The above photo was taken in direct sunlight. Ink is swatched on Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a glass dip pen.
Specs
Name: Blue Water Ice
Maker: Robert Oster
Color Family: Blue
Properties: Sheening, Shading
Purchased at: Goulet Pens
What’s in a name?
A close cousin to Fire and Ice, Blue Water Ice has a similar low pink/red sheen but the base ink is more blue/turquoise than teal (and no shimmer). I think Fire and Ice came out first, named for the blue and red of it, so I expect Blue Water Ice was meant to convey “similar concept, but more blue”. Why they omitted the ‘fire’ part, I don’t know (Blue Fire, anyone?).
Swatches
A large swatch of ink showcases the darkest this ink gets, as well as the maximum properties it has (when held at the right angle to show any shimmer or sheen). But what about when you’re writing a letter or notes with it?
The above was written on Cosmo Air Light 75gsm paper, using a Diplomat Magnum fountain pen with a Medium nib.
Of course, for maximum effect you want to see it in light and in motion. The following video shows the ink swatched on Skylab Letterpress 160gsm cards.
Thoughts
This is a pretty well-behaved ink for me, with a slightly wet flow, low sheen, and moderate shading. The hue is just this side of mid-tone, so it may come across as too bright in smaller nibs (but should still be legible). I wish it had more sheen, as you kind of have to know to look for it in order to see it, but it’s always nice to have a sheening option that isn’t a takes-forever-to-dry monster sheener.
It had a consistent flow in my Magnum and took slightly longer than usual to dry, but only slightly. Overall, I’d even say it’s safe for work, with how subtle the properties are and how reliable of an ink it is.
*All pics and vid were taken using a Samsung Galaxy S22 and color-adjusted to best reflect the hue of that ink.
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