Great video, Chris. I also use the Col-o-ring for swatches. I created an Excel spreadsheet so I can list my inks by name, color, bottles, and samples. I like the little owl statue in the background. Happy Veterans' Day and thank you for your service. 🙂
Hi Kurt -- lol my husband picked up the owl at the Asian Market store where he buys his Ramen and it had some sort of sweets in it but it's a coin bank ... I really enjoy it as it's such happy colors. :) They also had a monkey.
Happy Veterans Day to all vets out there! I have my inks logged into a Travelers notebook with a watercolor paper insert. I was also keeping my empty ink bottles because some of them were so nice but I ran out of room.
A fantastic video, thank you Chris. You have your inks catalogued in a number of ways that obviously work for you. We benefit from your knowledge and information when you make your currently inked pens and other segments.
1. For writing purposes, I prefer Hot Press watercolor paper over Cold Press. So smooth. Somewhat harder to find. 2. Have you ever considered loose-leaf binders? So you could keep the color sequence perfect?
Hi Ichiro -- I have yet to try hot press watercolor paper but I think Nick Stewart prefers it as well (he's an artist). I looked into it at one point and I just didn't like the price it was so high. Some of the newer cold press watercolor paper is bumpy but I find the one I use for my tiles smooth ... however, my Linden watercolor books are bumpy but I don't seem to mind for that ... I use a paint brush and a glass nib dip pen for that. LOL I guess I just have not the interest at this point in going to a loose leaf binder but it is a good idea .... my Col-O-Ring for full bottles I keep that carefully color sequenced which helps. :)
Thanks for all you have done and continue to do. It is funny that just today I started taking my swatch cards out of a 3 ring binder and grouping them by color. My plan is to record the pens I ink up on the back.
From one Vet to another, thank you for your service! 🇺🇸. I still like your watercolor card idea as it’s like a paint sample from the paint store, something you can hold and place next to a paper or another media to see how it looks. HJ’s Ink Library book works too for me as I primarily use my inks to write with. Still, thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks for all the info on logging inks. I've just been swatching about 20 inks on letter size Tamoe River paper and keeping an inked pens notebook (the Goulet TR notebook). I DO tend to write my list of inked pens in all my different journals and notebooks just to see the ink on different paper. The ink always shows different properties on different paper.
Hi Annie -- Manuel got the little owl ... it had candy or something in it (he found it at the Asian Market where he gets his Ramen) and it is a coin bank so I really like it!
I started the ink library because you told us about it. I’ve kind of let it go so now you’ve inspired me to get back to it. I have those dippers too, and I didn’t care for them, but I had a good use for them with my grandchildren. They like the dipping!!!
Hi Chris, belated happy veterans day! I loved this video! It reminded me to catch up on my FP inventory as well as my inks inventory. I’ve been quite negligent, something “urgent” always seems to take precedence, oh well, being busy is good at this moment, but catching up & being up to date would be satisfying. In the beginning,i bought the same FP twice! (At least it was a not so expensive chinese pen!🙄)That’s when i decided i needed to keep control. My pen fast was broken by a new benu that I’m awaiting excitedly! (It’s my Christmas present, but i know it’s coming😉☺. I went to recheck your other vid from last year and remembered i had bought a moleskin to start, i did not like the representation of the ink on that paper, so being a handmade book maker, i made a book with rhodia paper since claire fontaine and rhodia are my 2 most used paper. Not thinking tomeo river would be appropriate for the wet swatches. I’ve just begun but i like it better! I hope you are doing well and everyone(cats as well) are healthy and happy!🙂
Hi Ann-Ingrid -- we are doing pretty well here -- it has been quite busy but we got a lot of things accomplished and it looks like with the exception of one appointment the week of Thanksgiving we'll be able to settle down a bit and enjoy the season. I'm still back in my restarted pen fast but I am debating about getting a Rickshaw Fillmore Pen Case as happy birthday to myself with the ad $. There is so much uncertainty about 2025 I think it will be a no buy year. I certainly don't "need" anything but it feels like a "last purchase" type thing with this ad check coming soon. :) Hopefully I'm wrong.
