(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
This 2022 limited edition ink from Pennonia, Strigoi, is inspired by a Romanian legend about a spirit that rises from the grave, transforms into animals, turns invisible, drinks blood, and is believed to be the inspiration for the character Dracula. The ink is described as black with red micro pigments, but that's a simple description for what is a very complex ink.
The standout word there is micro pigments. Huh? In this ink, the micro pigments are a very fine sediment in the liquid that adds a matte texture to it--like the opposite of a shimmer. The red pigment is a very earthy tone, like the grave clay of the Strigoi. It does settle to the bottom of the bottle quickly, and it takes a bit of shaking and mixing to get it redistributed--which means it's also going to do that in your pen. The website does caution against putting this ink into a fancy or fussy pen. And if you're not fond of pen cleaning (like me), you'll want to proceed with caution. Because I know myself, I only filled the converter partway, so I know I'll run out more quickly and, in theory, clean the pen sooner. I let some of the pigment settle in the neck of the bottle so I could mess with it, and it has the texture of clay--thick and kind of sticky. It feels a bit wrong to put it in a pen, and I admit I might hesitate to do so, except... It looks So. Freaking. Awesome.
Y'all, this one is super hard to photograph, so I'm going to do my best to describe it. Calling this ink "black" is like calling the ocean blue. Sure, some of the ocean is blue, but it's also green, and aqua, and even brown, etc. This ink has a lot of sneaky color going on. To me, it looks like a navy charcoal color, like a shadowy version of a blue black. The chromatography really shows off the complexity, with the red-brown clay at the bottom, then the ink splitting into lilac and a bright teal. The Pennonia alchemists were flexing. The deep red matte of the pigment looks as though it's resting on top of that navy charcoal, giving a 3D effect, almost like it's casting a shadow. It doesn't show up as much in written lines, but the matte effect is still there. I don't think this ink would work with a fine or extra fine nib.
While the pigment gives the ink a dry feel, it actually takes an eternity to dry. Somewhere between 30 and 40 seconds it finally chilled out. And while the inkiness washes away easily in water, the pigment stays behind, so a small spill won't eradicate your writing. I wouldn't call it waterproof, but there is an element of permanence. As for color comparisons, I've got nothing. I'm not aware of any similar inks.
This 30ml bottle is only $16 at Vanness Pens, which is a great deal for a vial of undead blood-drinking spirit. And for ink, if that's what you're buying.
(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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