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J Herbin Lie de thé Lie in French is the residue, lees or dregs deposited in teapots. I'm hoping our tea drinking members can give us the correct term This ink brings me fond memories. Many years ago, I scrubbed the tea stains of my mother's teapot, thinking it would please her. She wasn't. I'd removed the secret to her great tea, she informed. Lesson learned Ink is a lovely brown shading ink with the most amazing chroma. Dry times are longer than usual but can be mitigated with finer nibs. I enjoyed using this ink for sketching. The ink looks amazing on Iroful paper, it shades from dark gold/ sepia to dark brown. Ink has decent water resistance and lower than average lubrication. Chroma: Writing Samples: d Photo: Comparison: Water test: Left side 10 seconds under running water. I did two by mistake. I thought I post them both, note the difference Art Work: Mousey is trying to read the Cat's fortune in a cup of tea J Herbin Lie de Thé R&K Königsblau Noodler's Lexington Gray Paper is Talens mixed media sketchbook. · Pens used: Pilot F3A (EF/semiflex), Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), · What I liked: Colour. Sketching. And wiping the nib in a tissue. · What I did not like: Nothing much. · What some might not like: Long dry times. · Shading: Yes. · Ghosting: Depends on nib/ pen/ nib size. · Bleed through: Same as above. · Flow Rate: Average. · Lubrication: Slightly below average. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Medium. · Shading Potential: Very good. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: A bit with wet pens on cheap copy paper. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Quite good. · Availability: 10/30/ 100 ml bottles, cartridges. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

J Herbin Café des îles According to the Herbin website: "Café des îles (Island coffee): a light brown color reminder of the great coffee smell enjoyed at the terrace of a café in a far away island." You be the judge 😛 This is a dryish, Ovaltine colored, reddish brown, which shines on Japanese paper, mostly with Iroful and 68 gr Tomoe River Paper. It doesn’t remind me of coffee. One can say, it's a lighter version of Private Reserve Vampire Red, but easier to clean. Surprisingly long dry time on Rhodia, so not suitable for lefty overwriters It's not a good candidate for copy paper. It ghosted and bled through Hammermill 20lb copy paper. I didn't bother to scan the horror show Chroma: Writing Samples: I've added Iroful paper to the lineup. For a lot of inks, it can bring out extreme shading and enhance colours. Note this paper is very sensitive to hand oils as you can see in the Stub and flex lines. The coating has been removed and the ink doesn't adhere to the paper. Close up scan of Tomoe River and Iroful. Note how shading is accentuated in Iroful. Photo: Comparison: Water test: Left side 10 seconds under running water. Paper is Mnemosyne Art Work: Café and Ovaltine - What happens if you order a Café des îles coffee in a Parisian café. They'll serve you Ovaltine Paper is a Talens Mixed media pocket book. I used different dilutions of Café des îles. At the bottom it is most concentrated. I used a glass nib tipped in bleach to create the "foamy" part on the top. Noodler's Lexington Gray / Polar Green Rohrer and Klingner Königsblau & Helianthus with bleach · Pens used: Lamy (Reverse EF/F/M/B, BB), Osmiroid Copperplate nib. · What I liked: Name. · What I did not like: Color doesn’t remind me of coffee. It's a bit reddish pale for my taste. · What some might not like: Dryish ink, It isn’t black coffee. · Shading: Very nice on Japanese Paper, especially Iroful · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: A bit dry · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Pastel · Shading Potential: Great on Japanse Paper. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: decent. · Availability: 10 ml, 30 ml bottles and I believe cartridges. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

J Herbin Rouge Opera Many thanks to @Lithium466 for the sample. This is a more of a burgundy than a red. I’m assuming the colour was inspired after the plush seats of Paris Opera. It’s a wet ink, not suitable for copy paper, lubrication below average. I would say, if you’re an opera lover this might be the ink for you, if not prends garde à toi 🌹 (sorry, opera quotes will abound. The line is from Carmen's Habanera aria, which translate as Beware!) Chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Comparison: Water test: Art Work: Queen of the Night This little fountain pen sketch was inspired by my cat, who sometimes "sings" in early mornings, to be let out. Her yowling reminds me of from Mozart's The Magic Flute: Other inks used: Graf von Faber-Castell Stone Grey Rohrer & Klingner Helianthus · Pens used: Pilot Kakuna Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B, BB), Nib Creaper semi-flex · What I liked: Nice colour. · What I did not like: It’s a pinkish red. Maybe I'm not much into reds · What some might not like: Very wet, low lubrication, longish dry times. · Shading: Subtle. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper, unless you write with Japanese Ef. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Slightly below average · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Pastel · Shading Potential: Subtle · 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: Ultimately, it’s a dark pink ink. So, the more it stays, the more time it’ll take to clean. · Water resistance: Meh! · Availability: 10 ml, 30 ml and cartridges. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

