Ink Flight #76 Reveal, May 2023
Last year, Ink Flight (#67) visited Sailor in Japan to sample the first Yurameku ink series of multi-chromatic fountain pen inks. These colors were so interesting, complex, and fun that we came back for more. The second edition of Yurameku inks includes five mysterious colors that dramatically change their appearance as they dry. To complete the seven samples, we also included two colors from the Shikiori "Sounds of Rain" collection.
May 2023 Ink Flight Box #76 "Currently Inked" Color Selection
Sailor Yurameku Kokoro Guma
In the vial, this ink looks blue. Once you put it to paper, it transforms into a sheening brownish-violet.
Sailor Yurameku Zare Gokoro
This dusky blue-black ink has a rich, coppery sheen.
Sailor Shikiori Zaza
From the "Sounds of Rain" series, Zaza is the sound of hard rain, represented in a medium blue with shading.
Sailor Yurameku Date Gokoro
At the heart of this ink is a deep violet with red sheen.
Sailor Yurameku Suki Gokoro
This muddy green ink has tones of olive with reddish brown sheen.
Sailor Yurameku Hana Gokoro
This grey-ish slate purple contains deep reflections of burgundy sheen.
Sailor Shikiori Shito-Shito
The sound of rain softly falling, Shito-Shito exhibits a watery, light aqua blue that shades beautifully.
Tasting Notes:
As an ink brand, Sailor earns my undying respect for introducing new, original colors that always seem to be a little ahead of their time. The second Yurameku collection is an impressive departure from last year's Yurameku. While the first collection featured multi-chromatic shaders, the second collection were all shifty sheening inks.
Even while sampling these inks, we could tell they were different. The ink seemed to cling more to the inside of the vials. They wrote a little on the drier side. Unlike other sheening inks, these colors don't appear to smear, even on less absorbent paper like Tomoe River.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this Yurameku collection is the color-changing from wet to dry. It's wild to see a rich blue ink turn brown before your eyes.
The two Shikiori Sound of Rain inks were a nice "palette cleanser" to brighten up Yurameku's dark, muddy colors. Shito-shito reminds me a bit of the InkJournal x Robert Oster Marathon Blue with its shading, aqua tones. Zaza is a pleasant, shading medium blue color.
Box Extras: Online Campus Fountain Pen (Assorted colors)
When most people think of a German fountain pen, they think of pens made by established brands like Lamy, Pelikan, Kaweco, and Mont Blanc. While "Online Pens" doesn't have the same recognition, they still make a nice affordable fountain pen. Included in this month's box is the smart and stylish Campus Filler fountain pen from Online.
Pull off the snap cap to reveal an ergonomic, rubberized grip section and medium point, stainless steel nib. View the remaining ink in your pen using the transparent ink window between the grip and barrel.
The Campus includes one long blue ink cartridge that has an arrow pointing to the end that needs to be inserted into the pen. This pen is also compatible with international ink cartridges or converters (not included in this box). The fit might be a little tight, but it will securely attach.
Continuing in our series of literary-inspired Inktopus stickers, our friend Eric (@e_bear_ink on Instagram) illustrated an Octo-Vonnegut hard at work writing novels like "Slaughterhouse V," "Cat's Cradle," and "Breakfast of Champions."
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What are your thoughts on May's Ink Flight? Please feel to share them on social media by tagging me @inkjournal or send me a quick e-mail to provide your feedback.
See the contents of all our previous Ink Flight Boxes here. We hope to see you next month to continue our journey into the world of fountain pen inks.