Ink #0072
We're coming towards the end of this batch of inks. (though there's another batch waiting immediately after of course.) This one turned out to be one I like so lets explore
DeATRAMENTIS (scented) CHERRY
Ahhh scented Cherry. We're bombarded by cherry scented and flavored things in all kinds of ways aside from inks aren't we? From slushies, to soft drinks to cough syrup. Lotions, shampoos and candles too. But you ever notice there's no essential oil for this fruit like there is for so many other things? Hmm. I don't want to go down that rabbit hole here, but it is interesting I bet. So if you're wondering if this ink really smells like cherries, well.... I can say it smells like cherries the way a lot of other things smell like cherries that aren't cherries. That is to say, artificially cherry. Then again you can't quite expect anything to really smell like cherries can you?
The color is somewhere between a Bing and a Chelan Cherry. Either a dark Bing or a bright Chelan. Which gives it some nice shading qualities if you like your red inks with a bit of range. I hesitate to call this a maroon because it's not quite dark enough and still so distinctly red and not a hint of purple. So that's nice. I found this very close to the kind of ink I'd like to use in my red pens and I ended up mixing it in with a shimmer ink to get the effect I liked with the added bonus of a nice cherry scent I could enjoy. Because that's the main thing about scented inks isn't it? They're for you to enjoy the scent of while writing. I wasn't sure the appeal of that for so long until I encountered some purple and blank inks that well... they were stanky. They were inks you KNEW you were using and smelling and while that smell would leave as the ink dried, I didn't appreciate how nice some inks could smell while you use them without that contrast.
Now for the last surprises this ink had for me that I forgot to discover while I did the chromatography. Remember, I did all the swatches before hand, but this time as I go through them I'm swabbing them on Canson Mixed Media paper and adding water to see what happens as well as doing some chromatography on filter paper to see how the colors separate. And this is where I get the biggest surprises.
It had this heavier base gray I never realized was there, but it makes sense ultimately as the darker shading component of this ink. If it's not coming from purple or brown then here it is. There's a tiiiiny hint of Magenta at the very top edge. Just enough to give it some of that brightness too, but the rest is red and brick red and then nothing until that heavy grey. Interesting. Is this an ink I'd recommend you get? Well I'm a bit biased as I went and got myself a bottle of this ink ultimately and I still enjoy using it. If you like cherry scented things I think you'd like this ink. It was well behaved and the smell not overwhelming. It's even dark enough I'd call it office appropriate if you have notes or messages that need to be red. But I'm biased. If you're not a fan of cherry scented thinks I'm sure there's a version of this ink in DeAtramentis' regular line that'll fit your needs. I wouldn't recommend this ink be used in art though. As you can see with the water that grey comes out and unless that's the effect you're going for, the contrast might not work out. You might want to try one of the other reds that splits with purple. Other than that this ink works well for me. I hope you'll give a sample a try.