Fountain Pen Ink Review: Vinta Inks The Awareness Project Collection

For their anniversary last March, Vinta Inks celebrated with the Fairytale Collection. Before that, they launched their first Capsule Collection. Since its launch four years ago, Vinta Inks have introduced many fountain pen ink colors that are now favorites of many fountain pen users here and abroad. Now, the ink fairies at VInta Inks have mixed another colorful surprise for us.

Have you heard about Vinta Inks' recently-launched ink collection? Surprise! Early this October, Vinta Inks launched The Awareness Project, a collection of five brand-new ink colors that take inspiration from selected vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered, and critically depleted animals in the Philippines. With the launch, Vinta Inks donated part of the sales to three of their chosen primary foundations to recognize and help further their courageous conservation efforts! Vinta Inks chose the World Wildlife Fund-Philippines, the Philippine Eagle Foundation, and Haribon Foundation as the recipients of their donation from the sales of The Awareness Project Collection. Each of the three foundations received PhP10,000 from Vinta Inks to support their conservation efforts.

Want to see the five beautiful ink colors? Read through this review and browse the photos to see the beautiful colors of Tandikan, Nahan, Isabela, Haribon, and Ibid. Also, I added information for each of the animals that the inks took inspiration from.

The ink colors from The Awareness Project were launched in early October and all five colors are now available through Vinta Inks online store.

The ink collection from The Awareness Project is available in 30ml spill-proof amber glass bottles with plastic caps. Vinta Inks sends their ink bottles wrapped in Saran Wrap to prevent leaks and spills. 

The Awareness Project by Vinta Inks

The Awareness Project by Vinta Inks have five unique, enigmatic, and extraordinary colors that took inspiration from selected endangered animals in the Philippines. These inks are shading, sheening, and shimmering all at the same time. The five ink colors are the following:

• Elusive Blue [Tandikan 2000] – dusky, purplish blue with pink shimmer
• Solitary Teal [Nahan 2010] – teal with silver shimmer
• Liquid Sepia [Isabela 1999] – sepia-toned with gold shimmer
• Apex Silver [Haribon 1994] – grey with silver shimmer
• Sailfin Green [Ibid 1829] – light green with electric blue shimmer

Please click this image to see the different expressions of the five colors. Each ink swatch in this set has two parts: the upper half is a swatch of the ink without or less/fewer shimmer, while the lower half shows the shimmer. 

Elusive Blue | Tandikan 2000

Elusive Blue | Tandikan 2000

Elusive Blue | Tandikan 2000 is a delicate, dusky, purplish blue ink with a pretty pink shimmer. It shades well and has a darker undertone of the same color, which makes it all the more beautiful. The shading and shimmer will be more visible in wider nibs, but I used it in a pen with a fine nib and the shading and shimmer were both visible. Tandikan has excellent flow and wrote smoothly.

Tandikan 2000 is inspired by the Palawan peacock-pheasant. The Palawan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis), locally known as Tandikan, is a medium-sized bird endemic to the Philippines and found in the humid forests of Palawan Island in the southern part of the Philippine archipelago. Adult males have highly iridescent electric blue-violet, metallic green-turquoise dorsal plumage. The female is slightly smaller than the male. Its contour plumage is cloudy silt in coloration. Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size, and limited range as well as hunting and capture for trade, the Palawan peacock-pheasant is classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (Palawan peacock-pheasant. (2022, May 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawan_peacock-pheasant)

Tandikan is a dusky purplish blue ink with a pink shimmer.

This blue ink shades well and has a darker undertone.

Solitary Teal | Nahan 2010

Solitary Teal | Nahan 2010

Solitary Teal | Nahan 2010 is a soft teal ink with a light green undertone and fine silver shimmer. The combination of teal, light green, and the silver shimmer gives this ink an almost pink-to-orange overlay. In a medium Lamy nib, it looks darker than the ink swatch, but the silver shimmer is very visible. Nahan is a wet ink and has excellent flow.

Nahan 2010 is inspired by the pygmy blue whale. The pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda), first identified in 1966, is a subspecies of the blue whale found in the Indian Ocean and the southern Pacific Ocean. It has a large head and a shorter tail giving it a tadpole-like shape. The pygmy blue whale appears blue when it is underwater, but appears grayish blue when it rises above the water. Recent studies have confirmed sightings of a pygmy blue whale in the Bohol Sea between 2010 and 2019 -- a first in the Philippines since the 19th century. (Pygmy blue whale. (2022, October 13). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_blue_whale)

Nahan is a soft teal ink with a light green undertone and fine silver shimmer.

