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Octopus Write and Draw - Grey Merkat I’m not sure why they made a “mistake” with the spelling. I’m sure meerkat’s won’t mind I post this information systematically on all Octopus Write & Draw ink reviews: They suggest that the shelf life of their ink is two years, which is a bit surprising. The ink is ISO 12757-2 and DIN ISO 14145-2 Here is the list of complete line up: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 And warnings: https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ Now to the review. This is a nice, wet, juicy grey, like a 6b pencil. The chroma, shows some green surprisingly : It writes wonderfully with all pens, especially the Japanese Ef nib. It might be too wet for some. It’s waterproof and especially great for sketching and washes. I saw shading with a B nib. But the scanner disagrees and sees it all over the place Writing Samples: It seems I'm a bit dyslexic and have inverted the name It's Grey Merkat. Also my automatic spell check has corrected the spelling There was a hint of ghosting on this paper: There's some ghosting/bleed through on copy paper but it's much much better than Herbin inks Photo: Comparison: Water test: And finally an artwork, inspired by Meerkats, entitled: Art of the Fugue and another one a prompt of Inktober yearly challenge: River It's a nod to the song Moon River from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. The Yellow ink is J Herbin Bouton d'or · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copper flex nib. · What I liked: Writing, drawing, washing. · What I did not like: Liking it so much. · What some might not like: It’s a pigment ink, it might be too wet for some. · Shading: If you scan your writing · Ghosting: Faint on Tomoe River 68 gr paper. · Bleed through: With F nibs onwards on copy paper. But much better than Herbin inks. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Above average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Gorgeous grey. · Shading Potential: With M/B nibs and dry pens. · Sheen: Did not notice. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: Nope. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

