Ink Flight #95 Reveal, December 2024

Based in Seattle, Push/Pull is much more than an ink maker. Directed by Maxx Follis-Goodkind, Push/Pull is an art gallery, supply store, learning center, and studio space. It's like punk rock of visual art, focused on the underground, unconventional, and under-represented. This month's ink samples are handmade at their store.

One of the most fun and exciting aspects of the Ink Flight box is when we get an opportunity to test out novel fountain pen inks not many have tried yet. Push/Pull is relatively unknown in the fountain pen community. So, this box will be completely new to most people, even the seasoned pen aficionados.

To find out more about Push/Pull's store and their mission, check out the "About Us" page on their website.

December 2024 Ink Flight Box #95 Color Selection

Push / Pull Slime
Try not to be grossed out by this bright, neon yellow-green ink!

Push / Pull Ochre
A light, brownish-leaning yellow ink, this color has a gentle appearance on paper.

Push / Pull Sword Fern
This ink has a lush, green appearance with undertones of yellow and cyan to enhance the depth of shading.

Push / Pull Vampire
A deep, sinister red, this color has a dark appeal and rich hue.

Push / Pull Purple People Eater
This shading ink will brighten your day with its radiant and cheery pinkish-violet hue.

Push / Pull Raven
This good ol' standby black ink is water-resistant with undertones of purple and brown.

Push / Pull Witching Hour
You might fall under the spell of this Prussian Blue dusted with gold mica powder shimmer.

Tasting Notes:
As most of us are trying these inks for the first time, I was keen to hear feedback as our subscribers received this month's box. One of the first reactions we received was "What's the deal with slime? Is that.. slime?" We saw it, too. And, being that the color is called "Slime" we figured it was an intentional characteristic of the ink and wouldn't be harmful to use in your pen. So, I asked Maxx to confirm. She confirmed it wasn't growth but a reaction of the ingredients. She said, "Recommendation is to shake before use and to use a medium tip because the color is so light. It's meant to be a highlight color."

While Slime might be a good color to use as a highlighter, Ochre and Sword Fern are also undersaturated and a bit hard to see on white paper. Sword Fern does have some intriguing shading, with some undertones visible. The color is a bit on the dry side, so I would recommend using a broader nib with it.

Although it's not as deep black as you might expect, "Raven" is a water-resistant black ink that has a combination of brown, purple and grayish tones. Both Vampire and Witching Hour feathered a bit for me when dip testing and writing with the included Sheaffer Calligraphy Pen (more on that below), even on Tomoe River Paper and Regalia paper.

Overall, my favorite of the Flight is Purple People Eater. It has a light, pinkish-purple hue with strong shading and light blue undertones.

December 2024 Box Extras: Sheaffer Calligraphy Black Fountain Pen 

Practice your Chancery handwriting skills using the ample 1.5mm stub nib on the Sheaffer Calligraphy fountain pen included with December's Ink Flight.

This fountain pen writes with a stainless steel nib and a soft-touch, ergonomic grip section. The cutout in the middle of the barrel allows the writer a view of the ink inside their pen. Each Sheaffer pen features a "White Dot" signifying the brand's commitment to producing quality writing instruments.

In addition to the fountain pen, two ink cartridges (blue and black) accompany the pen in the box. You'll also find a quick start guide pamphlet with an instructional handwriting exemplar in calligraphic style. To use the inks in this month's Flight, you can use the Sheaffer converter we included to draw up ink from the vials.

Since this nib has such a thick line, the Sheaffer Calligraphy pen makes a good candidate to swatch and write with shimmery inks, or to use as a highlighter with this month's bright, lightly saturated inks.

To help inspire you on your journey to becoming the next master of penmanship, adhere the Calligrapher Tuxedo Cat transparent sticker from Thousand Skies anywhere you practice your handwriting. This sticker is waterproof, dishwasher safe, and has an anti-UV coating, which means you can put it almost anywhere and it won't fade or fall off.

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If you're interested in joining our next Ink Flight box, go here to see if we have available spots open for next month's shipment. If we don't, please email us so we can add you to our wait list.

Also, it might be possible we have previous Ink Flight boxes available to purchase without committing to a subscription. 

If you'd like to check out the contents of previous Ink Flight boxes, check out the archive here.