Ink Review : Diamine Terracotta (150Th Anniversary Ink)

[namrehsnoom]

Ink Review : Diamine Terracotta (150th Anniversary Ink)

 

 

Pen: Lamy Safari, M-nib

Paper: Rhodia N°16 notepad 80 gsm

 

 

Review

 

In 2014 Diamine released their 150th Anniversary Ink collection to celebrate - well - their 150th anniversary (1864-2014). In this review I take a closer look at the Terracotta ink from this collection.

 

Terracotta... the name evokes the image of a dry desert with some ancient ruins. The wind blowing across broken pottery - a reminder of the village life of days gone by. Orange-brown sand dunes, and the orange-brown color of clay heated in a furnace. Let's find out if this ink lives up to its name.

 

The color is aptly named. It is a rich orange-brown color that captures the image of broken pottery very well. This is a nice color, adventurous, not dull at all. A color you will want to use again and again. One of my favorites from this ink collection. Not a color for the workplace though - it deviates too much from the norm. While not suited for business correspondence, it's a really fine ink for journaling.

 

OK - but how does it behave on paper ? For this, I did some tests:

• Rhodia N°16 notepad 80 gsm - drying time ~25 seconds, no feathering, no show-through nor bleed-through
• Paperblanks journal paper - drying time 20-25 seconds, no feathering, no show-through and no bleed-through
• Generic notepad paper 70 gsm - drying time ~15 seconds, no noticeable feathering, minimal show-through (only in the darker parts), no noticeable feathering
• Moleskine journal - drying time ~10 seconds, minimal feathering, definitely very noticeable show-through, some bleed-through (mainly in the darker parts)

There is some very nice, but subtle shading in this ink. This is not a dull monotone ink, but one that catches your attention, and brings some variation to your writing. Really nice.

 

This ink behaves very well, even on cheap paper. It even works in a Moleskine journal - which is not at all fountain-pen friendly. Despite the show-through, it's still possible to use both sides of the paper.

 

Our pottery was found in an ancient desert ruin, where rain is seldom seen. The same can be said for this ink. It doesn't like water at all. Short exposure to running water obliterates your writing. Faint traces of the text remain, and you'll probably need an archaeologist to reconstruct the original writing. You have been warned... keep water away from this ink.

 

Conclusion

 

This really is a beautiful ink, that behaves very well on high-quality paper, and is certainly usable on lower grade paper like Moleskine's. The ink has some nice and subtle shading, which makes it interesting. A very fine choice for journaling.

 

Overall score: A

 

 

 

 

 

[chingdamosaic]

I cannot express with my limited English ability how much I love this review.... I enjoy every part of it -- your neat penmanship, the thorough testing and information, and the beautiful article of course.

 

Now I can see the dessert with pottery and ruins in my head!

[alexander_k]

Many thanks for the review. It's a lovely colour and I'm glad that, as you observe, it behaves well even on cheaper paper.

Edited January 9, 2016 by alexander_k

[visvamitra]

Great review but I'm not that keen on this ink.

[haruka337]

Very nice review. Enough to compel me to purchase a bottle.

 

Hope you review the inks in Diamine's music collection next.

[DrDebG]

Excellent review! Very nicely done!

[namrehsnoom]

Many thanks for the review. It's a lovely colour and I'm glad that, as you observe, it behaves well even on cheaper paper.

The scans don't do the ink complete justice... in real life the color looks a bit more orangy i.e. more of an orange-brown (even better-looking than on the scans). On Moleskine paper, I myself usually use an F or EF nib to get some drier writing, and less show-through. A wetter pen with this ink won't work on Moleskine paper (my guess, don't use broad nibs myself).

[alexander_k]

The scans don't do the ink complete justice... in real life the color looks a bit more orangy i.e. more of an orange-brown (even better-looking than on the scans). On Moleskine paper, I myself usually use an F or EF nib to get some drier writing, and less show-through. A wetter pen with this ink won't work on Moleskine paper (my guess, don't use broad nibs myself).

 

I wouldn't use Moleskine anyway. There are enough alternatives with much more consistent paper quality. As for nib width, I'm a great fan of broader nibs but you're right that on smaller paper sizes a finer nib is more appropriate - that's why I tolerate medium nibs ;-)

[Manalto]

An aptly-named ink. Thanks for your thorough and helpful review.

