Anderillium Inks’ passion for the oceans and wildlife is manifested in their first offering of handcrafted inks. The Cephalopod Series, consisting of 8 colours, is directly inspired by these marine creatures. Each particular ink colour is representative of its namesake’s behaviour, biology, or habitat. The description that comes with every ink is an added touch that supports the company’s philosophy of environmental awareness.
EndlessPens has sent me four inks to play with and review. They came in wide-mouthed, 6-sided glass bottles with tight-fitting lids, reminiscent of fruit jam jars. The colours themselves were vibrant and saturated. Generally, the inks flowed wetly and were well-lubricated, making the fine nibs of my pens lay down broader lines, and just glide on the paper. There was no feathering nor ghosting on MD Paper with my usual handwriting. Deliberate and heavy splotches though resulted in bleedthrough for all four colours. Dry times ranged from 10 - 15 seconds, with no smearing afterwards. These four inks, as well as others in the series, did not have shimmer.
Bobtail Squid Green
is a cheerful yellow-green suggestive of young leaves. Shading was seen; sheen was absent. Chromatography with water on watercolour paper shows a hint of teal.
Blue-ringed Octopus Blue
is a bright blue that mirrors a clear summer sky. No shading or sheen was seen. Chromatography yielded a pure hue of blue.
Vampire Squid Red
is a vibrant colour leaning towards scarlet. No shading was evident; although pooling of ink yielded a greenish-gold sheen. Chromatography showed no other component colours besides red.
Cuttlefish Brown
is a deep, dark brown of the sepia family. It lightens to a pinkish-brown when diluted with water. No shading was seen, but with a black halo coming out from dried concentrated areas. Chromatography shows some pink mixed in.
For me, these inks would be wonderful for art. Their lively colours are attractive to the eye. The lack of water resistance makes for smooth ink washes and ease in blending of colours. The good lubrication aids in better flow and less feedback.
Collectively, I like these inks. I particularly prefer the Cuttlefish Brown, as its more sombre hue would also be great for everyday use. I’m looking forward to more colours from this company, in addition to some with water resistance. The Cephalopod Series is a new line of inks I’d recommend to any ink explorer.
Use the code LEKZ10 to get a 10% discount!
* Not applicable for HopDrop, Clearance, On Sale items, and select brands.
Written by @lekzumali
Check out her musings on Instagram!