This is a very well behaved waterproof black ink. The more I used it the more I enjoyed it. It’s well lubricated, well behaved and a lovely shiny black. If you’re looking for a waterproof black ink this could fit the bill. Octopus has a host of warnings and does not recommend you using it in your favorite shiny fountain pen. And recommends a well-sealed pen, which is a no brainer. They also suggest that the shelf life of their ink is two years, which is a bit surprising. This ink is ISO 12757-2 and DIN ISO 14145-2 and it's vegan in case you want to drink it Here is the list of complete line up: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: There was a hint ghosting and bleed through with the B nib Photo: Comparison: Watertest: Nothing came off. Impressive. and finally an artwork: I sketched this from a black and white photo. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef,/Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/), Osmiroid with a copper plate nib · What I liked: Almost everything. It’s an understated black that grew on me. · What I did not like: Nothing much. · What some might not like: There’s a list of warnings, not to be used in expensive pens. · Shading: No. · Ghosting: Only with B nib on Hammermill paper. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Nice and wet. · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Saturated · Shading Potential: Dismal. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not noticed. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Relatively easy · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 50 ml Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw Petrol Axolotl This belongs to Octopus' Write and Draw line of nano pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Octopus has a host of warning on their site, basically recommending their inks only in cheap, well-sealed pens. In my limited experience they have been much more well behaved than many other waterproof inks. https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ The naming of the inks is whimsical, the colour followed by an arbitrary animal. The ink is well behaved, wet, and well lubricated teal. Surprisingly it looks paler with Ef / B nibs (Maybe the ink level was low) and darker when I tried it in the Kakuno with a Medium nib. I'm a bit ambivalent about the colour. Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: Not bad with Hammermill: Photo: Comparison: Water test: My apologies for the art work. I was not so inspired: The prompt was Forrest for the yearly Inktober challenge: The red ink is J Herbin's Rouge Caroubier. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef/ Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B), Osmiroid Copperplate nib · What I liked: Intriguing colour, well behaved ink. · What I did not like: Nothing, but the name. Petrol associated with an endangered amphibian, is a bit of a bad taste. · What some might not like: It’s sold out on Vanness, so I guess we’ll see. · Shading: Yes · Ghosting: Only with a flex nib on Hammermill · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Wet. · Lubrication: Good. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Nope. · Shading Potential: With medium /broad nibs. · Sheen: Did not notice. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: It’s a pigment ink. But in my experience so far, Octopus inks can be easily cleaned with water and a bit of soaking · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw Red Koala This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Octopus has a host of warning on their site, basically recommending their inks only in cheap, well-sealed pens. https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ The naming of the inks is whimsical, the colour followed by an arbitrary animal. It's a well behaved, lubricated and wet coral red ink. It's not a colour I really appreciate. Chroma: Writing Samples: Color seems off on Hammermill. Photo: Comparison: Water test: à and finally an uninspired artwork: There's a hint of Platinum Carbon Black and Akkerman's Delfts Blauw · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Kanwrite with an Ahab nib · What I liked: Waterproofness · What I did not like: The colour. · What some might not like: Same as above. · Shading: Nope. · Ghosting: Yes on copy paper, depending pen, nib, pressure. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Wet. · Lubrication: Good. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: What do you think? · Shading Potential: Mmmm! · Sheen: Did not notice. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: It’s a red pigment ink. Emphasis on both colour and type. However, it was quite easy to clean. · Water resistance: Excellant · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw Brown Penguin This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Octopus has a host of warning on their site, basically recommending their inks only in cheap, well-sealed pens. https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ The naming of the inks is whimsical, the colour followed by an arbitrary animal, unless there are brown penguins and red Koala’s roaming about. The ink is well behaved, wet, and well lubricated, yet I am underwhelmed by the colour. I would recommend you getting a sample before investing in a whole bottle. The reddish tinge is obvious in the chroma: Writing samples: It's alright on copy paper. But don't flex on it or use a wide/wet combo. Those brown smudges are not bleed through. Photo: Comparison: Water test And finally, an artwork. Note the ink had stayed for two week in the pen, so it became darker. Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Osmiorid Copperplate What I liked: The colour, very fast dry times. What I did not like: Not much. But I’m not in love. What some might not like: Shading: It seems there is Ghosting: A tiny bit on copy paper. Bleed through: A tiny bit when the needle tip of the copper plate pierces the paper. Flow Rate: Good. Lubrication: Slightly below average. Nib Dry-out: Only once during nib exchange. Start-up: No. Saturation: No. Shading Potential: No. Sheen: Same as above. Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Nope. Nib Creep / “Crud”: No. Staining (pen): No. Clogging: No. Cleaning: Easy Water resistance: Excellent. Availability: 50 ml bottle. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus - Write and Draw - Brown Colibri Intriguing colour reminds me of persimmons, which grew on me over time. Very well behaved, even on copy paper, has lovely shading. This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: the complete line of 38 inks: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 Octopus has a host of warning on their site, basically using their inks only in cheap, well sealed pens. ttps://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: quotes are from azquotes website, I'm not sure how accurate they are A drop of another ink forced to become creative... Very well behaved on Hammermill. Photo: Comparison: Water test: (Left side was held under water for 10s) And a little artwork, which is a variation on the same theme: · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with an Ahab flex. · What I liked: Very well-behaved ink. Intriguing colour. · What I did not like: Ironically, I’m not so sure about the colour · What some might not like: Nothing much. · Shading: Yes, there is some. · Ghosting: None. · Bleed through: None. · Flow Rate: Very wet · Lubrication: Slightly below average · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Not really. · Shading Potential: On good paper, yes. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw - Violet Giraffe This belongs to Write and Draw line of nano-pigment inks. They are waterproof, light fast, and ISO certified. The complete line up the 38 inks are here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/e...colours?c=4671 I really enjoyed using this, elegant, classy ink. It’s a gorgeous purple, very well lubricated, especially pleasant to write with. However, it does not like copy paper. I went as far as inking a wet vintage pen and regretted it, as the amount of ink it spewed out made it impossible to control the pen, so I won’t recommend you filling your Pelikan “firehose” with a triple B nib 😜 Octopus has a host of warning on their site. ttps://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ So as a test, I let it dry up a bit in my Lamy Safari, basically forgetting it for a week or so, letting evaporation do its thing. Still the cleaning was surprisingly easy. I was disappointed when I did the water test. The ink is water resistant but lost a bit of it's charm. In conclusion, I would recommend this ink for a well sealed, dry-ish pen. Chroma is uninspiring: Writing samples: This ink is a snob. It does not like copy paper. Photo: I have no ink that remotely approaches this one: Water test: I was surprised/ disappointed by the result as you can see the ink was partially removed under running water. and finally a tiny art work, General Giraffe: The other ink is J Herbin, Ambre de Birmanie: · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Conway Stewart 330 double oblique flex (very wet) · What I liked: Elegant, classy colour, breathtaking will almost all nibs, · What I did not like: Not 100% waterproof, not a deal breaker, but I was expecting more from a pigment ink, longish dry times. · What some might not like: Longish dry times, hates copy paper… · Shading: Medium onwards · Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper · Bleed through: Yes, on copy paper · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Not noticed. · Start-up: Not noticed. · Saturation: Delicious. · Shading Potential: I can’t see much. · Sheen: Faint with the very wet nib. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, on copy paper. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Not noticed. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: No. · Water resistance: Very good but the excess ink washed off. · Availability: 50 ml Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

