EFNIR: Herbin Éclat de Saphir

[LizEF]

Extra Fine Nib Ink Review: Herbin Éclat de Saphir

This is review #275 in my series. Here's the YouTube video:


Post-recording notes: The scanner and microscope hate this color. The camera doesn't like it much better. It's like a semi-pastel royal blue. It definitely leans toward purple, but isn't blurple. It's a rather soothing / relaxing color, but still too close to ballpoint / rollerball blue for me to like. The microscope slide was boring as could be. Cleaning was easy with plain water but did require a little extra flushing, so I'm guessing the dye is rather concentrated. The color in the video seems too bright to me.

Zoomed in photo (The color isn't awful, but it's not great either.)


Screenshot (This might be the closest, but it's too dark, not vibrant enough.)


Scan of Completed Review (Color isn't as vibrant and not quite enough purple.)


Absorbent Paper Close-up (top is puzzle paper like thick newsprint, bottom is old 20lb copy paper) (No better than the zoom.)


Line width (The "I" in "Ink:". Magnification is 100x. The grid is 100x100µm. The scale is 330µm, with eleven divisions of 30µm each. The line width for this ink is roughly 319µm. With 275 inks measured, the average line width is 296µm.) (This might be the best color, but also not enough purple.)


Previous Review: Aurora Black.

Images also available on Instagram: @zilxodarap.

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View a list of my inks, complete with review results in a google sheet.

Need to catch up on The Adventures of Quin and Makhabesh? Find the whole story here.

Hope you enjoy. Comments appreciated!

[Yazeh]

Another excellent review
The colour is both intriguing and surprisingly both attractive and repulsive (ball pointy).
I have to admit, I'm more intrigued with what Essri and Makhabesh will be doing in the kitchen than the family drama. Maybe, I need a snack too

Thank for giving us lightness on Tuesdays 🙏

[mizgeorge]

I confess - I love this colour. I almost always have a pen inked up with this, and thoroughly enjoy both the performance and look of it, and it's a joy to sketch with as well.

Thank you so much Liz for a real treat of a review. Whilst I also want to know what snek snacks are happening, my biggest surprise was thinking of Quin as a proper grown up for the first time - in my head he's always been somewhere between boy and man, and suddenly he's so much older.

Which others?

[LizEF]

Another excellent review

Thanks!

The colour is both intriguing and surprisingly both attractive and repulsive (ball pointy).

Right? It's a conundrum! How can such a repulsive ink be so relaxing!? Maybe that's its secret magic, lulling me into a state of contentment before eating the plating off all my nibs!

I have to admit, I'm more intrigued with what Essri and Makhabesh will be doing in the kitchen than the family drama. Maybe, I need a snack too

I guess I'll have to try writing two extra scenes...

Thank for giving us lightness on Tuesdays 🙏

You're very welcome!

[LizEF]

I confess - I love this colour. I almost always have a pen inked up with this, and thoroughly enjoy both the performance and look of it, and it's a joy to sketch with as well.

It has already lulled you into a state of contentment so that you'll give it a permanent home. The flow, lubrication, and shading all make it very enjoyable.

Thank you so much Liz for a real treat of a review. Whilst I also want to know what snek snacks are happening, ....

You're most welcome! I expect Essri and Makhabesh are gossiping about Simon and wondering about Quin's dad.

... my biggest surprise was thinking of Quin as a proper grown up for the first time - in my head he's always been somewhere between boy and man, and suddenly he's so much older.

Hmm. Well, I think of Quin as a young man - in his 20s, I think. In the beginning, I had no thought for his character or age or anything - just one of the "five boxing wizards", but as the story has gone on, it seems clear to me he's really just now (since getting kicked out of the wizards' keep) growing up and taking responsibility for himself and his future.

Which others?

I'm missing something. I don't understand the question.

[dneal]

It's like a semi-pastel royal blue. It definitely leans toward purple, but isn't blurple.

Yes. Another "nice sauce" that everybody makes. Not the best, not the worst, just another "nice sauce".

That said, it's my go to ink for nib tuning. Comes in large bottles, relatively inexpensive, relatively wet, and really lets you dial in a nib based on shading.

[LizEF]

Yes. Another "nice sauce" that everybody makes. Not the best, not the worst, just another "nice sauce".

Just different enough to make you linger a little longer...

That said, it's my go to ink for nib tuning. Comes in large bottles, relatively inexpensive, relatively wet, and really lets you dial in a nib based on shading.

