Ferris Wheel Press 28ml Calligraphy Ink, Pressman Grey

Ferris Wheel Press’s calligraphy inks (which are used for dip pen and not to be confused with their enormous line of fountain pen inks) have such a desirable consistency. They’re thick, creamy, smooth, matte, and very opaque. I purchased my first calligraphy ink from them years ago, and have since purchased nearly every color they have available (which isn’t as many color options as I’d like just yet, but seems to be growing steadily through the years). I’ve tried other brands of calligraphy ink for dip pen (Dr. Ph Martin’s, Tom’s Studio, Speedball) before trying this brand, but really haven’t found anything that covers quite as nicely while also sporting a soft matte/semi-gloss finish that’s water-resistant (in fact, the only other ink I’ve used that’s actually waterproof is Dr. Ph Martin’s—they’re fabulous inks, by the way—but they’re a gloss finish that’s not 100% opaque). This ink usually will conceal pencil lines and surface textures with a single coat and a smooth surface, whereas the other brands tend to have a more watery opacity to them—similar to a thinned acrylic paint. This ink also holds up to the addition of water-friendly media and the occasional sweaty palm touching it with no smears or stains, which might be a huge plus for lefties. The dry time is great, too—just a few minutes and it’s good to go. It does have a few small drawbacks, however I certainly wouldn’t deem any of them dealbreakers: • Being a milkier, thicker ink, it can build up on itself and crackle once dry. This can produce an interesting texture, but definitely isn’t always desirable. Make sure the nib isn’t overloaded when dipped and it shouldn’t be a problem. • The finish dulls when erased. Although mostly matte, the slight sheen it has will noticeably change when rubbed by an eraser. This is true for most calligraphy ink, but still something to be aware of—even if this ink doesn’t seem too glossy at first. • More of a brand issue than something against this particular ink, but the few calligraphy ink colors available from this brand currently are all very very similar. I’ve been waiting for them to release a bit broader spectrum of colors for a few years now, and though they are certainly continuing to make new calligraphy inks, they all are about the same in terms of color and range (and honestly hue). I guess it’s nice that they match/go well with each other, but it’s a bit of a bummer for someone looking for variety. That being said, onto feedback that actually pertains to this specific color of ink: it’s about a 50% slightly warmish gray and a super solid neutral that pairs well with most things. I’d almost like to see it a touch lighter, so to use it more for accent-related writing, but it’s definitely dark enough to see on the page as text, and I think that’s the most important thing. Would definitely recommend and will continue buying any new colors they release.