Ink Testing

Ink Swatches to Test

I have sketched with ink for years. About 10 years ago I switched over to fountain pens because of the varied sizes of pens in my hands and the multitude of nibs available. I like the variety of lines that can be created with nibs of different widths and materials. I’ve enjoyed using fine, extra fine, medium, broad, italic, flex, music nib and more. But let’s save this topic for another day. 

When it comes to ink color I like anything but…black. The brands and colors I like come in bottles. I like light grey, brown and sepia tones. I have a few water soluble inks but I mostly use waterproof ink. 

I’ve read discussions on Facebook about different inks and how they react to sunlight, archival quality and whether they’re waterproof, semi waterproof or water soluble. As you know…If you ask a question on a public forum you'll get many opinions but not necessarily the correct answer. I did a little reseach on my own and found it challenging to find the information. I was searching for the lightfast and archival qualities of the inks.  

Lightfast: Not prone to discolor or fade when exposed to light.

Archival: pH neutral and acid free.

Materials Needed

I decided to do my own tests.
To start with, I made swatches of ink on 4"x 2" inch cards of 140lbs cold press (not) watercolor paper. When dry I covered half the swatch with another piece of watercolor paper. I put the swatches in a plastic sleeve and taped against a window for 30 days. These tests were done during the summer, 2018.

I made a short video showing the results of my tests. One of my favorites didn't pass the test...but I was pleasantly surprised by many others. Hope you find this information helpful. To be clear Lightfast: not prone to discolor or fade when exposed to light. Archival: Is pH neutral and acid-free. 

One of my favorite waterproof inks (water resistant) is the De Atramentis, Document ink. They have a wide assortment of colors that can be mixed.The De Atramentis Document Ink can be found at Goulet Pens.com. I like mixing the Brown and Red and then lighten a little with the De Atramentis Document Solution. Perfect sepia color!

To see all the results check out this short video by clicking on the image below or following this link:  Ink Testing Video. 

Happy Sketching!

Brenda