Comparison - Pilot Iro Ajisai Vs. Sailor Jentle Nioi-Sumire

[DrDebG]

This is NOT an ink review, but a short comparison.

 

I admit it! I am a blurple kind of person, particularly of the periwinkle persuasion. I have loved the color of Pilot Iroshizuku Ajisai since I first laid eyes on it. But, I wasn't as impressed when I got a sample of it. Call me weird, but I am not thrilled with the way the Pilot Iro inks write. Yes they are wet, but I always feel like I am writing with water. There is this little annoying feedback that I get in every pen. It drives me nuts.

 

So, I went on a hunt for a similar color ink. I thought I found it when I stumbled across Sailor Jentle Nioi-Sumire. Most of you know all about Sailor inks and have praised them. But I hadn't tried them yet. So, I coughed up for yet another bottle of ink, which I received today.

 

I thought I would share with you the comparison between the two inks. There isn't much difference except that Nioi-Sumire is a bit darker.

 

The first photo is a page from my "ink" book, showing the two inks. Ajisai is on the top and Nioi-Sumire is below.

 

Both inks dry in about the same amount of time, and are highly soluble (i.e. they easily wash away). Both inks performed well on my Midori paper, as well as Clairfontaine. While there is no feathering, both inks do show through on copy paper and cheap notebook paper.

 

The ink spots show a nice bit of shading. But the Nioi-Sumire seems to have a lovely red sheen to it on the edges, and appears to shade more.

 

Photo #2 is of the Ajisai ink spot.

 

Photo #3 is of the Nioi-Sumire ink spot.

 

The Ajisai is lighter in color in my writing sample (using a Delta Capri Marina Grande with a bold fusion nib), whereas Nioi-Sumire is much darker (using a Delta Horsepower with stub fusion nib).

 

Photo #4 is a writing sample of Ajisai.

 

Photo #5 is a writing sample of Nioi-Sumire.

 

I love both colors. Both inks are wet inks and behave well. But I personally love the Sailor Jentle Nioi-Sumire ink formulation. My pen literally glides across the paper.

 

I hope this has been helpful!

 

 

 

 

[visvamitra]

Nioi - Sumire stomps Aji-Sai.

[Hallel]

It's one of my personal favorites too.

[lgsoltek]

I like Nioi-sumire (and Ultramarine). And I dislike Ajisai. My only experience with Ajisai is terrible. It wrote pale and bland.

[haruka337]

Huh. I do like the variegated saturation of Ajisai as one writes (as shown in the sample). Don't know how I feel about the faded, dusty parts, though.

 

A color that never crossed my mind, but I'll have to give it some thought now.

[perfaddict]

Nioi - Sumire stomps Aji-Sai.

 

Any day!

 

Great comparison, Penfection.

[DrDebG]

Nioi - Sumire stomps Aji-Sai.

Any day!

 

Great comparison, Penfection.

Yes, I must agree as well. The more I write with Nioi Sumire the more I love it!

[DrDebG]

Huh. I do like the variegated saturation as one writes (as shown in the sample). Don't know how I feel about the faded, dusty parts, though.

A color that never crossed my mind, but I'll have to give it some thought now.

"Blurple" isn't for everyone and especially the lighter shades. But I must say the more I write with Nioi Sumire the more I love it, not for the color but for the behavior of the ink.

[DrDebG]

I like Nioi-sumire (and Ultramarine). And I dislike Ajisai. My only experience with Ajisai is terrible. It wrote pale and bland.

I definitely prefer the Nioi Sumire. I did like Ajisai but only on very white quality paper. Now, however I will be using the Nioi Sumire instead.

[amberleadavis]

Thank you for the comparison. I'm blurple fan and I adore the super saturated inks. What keeps me using the Iroshizuku inks is that they are MUCH more fade resistant than the Sailor inks.