Finding a new ink to break into my regular writing rotation is not an easy task. I have a lot of inks, and even more particularness when it comes to picking out an ink to use on a regular basis. Some pens have specific inks tied to them-my Namiki Milky Way and Pilot Iroshizuku Tsui-yo, for example-while other inks are a favorite in a lesser used color category, like Akkerman #28 Hofkwartier Groen.
Since I purchased Wearingul Cheshire Cat late last year, I haven’t limited it to a single matchy matchy pen setup, but have actively looked to use it in as many pens as possible. That’s how much I’ve been enjoying it.
Disney’s Cheshire Cat. (Image via Disney Wiki.)
Cheshire Cat, from South Korean ink maker Wearingul, features a mixture of magenta, fuchsia, pink, and purple shades, designed to mimic it’s mysterious Alice in Wonderland namesake. I find it colorful, yet extremely comfortable on the eyes. It’s not one of those searing hot pinks.
Tested on Mitsubishi Bank Paper from The Paper Mind.
Performance-wise, it is a simple and safe color. It flows well while not being overly wet, dries quickly, has slight shading even in finer nibs, and has been easy to clean each time I’ve used it. That’s a good feature list in my book.
Wearingul not only makes great inks, they tell good stories. Many of their ink creations are based on literature. Cheshire Cat isn’t the only Alice in Wonderland ink-there is the shimmery blue and gold Alice, and the deep green Mad Hatter, among others. There are more classic tie-ins with the Wizard of Oz, feature inks for women in Korean literature, and wild ink sets like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. And lest we forget one of the greatest inky creations of all-time: Chicken ink!
I’m a fan of the stories Wearingul is telling, and an even bigger fan of the qualities of their ink. Cheshire Cat is by no means a groundbreaking color or formulation, but it doesn’t need to be for me to love using it. I look forward to adding a few more to my ink shelf ink the coming year.
(I purchased this ink from Goldspot at a discount.)
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