Inky T O D - What Was Your Favorite Ink Of 2015?

[Fabienne]

Well? It can be a new release, an oldie you have always loved and nothing made you love it more this year, OR one your rediscovered. So tell us. I'm going to have to think about this for a while, then I will tell you.

[Abner C. Kemp]

What a great topic!!

 

In terms of an ink released this year, I'm quite fond of Diamine S.B.R.E. Brown. To be honest, I bought the ink because I'm a fan of the mans reviews and was happy to fund his new endeavor. However, the ink I received is easily one of my favorites in my collection. It's a reddish brown without leaning too far towards red and the shading is exquisite. I like it so much that I am a bit afraid to use it and I really hope it is released as part of the regular Diamine line someday.

 

As far as an ink I discovered, I'd have to say Sailor Bungbox Tears of a Clown. It's one of the few more saturated inks I've used that still offers some really spectacular shading. Sadly, I'm not as crazy about the color as I used to be -- I wish it was less brown and more burgundy -- but there's still something very special about it for me and I'm happy to own a bottle.

 

Happy Holidays.

[amberleadavis]

Fabienne, I added "Inky TOD" to the title, because I think this one will make our topics of note list.

 

2015 has been a GREAT year for inks. Let's "INK" about it.

 

2015 has been a year of Shimmers:

Diamine released an entirely new line of shimmering inks. That's pretty darn cool.

J Herbin released Emerald of Chivor.

 

2015 has been a year when more people were able to try inks from Japan (especially Sailor inks) - check out the review section - and some of those inks are now for sale in the US. (See Vanness1938.com)

 

Two ink companies who got their start on FPN, Blackstone and KWZI are now or will shortly be available for sale - AndersonPens and VannessPens.

 

Really, this has been a great year for ink!

[jmccarty3]

If I have to pick only one, it would be Montblanc JFK.

[Fabienne]

Fabienne, I added "Inky TOD" to the title, because I think this one will make our topics of note list.

 

2015 has been a GREAT year for inks. Let's "INK" about it.

 

2015 has been a year of Shimmers:

Diamine released an entirely new line of shimmering inks. That's pretty darn cool.

J Herbin released Emerald of Chivor.

 

2015 has been a year when more people were able to try inks from Japan (especially Sailor inks) - check out the review section - and some of those inks are now for sale in the US. (See Vanness1938.com)

 

Two ink companies who got their start on FPN, Blackstone and KWZI are now or will shortly be available for sale - AndersonPens and VannessPens.

 

Really, this has been a great year for ink!

Kewl,

[migo984]

Despite all the 'My Little Pony' shimmer inks it *has* been a good year for ink. If I can stretch the concept of one favourite, I've delighted in the discovery of a fountain pen-friendly CMYK ink set that has allowed me to mix some stunning bespoke ink colours,

 

If I'm not allowed that then I'd have to say that I continue to love Tokiwa-matsu. A superb ink for colour, & behaviour - it's just inky class.

[Misfit]

The combination of a Pilot Prera M calligraphy nib and Waterman South Seas Blue showed off the nib's lines plus the ink looked good (that was during summer).

[DrDebG]

For me, 2015 has been a year for new ink discoveries. All of you had already discovered these inks, but I discovered L'Artisan Pastellier Callifolio inks. I have tried most of the colors and found them to be very satisfying. On the flip side, I discovered that I really don't care for Noodler's inks. I had tried well over a dozen colors, and found that I didn't care for the formulations.

[lgsoltek]

If I had to choose only one:

 

 

Red is my favourite colour. Especially a bright red that doesn't look brown (eg. Red Dragon) or too pink (eg. Momiji).

[Barkingpig]

Mine would be Stipula's Calamo Verde Muschiato which I had purchased more than a year ago but fell in love with it in the Omas Burkina when it arrived this summer. It has been refilled four times & I never imagine trying another of my "murky" greens in it's place. The ink is wet & the pen seems to like the ink as much as I do. Surprising an ink I "had on hand" would tender more refills than the dozen or more Bung Box inks I ordered this year. They were all beautiful inks but this ink has my attention before any "contenders."

