Damn that was fun.
Audrey Matteson, aka The Nib Doctor joined me this week for a wide-ranging conversation. You should join us.
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
Harry's: Quality shaving and grooming products, at a fair price.
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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
As summer is in full swing, I like to match some of the colors that I see outside. I also do the same thing during the winter, except my ink colors are the colors from outside that I miss seeing. At least I can enjoy this ink from the indoors where it's cool and not muggy. The latest ink I've been sporting indoors is the Styx Valley Forest Green from Van Dieman's.
Named after the Styx River Valley in Tasmania, this forest green does a great job of representing the source material.
Image Source: Wikipedia
Image Source: Australian Traveller
I've always had a soft spot for medium and dark green inks, but they just don't get the love they deserve because I'm such a sucker for more vibrant colors. A well-done dark ink can be just as satisfying to use for me — I just have to remember to use them even when my impulse always goes for the bright colors. I'd like to keep Styx Valley Forest Green in my rotation for quite a while because I'm just in love with the dark green hue and the moderate amount of shading that it lets through.
The amount of shading here isn't awe-inspiring, but it does provide some subtle shifts between a few dark and medium greens that makes me think of tall trees bending in a breeze. There's depth to the colors of a forest if you're looking at it as a whole instead of a single tree or branch. This ink, for me anyway, reminds me to slow down and take a breath. Life is short, but that's no excuse to rush through it. Appreciate the unique colors and senses.
Everything else about this ink is fairly standard. The flow is fantastic. I've never had a hard start or any skipping when using this ink, and that's not as easy to accomplish as you might think. It flows onto the page smoothly and leaves behind crisp lines. I haven't noticed any bleeding or feathering, regardless of what type of paper I'm using.
One thing that is worth calling out as a negative is the dry time. I'm not sure I've ever used a green ink that's been fast-drying, and this one is no exception. With this large 1.5mm stub nib, the drying times can be a little longer, but not by much in my experience. The ink is normally dry by the 30-second mark, but every now and then a large blob will take longer to dry. Just keep that in mind if your grip follows the ink or if you intend to jot down quick notes and close your notebook immediately after. This isn't a good ink for that because you'll end up with lots of smudges and little spots on the opposite page.
Cleaning out this ink is just what I'd expect — easy. There's not much more to say about that. The ink washes out easily without any fuss.
Van Dieman's Styx Valley Forest Green goes for about $13 for a 30ml bottle, which is a great price for the quality of ink you're getting. If you're not sure you want to commit to the whole bottle, you can always go for a 4ml sample for a few bucks. If you like green inks (or just need some cheer in your life!), try out Styx Valley in your next purchase.
(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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The Esterbrook JR Pocket Paradise is the latest release from Esterbrook, and I am here for it. Who could resist these colors! My friends at Kenro Industries sent me the full lineup to check out, and I am giving one of these pens away to readers of the blog.
But which one? I couldn’t make the decision without your input, so I posted a poll on Twitter. The winner:
Wow, that was close! Orange Sunset grabbed the win by the slimmest of margins, so I’m giving it away this week. It’s bright, and brilliant, and comes with a Fine nib. Read the rules below, and enter away!
