Fountain pen ink is one of those things that gets more complicated the more you look into it. Luckily, it's worth that extra effort to figure out what sort of ink you would like to use. Just as luckily, we have a nice, handy guide to get you there quicker.
What is better, ink cartridges or bottled inks?
There are only a few differences between using an ink cartridge and bottled ink for your fountain pen. An ink cartridge is a bit easier and cleaner to use. You just need to change the cartridge each time you need new ink. For bottled ink, you will need to replace the cartridge with a converter and draw ink into the pen from the bottle.
We think using a bottled ink is worth the effort and slight risk of mess, because it opens you up to using far more ink colours and types.
If you aren’t sure which is best for you, we have some guides to help:
What's The Difference Between A Fountain Pen Cartridge And A Converter?
How To Change An Ink Cartridge
What’s the best ink for a beginner?
The best ink for a beginner should be safe to use, impressive to write with and shouldn’t break the bank.
It is probably safe to use any ink that is labelled as a fountain pen ink. Although it is possible that inks with pigments, and shimmering inks, could clog up your pen. So if you are a brand new beginner to fancy inks, you might want to avoid those at first just to get your eye in.
Some inks we would recommend are:
Our bestselling ink is from Diamine, based here in England. We currently have 111 colours, ranging from your standard sounding 'Woodland Green' to the bestselling 'Writer's Blood'. They are available in 80ml bottles, but the 30ml bottles are a very reasonable way to try out a few colours. If you prefer cartridges, they also make those.
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A bit more pricey, but also very popular, are the Sailor Studio Inks. Developed in Japan, they come in 100 colours, developed as a result of 20,000 colour blends by Sailor's inkmasters. Nobody can accuse Sailor of not being serious about their ink.
They don't have descriptive names; instead, you have to pick by going through the colours on offer. It's a bit like picking a paint at a hardware shop, but far more important.
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For something on the more classic side, the Waterman Ink Bottle or Cartridges are about as classic as they get. They only come in fairly standard colours, but if that’s what you want, they are a good bet.
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How water-resistant can a fountain pen ink be?
How water-resistant, or even waterproof, largely comes down to how the ink is made.
Dye-based inks are the most typical type of fountain pen ink. One benefit of them being dye-based is that they are safer to use, with no particles to risk clogging up your pen. But they are not very water-resistant at all.
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Pigment-based fountain inks are at least water-resistant, maybe even waterproof. The trade-off for that is they tend to come in fewer exciting colours, and they are a bit less safe for fountain pens. If they dry in the pen, then cleaning it can be difficult, but it’s not anything that a good cleaning routine can’t usually solve, especially if you take a bit of extra care to not leave them in an unused pen.
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Iron Gall inks have a long history that predates fountain pens by centuries. The name comes from the ink originally being made from iron salts and tannic acids that come from galls - a growth you get on plants, in this case, often oak trees. These days they are made with more modern materials, but they were prized as inks because they lasted a long time and were very water-resistant. They also write lighter at first and then get darker as time goes on.
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Shimmer, Sheen & Shading
What is a shimmer fountain pen ink? Shimmering inks have very finely-ground glitter particles in them, which make the ink sparkle when it dries. They can be fairly subtle, but they can definitely add something to your writing. The effect can vary a lot depending on the pen and the paper, but glittery writing is well worth experimenting with for some people.
If you are using a shimmering ink, it’s worth remembering that the glitter does settle on the bottom in both your bottles and your pens. That means you will have to give your bottle a bit of a shake before you fill your pen. Or if it’s already in the pen, you can give it a roll to distribute the glitter nicely.
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What is a sheen fountain pen ink? A sheening fountain pen ink can have a different coloured sheen when it catches the light. There are only a few different combinations that this works well in, so they are less common than shimmer inks, but they can look very striking.
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What is a shading fountain pen ink? Shading is where the letters look darker in some areas and lighter in others, even within the same stroke of the pen. This is caused by the ink pooling differently in different areas, which sounds like an issue, but, in reality, looks cool. Not all inks shade, but unlike shimmer and sheen inks, a lot of inks not marketed as shading have the effect; in fact most inks will show at least some shading.
Dual shading ink is an ink that appears in multiple colours. Different colour combinations will be available for these, when compared to sheening inks, so they can give quite a different look to your writing.