Nahan appears darker in a medium nib with the silver shimmer very visible.

Liquid Sepia | Isabela 1999

Liquid Sepia | Isabela 1999

Liquid Sepia | Isabela 1999 is a sepia-toned ink with pink tones and rich gold shimmer. It appears earthy and light golden brown. It has beautiful shading and an almost green overlay where it pooled and dried. This ink flows well and wrote smoothly from a medium Lamy nib.

Isabela is inspired by the Philippine freshwater crocodile. The Philippine freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis), also known as the Mindoro crocodile, is one of two species of crocodiles found in the Philippines. It is endemic to the Philippines and is a relatively small, freshwater crocodile. Philippine crocodiles are golden-brown in color, which darkens as they mature. C. mindorensis is considered to be the most severely threatened crocodile species in the world, listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. Since October 2021, the IUCN has classified C. mindorensis as Critically Depleted. (Philippine crocodile. (2022, October 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_crocodile)

Isabela is a sepia-toned ink with pink tones and a rich gold shimmer. 

Isabela has beautiful shading and an almost green overlay where it pooled and dried.

Apex Silver | Haribon 1994

Apex Silver | Haribon 1994

Apex Silver | Haribon 1994 is a grey ink with hints of purple and green and silver shimmer overlay. It shades well and shows the purple and green tones beautifully. The silver shimmer gives the grey color an elegant finish and also makes it look like a festive ink color. Haribon has a good flow and wrote well in a medium Lamy nib.

Haribon is inspired by one of the world’s rarest birds of prey, the great Philippine Eagle, also known as the monkey-eating Eagle, or by its native name, Haribon. The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is a critically endangered species endemic to Philippine forests in eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. It has brown and white-colored plumage and a shaggy crest. In 1994, the IUCN and BirdLife International listed this species as critically endangered, with about 600 estimated to be left in the wild. (Philippine eagle. (2022, October 14). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_eagle)

Haribon is a grey ink with hints of purple and green and silver shimmer overlay.

The silver shimmer of Haribon gives it a festive look.

Sailfin Green | Ibid 1829

Sailfin Green | Ibid 1829

Sailfin Green | Ibid 1829 is a "light-hearted and playful" green ink with a brown sheen and an electric blue shimmer. It shades well and has a beautiful darker green halo when it dries. The brown sheen and electric blue shimmer give this ink a bright pattern that changes intensity depending on the light. Ibid is nice flowing and smooth ink, and of all the five colors of The Awareness Project, this color is my favorite.

Ibid is inspired by the Philippine sailfin lizard. The Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus), locally called Ibid was discovered by  Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz in 1829. It is an oviparous lizard endemic to several Philippine islands. Ibid is a protected species in the Philippines as it is a target for exotic pet collectors and is sought after in the international pet trade. It is now classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. The Philippine sailfin lizard is large and usually grows to a length of two and three feet and has very bright color patterns. (Philippine sailfin lizard. (2022, September 20). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_sailfin_lizard)

Ibid is a "light-hearted and playful" green ink with a brown sheen and an electric blue shimmer.

Ibid shades well and has a beautiful darker green halo when it dries.

I have absolutely enjoyed working on the swatches and writing samples for these five lovely, beautiful, and meaningful inks from Vinta Inks. All five ink colors show the endangered animal that inspired them, and they are all fabulous!

Do you want to contribute to the cause of the three foundations and their conservation efforts? Do you want to experience these lovely inks? Get them now! All five inks are available from the Vinta Inks online store. 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 Awareness Project Collection for review purposes. To see their ink collections, visit the Vinta Inks website or follow them on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inksbyvinta/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inksbyvinta/

Fountain Pen Ink Review: Vinta Inks Fairytale Collection

Four years ago, a proudly Pinoy brand of fountain pen ink was launched in Manila. Vinta Inks, launched in March 2019, uses locally sourced pigments meant for fountain pens and calligraphy. Since their launch, Vinta Inks have introduced many fountain pen ink colors that have become crowd favorites here and abroad. Last year in April, Vinta Inks launched their first Capsule Collection of fountain pen inks and two more seasonal inks in December in time for Christmas. 

