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Tag: Ink Dupes

Ink Battle: Colorverse and Diamine

Posted in Fountain Pens

No matter how much I try to sample or test an ink before buying it, sometimes that isn’t possible. Because of this, I have some inks that are incredibly similar in color. That’s where “ink battles” come in.

You can assume I have no problems with any ink that appears in an ink battle. I may decide, when using the inks side-by-side, that one performs better, but the point of the battle is to choose a favorite color. I use a pair of similar inks in pens with the same nib, then test them out to see which I like better.

Or, I may find out that, when used with the same nib, they’re sufficiently different to keep them both. Depending on how these “battles” turn out, I may tag some of the posts as ink dupes as well. You can find all of the ink battles posts on the tag page.

Ink Battle: Diamine and Monarca

Posted in Fountain Pens

As I mentioned in my first ink battle post I do my best to purchase inks I’ve already tested, but that isn’t always possible. And so, more often than I would like, I end up with a couple — or more — inks that are very similar.

Based on the comments that I received on my last post, I need to clarify a couple of things. An ink battle — unlike ink dupes — is between two inks I like. I enjoy using them enough to have them both in my ink collection. If one of the inks performed poorly or caused problems, I wouldn’t keep it. And, if that were the case, an ink battle would be unnecessary.

Bottom line: you can assume I have no problems with any ink that appears in an ink battle. I may decide, when using the inks side-by-side, that one performs better, but the point of the battle is to choose a favorite color. I use a pair of similar inks in pens with the same nib, then test them out to see which I like better.

25 Days of Dupes 2022 Wrap-Up

Posted in Fountain Pens

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series. If you were unable to purchase the Inkvent Calendar, then this likely helped settle your mind about experiencing the colors. I’m sure that these 2022 colors will eventually be released individually, so hopefully this series helped you decide which ones — if any — to get.

Comparing the Inkvent Calendars

I found this year’s Inkvent calendar disappointing. There were only two inks I couldn’t match perfectly, and I’m certain it comes down to not having the right ink, as opposed to those colors being super unique. This year’s calendar was released later than last year’s, and I didn’t have the time to place additional orders trying to find perfect ink matches.

25 Days of Dupes 2022 – Week 4

Posted in Fountain Pens

Hello, welcome to the fourth post of 25 Days of Dupes 2022. Below you’ll find the inks for days 19-25. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

Some reminders:

  • The first image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and what I feel is the best match, swatched on Tomoe River paper.
  • The second image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and the different inks I tried matching it to, swatched on Iroful paper.
  • I swatched ink with a small paintbrush, and wrote with a Zebra G dip nib in the first image.
  • 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’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks (sheen, shimmer, scent).

Enjoy, and happy inking!

25 Days of Dupes 2022 – Week 3

Posted in Fountain Pens

Hello, welcome to the third post of 25 Days of Dupes 2022. Below you’ll find the inks for days 12-18. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

Some reminders:

  • The first image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and what I feel is the best match, swatched on Tomoe River paper.
  • The second image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and the different inks I tried matching it to, swatched on Iroful paper.
  • I swatched ink with a small paintbrush, and wrote with a Zebra G dip nib in the first image.
  • 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’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks (sheen, shimmer, scent).

Enjoy, and happy inking!

25 Days of Dupes 2022 – Week 2

Posted in Fountain Pens

Hello, welcome to the second post of 25 Days of Dupes 2022. Below you’ll find the inks for days 5-11. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

Some reminders:

  • The first image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and what I feel is the best match, swatched on Tomoe River paper.
  • The second image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and the different inks I tried matching it to, swatched on Iroful paper.
  • I swatched ink with a small paintbrush, and wrote with a Zebra G dip nib in the first image.
  • 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’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks (sheen, shimmer, scent).

Enjoy, and happy inking!

25 Days of Dupes 2022 – Week 1

Posted in Fountain Pens

Hello, welcome to the first post of 25 Days of Dupes 2022. Below you’ll find the inks for days 1-4. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

Some reminders:

  • The first image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and what I feel is the best match, swatched on Tomoe River paper.
  • The second image for each ink shows the inkvent ink and the different inks I tried matching it to, swatched on Iroful paper.
  • I swatched ink with a small paintbrush, and wrote with a Zebra G dip nib in the first image.
  • 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’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks (sheen, shimmer, scent).

Enjoy, and happy inking!

2021 25 Days of Dupes Wrap-Up

Posted in Fountain Pens

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series. If you were unable to purchase the Inkvent Calendar, then I hope this settled your mind about experiencing the colors. I can only assume that the 2021 colors will eventually be released individually, so hopefully this series helped you decide which ones to get.

Comparing the Two Inkvent Calendars

I definitely preferred this year’s calendar to 2019’s. There were actually some unique inks, including some I had to make custom mixes for, rather than a bunch that were practically rebottled versions of standard colors. However, I still feel like Diamine could do better. It shouldn’t be possible to dupe a color in the Inkvent Calendar with a Diamine Ink. That means the colors aren’t “new ink colors that can’t be found anywhere else in Diamine’s existing ranges.” But, I have to at least give Diamine credit for the improvements, especially the additional of multishaders.

25 Days of Dupes 2021 – Day 24

Posted in Fountain Pens

First of all, Merry Christmas! I hope you have a great day and that you get to spend quality time with your loved ones.

Day 24’s ink is Yuletide, a standard ink. Of the inks I swabbed, Colorverse Gravity Wave is the best color dupe. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

Enjoy, and happy inking!