Years ago when I first started I did that. But for the past 6 years at least I've used the booklet sized 68 Tomoe River paper booklets from Goulet or Lochby for them. :)
Hey kiddo thanks for this video. I’m going to steal you idea of swatching the inkvent inks on the cards. I have the same packet of cards and this is my first time participating in inkvent. I dont have a ton of inks bottled or samples and I use a Mnemosyne A5 size note book for swatching all inks and sample of ink. I also have a lil personal ink notebook I keep in a notebook size leather cover that I’ve setup like a travlers notebook style to used for my notes on pens and inks and to journal about all things pens and inks. I have 5 field note size notebooks in the cover and I am truly enjoying it. Thanks again for shating your knowledge of all things fountain pens and inks. And thank you for your service love. Happy Veterans Day!
Hi ... oh that's gives me an idea ... I could have several different types of paper (in pocket size inserts) in one of my thicker TN's to try ink out on. That would be really interesting. :)
Happy Veterans Day, thank you for your service ❤ 🇺🇸
Oh nice!
You have great ideas!
Happy Veterans Day and thank you for your service to our country and to our pen community Chris.
Great video, Chris. I also use the Col-o-ring for swatches. I created an Excel spreadsheet so I can list my inks by name, color, bottles, and samples. I like the little owl statue in the background. Happy Veterans' Day and thank you for your service. 🙂
Hi Kurt -- lol my husband picked up the owl at the Asian Market store where he buys his Ramen and it had some sort of sweets in it but it's a coin bank ... I really enjoy it as it's such happy colors. :) They also had a monkey.
Happy Veterans Day to all vets out there! I have my inks logged into a Travelers notebook with a watercolor paper insert. I was also keeping my empty ink bottles because some of them were so nice but I ran out of room.
Always nice to see how others log their inks.
A fantastic video, thank you Chris. You have your inks catalogued in a number of ways that obviously work for you. We benefit from your knowledge and information when you make your currently inked pens and other segments.
Hi @raybuck - thank you! I do find it a lot of fun to swatch and compare inks!!!!!
Happy Veterans Day Chris I know you said you were in the US Air Force,I was in the US Army in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne.
Hi @traditionallarry5378 thank you for your service!!!!
1. For writing purposes, I prefer Hot Press watercolor paper over Cold Press. So smooth. Somewhat harder to find.
2. Have you ever considered loose-leaf binders? So you could keep the color sequence perfect?
Hi Ichiro -- I have yet to try hot press watercolor paper but I think Nick Stewart prefers it as well (he's an artist). I looked into it at one point and I just didn't like the price it was so high. Some of the newer cold press watercolor paper is bumpy but I find the one I use for my tiles smooth ... however, my Linden watercolor books are bumpy but I don't seem to mind for that ... I use a paint brush and a glass nib dip pen for that. LOL
I guess I just have not the interest at this point in going to a loose leaf binder but it is a good idea .... my Col-O-Ring for full bottles I keep that carefully color sequenced which helps. :)
Happy Veterans Day Chris. Thank you for your service. My husband is an Army Vet.
Hi Kathy! :)
Thanks for all you have done and continue to do. It is funny that just today I started taking my swatch cards out of a 3 ring binder and grouping them by color. My plan is to record the pens I ink up on the back.
From one Vet to another, thank you for your service! 🇺🇸. I still like your watercolor card idea as it’s like a paint sample from the paint store, something you can hold and place next to a paper or another media to see how it looks. HJ’s Ink Library book works too for me as I primarily use my inks to write with. Still, thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi @JRDiaz-tn5kb that you for your service! :)
Thanks for all the info on logging inks. I've just been swatching about 20 inks on letter size Tamoe River paper and keeping an inked pens notebook (the Goulet TR notebook). I DO tend to write my list of inked pens in all my different journals and notebooks just to see the ink on different paper. The ink always shows different properties on different paper.