Octopus Write and Draw Ink - Blue Chameleon After reviewing so many inks, it's rare that I get excited about an ink or a new brand. This is one of them. I’ve been tempted to procure a bottle. It's a gorgeous grey blurple, well lubricated that I enjoyed writing in all nibs but the Japanese Ef, Kakuno. it transformed the needle tip of Osmiroid into a dream nib. It's a pigment ink, light fast, waterproof and has all the ISO accreditation you would want. Please note like most pigment inks, it's best using it in a well sealed pen and preferably not your expensive pens. You can read more about it: https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ and the complete line of 38 inks: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/7331/write-and-draw-ink-set-waterproof-drawing-ink-for-fountain-pens-38-colours?c=4671 Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: It doesn't like copy paper much: photo of the Tome River page A little calligraphic work done with thee Osmiroid Copperplate nib (Mnemosyne notebook) Comparison: Water test: (left side was held underwater for 10 seconds and the wiped with tissue paper) And a tiny artwork to showcase the range of the ink (Paper is Talens mixed media) · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.9), Osmiroid copperplate nib · What I liked: Writing with, cushiony feel, intriguing, classy colour. · What I did not like: Writing with Japanese Ef nib · What some might not like: It doesn’t like copy paper · Shading: Yes. · Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper · Bleed through: same as above. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent · Nib Dry-out: Nope. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Yes. · Shading Potential: Elegant · Sheen: Faint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Excellent · Availability: 50 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

There’s something about Octopus Write and Draw series. They have been a breath of fresh air, in the permanent ink world. Fox Grey isn't any different. It even makes the scratchy Kakuno Ef a pleasure to write with. The colour is pleasing, a warmish blue grey. Octopus has a host of warnings and does not recommend you using it in your favorite fountain pen. And recommends a well-sealed pen, which is a no brainer. In my experience it's best to use theses inks in pens that can be fully dismantled. They also suggest that the shelf life of their ink is two years, which is a bit surprising. The ink is ISO 12757-2 and DIN ISO 14145-2 Here is the list of complete line up: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1 And warnings: https://www.octopus-office.de/info/en/write-draw-ink/ Let's start with the chroma: You can see clearly see the purplish grey. Writing samples: As you can see the wetter/wider the nib, the more ghosting /bleeding there'll be. Photo: which shows the bluish tinge. Comparison: Water test: [after 24 hrs, nothing budged] And finally a tiny artwork inspired by the ink: · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Kaweco Sport (EF/F/M/B), Kanwrite with Ahab nib · What I liked: Beautiful colour, very well behaved. · What I did not like: Nothing. · What some might not like: Doesn’t function as well with wider nibs on copy paper. · Shading: Quite nice. · Ghosting: On copy paper · Bleed through: Same as above, only with Broad /flex nibs. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Quite good. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Dark saturated grey · Shading Potential: Look for yourself. · Sheen: No · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Only with water · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 50 ml bottles Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

This is an excellent ink by De Atramentis, lovely colour, well behaved and easy to clean. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: It even loved Hammermill...The pink smudges are from Noodler's Park Red, I reviewed before Photo of Tomoe River Comparison: Watertest: And finally an artwork. It was a part of a daily challenge Dystopia, inspired form the Matrix. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with an Ahab nib. · What I liked: Delightful muted colour. · What I did not like: Nothing much. · What some might not like: Fear of nano pigment inks. · Shading: Yes · Ghosting: No. · Bleed through: No. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Good. · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: No. · Shading Potential: Yes but better with wider nivs. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Very easy. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 45 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

