How do you ensure that colors are reliable?

All swatches were photographed in controlled environment – with defined light temperature, white balance and finally with Color Checker. The result of course will depend on the screen on which you’re watching them, but they are consistent among this page – if you know one ink and see that it’s here more green or more blue, you could imagine that rest of the inks will also be like that.

How can I be sure that ink will have particular colour?

You cannot. There are so many factors that end up in final colour that it’s really hard to predict how particular ink will behave in your pen, on your paper, on particular stage of fill, being used daily or left in pen for days/weeks… Also how well you have shaken the bottle, how well you have cleaned your pen before, is it completely dry and many other…

Some inks are more consistent in their parameters, some vary more, especially when having stronger shading or sheen. But I think it’s beautiful to experience that variety.

Why do you swatch inks on various papers?

Inks behaves differently on different papers, I wanted to have samples that would show some variety of that.

Be aware that it could be even other results on other papers, for example on Tomoe River.

Why you don’t describe inks in more details?

This page was created mostly to handle all my swatches in one place with possibility to share it among people who asked me about particular colors. I didn’t make extensive tests back then and probably won’t do for some more time. There is many other people who do it in better way. I’m focused on colour comparison.

Each ink has link to it’s page on Fountain Pen Companion, where you can usually find more information and tests.

How do you define parameters as sheen, shimmer and shading?

I decided to use none / some / decent / strong scale.

• None – there is no of that parameter
• Some – it’s visible under some conditions (broader nib, more condensed/dried ink, specific paper)
• Decent – should be seen in most cases and it’s a visible feature of the ink
• Strong – you cannot oversee that 😉

I also provide information about colours or specific parameters.

Can I ask you to swatch some particular ink?

Yes, of course, but I cannot promise that I’ll do it immediately – I don’t have access to all inks and resources to buy them. At least half of those swatches was made from samples that I’ve exchanged among other people or got on various meetings.

But if you can send me a samples – no problem, I’ll do it for sure. Contact me 🙂

Why are you defining source of swatch?

I mark every swatch with bottle/sample/cartridge as a source because sometimes it differs. It don’t necessary have an impact, but could have, especially if sample is smaller than 2ml and I have no possibility to gain proper wetness of brush strokes. Additionally, many times I got samples from various sources and I cannot be sure if they were properly done, if ink was shaken well and have all properties as it should have. Swatching from bottles is more convenient and more reliable.

I have some question about particular ink, can I comment it?

Please check if particular ink was posted on social media – there will be links at the bottom of the page. You can comment on your preferred one. Or always you can Contact me 🙂