Hello, welcome back to 25 Days of Dupes 2023. Below you’ll find the inks for days 12-18. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.
Some reminders:
- I’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks — sheen, shimmer, scent — only the base color.
- You can click the images to view them larger.
- I swatched each ink with a small (#2) paintbrush and wrote with a Zebra G dip nib.
- Behind-the-scenes: I included more than just my final swatches for each ink. Preliminary swatches are on Iroful A5 dot grid paper. I’ve found that inks can look VERY different on this paper. I swatched the top matches on Franklin-Christoph sugar cane paper (from a leftover Firma-Flex notebook) and Kokuyo 5mm grid Sarasara loose-leaf paper.
- While I try to edit the images so they look as close to real life as possible, I can’t guarantee that the color you see on your screen will be true to life. However, with all the dupes on the same page, you’ll see how the colors look in relation to each other, which is the main point of these posts.
- I can’t fairly call any ink a perfect color match, as I’m not comparing them scientifically, I’m just using my eyes. Therefore, I won’t be going any further than calling an ink a “near-perfect color match.”
- You can view all of the shorts I’ve created for shimmer inks on my Diamine Inkvent 2023 YouTube playlist.
Enjoy, and happy inking!
Jump to an ink: Bah Humbug | ⇣ Weeping Willow | ⇣ Rainbows End | ⇣ Walnut | ⇣ Merry & Bright | ⇣ Lavender Frost | ⇣ Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Day 12: Bah Humbug
Bah Humbug is a burgundy chameleon ink that wants to sheen bronze, but doesn’t quite manage it. The shimmer shifts from magenta to bronze to greenish-gold. The multichrome shift is prominent in the swatches, and somewhat visible in the writing samples.
The best color match is Wearingeul Metamorphosis, with Diamine Writer’s Blood coming in a close second. Private Reserve Black Cherry is also a close match on Iroful and Franklin-Christoph paper.
Top Matches
The top matches I compared to Bah Humbug are (swatched left-to-right): Diamine Writer’s Blood, Ferris Wheel Press The Velvet Ballet, Private Reserve Black Cherry, Wearingeul Metamorphosis, and Robert Oster Australian Syrah.
On Kokuyo Sarasara paper, Writer’s Blood is a hint too pink. The Velvet Ballet is a bit too muted and too pale. Black Cherry is a bit too purple. Metamorphosis is a near-perfect color match. Australian Syrah is too pale and a hint too purple.
Initial Swatches
I tested several additional inks against Bah Humbug. The test inks are (swatched left-to-right): Diamine Writer’s Blood, Private Reserve Black Cherry, Ferris Wheel Press The Velvet Ballet, Vanness Fountain Pen Day Ink 2020, Wearingeul Metamorphosis, KWZ Maroon, Robert Oster Australian Syrah, and Taccia Ebi (bottom).
Jump to an ink: ⇡ Bah Humbug | Weeping Willow | ⇣ Rainbows End | ⇣ Walnut | ⇣ Merry & Bright | ⇣ Lavender Frost | ⇣ Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Day 13: Weeping Willow
Weeping Willow is a greenish-brown “standard” ink, but it’s actually a multishader. When enough ink pools, you can see pink, and even some straight green.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find a match close enough to consider a dupe. I wasn’t even able to find an ink close enough to call similar.
Top Matches
The top matches I compared to Weeping Willow are (swatched left-to-right): Wearingeul Zemyna, Colorverse Chesapeake Bay, Troublemaker Kelp Tea.
On Kokuyo Sarasara paper, Zemyna is too gray. Chesapeake Bay is too pale. Kelp Tea is too green.