J Herbin Bleu des Profondeurs (Ocean Depths Blue) Many thanks @Lithium466 for the sample. This is a very dark Royal blue /blurple. I realized that when cleaning my pen. If I was doing a blind test, I would’ve thought it a Diamine/ Pilot ink. It's not your usual watery Herbin ink. It has body, it’s juicy, wet and very pleasant to write with. It’s a great ink for dry pens. On the downside, it’s too wet and the colour turns into almost black. It’s one of the best Herbin inks for copy paper, ghosting and bleed through are minimal with copy paper. The colour also changes on absorbent paper into a nice “blue black”. Let's start with the gorgeous chroma: Writing Samples: Don't be fooled by the scan. Ghosting and bleedthrough is more than acceptable Photo: Comparison: Water test: @InesF Kitty wore protective gear Artwork: The name Bleu des profondeurs (Ocean depths blue) conjured the squid scene in 1954 movie with Kirk Douglas and James Mason, which I saw as a child. Here is an attempt to recreate that scene: Other inks used: Platinum Carbon Black / Sailor Kiwa-guro and De Atramentis Document orange. · Pens used: Pilot F3A (Ef /Semi-flex) Lamy (EF/F/M/B, BB) · What I liked: The writing experience, the chroma · What I did not like: It’s almost too wet. Color. · What some might not like: Not for leftie overwriters. · Shading: From M onwards. Also depends on how wet your pen is. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Excellent. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Great · Saturation: Saturated. · Shading Potential: Depending on pen and paper. · 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: Alright. · Water resistance: Quite good. · Availability: 10 /30 ml bottles / cartridges. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

J Herbin Bleu Myosotis (Cartridge) Thanks for @Lithium466 for the sample. After reviewing the complex Kobe #56 ink, it was difficult to warm up to this ink. There’s nothing inherently wrong about it, but the name! It doesn’t correspond to the sky-blue colour of forget-me-nots, unless in France the flowers are blurple or blue-black I think Herbin would have been better off exchanging this one with Bleu Pervenche. 😛 I had some problem with the cartridge and the flow. I pressed the cartridge, several times to prime the feed and finally, I realized I had managed to puncture ever so slightly the cartridge, a first. However, afterwards the pen wrote perfectly fine. The ink writes purple and dries to a muted blue-black. I didn’t bother to ink up a flex nib for this one. Also, the Japanese Ef line was created through reverse writing. In retrospect the colour looks like a nice blue-black on white Tomoe River paper, but I still can't warm to it. Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Comparison: The R&K is Königsblau Water test: Ink is more water resistant than Éclat de Saphir and finally an artwork, Forget me Not on Fabriano Watercolour paper Other inks used are: J Herbin Bouton d'or De Atramentis Document Red SketchInk Klara + Marlene Noodler's Pasternak · Pens used: Kaweco (EF/F/M/B, BB) · What I liked: Putting my water brush in the cartridge and drawing with it · What I did not like: The name not corresponding to the colour 😛 · What some might not like: My review · Shading: It shades · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: It didn’t gorge the feed like some inks do. · Lubrication: A bit on the dry side · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Pastel · Shading Potential: Nice. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Ok, better than Éclat de Saphir. · Availability: cartridges, 10 ml, 30 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