[AnneLyle]

As a newbie ink-collecter I want to say "All of them!!!" *ahem*

 

However as it's Christmas Day I have to nominate Diamine Shimmer "Magical Forest" and "Red Lustre", which together are giving my journal page headers a very festive look

Edited December 25, 2015 by AnneLyle

[The Good Captain]

Nothing really 'new' for the year, in terms of production. However, a few discoveries: Noodler's G I Green, Midway Blue, Green Marine, Black, #41 Brown, Bad Blue Heron, Bad Green Gator and North African Violet. Diamine: Macassar.

And today, a rekindling of interest in the wonderful Akkerman Shocking Blue.

All such fun - Merry christmas!

[alaskazimm]

I just missed out on SBRE Brown from LCC, but the discovered Montblanc Toffee Brown. Previously Iroshizuku Yama-guri was my go to brown, but the Toffee Brown is such a warm, rich colour that I haven't inked up the Yama-guri since. And I feel a bit bad about that

[DrDebG]

Almost forgot - I also discovered Franklin Christoph Midnight Emerald. I would have to say that and Waterman South Seas are my two favorites for 2015. . . and maybe DeAtramentis Pearl Violet . . . and L'Artisan Pastellier Callifolio Bleu Pacifique.

[trun4rth]

I am surprised by this - sort of, but my favorite for the year has definitely been Waterman's Turquoise. Or. The proper title. Inspired Blue, yeah, that's it. Super awesome color, and the shading is fantastic.

 

I'm waiting on a bottle of Noodler's Navajo Turq, and I expect I'm going to love it even more - but we'll see. I had a sample that I burned through in record time. I'm just a huge fan of turquoise inks - and the thing I like most about the Navajo is that it's BRIGHT and still properly bold enough for legibility's sake. Waterman's is definitely a little darker, but that is not at all a bad thing.

[white_lotus]

In 2015 I bought a good number of wonderful inks, so it's quite difficult to name one as a, or the, favorite. This was the year I seriously discovered the Sailor Japanese-store custom inks for Bungbox, Kingdom Note, etc. These are definitely favorites. And with this trend I also branched out from black and blues into browns and greens as well. So I also "discovered" some of inks in that range that I really like: MB Toffee Brown, Noodler's (FPH) Subway Sepia, and some others.

 

I really don't need any more ink, so 2016 may turn towards pens.

[haruka337]

Favorite Ink of 2015: Maruzen Athena Sepia

 

Runner-ups:

Color: Nagasawa Kobe #22 Shinkaichi Gold

Performance: Franklin-Christoph Midnight Emerald

[musicman123]

While it may be cliche, I actually really like EoC. It's one of my favorite color ranges and the sparkles give it flair.

 

My runner up would be MB Pink Ink for it's resemblance to Noodler's Cape Cod Cranberry but without the adverse effects.

[GardenWeasel]

Emerald of Chivor was/is my ink of 2015. Love it so much I bought an extra bottle and set it aside. Yama-budo is my second choice.

[Randal6393]

Did some ink trials and changed a few things around this year. Replaced Noodler's Black with Waterman's Black, then added R & K's Salix and Scabiosa. Love the Blue-Black style of Salix, but that red-to-black of Scabiosa is so cool. Have a good bottle of Noodler's Lexington Gray. So that covers the blacks pretty well.

 

Staying with Noodler's Walnut, it's a great ink. Think, when it runs out, may go back to Montblanc Toffee Brown.

 

Keeping up with the Noodler's Navajo Turquoise, what's not to like about this bold, expressive colour. Changed to Montblanc Royal Blue, not really sold on it but it does okay. Somehow, blues just aren't my bag, except for the Navajo Turquoise.

 

Green, sticking with Noodler's Gruene Cactus. Just about the right balance between dark and light green for my taste.

 

Red is going overboard -- have Chesterfield Antique Crimson and Rose. Then decided, on a whim, to pick up some Montblanc Bourdeaux.

 

Hmmm ... think I have enough inks for a year or so. But, if I get a vaca to Germany ...

 

Enjoy,