Initial Swatches
I tested MANY additional inks against Weeping Willow. The test inks are: 1) Ferris Wheel Press Brilliant Beanstalk, 2) Pelikan Edelstein Smoky Quartz, 3) Troublemaker Kelp Tea, 4) Wearingeul Zemyna, 5) Robert Oster Bronze, 6) Robert Oster Earth, 7) Colorverse Chesapeake Bay, 8) Montblanc Swan Illusion, 9) Birmingham Pen Co Antique Sepia, 10) Robert Oster Muddy Grass, and 11) Sailor Ink Studio 970.
Jump to an ink: ⇡ Bah Humbug | ⇡ Weeping Willow | Rainbows End | ⇣ Walnut | ⇣ Merry & Bright | ⇣ Lavender Frost | ⇣ Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Day 14: Rainbows End
Rainbows End is a blurple chameleon ink. The shimmer shifts from fuchsia to rose gold. The duochrome shift is prominent in the swatches, but is almost nonexistent in the writing samples. There is also a hint of gold sheen.
This is another ink where there were different best matches depending on the paper:
- Iroful: J. Herbin Violette Pensée
- Kokuyo: Jacques Herbin Violet Impérial
- Franklin-Christoph: Jacques Herbin Violet Impérial
Top Matches
The top matches I compared to Rainbows End are (swatched left-to-right): Kobe 56 Rokko Shichidanka, Birmingham Pen Co Wisteria, J. Herbin Violette Pensée, Diamine Lilac Satin, and Jacques Herbin Violet Imperial.
On Kokuyo Sarasara paper, 56 is a tiniest hint too blue. Wisteria is too pale. Violette Pensée is a hint too pink. Lilac Satin is a hint too blue. Violet Imperial is a near-perfect color match and even has shimmer, although it’s silver rather than fuchsia to gold duochrome.
Initial Swatches
I tested one additional ink against Rainbows End. The test inks are (swatched left-to-right): Kobe 56 Rokko Shichidanka, Vinta Salimbay (Plume), Birmingham Pen Co Wisteria, J. Herbin Violette Pensée, Diamine Lilac Satin, and Jacques Herbin Violet Imperial.
Jump to an ink: ⇡ Bah Humbug | ⇡ Weeping Willow | ⇡ Rainbows End | Walnut | ⇣ Merry & Bright | ⇣ Lavender Frost | ⇣ Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Day 15: Walnut
Walnut is a blackened brown standard ink.
Diamine Espresso the best match I found. On Kokuyo paper, Robert Oster Motor Oil is a decent second, but it’s VERY different on Iroful paper.
Top Matches
The top matches I compared to Walnut are (swatched left-to-right): Robert Oster Motor Oil, Diamine Espresso, and Pelikan Smoky Quartz.
On Kokuyo Sarasara paper, Motor Oil is slightly too green. Espresso is a near-perfect color match, but doesn’t shade as dark. Smokey Quartz is too warm.
Initial Swatches
I tested several additional inks against Walnut. The test inks are (swatched left-to-right): Robert Oster Motor Oil, Diamine Espresso, Octopus Fluids Sepia Schwarz, Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Guri, Platinum Sepia Black, Pelikan Edelstein Smoky Quartz.
Jump to an ink: ⇡ Bah Humbug | ⇡ Weeping Willow | ⇡ Rainbows End | ⇡ Walnut | Merry & Bright | ⇣ Lavender Frost | ⇣ Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Day 16: Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright is a grass green shimmer ink. The shimmer looks like a mix of silver and gold.
This is another ink where each paper I swatched the possible dupes on has a different best match:
- Iroful: Octopus Fluids Write & Draw Green Eagle
- Kokuyo: Tie – J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage and Octopus Fluids Write & Draw Green Eagle
- Franklin-Christoph: Robert Oster Green Lady
Top Matches
The top matches I compared to Merry & Bright are (swatched left-to-right): J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage, Ferris Wheel Press Down the Don Valley, Octopus Fluids Write & Draw Green Eagle, Van Dieman’s Elegant Peacock Train, and Robert Oster Green Lady.
