Monteverde Malibu Blue

[yazeh]

Monteverde Malibu Blue

 

Many thanks @Lithium466 for the sample. 

I would call this a “boring” Royal blue. It hates copy paper, so if you like it, go for R&K Königsblau for copy paper. 

It’s only bearable with a B nib. On the plus side, it’s one of the easiest inks to clean. 

 

Despite my negative bias about the colour, I finished all my sample using it for background washes.  I wouldn't mind a wall painted with this colour  

 

 

Chroma:

 

 

 

Writing Samples:

I've been introduced to Iroful paper, thanks @LizEF, so I might add it to the lineup. This paper can transform some inks drastically but it's extremely sensitive to hand oils. In this case, it didn't do much, despite what the scan might pretend  

 

Photo:

 

Comparison:

 Almost identical to Rohrer and Klinger Royal blue

Water test:

Left side 10 seconds under running water. Sample was written with glass nib. So amount of nib is more than a normal nib. 

Slightly better water resistant the R&K Royal blue

 

Art Work:

 

Inspired by All is Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Other inks are: Noodler's Lexington Gray (diluted)/ Polar Brown, Sailor Kiwa-guro 

Paper is Fabriano sketchbook paper (very absorbent)

 

 

and From Paris with love: 

A nod to the Paris Olympics  

Noodler's Lexington Gray, Polar Brown, 

De Atramentis Document Orange,

J Herbin Rouge Opera

 

 

·      Pens used: Lamy (Reverse EF/Ef1 F/M/B, BB), Kanwrite Desire with an Ahab nib. 

·      What I liked: Doing washes, easy cleaning. 

·      What I did not like: The color for writing. 

·       What some might not like: Copy paper. Royal blue….

·      Shading: With B nib, it’s visible.  

·      Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. 

·      Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper.

·      Flow Rate: Normal. 

·      Lubrication: Good. 

·      Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. 

·      Start-up:  Ok

·      Saturation:  Pastel

·      Shading Potential: Meh!

·      Sheen: No. 

·      Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice. 

·      Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice.

·      Staining (pen): No. 

·      Clogging: No. 

·      Cleaning: Very easy

·      Water resistance: Forget about it. 

·      Availability: 30 ml bottles, international long cartridges. 

 

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

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks as usual for the stellar review and the fun artwork!

I had considered trying this ink a few years ago and got sidetracked.  And now, seeing it on a variety of paper, kinda glad that I passed on it.  So my wallet also thanks you....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

9 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Thanks as usual for the stellar review and the fun artwork!

🙏

9 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

I had considered trying this ink a few years ago and got sidetracked.  And now, seeing it on a variety of paper, kinda glad that I passed on it.  So my wallet also thanks you....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Anything for your wallet

 

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, especially since we're shortly going to have to pay out the first installment of replacing the driveway.  And that is going to be shortly AFTER just having paid the school taxes...  (we live in a very small school district -- only two towns, both of which are pretty small), and there's one elementary school in each one, and one joint middle school and one joint high school...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[LizEF]

32 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I've been introduced to Iroful paper, thanks @LizEF, so I might add it to the lineup. This paper can transform some inks drastically but it's extremely sensitive to hand oils. In this case, it didn't do much, despite what the scan might pretend  

Ooo, my new favorite paper and my faaavorite color of ink.  What more could a girl want?

 

Thank you, @yazeh, for enduring such a dull color.  It is interesting how close in color it is to R&K Konigsblau.  Meanwhile, the good news is, kitty sketches look good in any color!

 

Malibu swatch kitty is seriously stylin'.  So stylin' that the water test didn't phase him - even if it washed away some color.  That wind will have him dried out in no time!

 

Very touching "All is Quiet..." sketch. Blue is the right solo-color.  Thank you for adding "From Paris with Love" - so we can end on a cheery note.    Great fun.  You can do it, Mousey!

 

Thanks for the fun review!