Now, Vinta Inks have surprised us once again with the launch of The Fairytale Collection, a set of five new enchanting fountain pen ink colors that take inspiration from the beloved Lola Basyang fairytales and children's stories, written by the Filipino writer, playwright, and director Severino Reyes. Reyes wrote many children's stories in Liwayway magazine using the pen name "Lola Basyang," a character that describes a grandmother who loves telling stories to young children.

Vinta Inks' The Fairytale Collection was launched last February 28 and all five colors are now available.

The Fairytale Collection is available in 30ml spill-proof amber glass bottles with plastic caps. Vinta's ink bottles are individually wrapped in Saran Wrap to prevent leaks in case of breakage or spills. 

The Fairytale Collection by Vinta Inks

The Fairytale Collection from Vinta Inks have five unique and extraordinary colors as they are shading, sheening, and shimmering all at the same time. The five ink colors are the following:

• Saysay 1925 | Mystical Eve – a dark ink with silver shimmer
• Pagtangi 1958 | Clouds of Gray – a gray ink with gold shimmer
• Lakbay 1861 | Sea and Sky – a teal ink with red shimmer
• Salimbay 1949 | Plume – purple ink with pink shimmer
• Lakambini 1950 | The Maiden – pink ink with gold shimmer

Please click this image to see the different expressions of the five colors. Each ink swatch in this set has two parts: the upper half is a swatch of the ink without the shimmer, while the lower half shows the shimmer.

Saysay 1925  |  Mystical Eve

Saysay 1925  |  Mystical Eve

Saysay 1925 | Mystical Eve is the only dark ink in this collection. It's purple-black with a deep green undertone and fine silver shimmer. Of all five ink colors, Mystical Eve surprised me the most. It's a dark saturated ink, and yet it's also the wettest. It has excellent flow and is very expressive of the color undertone and shimmer.

Mystical Eve is based on the Lola Basyang story titled "Rosamistica," a young orphaned girl who was maltreated and neglected by her relatives. On the day of Rosamistica's aunt's birthday, she was given a 25-centavo coin. Rosamistica went to the fair and was eyeing a doll and some food to eat when she saw a mother and daughter asking for help so they can buy food. Rosamistica kindly gave her coin to the two and received a small bag in return. When she checked the bag, it was full of 25-centavo coins which Rosamistica also gave away to other people needing help.

1925 was the year the Lola Basyang stories first appeared in Liwayway, the oldest Tagalog magazine in the Philippines, published since 1922. 

Mystical Eve has a deep green undertone and fine silver shimmer.

This dark saturated ink is surprisingly wet with excellent flow.

Pagtangi 1958  |  Clouds of Gray

Pagtangi 1958  |  Clouds of Gray

Pagtangi 1958 | Clouds of Gray is a gray ink with brown and purple undertones and fine gold shimmer. I did not expect gray to go so well with gold. The combination of undertones and shimmer in this ink is so beautiful. It flows well and suits wider nibs.

Clouds of Gray is based on "Ang Kastilyong Bakal," the love story of young lovers Princess Olivia and Prince Agaton, who were separated by the jealous sorcerer Serpenton. With only his ingenuity and a few choice items from the elders of his kingdom, Prince Agaton goes on a journey to save the love of his life.

The year 1958 is when Sampaguita Pictures, a Philippine film production company, released the first Lola Basyang film.

This gray ink has purple and brown undertones and a fine gold shimmer.

Clouds of Gray is inspired by the fairytale "Kastilyong Gawa sa Bakal." 

Lakbay 1861  |  Sea and Sky

Labkay 1861  |  Sea and Sky

Lakbay 1861 | Sea and Sky is such a refreshing ink color. Its light blue teal reminds one of the seas and is overlaid with an earthy red shimmer. It's like looking at the horizon while the sun is setting. It has good flow and looks better in a wide nib.

Sea and Sky is based on the Lola Basyang story "Kapatid ng Tatlong Maria," where Teong the folk healer accidentally sets a giant serpent free after cutting down a magical kolesmeloko tree for profit. As punishment for his greed, he must give away his three daughters Maria Trining, Maria Upeng, and Maria Loleng, to three powerful kings. Many years later, the youngest child Pedro journeys across different realms in an effort to find his sisters and reunite his family.

1861 is the birth year of Severino Reyes, the creator and writer of Lola Basyang stories and fairytales.

Lakbay's light blue color and red shimmer look so good. This is another expressive ink as it shows blue, teal, and red.

Sea and Sky got its inspiration from a Lola Basyang story where a young boy went looking for his three long-lost sisters.

