Ink Flight #4 Reveal

Previous Ink Flights (Ink Flight #1 - Noodler's, Ink Flight #2 - Robert Oster Signature, Ink Flight #3 - KWZ)

J. Herbin Ink Samples Ink Flight #4

One of the oldest names in the ink world, J. Herbin has been making the "jewel of inks" in France since the 1700s. Their standard lineup is formulated with natural dyes and is pH neutral. 

The infamous 1670 anniversary collection is super-saturated with a bit of shimmer that took the pen world by storm, starting with the ink called Rouge Hematite.

Here is a rundown of all the colors in May's Ink Flight #4:

Eclat de Saphir

You'll feel regal writing with this deep, royal blue ink as it flows effortlessly on paper.

Bleu Pervenche

This sky blue color is reminiscent of a bright, new day, full of possibilities, brimming with optimism and clarity.

Poussiere de Lune

Besides having a cool name (translates to "moon dust"), this dusty dark purple has a smoky quality.

Rouge Caroubier

A vibrant coral red, this ink has a striking vibrancy without the intense saturation.

1670 Stormy Grey*

Draw this saturated ink out with a broad, stub or italic nib to get the best shimmer effect. I will have to include that I apologize to anyone who had received a 1670 sample with a lackluster amount of shimmer. It proved quite difficult for our team to sample a shimmer ink and have all the samples contain an equal amount of sparkle.

Brown Cacao Scented

This cacao scent is subtle on this warm, brown ink. It is most noticeable when you first write with it. The color is nice even without the scent. 

BONUS COLOR - 1670 Emerald of Chivor*

This was a difficult pick for the seventh bonus color because I knew that many people, especially those that follow InkJournal, have most likely tried Emerald of Chivor since it has been one of the most popular inks in recent memory. That being said, since we are visiting each country and sampling its finest inks, I felt that excluding EoC would do a disservice to the awesomeness of this ink.

currently inked - may ink flight 4 j herbin

Here are my personal favorites from this flight:

1670 Stormy Grey, 1670 Emerald of Chivor, Poussiere de Lune, Bleu Pervenche

And the not-so-favorites:

Brown Cacao Scented (the ink is nice, the smell didn't do it for me)

ink flight 4 box reveal col-o-ring books paintbrush and ink samples

As for the surprise item that was included in each of the Ink Flight Boxes, we collaborated with fellow pen enthusiast and blogger Ana Reinert from the Well Appointed Desk to bring you her wonderful Col-O-Ring ink testing books.

When we first saw Ana announce these books, an e-mail was quickly sent to her about using them in our future Ink Flight. We knew that ink enthusiasts like yourselves would greatly appreciate the ability to swab your inks and organize them on these neat cards. 

To see Ana demonstrate how you would test your ink on this book, check out the YouTube video below:

Notice the brush she uses? Look familiar? That's because we also worked with the Princeton Brush Company to bring you the Neptune watercolor brush that she uses in this video. The high-grade, synthetic hair brush is meant to hold the ink color on the brush in full saturation, allowing a nice and even flow of ink on the page.

So, now that we've shared yet another fun way to play with your inks this month, we'd love to get your feedback on the J. Herbin colors and the Col-O-Ring books. Have you run out of cards yet? Well on your way? Which inks are your favorite? Which could you pass on?

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY (USA shipping addresses only)

Comment below with your thoughts on the J. Herbin Ink Flight and you will be entered for a chance to win a Col-O-Ring ink testing book. We will pick one random commenter to win the prize on Tuesday, May 23rd at 9:00pm. My sincere apologies to our international friends, we will only ship this giveaway to USA addresses.