The above photo was taken in direct sunlight. Ink is swatched on Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a glass dip pen.
Specs
Name: Snowflake
Maker: Birmingham Pens
Color Family: Blue
Properties: Shading (low)
Purchased at: Birmingham Pens
What’s in a name?
Birmingham Pen Company proudly makes their inks in Pittsburgh, PA and names them after items found in their city and state. I’m not sure why this particular hue is Snowflake- snow is generally white, not teal- but presumably it was named either after the winter phenomenon or something called Snowflake in Pittsburgh.
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 Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a Narwhal Schuylkill fountain pen with a Medium nib (which writes more like a Broad).
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
Snowflake is a well-behaved ink that is somehow always brighter than I expect it to be. It definitely shades, though the contrast between the darker shading strokes and the regular shading strokes is relatively low.
As a writing ink, it works in any size nib, being saturated enough not to get translucent in an EF. It’s a bit on the light side for use in the professional realm, but is well suited to doodles and letters between friends. I can’t say much beyond that, as it doesn’t do anything particularly notable.
*All pics and vid were taken using a Google Pixel 4a and color-adjusted to best reflect the hue of that ink.
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