Ink for work, professional and beautiful but rebellious, are you a colour subversive?

[Jolltax]

I have been a FP user all my life (I am 50ish) but it only really became a hobby a couple of years ago so up until that point it was cheap FP's and Parker Quink in blue and black. I tend to take quite a lot of notes at work and also I sign a lot of documents.
I got more into inks last year (discovered the Diamine website tbh) and bought a bunch of interesting crimsons, purples, greens, browns and maybe got a bit carried away. I have had a lot of fun using them and my notebooks are a rainbow of colours from page to page and I keep a lot of pens inked, can't help myself.

With the benefit of hindsight, though, I maybe went a bit too far (hehe) and I signed a bunch of invoices and offical documents in Sherwood green and a very bright Diamine Purple (obviously not two colours on one page), I got a slightly sarcastic comment from one of the guys in the accounts department.

<slapped wrist> I need to calm it down ......

I AM fairly senior at work (ego alert!) so pretty much I can get away with it but I have toned it down a bit, literally! I should be a bit more professional as I am not a 12 year old girl (no offence to any 12 year old girls reading). It's just a bit of fun, sorry if I coming across as a bit of a nutjob .....

Long preamble over I was wondering what people would recommend for work which is conservative enough to get away with, but rebellious enough to satisfy my inner subversive.


Example:
Instead of using blue and black I am currently using Diamine Graphite and Diamine Blueberry. In both cases in the right light they are not *quite* black or blue <cue little smile>
Both are interesting and beautiful, by the way, and I would recommend.

Surely I am not the only ink subversive or pigment revolutionary at work?

End of blurb!

Jolltax

[Sevenof9]

Oh nice. I am trying to do the same and after discovering that Iroshizuko inks can be had for a fraction of the price from Japan I am using them to lighten up my day....ama-iro, kon-peki, yama-budo. people are so boring nowadays with their cheap biro's in black....7

[akapulko2020]

Oh nice. I am trying to do the same and after discovering that Iroshizuko inks can be had for a fraction of the price from Japan I am using them to lighten up my day....ama-iro, kon-peki, yama-budo. people are so boring nowadays with their cheap biro's in black....7

Would love more details on buying from Japan :-)

[Sevenof9]

okay go to Amazon and look for iroshizuko inks. Santa trading is a good place....the delivery can be slow, but that does not matter to me if the ink is 12-15 pounds the bottle (Uk retailers ask 25-30). Enjoy Akapulko. 7

[mhosea]

Where I work, and for what I do, I can use anything. But I do recognize that the entire world is not up-to-speed with this, so I understand the desire to be a little bit edgy but not raise eyebrows (too much). I should think a brown would be somewhat subversive but not the least bit undignified. Something like Montblanc Toffee Brown or Diamine Chocolate looks interesting. Take it a step further with Diamine Ancient Copper. Then there are dark greens like Diamine Evergreen.

[Jolltax]

Where I work, and for what I do, I can use anything. But I do recognize that the entire world is not up-to-speed with this, so I understand the desire to be a little bit edgy but not raise eyebrows (too much). I should think a brown would be somewhat subversive but not the least bit undignified. Something like Montblanc Toffee Brown or Diamine Chocolate looks interesting. Take it a step further with Diamine Ancient Copper. Then there are dark greens like Diamine Evergreen.

Chocolate brown is definitely on the list now!

[Jeph]

My ink for that purpose is Cult Pens Deep Dark Purple by Diamine. With a fine nib it will catch the eye but not be blatant. With a broader nib the purple becomes to strong (but still nice) for a serious work ink in my opinion. But maybe that is what you are looking for. I also have a pen (EF) currently inked with Sherwood Green that I use at work. It is clearly green but dark enough to be acceptable. My "plain" work ink is Diamine Midnight blue. I also rotate brighter blues and interesting blue-blacks through and use Diamine Red Dragon in one pen for mark-ups. There is no need to be subtle there. I also always have one with either Aurora Black or MB Permanent Black when I want just plain BLACK. And Diamine Eclipse when I want almost black. And I also usually have one "fun" color as well but that one varies widely.

