J Herbin Terre de Feu

[yazeh]

J Herbin Terre de Feu 

 

A reddish brown, which is named after the Tierra del Fuego (land of fire)  archipelago at the southern tip of South America. According to J Herbin: “This brown ink has a red tone a reminder of the burnt lands and vast deserts where nothing ever grows.”.

I was really looking forward to this ink as a drop of it on a bill was winking at me from my desk  

 

However, the writing experience was opposite of the many positive reviews I saw on internet. It refused to flow in most of my pens. Reviewing this ink was the equivalent of being in a Star Trek mirror universe. Everything was the contrary for me.   

Ink is wet, with lower-than-average lubrication. It doesn’t like copy paper, and it has very long dry times. However, all the reviews I checked, were raving of its qualities.  So take my review or all the others with a grain of salt  
 

For those of you who dabble in art and washes, this ink can be addictive. I couldn't stop doing washes with this ink. 

  

Chroma:

 

 

 

Writing Samples:

Scan is off. There's no purple in this ink. I've added photos, so you can see the real deal  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo:

It's a sunny day, photos are close to what I see

 

Comparison:

 

Water test:

Left side 10 seconds under running water. 

 

Art Work:

 

I recently saw a documentary on Musketeers (the rowdy special forces of their day) and did a few sketches while watching, hence no cat and mouse.  

 

The paper is Talens Mixed Media Pocket book paper. 

The blue ink, is De Atramentis Document & Artist Cyan in a brush pen, diluted.

The grey ink in the first drawing is Kala Nostalgia Gemstone Sillimanite

 

 

Not related to any musketeer, cat and mouse were out for a brisk walk, near a pond and were thinking of    

 

 

 

·      Pens used: Pilot F3A (Ef /semi-flex), Lamy Safari(EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1), Jinhao 450 with fude nib not shown, and Waterman W2.

·      What I liked: Drawing , doing washes and appreciating drops of it on different papers. 

·      What I did not like: Writing experience, especially with a Stub. 

·       What some might not like: Long dry times. 

·      Shading: Yes, there’s some. 

·      Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper. 

·      Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper. 

·      Flow Rate: Wet

·      Lubrication: Low

·      Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. 

·      Start-up:  Refused to write with many pens, some even after priming. 

·      Saturation:  Medium

·      Shading Potential: Depends on paper. 

·      Sheen: No. 

·      Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, with a wet pen.  

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

·      Staining (pen): No. 

·      Clogging: Did not notice.

·      Cleaning: Rather easy

·      Water resistance: Ok. 

·      Availability:  10/ 30 ml bottles, and cartridges. 

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

[lapis]

Nice! This is one of the first Herbins I ever bought. Just after Eclat (I think). I know what Terre de feu means but I've always been reminded of red poppies in a terracotta pot (i.e. a mix of both colours, even if those flowers won't grow there).

Merry Christmas to you and yours (over and above the ink division). ☺️

.

[LizEF]

Great review, @yazeh!  Thank you for enduring an uncooperative ink.  Nice of you to let cat and mouse go home early for Christmas!

 

This is the sort of color that I like well enough to sample, but not well enough to buy.    Poor lubrication is unfortunate.

 

Your watertest sketch now has me wondering if mousey's umbrella doubles as a fire-shield.

 

Love the Musketeer drawings.  If they also played music, they might have formed a "big hair band"...

 

Hmm.  Christmas duck wishes for cat and mouse?

 

Hope you're having a wonderful day with your family, Yazeh!

[yazeh]

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:15 PM, lapis said:

Nice! This is one of the first Herbins I ever bought. Just after Eclat (I think).

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  On 12/25/2024 at 2:15 PM, lapis said:

I know what Terre de feu means but I've always been reminded of red poppies in a terracotta pot (i.e. a mix of both colours, even if those flowers won't grow there).

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So true. The trick of growing poppies (the annual ones)  is throwing the seeds in the winter in a well drained spot. I normally do it before a snow storm. They never fail

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:15 PM, lapis said:

Merry Christmas to you and yours (over and above the ink division). ☺️

.