J Herbin Éclat de Saphir (Cartridge) Thanks to @Lithium466 for the cartridge. It’s difficult to review an ink which leaves your indifferent, when writing with. However, I truly enjoyed drawing and doing washes with it. It’s an happy blue It’s like most Herbin inks, it doesn’t like copy paper. I didn’t bother to ink up a flex nib for this one, and @LizEf has done an excellent review of this ink for a Japanese Ef nib. Let's start with the lovely chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Comparison: Water test: and finally an artwork, Loving Blue The background is Éclat de Saphir, the darker blue is J Herbin Bleu Myosotis, and the outlines are done with Noodler's Polar Brown. and this one was done in homage of @LizEF new kitten, Smoke: the other inks are: Sailor Kiwa guro (Cats J Herbin Bleu Myosotis (Water) J Herbin Éclat de Saphir (Bathtub) J Herbin Bouton d'or Noodler's Polar Brown · Pens used: Kaweco (EF/F/M/B, BB) · What I liked: Chroma, Doing washes. · What I did not like: Writing with it. · What some might not like: The colour · Shading: I didn’t see much. · Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: A bit on the dry side · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Ok · Saturation: Pastel royal blue · Shading Potential: Nope. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): No. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Ok · Availability: cartridges, 10 ml, 30 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

J Herbin Bleu Pervenche This is one of my oldest bottles of inks and a favorite. It’s a happy turquoise, wet, with below average lubrication. It doesn’t like copy paper, like most Herbins. If you want a turquoise with better lubrication, Monteverde Caribbean Blue is good option. I enjoyed it most with my wettish soft, Ef Japanese nib, and fine to broad nobs in Kaweco. With the TWSBI 580 Stub, it was unpleasant (So wet that I changed the nib to a medium), with the wet noodle flex nib it was not so pleasant flexing. A note about the name. I'm a bit perplexed about the name. Pervenche, which is named after Vinca or Periwinkle is a lilac colour. The dictionary describes the colour, as: Bleu clair tirant sur le mauve. Light Blue on the mauve side.... Let’s start with the chroma: Writing samples: Note the TWSBI is a very wet pen, so was the flex nib, hence the colour change. The colour is a true turquoise and there's no hint of green to the naked eye. Like most Herbins it doesn't like copy Paper. Photo: Comparison: Water test and finally a few artworks, a snowflake: and this little piece is entitled Elf, part of the inktober yearly challenge: Inks used: Brush pen: J Herbin Perle Noire + Bleu Nuit mix Fountain pen: De Atramentis Document Red J Herbin Bleu Pervenche Platinum Carbon Black · Pens used: Pilot F3A Ef, Kaweco (EF/F/M/B), TWSBI 580 Stub 1.1, and Unic vintage flex (wet noodle) · What I liked: Looking forward to emptying all my pens right away. Easy cleaning · What I did not like: Let’s say almost everything. · What some might not like: Dryness. · Shading: I didn’t see anything. · Ghosting: Doesn’t like copy paper very much. · Bleed through: Same as above · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Below average · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. · Start-up: Did not notice. · Saturation: Watery coral red. · Shading Potential: Dismal. · Sheen: Faint · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): Did not notice. · Clogging: No. · Cleaning: Easy · Water resistance: Non-existent. · Availability: cartridges, 10 ml, 30 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier

J Herbin Violette Pensée (Violet pansy) This is one of my oldest ink bottles (10-15 years old) and nearing the end. Pansy is derived from the French word Pensée (Viola × wittrockiana) There’s nothing much I can say about this ink. It’s wet ink, doesn't likes copy paper and like most purple inks it might stain, so bear that in mind, if using it in a transparent pen. Let's start with the chroma: Writing Samples: Photo: Comparison: Water test: and finally and ink art. I had lots of fun doing this going on a purple madness. I used some bleach to emphasis the mustaches. Note the sheen where excess ink has been put. As @InesF pointed out in this thread, the ink is set, but not dry · Pens used: Pilot F3A Ef, Lamy (EF/F/M/B, 1.1), Noodler’s Nibcreaper semi-flex · What I liked: A pleasure to write with. · What I did not like: Not waterproof. · What some might not like: It might stain. · Shading: I didn’t see much. · Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper. · Bleed through: Yes, on copy paper. · Flow Rate: Wet · Lubrication: Decent. · Nib Dry-out: Did not notice · Start-up: No problems. · Saturation: Decently saturated. · Shading Potential: Not much. · Sheen: No. · Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. · Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice. · Staining (pen): It might. · Clogging: Did not notice. · Cleaning: I used only water. · Water resistance: Ok, but don't bank on it · Availability: cartridge, 10 ml, 30 ml bottles. Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier