Colorverse Office Series Blue Black Ink Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

I've been on quite a blue black ink kick lately, and the latest contender in this list is from Colorverse. Part of their Office Series, their take on Blue Black is what I consider to be a traditional, middle-of-the-road interpretation of this classic color. In short, I love it and think it's something you should try out if you're in the market for a blue black ink for your favorite pens.

When it comes to blue black inks, there can actually be quite a bit of variation and differences of interpretation in terms of color. Some blue black inks may be so dark that you can barely make out any blue, while others take on a dusty blue or denim hue. Those are two opposite ends of the spectrum, but you can also see hints of purple or gray in some inks, as well as some red sheen in some cases. This is great in terms of variety, but it can also be frustrating if your idea of a blue black ink doesn't match up with the ink manufacturer's vision.

Colorverse's blue black is what I consider to be a definitive example of a true blue black. People will surely disagree with this statement, but that just goes to show that colors are incredibly objective perceptions that vary across all human beings. This blue black ink has a dark and luxurious tone while also being obviously blue. You don't have to look too closely to detect the deep blue, and it also doesn't have any stray colors that creep out in the light strokes and bright light. It's true to itself and the name given to it. It's not the most exciting color, but it's a beautiful example of a classic ink color.

So, getting into the specifics of this particular ink, the first thing I noticed when using this ink (besides the color!) was how smooth it feels on the page. I've been really impressed by all of the Colorverse inks I've tried before, and this one is no exception. Ink flow is smooth out of the nib, and it lays down evenly on the page without letting too much out at a time. And, even the ink flows easily, it doesn't go crazy on more absorbent papers and feather out across the uncoated paper fibers. It's well-behaved, and I feel comfortable using it on any kind of paper — fancy or ordinary.

There isn't any visible sheen with this ink, and there also isn't a lot of variation in color or shading. It's a no-nonsense ink that works well and doesn't offer any frills. There's a reason that Colorverse included this in the "Office Series," and that's totally okay. There's a place for vibrant, loud inks in the same way there's a place for more subdued and "boring" colors. This ink will fit in great at the workplace (remember when we were around other people and could talk about pens and inks?) but also looks great in a Field Notes or bullet journal. There's enough visual interest in the color and ink properties to make it better than other similar inks.

One area where this ink really surprised me is the dry time. In most cases, and even when using it with a wet medium cursive italic nib, the ink was dry by around 12 or 15 seconds. Larger glops took a little longer (in the 20-second range), but on average there wasn't much time involved before the ink was smudge resistant.

I've really enjoyed using this ink, and it's quickly raced to the top of my list of favorite blue blacks. If you're curious in trying out a blue black ink, this is an excellent place to start. At $13.50 for a 30ml bottle, it won't break the bank, and you can even order a 4ml sample vial to try out if you're not sure you want to commit to the full bottle. Give it a shot in your next order with Vanness!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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The Pen Addict Raffle for St. Jude, featuring an Urushi Lamy Safari!

Every September, the Relay FM community of podcasters and listeners join together to raise funds for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This is a wonderful organization that does such important work and means a lot to so many families from all around the world.

In the past, I have donated directly to the cause, as have countless Pen Addict readers and listeners. This year, I wanted to try something different to raise even more money for the kids. And thanks to Jonathan Brooks at the Carolina Pen Company, I think we will.

Jonathan not only made an amazing group of urushi Lamy Safari pens for myself, Myke, and Ana, he made an extra one that I could do something special with. And that something special is raffling it off to raise money for St. Jude. Here are the details you need to know:

1. For every $10 you donate via the Relay FM for St. Jude 2020 page, you will receive one entry into the raffle. You are not limited to how much you donate, or how many entries you have. For example, $20 donated = 2 entries. $100 donated = 10 entries. We are trying to raise as much money as possible for the kids, so go wild! (Note: Some employers match donations, so look into that!)

2. After you donate through this link, forward a copy of your donation receipt, or a screenshot including the amount and date of donation to stjude@penaddict.com. with Safari Raffle in the Subject line. Only donations timestamped after the publication of this post, and before 11:59 p.m. on September 21st are eligible.

3. All entries will be added to a spreadsheet after September 21st, and Random.org will be used to select the winner.

4. One winner will receive the Grand Prize of the Carolina Pen Co. Custom Urushi Lamy Safari, as pictured above. Four other winners will receive a Pen Addict writing kit, including one Pen Addict x Caran d’Ache 849 pen and one Pen Addict x Kokuyo Sketch Book notebook, as pictured below.

I cannot thank Jonathan Brooks enough for donating this pen for the kids of St. Jude. That’s what this is all about - raising money for the kids! Anything you can give during this time of year for this amazing campaign is greatly appreciated.

Pentel GraphGear 1000 Mechanical Pencil Giveaway

For all of the love the Rotring 600 gets (rightfully so,) The Pentel GraphGear 1000 is right up there in terms of quality, style, and performance. I grabbed an 0.5 mm Colors Edition in Pink from a recent Yoseka Stationery purchase, which was designed to freshen up the classic looks of the GraphGear. Read the rules below and enter away!

Pentel GraphGear 1000 Mechanical Pencil Giveaway