I really wanted to like this ink, but it didn't sing for me. Before writing I had to smudge the ink to make sure it was the right ink. That's when you have too many pens inked But as you will see, in scans it's clearly a brownish/ reddish ink and looks very elegant. The cleaning was a bit of pain. I was really disappointed when I had smudging during the water test. That's not something I was expecting from a document ink. I got my sample from Goulet's, but couldn't find this ink on De Atramentis's website. Maybe it's discontinued or maybe renamed? 😛 Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: It seems I forgot to write with a sample with Japanese Ef and forgot to crop the first image. Ah well, nobody's perfect Maybe @LizEF will do a review in 2025 😜 Midori Very well behaved on Hammermill... Photo (TR 68gr) Comparison: Water test: (quelle horreur!) And finally an artwork, entitled fall. The red ink, is De Atramentis Document Red with a bit Black Red mixed in, · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Nib · What I liked: I wasn’t enamored with the colour but found it enjoyable with a broad nib. · What I did not like: Not an interesting colour with finer nibs, might as well stick with black. Not 100 percent waterproof. · What some might not like: The same as above and cleaning. · Shading: With M/B nibs. · Ghosting: No. · Bleed through: No. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Lower than average. · Nib Dry-out: Didn’t notice. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Saturated. · Shading Potential: Only with M/B nibs. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: I didn’t have the patience to soak it overnight in water and went the easy way, with a cleaning solution. · Water resistance: Good. I was surprised that some of the ink came off. · Availability: 45 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

De Atramentis Document Red Grey I really enjoyed using this ink. It’s an improved version of Noodler’s Red Black with the added full waterproofness, until I reached the cleaning part. It was not as straightforward as I thought. The ink managed to stain my Lamy convertor and in the end after soaking for few hours in water, the red dye was more than tenacious. So, I simply dunked it in my Monteverde cleaning solution and the problem was solved. However it didn't stain the Pilot CON-40 nor the cheap nonane Chinese convertor. This is not a deal breaker for me. The worst thing is when ink smudges or refuses to dry, then bleed through. The rest I can live with, if I really like the ink. It also doesn't like cheap thin papers. Let's start with the chroma: Writing samples: It doesn't like thin copy paper. Photo: Comparison: Water-test: (Nothing budges) and finally an artwork. from a drawing challenge, entitled Solar System with my cat and mouse characters Fountain pen inks De Atramentis Urban Grey / Red Grey Kuretake brush pen (black) Water colour (blue), Silver marker · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, (Lamy EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate nib · What I liked: Well lubricated, intriguing colour. · What disappointed me: Staining of Lamy convertor (a first for me), and cleaning. · What some might not like: High maintenance cleaning, staining convertor, doesn't like cheap thin paper. · Shading: Yes · Ghosting: No. · Bleed through: · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent - Cushiony · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: No. · Shading Potential: Yes · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Didn’t notice. · Staining (pen): Yes, Lamy convertor! · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: The red dye is tenacious. · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 45 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

This is an excellent sepia ink by De Atramentis. I loved using it over and over again. Very well behaved, easier to clean than blue inks Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Comparison: Water test: Left side was dabbed with water. The smudge beside the kitty was there before the watertest And per usual an art work, part of the Inktober yearly challenge, prompt was Camel: Paper is a Talens square notebook. · Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Stub/ Kaweco (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate nib · What I liked: Really well-behaved ink. Very well-behaved ink. Excellent for sketching! And easy to clean! · What I did not like: Nothing · What some might not like: It’s a nano pigment ink · Shading: Yes, with wider nibs. · Ghosting: No. · Bleed through: No. · Flow Rate: Lovely. · Lubrication: Nice, thought best with European pens. · Nib Dry-out: No. · Start-up: No. · Saturation: Nice. · Shading Potential: Only with flex nibs · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: No. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Didn’t notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Very easy · Water resistance: Excellent. · Availability: 45 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier