A little sheen, a pinch of shimmer, and a whole lot of shade
I’m playing the field this week. Quick rephrase: I’m leaning on all three common ink properties this week: sheen, shimmer and shading. That’s better.
If this week has a theme, that theme is “a little bit of everything.” A dark grey ink in a nib that can write F and EF. Straightforward, subtle shading. The same can be said for my dark blue option, Aonibi. Add purple (Sakuranezumi) and orange (Koiame) inks with strong shading. Shading is a go.
Schwartz Rose gives me fun rose-colored shimmer. Valentine’s Day letters are whimsical writing tasks that warrant shimmery ba-boom.
And Sabimidori throws off generous angry red sheen in the TWSBI feed Mr. Bacas ground to a Hybrid Predator for me. The better to scan my lecture notes with.
This week, my currently inked is all about varying the ink properties in my penvelope. Playing the field, indeed.
Grey/Black
Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black (F). Jacques Herbin 1670 Gris Orage. I started the week with an urge to carry this Pro Gear. The Imperial Black has sat, uninked, in my pen case for six months. The Imperial Black’s inky partner for the week is Gris Orage. A wet pairing that produces glassy-smooth writing — both regular and in EF reverse writing. I opted to fill the Imperial without shimmer to avoid potential clogs in my daily driver late in the week — after Orage has lived in the Pro Gear for multiple days. Task management (F & EF), planner calendar (EF), meeting notes (F), reading notes (F), and curriculum revision (F).
Blue/Teal
Wing Sung 601 Battleship Grey (F). Kyo-no-oto Aonibi. A smart looking pocket carry. The 601’s snap cap makes for quick and easy one-handed uncapping for when pocket notes are needed. This is especially useful when I’m waylaid by students in the hallway and need to make note of a new paper to grade or email to send. Aonibi is a mid-toned grey-blue ink with subtle gradient shading in this nib. Creative writing, meeting notes, pocket notes, reading notes, and lesson plans.
TWSBI 580-AL Turquoise (EF/M Predator Hybrid, by Nib Grinder). Taccia Ukiyo-e Sabimidori. Multiple personalities from a pen I welcome back into rotation after five months. Regular writing lays down wet, toothy and consistent lines. Excellent for hard-coated papers that can handle the combination of a sharp, narrow grind and a wet ink flow. Precise lines that suit reading notes, editing notes, and lesson plans. The best ink flow during reverse writing of any ink I’ve yet used in this TWSBI nib. The reverse’s M lines write dark teal with mouthy red sheen. Journaling, virtual meeting notes, and lecture notes.
Earth Tones
Able Snail Classic in Powder Blue (B). Robert Oster Schwarz Rose. Schwarz Rose offers up prominent shading — grey-green to green-black — and fun rose colored shimmer. Rose favors green-black in the Able Snail’s generous nib. The dark ink color opens this pairing up for use in more professional settings like parent meetings, curriculum and policy meetings, and disciplinary meetings. The wide section ensures writing stays comfortable over long writing sessions. Journaling, creative writing, meeting notes, and lesson plans.
Mythic Aeschylus in Black & Red (M Long Knife, by Kaigelu). Taccia Ukiyo-e Sharaku-Koiame. The Mythic Aeschylus is one of my favorite pen designs. A subtly flared section and a rounded step up to the pen’s body that comfortably fits my thumb while I write. The sharp Long Knife grind works best during slow, deliberate writing: analytic journaling, reading notes, and lesson plan outlines. Koiame’s pop of orange also serves well as accent notetaking while grading papers and as highlights for tasks after meetings — especially when writing EF lines in reverse.
Wild Cards
Kaweco Frosted Sport Light Blueberry (B). Kyo-no-oto Sakuranezumi. Sakuranezumi’s dryness is a feature in this particular writing combo. Intermittent gradient shading and rapid drying times suit fast-writing tasks like scratch notes, curriculum prep, and pocket notes. Fun shading without lines smearing. The round B nib also accommodates reflective writing during which my focus wanders away from my writing angle: creative writing, D&D notes, and journaling.