[ivyman]

I have bought two bottles of Diamine Terracotta ink for use with my newly acquired vintage French-made Stylomine red mottled hard rubber pen, made in the 1930s, firstly to match with the red mottled hard rubber colour of the pen, and also want to add a vintage feel to the writing, using the vintage Stylomine pen which comes with a 18K flex gold nib.

 

It is working out really well for me, using exclusively Clairefontaine paper. The ink provides some nice shadings with the flex nib, especially with the down stokes. It is a well behaved ink. I am enjoying writing with it. The only worry is, how long will Diamine make this ink available. I hope they won't do the stupid thing Mont Blanc is doing with their limited edition inks. Mont Blanc is stupid enough to stop producing the lovely limited edition inks just when everybody is in love with them (what is the point, Mont Blanc???). I hope Diamine, having been in business for 150 years is smarter than that.

[margheriti]

Beautiful and informative review.

 

I'm hopping around for a nice brown ink, but I was looking for one leaning more towards the yellow side. Is the Terracotta more of a reddish brown as seen in your scans? Doing a quick google search shows some photos with a reddish brown, and some with a yellow/orangey brown.

[Manalto]

I'm hopping around for a nice brown ink, but I was looking for one leaning more towards the yellow side.

 

Have you looked at Noodler's 'Golden Brown'? It's a rich, antique brown, reminiscent of old letters found in a trunk. It might lean a little too much for your tastes, but if you tend to use a fine nib it will read darker.

[Abner C. Kemp]

Excellent review!!

[namrehsnoom]

Beautiful and informative review.

 

I'm hopping around for a nice brown ink, but I was looking for one leaning more towards the yellow side. Is the Terracotta more of a reddish brown as seen in your scans? Doing a quick google search shows some photos with a reddish brown, and some with a yellow/orangey brown.

 

In my opinion, it's more of an orange-brown, the orange undertones were a bit lost in the scan.

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks for the review. I *love* Terracotta -- it was the only one of the Anniversary inks I absolutely positively had to have a full bottle of. Even over the blue inks in the line. The name matches the color perfectly -- it's the color of terra cotta pottery.

One of the things I like about it is this weird sort of not-quite-sheen but not really regular shading. I'm not really sure how to describe it, but the edges of lines have this sort of darker toned crispness to it that isn't quite the same color as the rest of the ink. Terracotta has it, Diamine Tyrian Purple has it, Diamine Turquoise has it; and vintage Skrip Peacock has it. I even see it on relatively poor quality paper like the Piccadilly sketchbooks I use for ink reviews for myself (now I'm looking for other inks that have that same quality to them).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[pkotrcka]

related inks: Diamine Dark Brown. I dont know if it is still made, but it is available in my penshop.

[margheriti]

 

Have you looked at Noodler's 'Golden Brown'? It's a rich, antique brown, reminiscent of old letters found in a trunk. It might lean a little too much for your tastes, but if you tend to use a fine nib it will read darker.

Hmm, this may actually be what I was looking for. Or at least close to it. I'm looking for something like Diamine Brandy Dazzle, but without the Dazzle.

[Manalto]

GB is less dazzle and more Brontë.

[chingdamosaic]

Sorry to drift away from the topic.....

 

(deleted)

 

One of the things I like about it is this weird sort of not-quite-sheen but not really regular shading. I'm not really sure how to describe it, but the edges of lines have this sort of darker toned crispness to it that isn't quite the same color as the rest of the ink. Terracotta has it, Diamine Tyrian Purple has it, Diamine Turquoise has it; and vintage Skrip Peacock has it. I even see it on relatively poor quality paper like the Piccadilly sketchbooks I use for ink reviews for myself (now I'm looking for other inks that have that same quality to them).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Not sure if I understand what you mean correctly, but, is it something like this? (Diamine China Blue with Brause No.361 dip pen)

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu239/chingdamosaic/jiaxin01_zpszjaizzq6.jpg

[amberleadavis]

Reviews like this are a lot of work. Thank you for your review and sharing it with us on FPN!