[Lithium466]

Boring? How rude, that's @LizEF's favourite colour! But wait, look at it sideways and it will fade... a perfect nod to the Paris' Olympics

As usual thank you for the excellent review and lovely artwork, I'm impressed by what you managed to express with that ink!

 

I have to admit...it's @Penguincollector that gifted me a sample, and then I somehow bought a bottle, to go with some Valentine red. In retrospect, better stick to Rouge Opéra and Éclat de Saphir.

(just like the R&K Königsblau -which is a bit punchier- Malibu blue is afraid of ink eradicators, and of many other things. It would be a perfect school blue if it weren't for the bleeding on cheap papers. For French students who only write on Clairefontaine and Oxford Optik paper, because even Rhodia isn't good enough and doesn't come in double A4 Seyes ruled.)

[yazeh]

6 hours ago, LizEF said:

Ooo, my new favorite paper and my faaavorite color of ink.  What more could a girl want?

 

6 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Thank you, @yazeh, for enduring such a dull color.  It is interesting how close in color it is to R&K Konigsblau.  Meanwhile, the good news is, kitty sketches look good in any color!

They are very close, but the writing experience is more smooth with R&K. On the reverse side, R&K disintegrated with a touch of water. 

6 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Malibu swatch kitty is seriously stylin'.  So stylin' that the water test didn't phase him - even if it washed away some color.  That wind will have him dried out in no time!

6 hours ago, LizEF said:

 

Very touching "All is Quiet..." sketch. Blue is the right solo-color.  Thank you for adding "From Paris with Love" - so we can end on a cheery note.    Great fun.  You can do it, Mousey!

 

Thanks for the fun review!

A pleasure! 🙏

[yazeh]

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Boring? How rude, that's @LizEF's favourite colour! But wait, look at it sideways and it will fade...

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

 

a perfect nod to the Paris' Olympics

  

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

As usual thank you for the excellent review and lovely artwork, I'm impressed by what you managed to express with that ink!

Thanks! I was surprised too. Some inks are best used like this

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

 

I have to admit...it's @Penguincollector that gifted me a sample, and then I somehow bought a bottle, to go with some Valentine red. In retrospect, better stick to Rouge Opéra and Éclat de Saphir.

That's so true

3 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

(just like the R&K Königsblau -which is a bit punchier- Malibu blue is afraid of ink eradicators, and of many other things. It would be a perfect school blue if it weren't for the bleeding on cheap papers. For French students who only write on Clairefontaine and Oxford Optik paper, because even Rhodia isn't good enough and doesn't come in double A4 Seyes ruled.)

Yep, that's true. I preferred Königsblau if I were writing with my eyes, closed. The tactile feeling was amazing. But boy the ink will disintegrated on a hot day

[InesF]

@yazeh's water test paper is a fine place to live - if you are a waterproof cat or mouse!  👍

(sorry, I couldn't resist to bend Fred Allens citation ...)

 

Having used royal blue inks in the past in quantities sufficient for two or three lives, this Monteverde ink doesn't tempt me out from behind the fireplace. No surprise here.

 

However, the artwork does it all and, @LizEF mentioned it already, Malibu Blue is a clever choice for the "All is quiet ..." drawing. From Paris with Love had me search for the surprise for 3 or 4 seconds - followed by a sudden loud laugh! Thank you for providing me such a funny start into my Thursday! 

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, InesF said:

@yazeh's water test paper is a fine place to live - if you are a waterproof cat or mouse!  👍

(sorry, I couldn't resist to bend Fred Allens citation ...)

1 hour ago, InesF said:

 

Having used royal blue inks in the past in quantities sufficient for two or three lives, this Monteverde ink doesn't tempt me out from behind the fireplace. No surprise here.

Love the analogy

1 hour ago, InesF said:

 

However, the artwork does it all and, @LizEF mentioned it already, Malibu Blue is a clever choice for the "All is quiet ..." drawing.

