The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 602 - Am I Seeing What I Think I'm Seeing?

*In hand, and testing:* *IKKAKU by Nahvalur Cong-Lv (Scallion Green) Gradient Urushi Fountain Pen*.

It’s been a week, and I’m so thankful to have this podcast and our awesome listeners to count on. Myke and I cut it up as we always do, with a recap of his trip, my pen show travel changes, and updates on several new products I am looking forward to, and currently testing.

Show Notes & Download Links

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Posted on February 15, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Podcast.

Van Dieman's Tassie Seasons Spring - Macleay's Swallowtail Butterfly Ink Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, Root Rot, is now available for pre-order!)

If you look up photos of a Macleay's Swallowtail Butterfly, you'll see that this is the perfect match for it. A little touch of springtime jewel captured in a bottle.

Graphium macleayanus, the Macleay's swallowtail (via Wikipedia.)

The Van Dieman's Tassie Seasons series has lots of lovely colors. The Spring line dismisses the trend of pastels and instead boasts a number of bright, vibrant colors that I think properly encapsulate the excitement of winter's end.

This color is a vivid, bright green, paler than apple--almost a viper color, or the color of a brand new leaf. Chromatography shows a blend of lime and sea glass colors that can both be spotted when the ink shades, which it does do in a very pretty way. The downside, though, is that this is a very pale ink. It works better as a highlighter color than a writing ink. It definitely puts beauty over practicality, which isn't inherently bad, but it doesn't work super well for me.

Apart from the difficulty in reading the pale color, it behaves well as an ink. As mentioned, the shading is top tier. It also has a reasonable dry time--not fast, but not super slow--at around 25 seconds. It did not feather or bleed, even when the ink was pooled. There was no water resistance--drips erased the lines completely. There is no sheen on this ink, but the layering of the shading is enough of a special effect that sheen isn't missed.

The ink comes in a glass jar with a sturdy base and an opening wide enough to accommodate most pens. The bottle holds 30 ml of ink and sells for around $11, which is a great value for any ink.

I think this ink would be perfect for journal washes or highlighting. And it certainly can be used for writing--you'll just need a good light source when you're reading it later. It's a lovely addition to the Spring lineup and it's making me eager for our own Spring season to bless us with new leaves and bright butterflies.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on February 15, 2024 by Sarah Read and filed under Van Dieman's, Ink Reviews.

Robert Oster Polar Vortex Fountain Pen Ink Review

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

There are many Robert Oster inks that pay homage to a city or location, but Atlas Stationers have an exclusive ink that is named after a cold weather event in early 2019 that set a lot of temperature records in the area. The cold wave, which originated from the polar vortex further north, caused temperatures in the Chicago area to dip to −23 °F (−31 °C), with a windchill of −52 °F (−47 °C). There's nothing like crazy weather that bands together a community!

Dubbed Polar Vortex, this gray ink with blue and purple tones is offered exclusively by Atlas Stationers and made by Robert Oster. As Atlas describe on the product page, the ink color matches the winter sky. I'm just glad I'm enjoying it from the comfort of my heated home instead of the frigid conditions that it borrows its name from.

Polar Vortex is definitely a gray ink, but there's a delightful amount of purple and blue hues that come through in different light and depending on the amount of ink on the page. Heavy/thick strokes are undeniably dark gray, but there's plenty of medium-gray and gray-purple in the shaded areas. One of the things I enjoy most about Robert Oster inks is the amount of shading, and this one is no slouch. The cold gray tone is definitely a perfect fit for these short winter months.

Despite being a dark ink, there isn't any significant show-through on the back side of Rhodia paper with a wet medium cursive italic nib. On thinner paper, this might be a bit of an issue, but (for my tastes at least) still totally possible to use both sides of the page. The ink also lays down a crisp, sharp line. I haven't noticed any feathering or bleeding. In terms of performance, it behaves just as I expect a Robert Oster ink to behave (meaning, it behaves very well).

Dry time leaves a little to be desired, but it's not terrible. The ink dries in as little as 20 seconds and up to 45 seconds depending on the speed of the stroke and how wide or wet the nib is. I wouldn't recommend this ink for any left-handed writers.

At $18 for a 50ml bottle, the price is similar to what you'll find for any bottle of Robert Oster ink. It's great ink, and the price fits the quality. It's a beautiful gray ink with subtle purple and blue tones, and also a reminder of a rare weather event for the upper mid-west! If it looks interesting to you, you won't be disappointed in how this ink works in your pen or in how it looks on the page.

(Brad bought this ink at a discount from Atlas Stationers during the 2023 Fountain Pen Day event.)

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