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You too, my friend 🙏

[yazeh]

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

Great review, @yazeh!  Thank you for enduring an uncooperative ink. 

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Reading other reviews it seems uncooperative only with me  

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

 

Nice of you to let cat and mouse go home early for Christmas!

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Yep, they needed a well needed vacation

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

 

This is the sort of color that I like well enough to sample, but not well enough to buy.  

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Yep, Herbin is clever with it's 10 ml bottles.

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

 

  Poor lubrication is unfortunate.

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Eh, it's not so bad with a wet pen. That's if I manage to find one

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

 

Your watertest sketch now has me wondering if mousey's umbrella doubles as a fire-shield.

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  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

 

Love the Musketeer drawings.  If they also played music, they might have formed a "big hair band"...

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They were apparently quite a "rowdy" band as they were between 16-23 from noble families in their heyday, and they could get away with anything  

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

Hmm.  Christmas duck wishes for cat and mouse?

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Get yourself a turkey or goose and let me be  

  On 12/25/2024 at 2:41 PM, LizEF said:

Hope you're having a wonderful day with your family, Yazeh!

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I'm more like recuperating  😴

[LizEF]

  On 12/25/2024 at 3:45 PM, yazeh said:

They were apparently quite a "rowdy" band as they were between 16-23 from noble families in their heyday, and they could get away with anything  

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Yes, "immunity" encourages the worst in an individual.  (When we're lucky, the individual's personal "worst" isn't so bad.  When we're unlucky, an individual's personal worst knows no end.)

 

  On 12/25/2024 at 3:45 PM, yazeh said:

Get yourself a turkey or goose and let me be  

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  On 12/25/2024 at 3:45 PM, yazeh said:

I'm more like recuperating  😴

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Then get lots of rest!  It's good for you, so do it guilt-free!   Dr. Liz's orders!

[Sailor Kenshin]

But it could have ended up a turducken…🤪

 

Love the Musketeering.  The drawings are full of attitude.  And good thing Kitteh and Mousie weren't completely washed away.

 

But on to Terre de Feu.  Sigh.  Though it looks pinkish in the bottle, and the chroma suggests red, I've never been able to get any red tones out of this ink.
 

@yazeh, thanks once again for making life colorful with your detailed, entertaining InkSplorations!  Keep ‘em coming! 
 

And Merry Christmas!  May your days be inky and bright!

[yazeh]

  On 12/25/2024 at 4:02 PM, LizEF said:

Yes, "immunity" encourages the worst in an individual.  (When we're lucky, the individual's personal "worst" isn't so bad.  When we're unlucky, an individual's personal worst knows no end.)

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So true. Especially  teenage immunity 😄

  On 12/25/2024 at 4:02 PM, LizEF said:

 

Then get lots of rest!  It's good for you, so do it guilt-free!   Dr. Liz's orders!

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I wish I could borrow Vika, to turn her majesty the kitty into a maid  But like usual while she slept; I was cleaning 😄

[yazeh]

  On 12/25/2024 at 9:15 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

But it could have ended up a turducken…🤪

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  On 12/25/2024 at 9:15 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Love the Musketeering.  The drawings are full of attitude.  And good thing Kitteh and Mousie weren't completely washed away.

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Thanks. One of the rare positives of this ink 🙂

  On 12/25/2024 at 9:15 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

But on to Terre de Feu.  Sigh.  Though it looks pinkish in the bottle, and the chroma suggests red, I've never been able to get any red tones out of this ink.

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It's difficult, unless we could combine a fountain pen and a water brush

  On 12/25/2024 at 9:15 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

@yazeh, thanks once again for making life colorful with your detailed, entertaining InkSplorations!  Keep ‘em coming! 

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🙏🙏🙏

  On 12/25/2024 at 9:15 PM, Sailor Kenshin said:

And Merry Christmas!  May your days be inky and bright!

