De Atramentis Document White

[yazeh]

De Atramentis Document White

 To my knowledge there are two white inks by De Atramentis (Document and Artist), Noodler’s Whiteness of Whale (though technically speaking it’s not a white ink from what I understand), and Octopus Write and Draw, Polar Bear white. 

 

This is an unusual ink, somehow like Maalox, liquid chalk or whitewash; take your pick

It’s disconcerting when you see it in fountain pen. It shows off all the muck in the feed and how dirty your convertor truly is   

Here is a photo of a stained no named Chinese piston filler

 

I tested it on two types of paper one a no name notebook bought from Amazon (a not so black absorbent  paper,  and the other a true black Mix Media from Clairefontaine. 

 

It really needs a true black paper to contrast with. Don’t go for a cheap paper, you’ll regret it. 

 

Ink was atrociously awful in Pilot Kakuno with Ef nib. It clogged a noname Chinese Piston filler. However, in the Lamy Safari it was wonderful writer. 

 

 This is more of sketching ink, than a writing ink or maybe an ink for teachers who have the nostalgia of black boards.  

 

It was fun reviewing this ink, as there’s not much to do I didn’t bother to use Stub and flex nibs; and doing the chroma was irrelevant.  😛

 

And finally cleaning this ink is really difficult and time consuming. So don’t fill your latest, shiny overpriced piston filler with this ink, otherwise you’ll curse the pen, ink and the hobby.

 

Writing samples:

No name very absorbent notebook from Amazon: 

Clairefontaine

 

see the contrast between the two papers (photo:)

 

and a few sketches:

on no name paper:

The Artist within

 

 On Clairfontaine: 

"Balloon"

and another "detente"

ert

·      Pens used: Pilot Kakuno Ef, Lamy Safari (EF/F/M/B) 

·      What I liked: Sketching on a very dark paper. 

·      What I did not like: Clogging in some pens, cleaning, work with a Japanese Ef

·       What some might not like: You need black paper.

·      Shading: n/a 

·      Ghosting: n/a

·      Bleed through n/a

·      Flow Rate: Wettish

·      Lubrication: n/a

·      Nib Dry-out: Yes

·      Start-up:  Yes.

·      Saturation:  n/a

·      Shading Potential: n/a

·      Sheen: n/a

·      Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: n/a

·      Nib Creep / “Crud”: Yes.

·      Staining (pen): n/a

·      Clogging: Yes. 

·      Cleaning: Very, very difficult. Takes time. 

·      Water resistance: I cannot ascertain it. I tried a wet Q-tip on the Clairefontaine and the Q-tip turned black. I assume the paper came off, so did the ink

·      Availability: 45 ml bottles.

 

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

[LizEF]

Love the sketches, @yazeh!!   Great fun.  Climb, kitty, climb!   (Klaw is more a climber than a jumper, so that would be him, climbing up that basket.)

 

Thanks for the paper comparison.  That may well explain why I didn't much like De Atramentis Document White.  It also had a tendency for the pigment to settle out badly, requiring frequent shaking or agitation.  (Same as the Yellow, which stained worse than the other CMYK+White colors I got.)

[yazeh]

  On 3/6/2024 at 9:34 PM, LizEF said:

Love the sketches, @yazeh!!

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Thanks 🙏f

  On 3/6/2024 at 9:34 PM, LizEF said:

 

  Great fun.  Climb, kitty, climb!   (Klaw is more a climber than a jumper, so that would be him, climbing up that basket.)

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Well then he's the official inspiration!  Ours is more of a jumper!

 

  On 3/6/2024 at 9:34 PM, LizEF said:

 

Thanks for the paper comparison.  That may well explain why I didn't much like De Atramentis Document White.  It also had a tendency for the pigment to settle out badly, requiring frequent shaking or agitation.  (Same as the Yellow, which stained worse than the other CMYK+White colors I got.)

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Yes. It does. Some say they have to regularly shake the pen  Quite an awful ink but fun for drawing or zentangles on black paper 

 

 

[lapis]

Crass, but really neat! As said above, fits great to your kitties up there. And... so nicely reminiscent of chalk on a blackboard!!!

[yazeh]

  On 3/6/2024 at 10:43 PM, lapis said:

Crass, but really neat!

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  On 3/6/2024 at 10:43 PM, lapis said:

 

As said above, fits great to your kitties up there.

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🙏

  On 3/6/2024 at 10:43 PM, lapis said:

 

And... so nicely reminiscent of chalk on a blackboard!!!

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The good "old" times ! 

[Sailor Kenshin]

Disconcerting is not the half of it!  🙀

 

My immediate reaction on seeing the feed and section of your NoNami Chinese piston-filler: “Ewww!”  

 

However, I love your sketches, and the quotes.

 

The ink shows much better on Clairefontaine, but I once had (and might still have) a Plain Ol' Notebook, spiral-bound, that had black paper with white lines.  I used it for milky gel pen scribbles.  Wonder what it actually was?

 

Back when I was sketching and painting a lot, I really liked the effects of light color on a dark ground, whether it was dark pastel paper,  or a canvas I had coated in green, gray, or red ochre.

 

You took another for the team!  Thanks again, @yazeh, and may your bold Ink-Splorations continue to delight us.

