Inky T O D - Sheen - What Is It? How Do I Get It?

[amberleadavis]

Okay, we've all seen some amazing pictures with sheen. We have a thread with sheen that makes many of us drool.

 

But the only time, I've ever been able to capture sheen is when I used Rouge Hematite or I dripped water back over top of an ink.

 

So, really, besides buying an ink that is capable of sheen, what can I do to get sheen. (I suspect it involves virgin pens sacrificed to angry inky volcanos, and a some sort of rain dance).

 

What makes an ink sheen? Do I really want my inks to sheen? Can I do it with B nib? What about a fine nib? What sort of paper do I need?

 

Please oh shiny ones, sparkle us with your inky brilliance.

[Lyander0012]

Haha, all you really need are inks that actually sheen (try Sailor inks like Grenade or Shigure or Souten, they all have loads of sheen), decent glossy paper that doesn't absorb ink right away (gives the ink time to form sheen, don'cha know?) and, yeah, a fairly wet writer. That's about all there is to it, really.

 

Warning, though: if you really want a lot of sheen, expect sluggish dry times. You'll have to tak w extra care to avoid smudging and whatnot.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin

 

 

P.S.

As for *what* makes inks sheen, I have no idea. I'm suspecting it has something to do with the dried ink being thick enough to refract light in such a way that light gets refracted. I've noticed that, barring artificial sheen the like of the pigments in Rouge Hematite, there's a bit of a pattern to what sort of colour shows up in sheen. For example, blue inks usually sheen red, purple/violet inks green, and the like. Perhaps someone familiar with how light behaves could shed some light (ba dum tad) on the matter.

 

K.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Lyander0012

[TheModernGent]

Okay, we've all seen some amazing pictures with sheen. We have a thread with sheen that makes many of us drool.

 

But the only time, I've ever been able to capture sheen is when I used Rouge Hematite or I dripped water back over top of an ink.

 

So, really, besides buying an ink that is capable of sheen, what can I do to get sheen. (I suspect it involves virgin pens sacrificed to angry inky volcanos, and a some sort of rain dance).

 

What makes an ink sheen? Do I really want my inks to sheen? Can I do it with B nib? What about a fine nib? What sort of paper do I need?

 

Please oh shiny ones, sparkle us with your inky brilliance.

I don't know the property the ink needs in order to make it have sheen, but I know that only certain inks can do it. After you've sacrificed 5 TWSBI's to the sheen gods, pick up an ink with known sheening properties (pretty much any Sailor ink is a good bet) and just write with it. I get sheen with both my F and B nibs (as you'll see in my letter I just sent out). The other most important factor, besides the ink is the paper. Less absorbent/coated papers seem to produce way more sheen than extremely absorbent photo copy paper. If you want Amber, I can do a "sheen off" much like my finger oils test with 2 of my best sheening inks on different types of paper with an F and B nib for you?

[amberleadavis]

I'd love to see a sheen off.

 

 

I know it has a whole lot to do with overly saturated inks....

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inked_Today/slides/20140526_203356.jpg

[disillusion]

I know how to get sheen with a pigment ink - lots of it loaded on fairly non-absorbent paper (can be matte) such that it dries out with an uneven surface on paper, reflecting light into different directions.

 

For a dye based ink, my hypothesis is that some inks are so saturated with the dye that when laid on fairly non-absorbent paper, part of the dye solution sits on paper surface until all the water is evaporated leaving the dye to dry out as a solid (can be amorphous or crystalline). This creates a microscopicly uneven surface (only noticeable on smoother paper though) that reflects light into different directions creating sheen.

 

To test this hypothesis one just need access to something that can create a surface image of paper, like a scanning electron microscope.

 

Haha, all you really need are inks that actually sheen (try Sailor inks like Grenade or Shigure or Souten, they all have loads of sheen), decent glossy paper that doesn't absorb ink right away (gives the ink time to form sheen, don'cha know?) and, yeah, a fairly wet writer. That's about all there is to it, really.

Warning, though: if you really want a lot of sheen, expect sluggish dry times. You'll have to tak w extra care to avoid smudging and whatnot.


Cheers!

Kevin


P.S.
As for *what* makes inks sheen, I have no idea. I'm suspecting it has something to do with the dried ink being thick enough to refract light in such a way that light gets refracted. I've noticed that, barring artificial sheen the like of the pigments in Rouge Hematite, there's a bit of a pattern to what sort of colour shows up in sheen. For example, blue inks usually sheen red, purple/violet inks green, and the like. Perhaps someone familiar with how light behaves could shed some light (ba dum tad) on the matter.

K.

I suspect you are talking about reflection. Refraction is what happens when light changes direction by passing through media of different densities.

