What are your favourite blue/black and bright colours?

[Roefisher]

Hi folks,

I was looking at some inks today and see that I only have one blue/black. It's Caran d' Ache Magnetic Blue and I used it a little this afternoon. I'm interested in trying something else in this shade so, can I ask, which blue/black inks do you enjoy writing with?

Also, while I remember, for the fun... what is your favourite bright ink? I like Iroshizuku yama-budo and Visconti Turquoise.

Mark

[Goldfish]

Currently my favorite "blue-black" is Sailor Seiboku. It leans toward green, but shades even with fine nibs, and behave well with cheapo papers at my work. It is pigment ink and waterproof.

My favorite bright colors are Diamine Tropical Blue. It was an LE but PR re-created it with the same name. Diamine also revived it as "Mediterranean Blue". In addition, I use eye-popping Levenger Pinkly sometimes

[jacksterp]

I also really enjoy Diamine Mediterranean Blue. As to Blue-Blacks, Noodlers 54th and Mont Blanc Midnight Blue.

[AndyT]

I always have, frequently use and still adore Waterman Blue Black (aka Mysterious Blue) after many years of use. Whether it's really a blue black, however, is open to question. More typical examples which I like a lot include R&K Salix, Ecclesiastical Stationery Supplies Registrars' Ink (both iron gall), Noodler's Navy and Akkerman Koninginne NachBlauw.

For bright colours, PR Shoreline Gold gets more use than expected because of the outstanding shading and good flow. Akkerman Pulchri Pink doesn't come out very often, but oh boy, as pinks go it's shocking.

[reprieve]

Blue-blacks/dark blues:
Pilot Blue-black
R&K Salix
R&K Verdigris
Diamine Midnight

Bright colors:
Diamine Ancient Copper
Iroshizuku Yu-yake
Iroshizuku Ama-iro
Noodler's Liberty's Elysium
Sailor Grenade
Herbin Lierre Sauvage

[jde]

Blue-Blacks (all 3 very different):
Pilot Blue-Black
Sailor Blue-Black
Sailor Sei-Boku

Bright colors:
Sailor Apricot
Sailor Grenade
(Sailor/Kobe) Nagasawa Sannomiya Panse

[snedwos]

Black: I only have Iroshizuku Take Sumi, but it is top notch.
Blue: I only really have Diamine Eau de Nil. I like it, but don't love it as much as I did.
BlueBlack: still experimenting with the level of dilution for 54Mass.

Bright: Ancient Copper and Kelly Green at the moment. Apache Sunset is of course wonderful too.

[kaisnowbird]

I don't have a favourite blue-black, but my mother-in-law loves my Montblanc Midnight Blue.

It's iron gall, but not super full-on iron gall. So it has some water resistence and runs a little dry, but not prone to clogging. Her go to pen is a Parker 51 that flows a bit too much when the ink runs low . With the MBMB, it's always been problem free. She loves the colour too - very classic.

My favourite vibrant colour is Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea.

[snedwos]

I don't have a favourite blue-black, but my mother-in-law loves my Montblanc Midnight Blue.

It's iron gall, but not super full-on iron gall. So it has some water resistence and runs a little dry, but not prone to clogging. Her go to pen is a Parker 51 that flows a bit too much when the ink runs low . With the MBMB, it's always been problem free. She loves the colour too - very classic.

My favourite vibrant colour is Caran d'Ache Caribbean Sea.

You married into a good family.

[The Good Captain]

Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black; Montblanc Midnight Blue (either); Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite. As for bright colours: I don't tend to use them but perhaps Diamine Asa Blue or Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki might be appropriate.

[stevekolt]

Current favorites:

Dark Blue - Diamine Denim, followed by Iroshizuku tsuki-yo

Brighter Blue - Hands down, Iroshizuku kon-peki

Orange - Iroshizuku Yu-Yake, Noodlers Apache Sunset

Green - Montblanc Irish Green, Private Reserve Spearmint

Red - Iroshizuku Momiji, Diamine Red Dragon

[Senecabud]

Blue-blacks: Noodler's 54th Massachussetts and R&K's Salix
Brights: Noodler's Apache Sunset and Lamy's Turquoise

[Roefisher]

Thank you so much to everyone for the replies so far. Great stuff!

There are a couple which immediately jumped out at me after seeing some writing reviews. And I really must get into these Noodler's inks to see what all the fuss is about.


Mark

[AndyT]

...I really must get into these Noodler's inks to see what all the fuss is about.

Oh yes, I think so. Availability here is variable to say the least and my experiences have been very mixed, but the Noodler's range is fascinating. Apache Sunset turned out not to be for me, but everyone should dip a nib in it at some stage if the opportunity arises.

[Tony Rex]

There was a riot and the suspects were black and blue. But who is the main culprit?



Serene Officer: Number four, step forward! Him?
Bright Witness: Yes. I'm positive he's the one!

[kaisnowbird]

Awesome lineup!

[KrazyIvan]

I just bought a bottle of Diamine Blue Black and am liking it. Noodlers Blue for a bright blue is a favorite as is Iroshizuku Kon-Peki.

[Frank]

I like a few of these BB inks myself
-Sailor BB
-MB Midnight
-Diamine Midnight

My opinion is "The Darker Blue, the better!"
I mix BB and Blue inks with Black to get the darker shade that I like. People will recall (I posted previously- "Antique Store Find") that I came across a one quart bottle of Carter's BB ink that looks never to have been used. I poured some into a PR mixing bottle, and I have managed to find something I like with a 1:1 mix of Parker Black (my "go to" black) and this old ink.
Well behaved, and I love it!

Frank

[lisantica]

Black: Iroshizuku take-sumi.
Blue: Private Reserve Blue Suede

Bright: Iroshizuku murasaki-shikibu

Really want to buy and try Noodler's Apache Sunset.

[View from the Loft]

Dark Blue - Diamine Midnight
Bright colour - Diamine Imoerial Purple or Penman Emerald
Slightly different but still acceptable for work - Iroshizuku Kiri-Same