Oh, yes, that does sound like a good use for it. And its magical calming quality might keep you from grinding the nib into oblivion!

[Sailor Kenshin]

Groaning. An insane woodpecker attacking a tree just outside Quin's family dwelling. Love the story turn, and that the 'kids' get sent to the kitchen for snacks.

I like ballpoint blue inks. Not only do I have and enjoy this ink, but its pals, Lamy and Quin(k).

If I wrote about rejection, it would take all day. Thanks, Liz, for bringing a bright spot to my Tuesdays.

[LizEF]

Groaning. An insane woodpecker attacking a tree just outside Quin's family dwelling. Love the story turn, and that the 'kids' get sent to the kitchen for snacks.

I like ballpoint blue inks. Not only do I have and enjoy this ink, but its pals, Lamy and Quin(k).

Apparently, it's those of us who don't like the color who are unusual - far too many such inks exist and they must be selling, or they wouldn't exist!

If I wrote about rejection, it would take all day. Thanks, Liz, for bringing a bright spot to my Tuesdays.

Wishing you less and less rejection! You're most welcome!

[Sailor Kenshin]

I like ballpoint blue inks. Not only do I have and enjoy this ink, but its pals, Lamy and Quin(k).

Apparently, it's those of us who don't like the color who are unusual - far too many such inks exist and they must be selling, or they wouldn't exist!

If I wrote about rejection, it would take all day. Thanks, Liz, for bringing a bright spot to my Tuesdays.

Wishing you less and less rejection! You're most welcome!

Well, I was a freelance writer; that should explain it all. 😸

[LizEF]

Well, I was a freelance writer; that should explain it all. 😸

I figured it had to do with writing - so many rejections. One just has to learn to accept them.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Well, I was a freelance writer; that should explain it all. 😸

I figured it had to do with writing - so many rejections. One just has to learn to accept them.

I used to curse the magazine that sent it and write scathing remarks on the rejection slip.

[LizEF]

I used to curse the magazine that sent it and write scathing remarks on the rejection slip.

Whatever works, whatever works!

[Lloyd]

Well, I was a freelance writer; that should explain it all. 😸

I figured it had to do with writing - so many rejections. One just has to learn to accept them.

I used to curse the magazine that sent it and write scathing remarks on the rejection slip.

Perhaps you should try to publish a compilation of those scathing remarks. It might be a good resource for those that "need to" write scathing rebuttals but lack the technical proficiency.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[LizEF]

Perhaps you should try to publish a compilation of those scathing remarks. It might be a good resource for those that "need to" write scathing rebuttals but lack the technical proficiency.

Love it! Even without the training aspect, I bet folks would enjoy it.

[LizEF]

This seems like a good place to mention this (please forgive the fact that it's basically the third forum on which I've posted the same thing).

A very generous FP Geek shipped me a very large collection of ink (he having settled on what inks he preferred and no longer needing samples or inks he didn't prefer). I didn't ask whether he prefers to remain anonymous, so I'm not naming names. Yesterday I finally finished the inventorying and adding to my database. Today I ran some queries and here are the results:

• 88 inks that are new to me
• 90 inks that I haven't reviewed (two that I had previously sampled, but used up before doing reviews) - That's 1.73 years of reviewing!!!
• 10 bottles (not all new to me)
• 1 cartridge
• 103 samples (not all new to me)
• 4 brands that are new to me (though one is a black cartridge included with an Ohto pen, and is probably made by some other ink manufacturer, but all I know is "Ohto Black")

(My next Amazon order will include two more sample racks! I have nowhere to put all these samples, can't stand the idea of them just being loose in a bag and unsorted - I'm a database programmer! I must have order! )

I now have 164 inks that I have not yet reviewed!! That's 3.15 years of reviewing!! Sheesh. Quin will be a grandfather by the time I run out of inks!

298 inks (that I have or have had) were gifts from the FP community. Truly we inspire the best in each other. Pat yourselves on the back, community!

(The new inks are in my ink spreadsheet. I'm still debating whether to add them to my poll now or wait - since some of them are clearly older, I'm leaning toward adding, but wow will that be some poll...)

[Sailor Kenshin]

Can't wait to see crotchety ol' Grandpa Quin.

[Yazeh]

Wow that's a lot of holy Batmans! Good luck!

[LizEF]

Wow that's a lot of holy Batmans! Good luck!

Right? Thank you!

[mizgeorge]

What a lovely gift!

From an entirely selfish perspective, I'm delighted