 

🙏

1 hour ago, InesF said:

From Paris with Love had me search for the surprise for 3 or 4 seconds - followed by a sudden loud laugh! Thank you for providing me such a funny start into my Thursday! 

A pleasure. Your laughter made my day  🙏

[Lithium466]

3 hours ago, yazeh said:

Yep, that's true. I preferred Königsblau if I were writing with my eyes, closed. The tactile feeling was amazing. But boy the ink will disintegrated on a hot day

If I had to restart life from 0 (and I sure do wish I could!), and have to go through liters of school blue ink all over again, I think R&K Königsblau would be my pick, with the Monteverde (or maybe Aurora blue) second. EF nibs and well lubricated inks, the power of hindsight is incredible

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, Lithium466 said:

If I had to restart life from 0 (and I sure do wish I could!), and have to go through liters of school blue ink all over again, I think R&K Königsblau would be my pick, with the Monteverde (or maybe Aurora blue) second. EF nibs and well lubricated inks, the power of hindsight is incredible

[Lithium466]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

Love Sempé!

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, Lithium466 said:

Love Sempé!

Same here. Read the whole series, several times

 

[Sailor Kenshin]

Okay. 
 

So I get that I'm the only one in the universe who likes this species of blue…and I also have MV Horizon AND Confidence.  And the chroma is, well, blue.

 

Wish I was with Kitteh and Mousie on that beach.  We used to go to Malibu.  Tough ride on some mountainous roads.  Thanks, @yazeh, for another round of inky goodness and sketches galore! 

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Okay. 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

So I get that I'm the only one in the universe who likes this species of blue…and I also have MV Horizon AND Confidence.  And the chroma is, well, blue.

Eons ago, when I was a student, I used only Royal Blue cartridges (Probably Pelikan), which we could wipe off with a special double headed pen, one side for removing the error and the side, a type of gel pen to write to correct. I didn't know about any other colours. I have Horizon blue and prefer to this one. But for doing washes, boy this ink sings, for writing meh  

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Wish I was with Kitteh and Mousie on that beach.  We used to go to Malibu.  Tough ride on some mountainous roads.  

You can close your eyes, and see yourself with Kitteh and Mousie on the road again

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Thanks, @yazeh, for another round of inky goodness and sketches galore! 

A pleasure!

[ErrantSmudge]

I have about a gallon of Monteverde Malibu Blue that I picked up as pen show freebies, and for the past few years I've been using it for most of my "throwaway" writing (things like grocery lists or study exercise sets) that'll get tossed out afterwards.

 

I just finished writing about 400 Get-out-the-vote letters in Malibu Blue (GREAT excuse to use it up), and it worked well on the HP copy paper I was using.  I was mainly using a TWSBI ECO-T with an F nib that wrote on the dry side, but even when I tweaked the nib to write wetter, Malibu Blue still performed well.

 

One thing I don't like about Malibu Blue (aside from the boring color) is its tendency to fade and look washed-out after a few days on most papers, whether exposed to sunlight or not.

[yazeh]

11 hours ago, ErrantSmudge said:

I have about a gallon of Monteverde Malibu Blue that I picked up as pen show freebies, and for the past few years I've been using it for most of my "throwaway" writing (things like grocery lists or study exercise sets) that'll get tossed out afterwards.

A gallon? 🙀 

11 hours ago, ErrantSmudge said:

 

I just finished writing about 400 Get-out-the-vote letters in Malibu Blue (GREAT excuse to use it up), and it worked well on the HP copy paper I was using.  I was mainly using a TWSBI ECO-T with an F nib that wrote on the dry side, but even when I tweaked the nib to write wetter, Malibu Blue still performed well.

Glad you've found a way to use it  

11 hours ago, ErrantSmudge said:

 

One thing I don't like about Malibu Blue (aside from the boring color) is its tendency to fade and look washed-out after a few days on most papers, whether exposed to sunlight or not.

Yes, that's one of it's many downfalls.