Fountain Pen Ink Review: Vinta Inks Vintage and Neon Capsule Collections

Vinta Inks Vintage and Neon Collections

I have been using fountain pens for thirteen years now, having shifted to full fountain pen use in 2008 after discovering Fountain Pen Network Philippines. Back then, most of us Pinoy fountain pen users had very limited sources of fountain pen products including inks and paper. We considered ourselves lucky if we find fountain pen inks other than Parker Quink, fountain pen friendly paper, or if we come across student pens in Recto.

Luckily for us, a number of stores and sellers have brought in the products we love to the local market, and a few of them made new products for Pinoy fountain pen users to enjoy. One of them is Vinta Inks, a brand of ink proudly produced in the Philippines using locally sourced pigments meant for fountain pens and calligraphy. Since their launch in 2019, Vinta Inks have introduced many fountain pen inks that have become crowd favorites. Last April, Vinta Inks surprised us once again with the launch of the Vintage and Neon Collections, their first Capsule Collection of fountain pen ink colors.

Vintage Capsule Collection includes orange, blue, and rose ink colors.

Vinta Inks' Vintage and Neon Capsule Collections are the most recent addition to their selection of "obsessively designed and meticulously mixed" fountain inks. Both sets contain happy, bright, and vivid fountain pen ink colors. Each set contains three ink colors in 15ml amber glass bottles presented in colorful, well-designed, and collectible boxes.

Neon Capsule Collection includes blue, pink, and teal ink colors.

Vinta Inks Vintage Collection

The Vinta Vintage Capsule Collection gets its inspiration from the 1970s, an interesting chapter in Philippine history. The period is called "Dekada '70," or the Philippines during the 70s. This period saw the convergence of growing political resistance from students as well as the rise of pop culture. At that time, the growing resistance against the Marcos regime was intense, but art and culture were flourishing. Vinta Inks pay homage to this important historical period with the Vintage Capsule Collection.

Vinta's Vintage Capsule Collection includes Blaze 1970 [Silab], Pilgrim’s Blue 1970 [Peregrino], and Pink Rose 1973 [Binibini]. Silab is a happy, bright red-orange, Peregrino is light blue, and Binibini is a muted dusky pink.

Blaze 1970 [Silab]

This bright and happy red-orange ink commemorates the “First Quarter Storm,” one of the earliest collective demonstrations led by students against the leadership and administration of President Marcos. This vibrant orange shade reminds us that we all have the fire within us to fight against injustice and demand accountability.

Silab is a cheery, happy ink color that lifts me up whenever I see it on a page. It's highly saturated but has a good, consistent flow. However, if you're looking for shading, Silab has only very minimal shading. Silab is a bright ink color, and while I cannot use it for highlighting, I can use it to mark important parts of my notes or journal entries. Silab is brighter and has more yellow and red than Terracotta [Damili 1572], a Vinta orange ink from the Heritage Collection. 

Vinta Blaze 1970, also called Silab.

Pilgrim's Blue 1970 [Peregrino]

This charming light blue ink color commemorates a Papal visit to the Philippines. In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited the Philippines. Known as the “Pilgrim Pope,” this color celebrates the deep and longstanding Catholic faith of Filipinos. This beautiful shade of blue is also reminiscent of the iconic habits of the nuns who held the line against the military during People Power I.

The light blue Peregrino is moderately saturated, has excellent flow, and dries faster than Silab. It has some nice shading but no sheen at all. Peregrino is similar to Deepwater Blue [Lucia 1952] from Vintas' Carnival Collection, but Peregino is darker and more vivid.

Vinta Pilgrim's Blue 1970, also called Peregino

Pink Rose 1973 [Binibini]

This muted dusky pink ink color pays tribute to a beauty queen and very special to me because 1973 is my birth year. In 1973, Margie Moran of the Philippines won the Miss Universe pageant held in Athens, Greece, making her the second out of four winners who hail from the Philippines. Considered a beauty pageant powerhouse, pageantry in the Philippines is a source of deep pride and joy.