Salimbay 1949  |  Plume

Salimbay 1949  |  Plume

Salimbay 1949 | Plume is a bright purple ink with deep blue undertones and a pretty pink shimmer. It has excellent flow and looks good when used in a wider nib.

Plume is based on the story "Prinsipe ng mga Ibon," where a princess wanted to marry her beloved bird, Prinsipeng Ibon, despite her father's disapproval. In the end, Princess Singsing decided to turn herself into a beautiful bird and fly away with her beloved bird to his kingdom.

1949 is the year when the Lola Basyang comics were first printed and released.

This bright purple ink has blue undertones and pink shimmer.

Plume is inspired by a bird prince and his love for a beautiful princess.

Lakambini 1950  |  The Maiden

Lakambini 1950  |  The Maiden

Lakambini 1950 | The Maiden is probably everyone's favorite. This gorgeous pink ink has brown-purple undertones and a bright gold shimmer.  It's also a wet ink with excellent flow and consistency. Gold shimmer on pink looks so much better.

The Maiden is based on the Lola Basyang story "Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Hari," where a slave's daughter, Sharay, overcame the King's many challenges with wit and cunning in order to with the prince's hand in marriage.

1950 is the year when the Lola Basyang radio drama show became popular.

Love the gold shimmer in this pink ink color!

The Maiden is inspired by the fairytale "Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Hari," a story about a slave's daughter who fought for the love of a prince.

I enjoyed doing the ink swatches and doing the writing samples for these five lovely, happy, bright, and cheery fountain pen inks from Vinta Inks. All five ink colors are beautiful and show the story inspiration for each of them.  

Do you want to experience The Fairytale Collection? Do you want to try these beautiful shimmer 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 Fairytale Collection for review purposes. To see their ink collections, visit the Vinta Inks website or follow them on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inksbyvinta/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inksbyvinta/

Fountain Pen Ink Review: Scribe x Troublemaker Inks Tarsier

They did it again! Our favorite local creative team has just launched a new limited edition ink, and everyone's excited about it. After the successful launches of Salomé (2019), Butanding (2020), and Pawikan, ScribePh has again partnered with Cebu-based Troublemaker Inks for their fourth and latest limited edition fountain pen ink showcasing the Tarsier, a small primate living in the islands of Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. This collaboration also includes JIM Weaver Design, a local shop that sells silk scarves, reusable fabric face masks, and other home products, with a new offering of a Tarsier-designed pen cleaning cloth. This collaboration is inspired by ScribePh's "support local businesses" initiative, and the ink and pen cloth set is proudly made in the Philippines.

Scribe x Troublemaker Inks x JIM Weaver Design in one package!

JIM Weaver is a business in the Philippines led by four women who share the same passion to make art wearable through fashion. Their products range from silk scarves to reusable/reversible fabric face masks. Butanding and Pawikan were accompanied by reusable fabric face masks, but Tarsier has a green pen cleaning cloth designed with small tarsiers.

Limited edition Tarsier is a rich, dark fountain pen ink with green and gold sheen.

The 6" x 7" Tarsier pen cleaning cloth by JIM Weaver Design accompanies the ink from Troublemaker Inks.

Tarsier is my fourth Troublemaker ink after Butanding, Pawikan, and Blue Guitar. This rich, dark, saturated, and sheening fountain pen ink has a green-gold sheen that also gives it a matte look. Tarsier leans towards the russet-brown ink group. While wet, it is dark brown but dries reddish-brown with a unique sheen. Like Pawikan and Butanding, Tarsier is a wet ink with excellent flow and consistency.

Amazing monster sheen on Tarsier!

Tarsier looks even darker because of its sheen, but without it, it looks a dark russet brown ink similar to Edelstein Smoky Quartz and Laban Demeter Brown. It is darker than the light russet browns of Pelikan, J. Herbin, and Robert Oster. These swatches were done on 90gsm Canson sketch paper. 

For my Tarsier writing test, I used PenGallery's A5 LiveNotes notebook with white Tomoe River Paper. There is nice shading in this paper.

This is Tarsier in Tomoe River Paper.

Project Butanding is an excellent example of brands working together to produce something beautiful and meaningful.

Tarsier is a beautiful fountain pen ink and an excellent product from a collaboration of local brands. It has a lovely shading ink and a unique color to add to one's collection. Get one for your pens now!

