Octopus Write and Draw Ink - Green Squirrel

[yazeh]

This is my first review of an ink made by Octopus Fluids. The Write and Draw, lineup are waterproof and lightfast and are creatively named after animals. 

You can read more about the inks here. In a nutshell what they emphasize on is that these inks should be used in well-sealed pens. So no drafty pen

 

and the complete line up of 38 inks is here:

https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/creative-inks/write-draw-ink/?p=1

  

This is one lovely ink and while it has one fault (It doesn't like copy paper), it's been a pleasure to use it. It’s a lovely grey olive green. The type of green/grey that I never get tired of. 

 

Let's start with the uninspiring chroma:

 

Writing samples:

The elegance of this ink shines in writing.

As you can see there's ghosting and bleed through on thin paper.

Photo (Paper Mnemosyne, Osmiroid Copperplate)

Comparison

If you like a lighter colour Octopus Green Crane or De Atramentis Green Grey (review coming) is also another excellent choice. 

Nothing budges:

I did a quick little sketch to show case the range of the ink:

 

 

 

· Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B/Stub 1.1), Osmiroid Copperplate nib 

· What I liked: I loved almost everything about this ink, wet, so lubricated that you can even write reverse with Lamy Ef. Beautiful shading. It looks lovely in  all nibs. 

· What I did not like: Nothing much. 

· What some might not like: 30s dry time on Japanese paper, if you are allergic  to wet inks 😝,  or are forced to use copy paper. 

· Shading: Yes. 

· Ghosting: On cheap paper 

· Bleed through: On cheap paper

· Flow Rate: Wet

· Lubrication: Excellent

· Nib Dry-out: Nope

· Start-up: None. 

· Saturation: No.

· Shading Potential: Excellent

· Sheen: None.

· Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: If the pen is wet, primed and you insist writing on copy paper.  

· Nib Creep / “Crud”: None.

· Staining (pen): None.

· Clogging: No.

· Cleaning: Surprising very easy

· Water resistance: Excellent.

· Availability: 50 ml

 

Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier  

 

 

 

 

[LizEF]

Great review, @yazeh!  Thank you for the introduction to this ink and brand (I've heard of the brand, but I can't remember if I've seen any of their inks reviewed before).   The name alone makes me like it.  I'm not sure about the color - some images make it look appealing, others are iffy, definitely interesting.  Love your squirrel drawing!   He'd be right at home in Bob Ross's pocket.   Also the water-test kitty with a new friend.

[lapis]

Great! As usual, your review and/or the ink. I don't know which one I love most (honestly). Also, grey olive green sounds good, too. But your artwork is impeccable!!!

[yazeh]

42 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Great review, @yazeh! 

🙏

42 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Thank you for the introduction to this ink and brand (I've heard of the brand, but I can't remember if I've seen any of their inks reviewed before).  

Me neither! Though I believe the Diplomat inks in North America are rebranded Octopus inks

 

42 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

The name alone makes me like it. 

 

42 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

I'm not sure about the color - some images make it look appealing, others are iffy, definitely interesting.

It's up your alley, murk-dom. I added a photo, so you appreciate it's range. Granted it's with a semi flex nib  

 

42 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

  Love your squirrel drawing!   He'd be right at home in Bob Ross's pocket.  

 

 

42 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

 

Also the water-test kitty with a new friend.

Well mouse-y isn't really happy

 

[yazeh]

44 minutes ago, lapis said:

Great! As usual, your review and/or the ink.

🙏

44 minutes ago, lapis said:

 

I don't know which one I love most (honestly).

Fountainfeder has samples

 

44 minutes ago, lapis said:

 

Also, grey olive green sounds good, too. But your artwork is impeccable!!!

Thank you so much for your support

 

[LizEF]

20 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Though I believe the Diplomat inks in North America are rebranded Octopus inks

If that's the case, I recorded my first review of one yesterday!

 

21 minutes ago, yazeh said:

It's up your alley, murk-dom. I added a photo, so you appreciate it's range. Granted it's with a semi flex nib  

Thanks!  Definitely looks nice and murkey.  Might be too grey or blue for me, hard to say - some inks, you just have to try, ya know?

