In Search Of Red....

[Runnin_Ute]

Diamine Classic Red is a good true red.

[Alexcat]

+1 to Red Dragon.

 

Trust me. I'm a doctor.

Love that. Snort.

[Jeff_H]

Diamine Red Dragon is great. I wanted more of a dried blood color a while back, and Diamine Oxblood fit the bill for me.

[Alexcat]

I found a couple of shades I hadn't heard of before, both Montblanc.....Alfred Hitchcock, and Ink of Love.....anyone know more?

 

Alex

[Alexcat]

And I have upgraded from Mint to Rare. I like that

 

Alex

[Friar Whently]

I had been looking for a blood red for a long time and eventually, grudgingly, settled on Red Dragon as being the closest. I wanted something that would shade from a bright, oxygenated blood red to a darker, deep red. If you've ever seen fresh pooled blood, you'll know what I'm talking about (bright at the periphery, darker red at the center). I'm in a field of medicine where I see a lot of blood, so I knew what I was looking for, but couldn't find it.

 

Then I happened across Rouge Hematite, and it's perfect. Bright red, but shades to a darker, deep red with aid of the gold flecks. It's exactly what I wanted.

[entropydave]

If you're in the UK, then you may find it easier to get Diamine Monaco Red instead of the Akkerman Rood Haags Pluche. They are damn near identical and I read a rumour that Diamine was Akkerman's supplier in any case. I have both and use both, but I need a lot of it since I write with red around 90% of the time and Monaco Red is my primary ink. I guess it is a touch less intense than blood, but a great red that has no candy red, no pink red, no fire engine red, no lipstick red, no orange red in it. It shades well too and is well-behaved on most paper.

 

I have the Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock red too and it is a lovely ink. To my mind, a bit more like blood than Monaco Red. However, it is discontinued, expensive to find, and comes in 30ml bottles, making it a special event, not a regular use, ink.

 

I think you will find the Skrip Red (Slovenia) a bit too bright if you want blood. I'd recommend staying away from Private Reserve reds, as they have tended to clog and stain pens with me.

 

The Herbin Rouge Hematite is a very interesting ink, but I have found it is not a great ink for the long term. I've tried versions 1 and 2, of the four that nominally exist. (Search FPN for a recent comparison.) These are high maintenance inks that do not last well. You've got to mix them up and it helps to slightly dilute them to avoid the worst of the problems. They dry fast on the nibs, can clog, and can stain (though you can usually get this out with dilute ammonia). The bottles, once opened, are not very airtight and I recommend you decant them to something better. Actually, I recommend you give them a miss unless they prove to be your heart's desire.

 

Diamine Matador is a good red in your target area, I've tried it but preferred Monaco.

 

I've also tried Noodler's Nikita and Noodler's Red (and a bunch of other reds). While both are good, with the latter being close to what I think you may want, I don't think they're worth the price of importing to the UK. I got mine in the US.

 

I hope that helps.

 

David.

[senzen]

J Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite, trust me, I keep cutting myself!

[ink-syringe]

Diamine Matador (lovely color, I find Diamine inks somewhat runny/watery (admittedly limited experience)), which makes them good in dry pens. My Lamy 2000 loves Diamine Midnight.

 

Monteblanc Ink of Love (this is nice with lots of variation in saturation going blood red almost black in the pooling, excellent and overlooked imo)

 

Montblanc Hitchcock (good luck finding it though, I have been trying forever)

 

The new MB Corn Poppy Red is a nice well behaved ink. But it is brighter and less blood-like than the ones above.

Edited January 29, 2015 by ink-syringe

[Crewel]

I know it's not red, but have you tried J. Herbin Orange Indien? The sample I had awhile back showed up as deep orange, almost red color. It shades like that too. Just a suggestion since you mentioned shading character.

 

Another thing, the red you want might already be in your hands. Have you tried the same ink in different pens and wetness? Wetter pens will result in more saturated colors on paper. Something to be aware of in your endeavors.