I love this muted pink ink from the Vintage Collection because it reminds me of a scented fan of the same pink color that belonged to my grandmother. I remember secretly borrowing it and inhaling its rosé scent. Like Peregrino, Binibini is moderately saturated. It appears lighter while wet and dries a darker, muted pink with beautiful shading. I can use this pink for notetaking and journal entries. Binibini is darker than Pastel Pink [Julia 1991] from Vinta's Carnival Collection.

Vinta Pink Rose 1973, or Binibini.

Vinta Inks Neon Collection

The Vinta Neon Collection is a fun capsule collection that focuses on technology, the future, and contemporary art including film. Vinta Inks thought of technology, in particular, computers and space/time travel. While the Vintage Collection looks back in time, the Neon Collection looks to the future and the possibilities that await all of us.

Vinta's Neon Capsule Collection includes Pop! 1993 [Magnetic Blue], Tagpuan 2046 [Electric Pink], and Astro 1980 [Android Teal]. Pop! is a bright, cheery light blue ink, Electric Pink is bright pink, and Android Teal is beautiful blue-green ink color.

Pop! 1993 [Magnetic Blue]

I love that Vinta Inks included an ink color in the Neon Collection that celebrates Filipino music. Pop! 1993 celebrates Original Pinoy Music (OPM). Some of the most groundbreaking Filipino music came out during this period including songs from the band Eraserheads. Magnetic Blue is a bright shade of blue with shading.

Magnetic Blue reminds me of my first turquoise fountain pen ink, Waterman South Sea Blue. Magnetic Blue is brighter, though. It is less saturated, flows well in the pen I used to test it, and has a good amount of shading. Magnetic Blue is similar to Deepwater Blue [Lucia 1952] from Vintas' Carnival Collection, although Magnetic Blue is a brighter blue.

Vinta Pop! 1993, also called Magnetic Blue.

Tagpuan 2046 [Electric Pink]

This bright pink ink gives me so much feels and thrill because it is an homage to one of my favorite filmmakers. For the first time ever, Vinta used an international reference for one of their ink colors. A Wong Kar Wai film is a study of color and cinematography. 2046 is the epitome of color as language. Tagpuan means meeting place. Lovers, friends, and family, “when shall we three meet again?”

Electric Pink is such a happy pink ink color! It stands out on a page, but in a good way. It's a charming, happy, cheerful pink. Like Magnetic Blue, this pink ink is less saturated, maybe drier than the other ink colors in these two sets, but it has excellent flow. It is lighter while wet, but dries a darker shade with some hits of purple in it. 

Vinta Tagpuan 2046, an Electric Pink ink.

Astro 1980 [Android Teal]

Of all the six inks in these two sets, Android teal is my favorite, and I'm amazed at the inspiration for this one. In 1980, asteroid 6282 was discovered by Carolyn Shoemaker from the Palomar Observatory. Asteroid 6282 is “Edwalda” after two Filipinos Edwin L. Aguirre and Imelda B. Joson who wrote a book on Halley’s comet published in 1985.

Did I say this one is my favorite? It leaked in transit, but that's okay. Android Teal reminds me of another favorite ink, Edelstein Jade. It's another happy color that's between blue and green. It's moderately saturated but has excellent flow and dries quicker than Magnetic Blue. 

Vinta Astro 1980, also called Android Teal

Vinta Inks Vintage and Neon Capsule Collections

I enjoyed doing the swatches and doing the writing samples for these six lovely, happy, bright, and cheery fountain pen inks from Vinta Inks. All six ink colors are beautiful, and truly describe the names they were given, but my two favorites are Silab and Android Teal. I wish that Vinta Inks could sell these in their 30ml amber bottles. 

Do you want to try these inks? Vinta Inks ship their inks internationally through regular mail or courier. You can also get Vinta Inks in selected retailers in the US, Australia, Europe, South Korea, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Thailand. Here is a list of these retailers.

Rants of the Archer thanks Vinta Inks for providing the Vintage and Neon Capsule Collections for review purposes. To see their ink collections, visit the Vinta Inks website or follow them on social 

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