Kuretake Shimbashi-Iro — Ink Review #114

Kuretake – Shimbashi-Iro

 

Ink Review # 114

 

Originally posted on FPN: Feb 7, 2024

 

Ink: Shimbashi-Iro
Brand: Kuretake
Series: Meiji No Iro
Country: Japan
Availability: 20 ml bottles.
Pens Used: Pilon F3A, Lamy Safari (EF, F, M, B, 1.1), Noodler’s Nib creaper semi flex

Description

I love Kuretake brush pens, and I was very excited to try this one. Many thanks to @Lithium466 for the sample.

These inks were released to celebrate Kuretake’s 120th anniversary. According to Kuretake’s website, these six inks are “inspired by colors popular around the Meiji era of Japan (1868–1912), when Kuretake was founded.” “Shimbashi” is the name of a place in Tokyo. The bright bluish-green colour was popular among geisha in Shimbashi, as it was fashionable and trendy.

In short, the ink is wet, with average lubrication, long dry times on Japanese paper, and average dry times on Rhodia. The ink is pricey for what it is. While the scans capture the green, to the naked eye I see turquoise.

The chroma indeed shows off the green and the blue, but the colour is a bright turquoise. 

Chroma

Writing Samples

Quotes/ texts by Meji era authors to reflect the ink.

Rhodia

Midori

Tomoe River 68 gsm

Hammermill 20 lb

Photo

Comparison

Water test

Artwork

Kuretake has a series of 6 fountain pen inks celebrating their 125 anniversary, which celebrates the Meiji era.

I was inspired to use my cat and mouse series using as a model some Japanese block prints. 

However, after doing this piece I realized that this was part of Shunga art, (Japanese erotic art) and the wrong period. Oops! 

Still I liked the end result, hope you do too :)

 Pelikan Edelstein Rose Quartz and Platinum Carbon Black

Ink Characteristics

·      What I liked: Gorgeous colour, drawing, doing washes.
·      What I did not like: Price.
·      What some might not like: Price.
·      Shading: Shade magnet.
·      Ghosting: Yes, on copy paper. With very wet pen/nib combination on Rhodia.
·      Bleed through: Same as above.
·      Flow Rate: Wet.
·      Lubrication: Average.
·      Nib Dry-out: Did not notice.
·      Start-up: Did not notice.
·      Saturation: Can we have a saturated turquoise.
·      Shading Potential: really nice.
·      Sheen: Very faint.
·      Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Can happen on copy paper.
·      Nib Creep / “Crud”: Did not notice.
·      Staining (pen): Did not notice.
·      Clogging: Did not notice.
·      Cleaning: Easy.
·      Water resistance: Faint.

 

Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier. 😊

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