 

 

[yazeh]

  On 3/7/2024 at 3:35 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

Disconcerting is not the half of it!  🙀

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  On 3/7/2024 at 3:35 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

My immediate reaction on seeing the feed and section of your NoNami Chinese piston-filler: “Ewww!”  

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The poor pen has been soaking away. Though it's not worth Doyou to remove it's permanent blush

 

  On 3/7/2024 at 3:35 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

However, I love your sketches, and the quotes.

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🙏

  On 3/7/2024 at 3:35 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

The ink shows much better on Clairefontaine, but I once had (and might still have) a Plain Ol' Notebook, spiral-bound, that had black paper with white lines.  I used it for milky gel pen scribbles.  Wonder what it actually was?

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  On 3/7/2024 at 3:35 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Back when I was sketching and painting a lot, I really liked the effects of light color on a dark ground, whether it was dark pastel paper,  or a canvas I had coated in green, gray, or red ochre.

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I've seen used as an accent ink on toned paper. Quite a nice effect.

  On 3/7/2024 at 3:35 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

You took another for the team!  Thanks again, @yazeh, and may your bold Ink-Splorations continue to delight us.

 

 

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 🙏

[inkstainedruth]

I'll admit that I don't think I have a use for a white ink -- although I'm wondering now if it work as a white-out ink).  Also wondering how it would look on other dark colors (I know some people in the SCA who do scribal work, including what are referred to as "black scrolls" -- award scrolls done on black paper or black-dyed parchment.)

But thanks as usual for the review (love the artwork in particular).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

  On 3/7/2024 at 5:16 PM, inkstainedruth said:

I'll admit that I don't think I have a use for a white ink -- although I'm wondering now if it work as a white-out ink).

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It might work, but you need a wide/ wet nib. But not very practical. 

  On 3/7/2024 at 5:16 PM, inkstainedruth said:

 

 Also wondering how it would look on other dark colors (I know some people in the SCA who do scribal work, including what are referred to as "black scrolls" -- award scrolls done on black paper or black-dyed parchment.)

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That I won't know. But I've seen it used on toned paper in combination with other inks. Quite spectacular. 

  On 3/7/2024 at 5:16 PM, inkstainedruth said:

But thanks as usual for the review (love the artwork in particular).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

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🙏 🙏 🙏

[InesF]

Oh!, those sketches!  Thank you so much, @yazeh, for sharing the drawings and the ink review with us! 

 

While writing with white ink is of limited use - as is the use of white font in blog replies  - it's always good to have the option, at least. The ink is interesting as it is and seems to deal well with the black (surely not fountain pen ink optimised) paper.

 

 

PS: secret message above  

[yazeh]

  On 3/8/2024 at 8:41 AM, InesF said:

Oh!, those sketches!  Thank you so much, @yazeh, for sharing the drawings and the ink review with us! 

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A pleasure and such a creative way of responding

 

  On 3/8/2024 at 8:41 AM, InesF said:

 

While writing with white ink is of limited use - as is the use of white font in blog replies  - it's always good to have the option, at least. The ink is interesting as it is and seems to deal well with the black (surely not fountain pen ink optimised) paper.

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Indeed. Also one can use it one Toned paper

 

  On 3/8/2024 at 8:41 AM, InesF said:

 

 

PS: secret message above  

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Got it!

 

[txomsy]

I was wondering if it is intended for use in drawing or maybe in mixing with other colors of the Document line to get special hues.

 

Cool the whiteout!

[yazeh]

  On 3/8/2024 at 4:45 PM, txomsy said:

I was wondering if it is intended for use in drawing or maybe in mixing with other colors of the Document line to get special hues.

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Possible

 

  On 3/8/2024 at 4:45 PM, txomsy said:

 

Cool the whiteout!

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Thanks!

[Sailor Kenshin]

  On 3/8/2024 at 4:45 PM, txomsy said:

I was wondering if it is intended for use in drawing or maybe in mixing with other colors of the Document line to get special hues.

 

Cool the whiteout!

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I dimly recall hearing this…it, or another white ink, was for mixing with other inks to make pale opaque colors. 

[LizEF]

  On 3/8/2024 at 5:40 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

I dimly recall hearing this…it, or another white ink, was for mixing with other inks to make pale opaque colors. 

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Yes, all the De Atramentis Document inks can be mixed to create whatever shade you wish. (One excellent example from artist Jane Blundell.)

[Sailor Kenshin]

  On 3/8/2024 at 6:36 PM, LizEF said:

Yes, all the De Atramentis Document inks can be mixed to create whatever shade you wish. (One excellent example from artist Jane Blundell.)

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Oooo, prettyyyy.  Thanks!

[LizEF]

  On 3/8/2024 at 8:34 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

Oooo, prettyyyy.  Thanks!

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Welcome!

[yazeh]

  On 3/8/2024 at 5:40 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

I dimly recall hearing this…it, or another white ink, was for mixing with other inks to make pale opaque colors. 

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That might have been Whiteness of Whales

 

[inkstainedruth]

  On 3/8/2024 at 6:36 PM, LizEF said:

Yes, all the De Atramentis Document inks can be mixed to create whatever shade you wish. (One excellent example from artist Jane Blundell.)

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Thanks for posting the link!  That was a really cool website!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[LizEF]

  On 3/9/2024 at 2:09 AM, inkstainedruth said:

Thanks for posting the link!  That was a really cool website!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

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You're welcome!