That is a great way to keep ink in one place, I have three ink books, cards etc.
Hi Chris, I may have a couple of the Currently Inked Log Books. I will look and if I do, will send them to you. Great video as always!!
It's so funny but if I could go back in time, I'd purchase as many as I could possibly get ... never thinking then though that they'd disappear.
Happy Veterans Day ! That's a cute owl on the stand behind you 🦉. I still haven't got around to keeping a log of any of my inks 😢
Hi Annie -- Manuel got the little owl ... it had candy or something in it (he found it at the Asian Market where he gets his Ramen) and it is a coin bank so I really like it!
Beam me up is such a heavy sheener. Happy Veterans Day Chris!
I started the ink library because you told us about it. I’ve kind of let it go so now you’ve inspired me to get back to it. I have those dippers too, and I didn’t care for them, but I had a good use for them with my grandchildren. They like the dipping!!!
Hi Carol -- oh cool I'm glad you found a use for the dippers lol. :)
Great video. I struggle for order in how I swatch. The hunt continues and I an having fun. Thanks.
Hi @Rgc571 -- thank you -- I think I like trying out many different systems ... then it's interesting which things endure! :)
Hi Chris, belated happy veterans day! I loved this video! It reminded me to catch up on my FP inventory as well as my inks inventory. I’ve been quite negligent, something “urgent” always seems to take precedence, oh well, being busy is good at this moment, but catching up & being up to date would be satisfying. In the beginning,i bought the same FP twice! (At least it was a not so expensive chinese pen!🙄)That’s when i decided i needed to keep control. My pen fast was broken by a new benu that I’m awaiting excitedly! (It’s my Christmas present, but i know it’s coming😉☺. I went to recheck your other vid from last year and remembered i had bought a moleskin to start, i did not like the representation of the ink on that paper, so being a handmade book maker, i made a book with rhodia paper since claire fontaine and rhodia are my 2 most used paper. Not thinking tomeo river would be appropriate for the wet swatches. I’ve just begun but i like it better!
I hope you are doing well and everyone(cats as well) are healthy and happy!🙂
Hi Ann-Ingrid -- we are doing pretty well here -- it has been quite busy but we got a lot of things accomplished and it looks like with the exception of one appointment the week of Thanksgiving we'll be able to settle down a bit and enjoy the season. I'm still back in my restarted pen fast but I am debating about getting a Rickshaw Fillmore Pen Case as happy birthday to myself with the ad $. There is so much uncertainty about 2025 I think it will be a no buy year. I certainly don't "need" anything but it feels like a "last purchase" type thing with this ad check coming soon. :) Hopefully I'm wrong.
I thought you used the A5 Rhodia Goalbook for the ink tests, like 30 days 30 inks.
Years ago when I first started I did that. But for the past 6 years at least I've used the booklet sized 68 Tomoe River paper booklets from Goulet or Lochby for them. :)
Happy Veteran's Day! USN vet here (Califoria and Japan).
Hey kiddo thanks for this video. I’m going to steal you idea of swatching the inkvent inks on the cards. I have the same packet of cards and this is my first time participating in inkvent.
I dont have a ton of inks bottled or samples and I use a Mnemosyne A5 size note book for swatching all inks and sample of ink.
I also have a lil personal ink notebook I keep in a notebook size leather cover that I’ve setup like a travlers notebook style to used for my notes on pens and inks and to journal about all things pens and inks. I have 5 field note size notebooks in the cover and I am truly enjoying it.
Thanks again for shating your knowledge of all things fountain pens and inks. And thank you for your service love. Happy Veterans Day!
Hi ... oh that's gives me an idea ... I could have several different types of paper (in pocket size inserts) in one of my thicker TN's to try ink out on. That would be really interesting. :)