 

22 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Well mouse-y isn't really happy

I noted that on my second viewing.  Poor mousey.  He'll re-assert himself, I'm sure.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thank you, @yazeh, for another wonderful review.  I have heard of Octopus inks, but never tried one.

 

But I like this color, and can see some yellow and gray in the chroma.  The color reminds me of Noodler's Bad Green Gator, diluted with about 90% water.

 

Love the artwork.  Kitteh looks a bit put out by that squirrel!

[yazeh]

50 minutes ago, LizEF said:

If that's the case, I recorded my first review of one yesterday!

Bravo!

 

50 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Thanks!  Definitely looks nice and murkey.  Might be too grey or blue for me, hard to say - some inks, you just have to try, ya know?

That's the only way

 

50 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

I noted that on my second viewing.  Poor mousey.  He'll re-assert himself, I'm sure.

Of course it will

[yazeh]

18 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thank you, @yazeh, for another wonderful review.  I have hewrd of Octopus inks, but never tried one.

They are quite good! I'm starting to like them more and more!

18 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

But I like this color, and can see some yellow and gray in the chroma.  The color reminds me of Noodler's Bad Green Gator, diluted with about 90% water.

18 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Love the artwork.  Kitteh looks a bit put out by that squirrel!

🙏 Indeed, any self respecting mouse will

[amberleadavis]

You do great reviews. The artwork is what sells me!

[yazeh]

 

2 minutes ago, amberleadavis said:

You do great reviews. The artwork is what sells me!

Thank you. It means a lot 🙏

[inkstainedruth]

This looks like an interesting color -- dark enough to be legible, and not too yellow leaning a green.  Thanks for the review, and well, not.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[yazeh]

7 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

This looks like an interesting color -- dark enough to be legible, and not too yellow leaning a green.  Thanks for the review, and well, not.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

It is quite legible depending the pen and the size of wallet 

[inkstainedruth]

Well I just plugged the price into a currency converter website, and 50 ml/15.95 euros isn't a bad price at all....  Or is the cost largely in the shipping charges?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

4 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Well I just plugged the price into a currency converter website, and 50 ml/15.95 euros isn't a bad price at all....  Or is the cost largely in the shipping charges?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Vanness sells it for 17.33, though you can only get samples now. They are out of stock for some of the inks

[inkstainedruth]

Vanness carries them?  Good to know.  They do claim to have the largest range of brands of ink of any US vendor (I seem to recall that they were the first place outside of the Akkerman store in The Hague to carry Akkerman inks).

As for only being able to get samples at the moment, I'm okay with that -- I already have too many inks I haven't even tried yet. 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[InesF]

Thank you @yazeh for the review of this attractive green ink. You again managed to surprise with your art interpretation, this time with the squirrel²!

 

I discovered this ink series only recently and have already four inks in use. I guess the squirrel should be my next.

 

Looking forward to your reviews of all the other Octopus Fluid Write and Draw inks - and to the collection of all the animal drawings!  

[yazeh]

9 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Vanness carries them?  Good to know.  They do claim to have the largest range of brands of ink of any US vendor (I seem to recall that they were the first place outside of the Akkerman store in The Hague to carry Akkerman inks).

They do!

9 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

As for only being able to get samples at the moment, I'm okay with that -- I already have too many inks I haven't even tried yet. 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Me too

 

[yazeh]

6 hours ago, InesF said:

Thank you @yazeh for the review of this attractive green ink. You again managed to surprise with your art interpretation, this time with the squirrel²!

Thank you 🙏

6 hours ago, InesF said:

 

I discovered this ink series only recently and have already four inks in use. I guess the squirrel should be my next.

 

Looking forward to your reviews of all the other Octopus Fluid Write and Draw inks - and to the collection of all the animal drawings!  

It'll be sometime, until I get my hands on some Write and Draw series, but for now I'm enjoying Sepia Schwartz

 

[Frank C]

Thanks for the review. I do like the color; I just don't need anymore ink.