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Same to you inky on paper 😜; health and creativity 😊

[LizEF]

  On 12/25/2024 at 9:52 PM, yazeh said:

So true. Especially  teenage immunity 😄

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Indeed - incomplete reasoning + immunity = terrifying!

 

  On 12/25/2024 at 9:52 PM, yazeh said:

I wish I could borrow Vika, to turn her majesty the kitty into a maid

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You and me both!

 

  On 12/25/2024 at 9:52 PM, yazeh said:

But like usual while she slept; I was cleaning 😄

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Resistance is futile.  The sooner we accept our kitty overlords, the sooner we can adapt to a life of servitude.

 

All the best to you, Yazeh!

[yazeh]

  On 12/26/2024 at 1:00 AM, LizEF said:

Indeed - incomplete reasoning + immunity = terrifying!

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Humanoid cats  🙀

  On 12/26/2024 at 1:00 AM, LizEF said:

 

You and me both!

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  On 12/26/2024 at 1:00 AM, LizEF said:

 

Resistance is futile.  The sooner we accept our kitty overlords, the sooner we can adapt to a life of servitude.

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I will not be assimilated  

  On 12/26/2024 at 1:00 AM, LizEF said:

All the best to you, Yazeh!

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The same to you  

[LizEF]

  On 12/26/2024 at 8:13 PM, yazeh said:

Humanoid cats  🙀

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  On 12/26/2024 at 8:13 PM, yazeh said:

I will not be assimilated  

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👊

 

  On 12/26/2024 at 8:13 PM, yazeh said:

The same to you  

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[inkstainedruth]

@yazeh Not a color for me, but thanks as usual for the comprehensive review and the fun artwork!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[namrehsnoom]

Great musketeer drawings, they really enhance the review.

 

Concerning the ink: I like the terracotta tone of this one. Not so much the issues you had with it. I think I have this one in my ink stash, but haven’t used it yet. So a good time to try it out, and see if  I experience the same problems with it. 

[yazeh]

  On 12/28/2024 at 9:36 PM, namrehsnoom said:

Great musketeer drawings, they really enhance the review.

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Thanks!

  On 12/28/2024 at 9:36 PM, namrehsnoom said:

Concerning the ink: I like the terracotta tone of this one. Not so much the issues you had with it. I think I have this one in my ink stash, but haven’t used it yet. So a good time to try it out, and see if  I experience the same problems with it. 

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I'm curious to see that too. I'm guessing you might find the Weeping Willow situation with this one

[yazeh]

  On 12/26/2024 at 9:52 PM, inkstainedruth said:

@yazeh Not a color for me, but thanks as usual for the comprehensive review and the fun artwork!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

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A pleasure 🙏

[InesF]

Thank you, @yazeh, for doing so many washes with this J.Herbin ink, for bringing all those great writers together and for (successfully) keeping cat and mouse warm, despite water ran over the flame!   Well done!

Further more, I'm quite amused about the inspiration during catwalk and mousewalk to the pond! My crazy mind likes to continue the story - it may not end well for the duck ... 🙄  , does it?

 

Coming late, I can only agree with the comments of the other members, including: "not an ink for me".

[yazeh]

  On 1/2/2025 at 9:20 AM, InesF said:

Thank you, @yazeh, for doing so many washes with this J.Herbin ink, for bringing all those great writers together and for (successfully) keeping cat and mouse warm, despite water ran over the flame!   Well done!

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 🙏

  On 1/2/2025 at 9:20 AM, InesF said:

Further more, I'm quite amused about the inspiration during catwalk and mousewalk to the pond! My crazy mind likes to continue the story - it may not end well for the duck ... 🙄  , does it?

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You never know. I did a followup to that sketch. I have to see it in road daylight and see if it's presentable

  On 1/2/2025 at 9:20 AM, InesF said:

 

Coming late, I can only agree with the comments of the other members, including: "not an ink for me".

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Unless for a monthly challenge