On Kokuyo Sarasara paper, Lierre Sauvage is a near-perfect color match. Down the Don Valley is too pale. Green Eagle is also a near-perfect color match, although it doesn’t shade as dark. Elegant Peacock Train is too yellow. Green Lady is a hint too yellow.
Initial Swatches
I tested one additional ink against Merry & Bright. The test inks are (swatched left-to-right): Diamine Elf, J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage, Ferris Wheel Press Down the Don Valley, Robert Oster Green Lady, Octopus Fluids Write & Draw Green Eagle, and Van Dieman’s Elegant Peacock Train.
Jump to an ink: ⇡ Bah Humbug | ⇡ Weeping Willow | ⇡ Rainbows End | ⇡ Walnut | ⇡ Merry & Bright | Lavender Frost | ⇣ Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Day 17: Lavender Frost
Lavender Frost is — depending on how you look at it — a desaturated purple or purpleish gray shimmer ink. The shimmer is either a very pale lavender, or a mix of lavender and silver.
Colorverse Iris Nebula is the closest color match I found, although Diamine Ghost is pretty close, too.
Top Matches
The top matches I compared to Lavender Frost are (swatched left-to-right): Colorverse Iris Nebula, J. Herbin Gris Nuage, Dominant Industry Les Nymphéas: Matin, and Diamine Ghost..
On Kokuyo Sarasara paper, Iris Nebula is a near-perfect color match, although the shimmer is gold and blue, rather than silver and purple. Gris Nuage is too pale and not saturated enough. Matin is too pale and is a multishader. Ghost is slightly too gray, and is also a multishader.
Initial Swatches
I tested two additional inks against Lavender Frost. The test inks are (swatched left-to-right): Colorverse Iris Nebula, Van Dieman’s Dusk, Pilot Irushizuku Fuyu-Syogun, J. Herbin Gris Nuage, Dominant Industry Les Nymphéas: Matin, and Diamine Ghost.
Jump to an ink: ⇡ Bah Humbug | ⇡ Weeping Willow | ⇡ Rainbows End | ⇡ Walnut | ⇡ Merry & Bright | ⇡ Lavender Frost | Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Day 18: Blizzard
Blizzard is a desaturated turquoise shimmer ink. The shimmer is pale blue.
The best color match is J. Herbin Vert de Gris, closely followed by Kyo No Oto Hisoku.
Top Matches
The top matches I compared to Blizzard are (swatched left-to-right): Colorverse Tar Heel, J. Herbin Vert de Gris, Vinta Lakbay (Sea and Sky), and Kyo No Oto Hisoku.
On Kokuyo Sarasara paper, Tar Heel is too pale. Vert de Gris is a near-perfect color match. Lakbay is too bright. Hisoku is a close color match, but it doesn’t shade as dark.
Initial Swatches
I tested two additional inks against Blizzard. The test inks are (swatched left-to-right): Colorverse Tar Heel, J. Herbin Vert de Gris, Robert Oster Muddy Swamp, Vinta Lakbay, and Kyo No Oto Hisoku, and Van Dieman’s Snow Leopard Frost.
Jump to an ink: ⇡ Bah Humbug | ⇡ Weeping Willow | ⇡ Rainbows End | ⇡ Walnut | ⇡ Merry & Bright | ⇡ Lavender Frost | ⇡ Blizzard | ⤒ Back to Top
Thanks for reading to the end, I hope you enjoyed my post. What was your favorite color from this week? Are there any you’ll want to get later, or do you already have some of the dupe inks? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
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Thank you so much for doing this comparison of inks. I’ve never bought Diamines’s Advent inks as they usually seem similar to something I already have (usually minus the shimmer and I’m not a big shimmer fan). This has been very interesting! Keep up the good work. My favorite ink this week is Blizzard – nice.
I’m happy you’re enjoying it. Blizzard is a really nice color. No surprise I like it since I greatly enjoy both Vert de Gris and Hisoku.