The above photo was taken in direct sunlight. Ink is swatched on Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a glass dip pen.
Specs
Name: Isabela
Maker: Vinta
Color Family: Pink
Properties: Shading, Shimmering
Purchased at: Vanness
What’s in a name?
Isabela is part of The Awareness Project, which was created to bring awareness to endangered animals that have cultural significance in the Philippines and for its people. This ink is inspired by the Philippine Freshwater Crocodile, known as the Mindoro Crocodile. This species of crocodile is endemic only to the Philippines with the largest known population being in Isabela, San Mariano. The sepia tone pays tribute to the raw earthiness and beauty of the Philippine crocodile with the pink shading and golden shimmer paying homage to power, femininity, and the divine.
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 an FPR Darjeeling fountain pen with a Flex 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
What a unique ink! I always think of sepia as brown, and Isabela does look brown to me. But she’s got a distinctive blush-pink undertone that comes out really well in the shading. Vinta says she’s a pink, so who am I to argue with that? But she’s essentially, to me, a shading brown-pink duotone shimmer. And let’s talk that shimmer.
I kept forgetting to agitate this pen (I was focused very intently on my penmanship), and yet that shimmer was evident in almost every stroke. It didn’t clog the pen at all, and it’s the perfect complementary shade of gold to match both the brown and pink aspects of this ink. I tell y’all, I am a huge fan of Vinta inks.
*All pics and vid were taken using a Samsung Galaxy S22 and color-adjusted to best reflect the hue of that ink.
This ink looks so stunning! I’m always on the look out for new pink gold ish shimmer inks, thanks for reviewing it.
My pleasure! If you’re in the mood for pink/gold inks, I can also recommend Lakambini by Vinta. I don’t have it, but a friend wrote me a letter in it (and loves it) and it’s pretty amazing!
Thank you! That color looks gorgeous and I’ll have to get a sample