Is sheen light source dependant?

Wednesday at 09:11 PM

I've been reviewing a few Diamine sheening inks (Diamine Hells Bells/ Master of Puppets [to be posted]).

I've noticed:

1) That on super sheen/shading provoking papers: Midori/ Tomoe River 68gsm, sheen is minimal with natural light (unless ink is laid thickly).

2) On Rhodia and even Iroful sheen is invisible

However with artificial LED light, the same page is a kaleidoscope of colours to the point that it's almost distracting on the above Japanese papers, especially Iroful ( I feel like a cat with a laser beam :D) )

and on Rhodia sheen is visible only on the generously written line. (in my case flex nib)

If memory serves me right, with Organics Studios super-sheening inks (for ex. Nitrogen) sheen was even visible on crappy paper.

My empirical conclusion, with medium sheening inks:

1) If you want to have sheen use Japanese paper (Iroful, Tomoe River, Midori, etc). Iroful even makes some non-sheening inks sheen under artificial light.

2) Use wet/ gushing pens, with M, B or flex nibs.

3) Work under artificial light, for maximum iridescence.

Does this conclusion correspond to anyone's experience?

Wednesday at 09:43 PM

Sheen of a particular colour is due to light rays of the corresponding range of wavelengths being reflected (usually obliquely) towards the observer, so the general or logical answer to your question of, “Is sheen light source dependant?” must be in the affirmative, given that a light source that does not emit those wavelengths could not possibly make sheen of the colour in question appear.

Thursday at 02:53 AM

8 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

Sheen of a particular colour is due to light rays of the corresponding range of wavelengths being reflected (usually obliquely) towards the observer, so the general or logical answer to your question of, “Is sheen light source dependant?” must be in the affirmative, given that a light source that does not emit those wavelengths could not possibly make sheen of the colour in question appear.

Thanks, for the clear and concise definition of sheen. Maybe the more precise question would be that are Medium sheening inks visible in daylight?

Thursday at 03:46 AM

53 minutes ago, yazeh said:

are Medium sheening inks visible in daylight?

Yama-budo did, here.

Thursday at 05:32 AM

Yes, many sheening inks are easily seen in normal light straight on. Paper like Tomoe River highlights it best.

Thursday at 07:01 AM

3 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

Yama-budo did, here.

Thanks!

@SamCapote

Many thanks!

Thursday at 12:51 PM

I have seen even such inks that are NOT known as sheening inks (Waterman Serenity Blue and Lamy Turquoise) with the right combination of paper (52 gsm TR), and a very wet pen. The pen in this particular case if I recall correctly was a Parker Vacumatic Emerald Pearl with a gusher of a nib. The nib was represented by the seller as an OM, but putting it next to a Pelikan BB on my M205 DUO they are physically the same size. Sheen is a byproduct of the formulation of the different dyes, light, paper.

Thursday at 05:09 PM

@Runnin_Ute yes, I've seen that with Parker Quick. Though, I'm not sure if the sheen occurred or was visible with artificial or natural light.

I have Octopus Write and Draw inks, that sheen only on Iroful paper under artificial light. My lLED light is supposed to mimic day light, and even though it's not directly aimed at the paper, it creates this effect. Hence my question.

2025-01-17T00:00:46Z

6 hours ago, yazeh said:

@Runnin_Ute yes, I've seen that with Parker Quick. Though, I'm not sure if the sheen occurred or was visible with artificial or natural light.

I have Octopus Write and Draw inks, that sheen only on Iroful paper under artificial light. My lLED light is supposed to mimic day light, and even though it's not directly aimed at the paper, it creates this effect. Hence my question.

Light is a component, but not necessarily the primary one IMHO