Search the Community

I am delighted and excited to finally start posting my swatch tests of the Sailor Ink Studio range. This is a unique range of 100 inks custom mixed by Sailor’s very own in-house ink genius Osamu Ishimaru and they are stunning. The swatch testing process has been a genuine joy and, as you’ll see, the chromatic outcomes are nothing short of sublime. All of the colours were mixed to order at ink clinics held across Japan and I assume that the numbering system was created on a first come first served basis. However, there are theories that there is a system and a pattern to the numbering and if you’re into that I suggest you link to Yagan Kiely’s blog and read his extensive review of the range. There are already some reviews out there, but as usual these are the standard swab tests on card and Tamoe River paper and that’s okay, BUT, and this is a BIG BUT, the real wonder of these inks is the chromatography. It’s what’s going on ‘under the hood’ – this is where the real magic can be observed and appreciated. If, like me, you are seriously into your inks and their colours, what I’m up to is a creative extension of the typical swab card technique and once you have the hang of this – there’s no going back! I have decided to post my swatch cards in groups of nine and have categorised them by colour, so eleven posts will follow over the coming weeks.