[sitsi]

Hi. I feel like you.
I like Diamine Bilberry, Noodler's 54th Massachusetts, El Lawrence and Zhivago. I think Private Reserve Black Cherry could pass. And I think Sailor Sei Boku is very interesting.

[inlovewithjournals]

Thank you Jolltax for a morning smile. I'm at work now and using Waterman Inspired Blue to edit reports. No raised eyebrows so far!

[Wile E Coyote]

I've used the following in a business setting without negative comment:
MB Racing Green...if you can get it.
Sailor Sei Boku or Platinum Pigment Blue-Black.
Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue.
Visconti Bordeaux.

[Chrissy]

I've used the following in a business setting without negative comment:
MB Racing Green...if you can get it. That's a very big if
Sailor Sei Boku or Platinum Pigment Blue-Black.
Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue.
Visconti Bordeaux.

I quite like the idea of some of the De Atramentis inks that are black with blue or maybe even other shades. Or maybe there are some really nice blue-blacks around like Montblanc Twilight Blue Hour or Diamine Twilight or dark navy blues like Montblanc JFK or Diamine Midnight.

If you want to be really rebellious what about Diamine Shimmering Seas?

[victordomingos]

If you want to be really rebellious what about Diamine Shimmering Seas?

Would you classify some of these new inks from Diamine as "business safe"? For instance Shimmering Seas (or some other inks from this new "sparkling" batch) would go nice for a business letter, signature or a note in a business card?

[TheInkluminati]

Iroshizuku Kon-Peki is sassy enough to say "approved" and serious enough to say "denied".

Brought to you by the ad council to elect Iroshizuku Kon-Peki.

[Lady Onogaro]

Sailor Shigure is nice and dark, and I doubt it would lift any eyebrows. Or even some of the dark green-blacks would do.

[tandaina]

I use whatever color I please at work. Sparkly, red, electric blue. I get more comments on the pen than the ink which no one ever really looks at (I'm not turning in forms I'm taking notes in meetings and writing up ideas). But I firmly maintain that ink is like paint, it is not masculine or feminine, and color is certainly not '12 year old girl.' It is ART, no one would ever tell an artist "you can't use red, it isn't professional."

[da vinci]

I would try Diamine Green Black, PR Ebony Purple

[Chemyst]

I was wondering what people would recommend for work which is conservative enough to get away with, but rebellious enough to satisfy my inner subversive[/B].


Example:
Instead of using blue and black I am currently using Diamine Graphite and Diamine Blueberry. In both cases in the right light they are not *quite* black or blue

I have been using a brown ink in my game book for years. I think that while it is "traditional", it also stands out from the blue and black crowd and looks very nice.

[inklord]

What a wonderful story! Pretty much reflects mine, except that, growing up in (D) it was Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue and Lamy Blue-Black at first for me! I second Mike's vote for a brown, and since you seem to have easy access to Diamine, why not stick with that? To be a bit more deviant, you could either use "Rustic Brown" or "Oxblood"... But the key is consistency - using the same ink or only slight variants throughout at least for month-long stretches, so you better choose one you can live with for a while! BTW, my favorite brown is J.Herbin "Lie de The" - pretty conservative, but with rich shading.
For a blue, if absolutely unavoidable, try Diamine's "Majestic Blue" - undeniably a blue, but with purplish sheen where it's thick, royal blue at mid level, and sky blue in thin sections. Requires good pen hygiene, though.

[Newjelan]

Love your story and the work situation is similar to mine. I steer clear of reds/golds/pinks/oranges in my work environment. However, I don't shy away from purples, blues, dark greens and browns. I aim to use inks that are clearly "appropriate" on the surface but give me enjoyment and prompt a second look. Diamine Majestic Blue, Pelikan Edelstein Topaz and Amazing Amethyst, Private Reserve Midnight Blues, PR Avocado and J. Herbin 1670 inks in Stormy Grey, Blue Ocean & Emerald de Chivor are all regularly seen in my notebooks, on forms, as my signature etc.

[Jolltax]

So many great suggestions, I can feel a bout of internet shopping coming on!

Thanks all, its funny how you can find like-minded people out there ...

o7 <salute>

J