 

Disclaimer: a Physics girl making I hope what is logical deductions.

[amberleadavis]

 

To test this hypothesis one just need access to something that can create a surface image of paper, like a scanning electron microscope.

 

 

 

 

I know you think I have everything in my little office, and I do have a microscope, but not at the office. Alas, I do not have a scanning electron microscope.

 

 

So, I was hoping for something a little simpler. Like, Amber, try that Sailor MiRuai that's already inked up in your pen, on the Rhodia paper that is already in your desk....

[swanjun]

Here's my personal recipe:

 

1. An ink known to sheen. Sailors are a good choice, as mentioned. Particularly blues.

2. A wet pen.

3. Tomoe River paper.

 

Sometimes works when I didn't even expect it to, as with Caran d'Ache Vibrant Green.

[disillusion]

 

 

I know you think I have everything in my little office, and I do have a microscope, but not at the office. Alas, I do not have a scanning electron microscope.

 

 

So, I was hoping for something a little simpler. Like, Amber, try that Sailor MiRuai that's already inked up in your pen, on the Rhodia paper that is already in your desk....

 

Ahhh, none of us would have the money for a scanning electron microscope - because we'd all spent ours on pens and inks!

 

But try that Moon Palace Sumi ink on any paper with a pointed dip nib - that stuff gives so much sheen! Or maybe leave a small amount of ink in the open, let some of the water evaporate so that the dye becomes very saturated. Then load it on smooth non-absorbent paper with a very wet pen. Much simpler!

Edited June 3, 2014 by disillusion

[amberleadavis]

BTW, I did just try the Miruai ink on the Rhodia paper and a Parker Pen pad, no sheen.

 

I love how others can make it seem so effortless.

 

Hmm... I may need to buy Tomoe paper. I'm sure it's a need.

[gerigo]

I accidentally discovered that you can almost make any ink sheen. I have the Stipula Speed, which has abysmal ability to seal the nib away from the drying effects of air. Its basically akin to leaving a pen uncapped. I loaded it with one of Montblancs Seasons Greeting ink with scent. It's now super concentrated in the pen, and sheens like crazy. However it's so concentrated, the ink almost does not dry.

[ziptrickhead]

Let some ink sit out in the open for a bit, especially inks that are already known to be super saturated. Wet pen on non-absorbent paper really helps of course. Here's a sample of Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo that doesn't normally sheen so much but it was a fill I had in a very wet Parker 21 that I had left filled for a few months. Paper is standard Rhodia dot pad (which I find doesn't sheen as well as paper like Clairfontaine). I'm sure all but the most watery of inks will sheen once you've removed enough of the water content from them.

 

[Lyander0012]

I know how to get sheen with a pigment ink - lots of it loaded on fairly non-absorbent paper (can be matte) such that it dries out with an uneven surface on paper, reflecting light into different directions.

 

For a dye based ink, my hypothesis is that some inks are so saturated with the dye that when laid on fairly non-absorbent paper, part of the dye solution sits on paper surface until all the water is evaporated leaving the dye to dry out as a solid (can be amorphous or crystalline). This creates a microscopicly uneven surface (only noticeable on smoother paper though) that reflects light into different directions creating sheen.

 

To test this hypothesis one just need access to something that can create a surface image of paper, like a scanning electron microscope.

 

 

I suspect you are talking about reflection. Refraction is what happens when light changes direction by passing through media of different densities.

 

Disclaimer: a Physics girl making I hope what is logical deductions.

I actually meant refraction, but I was unsure about whether or not that really was the cause of what I was trying to explain. Haha, perhaps I was being a bit dense. Tut Mir Leid, typing on my mobile makes me lazy

 

I was wondering why the colours that appeared in sheen were what they were (e.g. red for blue, green for purple, etc). I was hypothesizing that the altered densities and thickness of the dried ink on the page could cause said shifts in colour due to the light being bent differently. That may be why sheen looks so crystalline.

 

I mean, what we perceive as an object's colour really is just the spectrum of light being reflected off of said object's surface, yes? That the colour in sheen is different from the actual colour of the ink could be somehow related to that. But then again, I'm no expert. Psych majors have some knowledge of physics, but I'll defer to the physics major in this regard

 

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin

[alarickc]

BTW, I did just try the Miruai ink on the Rhodia paper and a Parker Pen pad, no sheen.

 

I love how others can make it seem so effortless.

 

Hmm... I may need to buy Tomoe paper. I'm sure it's a need.

I'll show you some sheen when we meet up tonight. Bung Box 4B on the Tomoe I'm bringing with me should light up the room with sheen. I'll leave you a couple sheets of Tomoe so you try your other inks on it as well.

[saskia_madding]

All you need to do to compensate for absorbent paper is get a wetter nib. With non-absorbent paper, a drier nib may work. I get tons of sheen on Rhodia dotPad with a lot of Sailor inks.

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af97/Saskia_Madding/Pens/DSC09823-1_zpsb9702916.jpg

 

 

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af97/Saskia_Madding/Pens/DSC00031_zpsb2642946.jpg

 

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af97/Saskia_Madding/Pens/DSC00030_zpsca6dbea1.jpg

[amberleadavis]

I'll show you some sheen when we meet up tonight. Bung Box 4B on the Tomoe I'm bringing with me should light up the room with sheen. I'll leave you a couple sheets of Tomoe so you try your other inks on it as well.

 

 

Giggle.

 

You know I'm a Native to Las Vegas right? Hence... said with a fake mob accent,

 

I'll show you some sheen!

 

I'm excited about meeting you!

[dcwaites]

Sheen is, I believe, quantum in action. Because sheens tend to be red. That means that whatever the mechanism is, it is selecting wavelengths of light of a particular length.

 

You also need

- a lot of ink dried on top of the paper, otherwise it isn't thick enough to affect the Red wavelengths. This might be overall (a very wet pen) or in parts (edges of shading).

- Particular inks. I believe they may be those dyes based on metallic elements, unlike the aniline dyes (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen), but I would need confirmation of that.

[Newjelan]

Here's a sample of Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo that doesn't normally sheen so much ...

It sheens like crazy on Tomoe River paper, almost everything does.

[Algester]

the sheen is the shine of the ink when they are "cumpled" together on paper each ink is different and will react differently on certain papers the only way for me to check my ink's sheen is when I use a wet Medium pen (My Faber-Castell Ambition) and on thermal fax paper I can not capture them on camera because I do not know how I think a flash will be too much

other inks don't even have a sheen when dried this means the inks will dry "flat" on paper

it was only on thermal fax paper did I get the sheen from my Tokiwa-Matsu which is near burgundy read

if your using paper to really emphasize on the sheen and not the ink make sure you writing on a well coated paper or quite a shiny paper

 

Rouge Hematite however is different this is because rouge hematite has sheening particles suspended into the ink (the gold particles this is why rouge hematite would be a hard ink to clean then it dries on the nib and feed it will however clean) this makes it different to its other ink deep ocean which does not have sheening particles or if ever it's not well pronouced it being a dark ink it could probably sheen a different shade however

Edited June 4, 2014 by Algester

[Bo Bo Olson]

I am very glad, this thread was made and with good answers. I will start using my sheen machines.

 

The comeback of the vintage inkwell, in most did not have screw closed caps, inks dry out quickly.....for some one who uses more than just one or two inks.

For constant use, no problem....if dried out just add water. Now.... got to see how many days until the ink dries to sheen time.

 

A mix of sizes @ 1900-1920's....most sterling silver.

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/Inkwells/IMAG0227.jpg

 

German @ 1895-1910

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/Inkwells/1900inkwell.jpg

French supposedly 1850, IMO could be 1870

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/Inkwells/SAM_0737.jpg

Edited June 4, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[disillusion]

I actually meant refraction, but I was unsure about whether or not that really was the cause of what I was trying to explain. Haha, perhaps I was being a bit dense. Tut Mir Leid, typing on my mobile makes me lazy

 

I was wondering why the colours that appeared in sheen were what they were (e.g. red for blue, green for purple, etc). I was hypothesizing that the altered densities and thickness of the dried ink on the page could cause said shifts in colour due to the light being bent differently. That may be why sheen looks so crystalline.

 

I mean, what we perceive as an object's colour really is just the spectrum of light being reflected off of said object's surface, yes? That the colour in sheen is different from the actual colour of the ink could be somehow related to that. But then again, I'm no expert. Psych majors have some knowledge of physics, but I'll defer to the physics major in this regard

 

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin

Oh I see what you mean now, I must have jumped to some conclusions - late night does that to me. Anyway, after thinking about it more, I am more inclined to believe that it is probably just some peculiar physical properties of the dyes being used. Maybe they have a slightly different colour when sitting on paper vs. being bind to the cellulose, or something to do with the particle size. You know, gold "looks" reddish when it is a nanoparticle.

Then again, without proper tests, your hypothesis is just as valid as mine (nothing to do with me being a Physicist or not). So lets just agree that its probably the concentration that matters!

 

Anyway back on topic, I am probably going to try to use concentrated ink to create some sheen, when I have the time. Need to get my hands on some Tomoe River paper, but buying 8000 sheets from Japan seems so excessive!

Edited June 4, 2014 by disillusion