Barock Umbra — Ink Review #156

 Barock Umbra

 

Ink Review # 156

 

Originally posted on FPN: Oct 31, 2024

 

Ink: Umbra

Brand: Barock / Octopus

Country: Germany

Availability: 30 ml bottles.

Pens Used: Pilot F3A EF semi-flex, Lamy Safari (EF / F / M / B / Stub 1.1).

Description

Barock inks are a reissue of an East German brand, which went kaput in 2011 and was revived by Octopus. As of 2024 there are six colours.

 

"The story of the brand goes back to 1826, when the company August Leonhardi was founded. August Leonhardi became famous for his patented, legendary Alizarin inks. These were the first inks in the world that could be called document proof."

 

You can read more about it here: https://www.octopus-office.de/shop/en/barock/

 

This is a complex brown / green ink: wet, with below-average lubrication. I enjoyed it most with an M nib on Iroful / Tomoe River 68 gsm and with Pilot F3A with a subtle EF semi-flex nib.

 

The wetter the nib, the darker it becomes. It will be best with a soft nib. I wouldn't use it in a Kakuno with EF nib. Ink has no water resistance.

 

This has been a personal favorite and I tried to keep it in my pens as long as possible.

 

It has one of those complex chromas.

 

Chroma

Writing Samples (scan)

Rhodia

Midori

Tomoe River 68 gsm

Iroful

Hammermill 20 lb

Photo

Comparison

Water Test

Left side: 10 seconds under running water.

Artwork

This was part of the Inktober 2024 challenge: Uncharted or Chat-man.

 

The idea was that with shamanic music one's psyche can go to uncharted territories.

 

Another Inktober 2024 prompt: 

Inktober challenge 2024, a play of words with roam/ Roman Holiday

Here is a mixture of three inks with different dilutions:

Diamine x Niche Pens Alexandrite, Barock Umbra, Noodler's Lexington Gray

 

Ink Characteristics

Pens used: Pilot F3A EF semi-flex, Lamy Safari (EF / F / M / B / Stub 1.1).

What I liked: Earthy colour. Drawing and sketching with it.

What I did not like: Nothing much, but if I want to nitpick, lack of waterproofness and being a bit low on lubrication.

What some might not like: Lack of lubrication, maybe.

Shading: Yes.

Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper.

Bleed through: Yes, on cheap paper.

Flow Rate: Wet.

Lubrication: Below average.

Nib Dry-out: Did not notice.

Start-up: Ok.

Saturation: Medium / dark.

Shading Potential: Yes.

Sheen: No.

Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice.

Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.

Staining (pen): No.

Clogging: Did not notice.

Cleaning: Easy.

Water resistance: Non-existent.

Availability: 30 ml bottles.

 

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

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