather than the final product. It's got some promise, I think. Permanentish and great shading as well.

[BobR]

Nice color! That shade has always been one of my favorites. Noodler's Antietam might also be a good starting point for this, with its brown-orange-red tints. Don't know about water-proofness though.

[Melnicki]

Yeah, the trick is really to get a permanent Beaver. That's where the Swishmix Burgundy plus Eternal Brown comes in. So, perhaps that would be a lighter version of Red-Black. Or I could make my own Red-black?

 

Usually my Habanero is much redder than the first few lines, Maja. I thought Apache Sunset was a bright-but-dark yellow, with lots of brown/orange/gold shading. I've heard it's an amazing color.

 

Scans of Cayenne look like ketchup or Sweet-and-Sour chinese sauce to me... But I suppose it also looks the color of powdered cayenne pepper, hehe... Habanero is bright orange like the pepper usually, but if it goes down wet enough it will turn out reddish. It's amazing in the bottle, it's semi-transparent. Doesn't seem ink-like (it's not opaque), and it is very pretty to swish it around and coat the bottle with.

 

All in all, I'm totally satisfied with this ink. Yes, I love Antietam, but nope, not waterproof. I unfortunately don't find as much use for Antietam, although when I use it I am fixated on the beauty of the color.