Comparison photos and scans of ink colors

March 30, 2006

Our generous fellow FPNners have posted many photos and scans comparing ink colors. Your moderators will gradually be searching for them and adding links to them (these are not organized as indices; see "FPN members' ink sample indices" for those) on this topic thread.

Use your browser's own text search function, such as, "Edit | Find (On This Page)," for help in finding a color in this list.

Of course, an ink's appearance depends on more than its chemical recipe. The same ink can look different depending on the pen being used, the paper it is written on, and the lighting conditions at any moment of reading. Photography or scanning complicates matters further, no matter how much the contributor "massages" the image to match the colors on the paper at that moment's lighting to the colors on her/his computer screen.

For further reference, any ink color that is known to be waterproof or water-resistant is noted that way.

Please assume that all other colors are not waterproof, even if they are from a brand that makes some waterproof colors.

"Chris' turquoise comparison," by macthemaths, Jun 25 2006, 08:50 PM:

Waterman South Seas Blue,

Pelikan 4001 Turquoise,

and Visconti Turquoise.

"Some Blues," by RyanL27, Jan 16 2006, 11:10 PM:

Sailor Blue,

Pilot/Namiki Blue (very water-resistant),

Pendemonium store, Noodler's Legal Lapis (waterproof),

Waterman Florida Blue,

Waterman Blue-Black,

Private Reserve American Blue,

Duke Blue-Black,

and Swisher Pens store, Noodler's Swishmix Tahitian Pearl (waterproof).

"Sailor Blue, a comparison," by Larry T, Feb 21 2006, 12:57 AM:

Sailor Blue,

Sailor Blue-Black,

Waterman Florida Blue,

Private Reserve American Blue,

Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue,

and Levenger Cobalt Blue.

"Diamine Orange, Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, Sailor Grey, Waterman Purple, Pelikan Br," by Betty, Feb 26 2006, 04:03 AM:

Diamine Orange,

Diamine Jade Green,

Diamine Sapphire Blue,

Sailor Grey,

Waterman Purple,

and Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown.

A later posting in "Noodler's Squeteague & Diamine Umber, not really a review - Yet," by KCat, Mar 10 2006, 07:24 PM:

Noodler's Squeteague

and Diamine Umber.

"A Bunch of Blues, (Been meaning to post an example)," by georgem, Mar 14 2006, 11:25 PM:

Diamine Royal Blue,

Aurora Blue,

Waterman Florida Blue,

Waterman South Seas Blue,

Noodler's Navajo Turquoise,

J. Herbin Bleu Pervenche ('Periwinkle Blue'),

and J. Herbin Bleu Azur ('Azure Blue').

"Which One Would You Put Money On??, A water test!," by Bryan, Aug 27 2005, 11:14 PM:

Noodler's Green,

Noodler's Red-Black (red: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Noodler's Ottoman Azure,

Noodler's Cheyenne,

Noodler's Blue-Black (blue: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Noodler's Walnut (red: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Noodler's Midnight Blue (blue: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Noodler's Legal Lapis (waterproof);

Private Reserve ("PR") American Blue,

PR Orange Crush,

PR Sherwood Green,

PR Copper Burst,

PR Gray Flannel,

PR Tanzanite,

PR Black Cherry,

PR Naples Blue,

Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown,

Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue,

Mont Blanc Bordeaux,

Mont Blanc Blue,

Platinum Carbon (waterproof),

and Visconti Black.

"2nd Round of Testing with Fine nib, Another water test," by Bryan, Dec 7 2005, 02:38 AM:

Private Reserve Blue Suede,

Noodler's Saguaro Wine,

Noodler's Antietam,

Noodler's Navajo Turquoise,

Noodler's Black (waterproof),

Noodler's Zhivago (green: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Noodler's Tiananmen,

Swisher Pens store, Noodler's Waterproof Verdun Green,

Noodler's Apache Sunset,

Noodler's Nightshade,

Noodler's Iraqi Indigo (waterproof),

Noodler's Ottoman Rose,

Noodler's Green,

Noodler's Aircorp Blue-Black (turquoise: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Noodler's Habanero,

Noodler's Squeteague,

Noodler's Ottoman Azure,

Noodler's Red-Black (red: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Noodler's Walnut (red: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Pendemonium store, Noodler's Legal Lapis (waterproof),

Noodler's Cayenne,

Noodler's Midnight Blue (blue: not waterproof. black: waterproof),

Pendemonium store, Noodler's Eternal Brown (waterproof),

Private Reserve ("PR") Dakota Red,

PR Fiesta Red,

PR Velvet Black,

PR Gray Flannel,

PR Copper Burst,

PR DC Supershow Blue 2005,

PR Naples Blue,

Parker Penman Mocha,

Sailor Red-Brown,

Diamine Monaco Red,

Visconti Black,

and Mont Blanc Bordeaux.

"Bunch of Blues Sample," by Stephen-I-Am, posted by Betty, May 18 2006, 01:08 PM

Yard-O-Led Blue,

Noodler's Blue,

Diamine Tropical Blue,

Noodler's Navajo Turquoise,

Swisher Pens store, Noodler's Waterproof Aquamarine Blue,

Noodler's Luxury Blue (waterproof),

Lamy Blue,

Diamine Sapphire,

Noodler's Ottoman Azure,

Swisher Pens store, Noodler's Swishmix Antigua Blue (waterproof),

and Noodler's Cayenne.

"Seven inks, five pens," by Chemgeek, May 21 2006, 06:59 PM

Private Reserve Midnight Blues, Sailor 1911M Med

Private Reserve Orange Crush, Waterman Phileas Fine

Private Reserve American Blue, Pelikan M200 Fine

Private Reserve Dakota Red, Sailor 1911M Med

Private Reserve American Blue, Lamy Safari Fine

Private Reserve Fiesta Red, Levenger True Writer Med

Private Reserve Tanzanite, Levenger True Write Med

"Some Informal Comparison charts, ...more like scratch paper actually...," by Dudley, May 21 2006, 12:52 AM

Pilot Petit1 Green Apple

Pilot Petit1 Blue-Black

Swisher Pens: Noodler's Tahitian Pearl

Noodler's Aircorp Blue-Black

Private Reserve Black Cherry

Sailor Black

J. Herbin Vert Olive

Caran d'Ache Turquoise Green

If you have, or have found, a comparison photo of ink samples (not a more-formally-organized visual index), you are welcome to add it, or a link to it, on this topic thread. This topic thread is not locked, so that this is possible. Alternatively, you can notify the ink moderator(s) by Personal Message or e-mail, and I/we will put it here.

To put a link to another message in a message you are composing,

open a new browser window,

go to the message that shows the picture,

click on the link, "Posted," that has the message's timestamp,

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click either "OK" or "Cancel,"

go back the other browser window that contains the reply you are composing,

click the editor's "http://" button,

paste in the address of the message to be linked to,

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