[VivienR]

Joining with the Diamine Red Dragon recommendation, or Oxblood if you preferred the dried up look, but I think Red Dragon is better, there was mentioned J. Herbin Rouge Hematit, which is indeed a nice, characteristic red, although the some version contains gold like particles, so if it do, than its probably not your choice, later versions are without those particles. These inks, specially the Diamines are very blood alike. For simple red, would say Diamine Matador. These inks in my collection, so its from my experience.

[HalloweenHJB]

Here is a comparison between some of the more "bloody" reds I have:

 

[Alexcat]

J Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite, trust me, I keep cutting myself!

Oh, I'm so sorry but I couldn't help but laugh at that......!

[Alexcat]

If you're in the UK, then you may find it easier to get Diamine Monaco Red instead of the Akkerman Rood Haags Pluche. They are damn near identical and I read a rumour that Diamine was Akkerman's supplier in any case. I have both and use both, but I need a lot of it since I write with red around 90% of the time and Monaco Red is my primary ink. I guess it is a touch less intense than blood, but a great red that has no candy red, no pink red, no fire engine red, no lipstick red, no orange red in it. It shades well too and is well-behaved on most paper.

 

I have the Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock red too and it is a lovely ink. To my mind, a bit more like blood than Monaco Red. However, it is discontinued, expensive to find, and comes in 30ml bottles, making it a special event, not a regular use, ink.

 

I think you will find the Skrip Red (Slovenia) a bit too bright if you want blood. I'd recommend staying away from Private Reserve reds, as they have tended to clog and stain pens with me.

 

The Herbin Rouge Hematite is a very interesting ink, but I have found it is not a great ink for the long term. I've tried versions 1 and 2, of the four that nominally exist. (Search FPN for a recent comparison.) These are high maintenance inks that do not last well. You've got to mix them up and it helps to slightly dilute them to avoid the worst of the problems. They dry fast on the nibs, can clog, and can stain (though you can usually get this out with dilute ammonia). The bottles, once opened, are not very airtight and I recommend you decant them to something better. Actually, I recommend you give them a miss unless they prove to be your heart's desire.

 

Diamine Matador is a good red in your target area, I've tried it but preferred Monaco.

 

I've also tried Noodler's Nikita and Noodler's Red (and a bunch of other reds). While both are good, with the latter being close to what I think you may want, I don't think they're worth the price of importing to the UK. I got mine in the US.

 

I hope that helps.

 

David.

Helped a lot....thank you, David.

[Alexcat]

I know it's not red, but have you tried J. Herbin Orange Indien? The sample I had awhile back showed up as deep orange, almost red color. It shades like that too. Just a suggestion since you mentioned shading character.

 

Another thing, the red you want might already be in your hands. Have you tried the same ink in different pens and wetness? Wetter pens will result in more saturated colors on paper. Something to be aware of in your endeavors.

Ah, I would never have thought of that.....thank you!

[Alexcat]

Here is a comparison between some of the more "bloody" reds I have:

 

Really useful....thank you.

[Alexcat]

Thanks to all for the suggestions, information, and other interesting things I did not know(trying a different pen....I would never have thought if that!)

 

I got some Diamine Red Dragon....hoping to test it today. Also got( well, it's so hard to resist ordering 'extras', isn't it? ) some cartridges....Graf von F-C Garnet red, and Edelstein Garnet, just to try. Not o much for the bloodiness, just because. And I love those tins the Edelstein cartridges come in....

 

And of course now I have a wishlist....Diamine are easy to get, which is great, but its nice to have a couple of 'specials' to look out for...

 

Alex

[sidthecat]

I just went through this process: thinking of Goya and Picasso drawing with bull's blood. I settled on the Red Dragon - I like its intensity.

 

But looking at that test sheet, I may cancel that order and get Oxblood instead.

Edited February 2, 2015 by sidthecat

[amberleadavis]

Whatever you do, don't look here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/279273-inky-t-o-d-color-swatches-red-please-post-your-pictures-and-tell-us-your-thoughts/page-3?do=findComment&comment=3226098

 

And don't look at all the wonderful swatches done by Halloween and others....

 

Don't look!!!!

 

[senzen]

Oh, I'm so sorry but I couldn't help but laugh at that......!

 

That was the intention!