Dr. Martin's Bombay India Ink

I’ve used Dr. Ph. Martin’s ink for years. It’s the first ink I’ve really ever tried and I’ve found little reason to try anything else, as I’ve liked it so much. Just for comparison’s sake though, I finally did branch out and try a few other options recently. Martin’s is still by far my favorite, and here’s why: • It’s versatile: I started using it for dip pen calligraphy, but have now come to use it for other applications, like watercolor and even enamel paint touch-ups. It thins/thickens well also mixes with a variety of media, so it really covers a variety of uses. •It’s packaged well: It comes ready to go straight out of the bottle for most things (no thinning/thickening needed). Aesthetically speaking, I like the glass jars they come in (as opposed to other inks that may use cheap plastic containers), and each inkwell comes with a dropper top, which is incredibly useful. Beautiful colors: I love the variety of colors they offer. They even have a couple iridescent sets, which have the most wonderful shine to them. If Martin’s doesn’t make a color one is looking for, it can probably be mixed from the existing colors, and there’s quite a few. Superior ink quality: The ink itself is fantastic for many reasons. First off, it’s amazingly waterproof and has a gloss finish to it once dry, unlike other inks I’ve tried that dry matte or will wash away when wet. I’m told there is a shellac in the ink which gives it its gloss finish and aids in permanence/water resistance. This means ink also doesn’t bleed when it hits the paper. It can be used on all sorts of surfaces and remain thick and bold—even standard printer paper, which I find fairly impressive. Secondly, it dries with a bit of body to it: the surface will actually be a bit raised and crusty. I like that, as you can actually feel the ink in the page when dried, as opposed to more watery inks. Lastly, it’s lightfast and has an incredible shelf-life. I’ve had my inks sitting for years and they’re still the same vibrant color, versatile consistency, and rich sheen once dried. I really notice no difference between ones I purchased back in the day versus ones I grab off the shelf at the store at any given day. Ph. Martin’s is great stuff! Easy to use, lots of colors, and exceptional quality. Go wild and have fun with it. And make sure to pick up at least one metallic (preferably gold, silver, or copper). They get a little thick sometimes and require shaking and sometimes dropper cleaning, but you won’t regret it! Makes writing and painting so much more fun and that sheen can’t be beat!

i like this brand and this was my first india ink but the flow was not very consistent. i prefer the black star mat india ink, same brand.

This is one of my favorite inks. It's lightfast, lays down smoothly and can be used with a dip pen or a brush without issue. I prefer pigment based inks instead of dye based inks so the Bombay line is my go to. Just be aware that the white ink is more opaque so if you mix white into other Bombay colors you will get a slightly opaque mix. Also, I would recommend giving the bottle a few gentle shakes prior to using since the pigment likes to drop to the bottom. But don't shake too hard or the ink will be full of bubbles.