Octopus Ink Fluid Sheen 30ml Bottle
The fountain pen inks in this collection are water-based dye-based inks. The special feature of these inks is the so-called sheen effect, which makes the writing shine in a colour different from the base colour. This is made possible by a very high dye content.
Sheening fountain pen inks are not new to the market, but a comparison often reveals that the variety of colours is limited, the sheen is very low or the inks smudge easily. Many sheen inks also contain glitter pigments to enhance the sheen effect. However, these can build up in the ink fountain and cause problems when writing.
How do you get the best sheen effect?
The intensity of the sheen effect depends largely on the paper used and the ink flow of the fountain pen.
Use a fountain pen with generous ink flow and/or a wide nib. Glass nibs or calligraphy nibs also give very good results.
On uncoated paper, especially very rough copy paper, the sheen effect cannot be achieved because the dye penetrates too deeply into the paper fibre and does not remain on the paper. Only the strong base colour of the ink will be visible.
For this reason, we recommend the use of high quality, very smooth, coated writing paper when using Sheen inks. There is now a growing range of papers in the stationery trade that are specially labelled for use with fountain pens. For example, Oxford and Clairfontaine college pads and notebooks are ideal for everyday use. To enhance the glossy effect in drawings, marker or manga paper is a good choice.
Instructions for use:
Octopus Sheen inks should be shaken before use, as the high dye saturation will cause solids to settle to the bottom of the bottle over time.
Sheen inks generally take longer to dry than conventional dye inks and will smudge more easily on contact with wet hands, even when completely dry. In developing Octopus Fluids sheen inks, we have paid particular attention to optimising these parameters to achieve the shortest possible drying time and to reduce smudging to a minimum.
The ink can be left in the pen for longer, and only the nib needs moistening after a long period of use. There is no need to worry about the ink drying out.
Cleaning recommendation for fountain pens:
The high ink concentration is noticeable when cleaning the fountain pen: more rinsing is required. Warm water is sufficient.
The two colours Phoenix and Gryphon contain a dye that can cause discolouration in very light or transparent pens if left in the pen for a long time. This should only be an issue with piston fountain pens or so-called eye-droppers, where the ink is filled directly into the pen without a converter. We recommend our Fountain Pen Cleaner for thorough cleaning when using these inks.
