De Atramentis Document Inks mixed with Black - Updated January 2015

I don't usually use black when mixing with watercolour, but with a CYMK mixing set it certainly increases the options and is the only way to create some hues and tones.

There are 9 inks available in the De Atramentis Document range so far. Yellow, Red, Magenta (also called Fuchsia), Blue, Dark Blue, Cyan (also called Turquoise), Green, Brown and Black. Here you can see each of the colours mixed with black. When the White is available I will do the same with that. Document Fog Grey (which is really a very dark blue) will also be added here soon.

It takes VERY little Black to make a change to the original colour so I haven't included ratios for these mixes.






Here is Document Yellow mixed with Document Black. It's a lovely bright mid yellow and a strong tinting ink. The Black is really very pure - notice the yellow is darkening rather than turning green as it might with many blacks that are on the blue-side.

Document Red mixed with Document Black gives a lovely range of red-earth hues like an Indian Red or Venetian Red. (Doucment red looks the same as a mix of 1:1 Document Yellow + Document Magenta)






Document Magenta (also called Fuchsia) mixed with Document Black. There are a few more possible tones between the pure colour and the first mix but I added too much black too quickly. It takes SO little to make a change!

Next is the warm Document Blue mixed with Document Black. A nice range of deep blue and indigo hues are possible.




Document Dark Blue looks like a mix of Document Blue and Document Black so is already a lovely dark blue.







Next is Document Cyan (also called Turquoise) mixed with Document Black, making cooler deep blues.

Document Green, which looks like a mix of Yellow and Cyan at a ratio of 1:4, mixed with Document Black makes wonderful deep bottle greens.

And finally Document Brown mixed with Document Black to make a great range of dark brown and sepia hues.

To see these colours mixed together see the previous post here.

Working in Ink

I have always loved ink. Indian ink with a dip pen. Rapidograph pens. Calligraphy Pens. Chinese ink with pen or with lovely Chinese brushes. Fountain pens. Felt tip pens. Love them.

Here are some ink sketches done over many years.

Dried Strelitzia, Indian Ink. 1987

Left is a pen and ink drawing in Indian ink with a 'post office' nib of a dried strelitzia - a favourite subject since I was 16 and drew it in minute detail with rapidograph pens. This is a much looser sketch exploring the lines with a bit more freedon in the wash

Flax Flowers. Ink and wash. 1981.

Right is a drawing with rapidograph pens and watercolour wash. The pens came in a set with a good range of sizes but took an awful lot of cleaning out to keep them working properly.

Garlic. Chinese ink. 1987

Left is a study of garlic done in Chinese stick ink, ground on an ink stone, with a brush. The range of greys and black possible with Chinese ink sticks are wonderful. They tend to brush onto the paper very smoothly too.

Ayers Rock, watercolour and Indian Ink. 1986?

Right is a sketch done on location at Ularu using watercolour and Indian Ink that creates crazy blooms in the wet watercolour.

Queen Victoria above the Post Office building 1984?

Left is a sketch done in Martin Place with a fountain pen with a sketch nib.

Rhinoceros Beetle pen and ink. 2013

Above is a traditional drawing using a fountain pen with black ink and added watercolour. This was done with a Sailor 1911 with and Extra Fine nib.

Working with brown or grey ink is something I have been exploring for a couple of years - with mixed success. Some subjects suit a line that isn't black.

Cockatoo Island machine. Micron pen and wash 2014

Left is a pen and wash drawing done using brown felt tip pen - a Sakura Micron 01. There is also some grey Copic pen work in this sketch.

Rookwood cemetary, ink and wash

Right is a study at Rookwood cemetary. I used a water soluble ink for the wrought Iron work but the colours that exploded were too pink to be realistic or desirable.

Saxophone study, pen and watercolour wash 2014

Left is a drawing with De Atramentis Document Black ink in a Flexible fountain pen - a Pilot Falcon with an Extra Fine nib. This is great ink and totally waterproof so I am really enjoying working with it in a number of my fountain pens.

A machine at Cockatoo Island,
Brown ink and wash 2014

And finally I received the Brown De Atramentis Document Ink I have been waiting for. It's a lovely burnt umber colour and once again, totally waterproof. I drew the machine on the right in the brown ink using the Pilot Falcon fountain pen and added watercolour.


Now I just need a waterproof grey ink, and perhaps Burnt Sienna........

Working Sketchbook pages - Fountain Pen and Drawing Inks

I have many pages in my sketchbooks that I use to explore different materials or mediums.

They are not finished sketches but exploratory tests. Some may be useful to others.

This are a series of test sheets in Stillman & Birn Alpha landscape sketchbooks - my favourite for this sort of exploration. I love using a fountain pen to write and draw. I use a number of Lamy pens (as well as a number of other brands) and have had problems with damage apparently caused by Noodlers ink. So I started a search last year for a waterproof black ink.

The German made and highly respected De Atramentis have a huge range of inks. In their Document range they have Document Black, Blue and Dark Blue, Red, Fuschia (Magenta), Turquoise (Cyan), Green and now Brown (update also violet, yellow, and fog blue-grey) that are waterproof once dry. They also have an Archival Black that has been tested under more stringent tests but appears the same as the Document ink. I have used both of these black inks in my Lamy Joy, Safari and Al-Star pens and they are wonderful. They are also excellent in a Sailor EF and a Namiki/Pilot Falcon EF soft (see a gorgeous video of a custom Namiki Falcon here.)  The Document Brown is wonderful - many brown inks are variations of reds and oranges rather than a true sepia or burnt umber brown like this ink - see Noodlers 'Singapore Sepia' below - which is maroon. You can see all the tests and mixes I have done if you do a search for De Atramentis in my blog.

I also wanted non waterproof inks for the Lamy pens as it can be rather nice to draw with a fountain pen then wash watercolour over and soften the lines. You just need to know before you start whether the ink is permanent or not. While I haven't yet found the perfect waterproof brown, I rather like the non waterproof De Atramentis Ochre Yellow and Terra Di Sienna. The Ochre Yellow actually looks more yellow/orange than this image and the Terra Di Sienna a little less red. (Update - I find Document Brown to be the perfect waterproof brown fountain pen ink :-) Mixed with Document Blue and some thinner, it creates the perfect grey too)

Fountain pen ink tests De Atramentis and Noodlers

Below are the De Atramentis Fog Grey and Ochre Yellow so you can see them in more detail. I use these for drawing with in my Lamy pens. The grey is lovely to write with too but they are certainly not waterproof. The colour is still a bit bright for the Ochre Yellow but you can see it is not at all 'yellow' - much more of an orange.

De Atramentis Fog Grey and Ochre Yellow fountain pen inks

 This page is testing the De Atramentis Archive ink in a Shaeffer pen. Dry after a minute.









This is Sailor ink - a lovely Nano ink that is almost waterproof if you use a very fine pen such as the Sailor with the EF nib.








In the Sailor EF the ink is applied very thinly so is more waterproof. De Atramentis is the most reliable though if completely waterproof is needed.

This next page is testing some Higgins inks with dip pens, which I also like to use. These proved not to be waterproof, which can have its uses. :-)

Below are some more explorations with Higgins Fountain pen India ink - non waterproof - and De Atramentis Fog Grey. I was testing them out for drawing -  looking for an ink that could be softened with a wash.