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Sorry about the size--haven't been to imgur in a while and they've changed some options.
For myself the downfall for blue-black has always been the increased grey scale, but you can't get away from that because of the black. Think I've finally found a blue-black I can live with in Tanzanite, which has a bit more saturation than Shin-kai but still retains just a tiny bit of shading.
http://i.imgur.com/gyA25aP.jpg
For work, I stick to the darker colours. Blue-black, dark green, or brown. My only sin is turquoise; for some reason I love that colour.
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Right now, at work, I'm using Noodler's BBK in my Metropolitan Fine and Sailor Sei-Boku in my AL-star Fine.
I could see the need for a red for editing. Even for making a strong or important point in a memo if it was something that should not be missed. If you do any kind of technical drawing a color set would be useful. If like me, you kept an engineering notebook then you could use any color you desired in your personal copy. Or your own a meeting notebook, use whatever makes you happy in it. It is nobody's business what you use for your own personal notes. I like to use different colors for taking notes to differentiate people, important notes, etc. Before I was into fountain pens I regularly carried a multi-colored ball point just for that reason and used color felt tips for technical drawings. So, there are ways to include your ink color passion at work. You need only limit the colors to the expected on anything that is leaving your desk. Otherwise, it really doesn't matter. I always found that if you do good work, most people tend to ignore your personal quirks, like the ink color you use. The old saying: "Don't sweat the small stuff", applies here I think. So often we tend to bind ourselves up with needless rules for the sake of appearances when usually the need is only in our head. So, for this concern, I would only limit my color choice for documents going to other people or into permanent company record.
I work for the government, so can understand the need for more conservative ink colors when sending out official correspondence and such. For everyday work notes, I like bright, but not CRAZY bright - I guess I tend to the more conservative inks even when I don't have to haha.
My work-safe favorites are:
De Atramentis Pearl Violet - a subdued violet-grey (similar to Caran d'Ache Violet Storm)
Diamine Prussian Blue - a gorgeous steel blue - unique but relaxing (similar to Noodlers 54th Massachussetts)
Sailor Yama-Dori - comes off in fine/medium nibs as a dark teal, you only get really crazy sheen if you use good paper, which is pretty rare at work for me
Diamine Graphite - because sometimes you want an ink that writes like pencil lead
Diamine Salamander - is it grey? is it green? YOU DON'T KNOW! But it is muted and subtle and strangely wonderful
Of course there is one manager who teases me about my pens. His stuff gets notes in extra-sparkly Stormy Grey or extra-bright pink. Just because I can.
That's the spirit! You should see my billing statements. I'm not sure what my customers or their accountants make of all those colors and that shading, but up to now they still pay me... :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Faustine
Oh, most customers require time sheets and such to be signed with a dark ink colour, so that it can be easily copied.
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I sign a lot of documents at work and I like blue, so I usually use the Platinum pigment blue or the Pilot Namiki blue. When I am feeling rebellious I use the the De atramentus document ink in fuchsia. I work in publishing so I can get away with being a little edgy.
Another complex brown: Iroshizuku "Wild Chestnut".
I read on a blog that brown inks will photocopy black, have not tried it myself though. I just got some Noodler's Polar Brown and find I like it quite a bit. It penetrates the semi-gloss 24lb HP Laser Jet paper I use better than non-polar inks. So, it's less of a smear hazard. It is also a lubricated ink that does seem to glide a little better. This paper does have a bit of drag on the nib which the 'polar' ink seems to lessen a little. Has a nice bit of shading from medium brown to almost black depending on how wet of a line is put down.
For official documents at work I tend to stick with permanent inks. I don't want to risk a signature washing away when it comes to product sign-off. Primary is Montblanc Permanent Blue. Secondary is Montblanc Permanent Grey. Other than that I use whatever makes me happy at the time. A lot of my personal notes, calculations, or meeting minutes are done in Noodlers Habanero, Sailor Tokiwa-Matsu, and Pelikan Edelstein Topaz. If I'm writing something down which will be handed off to a coworker I usually go for something a little more tame. Usually it's Franklin-Christoph Brown 732 and Montblanc Twilight Blue. I have also used GvFC Stone Grey with success. Dark enough that no one questions it, but light enough for me to enjoy it.
Noodlers Zhivago straight, Red-Black & Black 1:1, but Diamine Macassar over all.
I sold my ‘No Blues’ office on Diamine Registrars based on permanence (after I showed them that Yeah, it will copy okay)
The truth is that now I can use italics on our copier paper forms. FOUNTAIN PENS WIN AGAIN!
If the pen is wet enough and lighting poor enough, Macassar could be mistaken for black written with a smaller nib.
Likewise, Diamine Damson, which I'd describe as a dusky purple-black much like Registrar's or Lamy b-b is a dusky blue-black. In F/XF it looks quite conservative. I like it ok in wet writers but I recall it feeling a bit dry or unlubricated. I totally love this color.
https://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10554
Diamine Oxblood can be a very dark red. I recall finding it hard to see the red the last time I used it.
Lamy Petrol, if you can possibly find any without spending a fortune, is a great ink and also very nearly black especially in a wet writer that has been inked awhile. I am almost disappointed I can't see the teal very much.
Iron Galls for official documents (KWZ IG Blue #3 or Diamine Registrars). For ordinary correspondence, I like Iroshizuku Yama-Guri or Sailor Jentle Do-You for dark browns and the sheen of Akkerman Shocking Blue. I've also got a pen loaded with Diamine Graphite at the moment and no-one has so much as batted an eyelid.
Birmingham Inks Frank Gorshin Riddle Green is a nice choice if you are feeling particularly anarchic (it is as dark as it gets).
wow! overlooked Diamine treasure! must Wish List!Quote:
Originally Posted by azkid
Noodlers American Aristocracy does deep old red without just browning out. In a field of cheap ballpoints, a little bitty color speaks clearly. So, Damson ho!
My vote for acceptably subversive is Sailor Miruai, it's *almost* black to the casual observer, but a deep green-blue when you take the time to notice. It's also a reliable, well behaved daily use ink that doesn't cost too much more than "basics". One drawback for business applications though, it's not water resistant.
I've been using Miruai and Tokiwa-matsu at work a lot lately.
GvFC Midnight Blue works well
I have found Robert Oster’s Standard inks to behave well on copier paper, and the range of colors is fascinating. I’m running Velvet Storm in a wet Fine Italic, with almost no feathering or bleed through. The color is deep deep green, with a teal flash. I’ve had the same luck with Great Southern Ocean (blue), Motor Oil (brown), and Deep Purple (yup). Each has been well behaved, controllable flow, doesn’t dry out (in #5s and #6s so far). Not water resistant, but I’ve got DRI for that.
The colors are impressive in stubs, and in my F/EF/XF work pens can more lend a ‘tone’ to a page, rather than a color.
I’ll do some pics, when I get a day off, maybe.