Rants of The Archer thanks ScribePH for providing the fountain pen ink in this review. Visit the Scribe.ph website to learn more about their products, promos, and new brand offerings. Scribe.ph now offers worldwide shipping. Follow them on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScribePH/

Instagram: https://https://www.instagram.com/scribe.ph/

Fountain Pen Ink Review: Wearingeul Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde

I may have skipped reading Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde in my high school and college English classes, but they later caught up with me—twice! The first time was in 1998 when I saw Julia Roberts playing Mary Reilly with John Malkovich as Dr. Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde. I loved that film. John Malcovich was superb, and young Julia Roberts was impeccable. 

The second time Stevenson's story caught up with me was in December 2021 when I came upon Wearingeul, a new brand of fountain pen ink from South Korea. Wearingeul has an impressive selection of standard, sheening, and shimmering fountain pen inks with interesting literary inspiration, including a two-bottle set called Jekyll to Hyde.  Jekyll to Hyde Fountain Pen ink set is an expression of the "good and evil separation experiment" carried out by Dr. Henry Jekyll in Stevenson's story. The Wearingeul set has a DIY setup that allows the user to make Hyde by injecting a conversion solution into one of the two ink bottles.

Wearingeul Jekyll to Hyde fountain pen ink set.

Jekyll to Hyde is an ink set that includes two bottles of ink, a conversion solution, and a syringe. The two inks, Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are presented in 30ml bottles. A 6ml conversion solution in deep purple for the ink DIY is also in the box and the instruction card notes that it should not be used with other fountain pen inks. I was hesitant to mix the ink and conversion solution at first, but I realized that it was fairly easy. See how I did it in the photos below.

The Jekyll to Hyde ink set includes two bottles of ink (Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde), a conversion solution, a syringe, ink swatch cards, and an instruction card.

Two inks, conversion solution, and syringe with blunt end needle.

Mixing the Henry Jekyll ink and the conversion solution using the syringe supplied in the box. I think it's also possible to just pour the conversion solution into the ink bottle.

Once the conversion solution is poured into the ink bottle, give it a gentle shake to fully mix them together.

From Jekyll to Hyde — the ink is now mixed, it's time to reveal Edward Hyde!

The two inks in the set: Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde.

Henry Jekyll

Henry Jekyll is a toned-down deep red ink inspired by the gentle and calm character of its namesake, Dr. Henry Jekyll from Stevenson's story. Wearingeul says that this red ink focuses on the co-existence of good and evil that exist within the gentle and idealistic character of Dr. Henry Jekyll who is not a completely good figure. This blush-red ink looks like a darker version of J. Herbin Rouge Opera or a lighter version of Diamine Syrah, more of a deepened red with a pinkish undertone. It has medium saturation and excellent flow. In wider and wet nibs, Henry Jekyll shows off some nice shading.

Wearingeul Henry Jekyll is a toned-down deep red ink.

Henry Jekyll looks closer in color to J. Herbin Rouge Opera and Diamine Syrah.

I used a Leonardo Momento Magico on Jaquere Reservoir Note to test Henry Jekyll. This red ink has moderate saturation and writes well with excellent flow. 

Edward Hyde

Edward Hyde is the DIY part of this ink set. It starts out as Henry Jekyll and turns into Hyde with the addition of the conversion solution. Edward Hyde is a thick, dark purple ink with a green sheen. Wearingeul says that this ink expresses the evilness of the character as well as the mysterious, dark, and gloomy sentiment. This dark purple ink looks closer to Laban Greek Mythology Zeus Purple and J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune. Similar to Henry Jekyll, this ink has medium saturation and excellent flow. It's also a shading ink, especially when used in wide, wet nibs.

Wearingeul Edward Hyde is a thick, dark purple ink with a green sheen.

Edward Hyde looks like a darker version of two popular purple inks, Laban Zeus Purple and J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune.

I used my Esterbrook Estie Lilac with a Journaler nib on Jaquere Reservoir Note to test Edward Hyde. This purple ink has medium saturation and writes well with excellent flow. 

I enjoyed testing Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. They are unique ink colors with fascinating backgrounds and inspiration. They have excellent flow and write well in different nibs. Jekyll to Hyde ink set is a great addition to a fountain pen user's ink collection. Get your set now! 

Rants of The Archer thanks Wearingeul for providing the Jekyll to Hyde fountain pen ink and Jaquere Reservoir notebook in this review. To learn more about Wearingeul and its ink offerings, visit their website or follow them on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wearingeul/).