12 Days of Inkmas: De Atramentis Pigeon Blue

On the last day of Inkmas, my true pen was inked with De Atramentis Pigeon Blue! Not as romantic as a partridge in a pear tree but its my favorite ink (at the moment) so I thought it was worthy of being the last ink of the first annual Inkmas.

Initially, I ordered a sample of  this ink because I loved the name. I used the sample up immediately and decided I needed a whole bottle but Goulet was sold out. A friend sent me another sample to hold me over until they restocked. The bottle I purchased is already half-used. That’s a true testament to how much I like this ink.

It’s not a true blue but rather a slightly grey turquoise blue. I’d almost call it a teal. There’s enough black in the ink to keep it from being garish but its still a beautiful color.  In general, de Atramentis inks are super easy-flow, and Pigeon Blue is no exception. It makes the inks good options for fine nib pens and also quick drying which means I don’t track wet ink all over my paper.

The swab shows the range of color variation that makes for great shading in wider nib pens. Pigeon Blue is not waterproof or even water resistant all that much but it will hold up to the occasional slosh of coffee and pat drying.

 

I tried to find a comparable color in my collection but nothing I could find was all that similar. Diamine Aqua Lagoon 80ml ($12.50) was close but its a much more vivid, jewel-tone  blue-green. Sheaffer Skrip Turquoise 50ml ($9)  in much bluer overall and Diamine Soft Mint 80ml ($12.50) is much more of a green ink with blue undertones.

De Atramentis Pigeon Blue is available in 35ml bottles for $12.50.

I hope you’ve enjoyed Inkmas as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing all these wonderful ink colors with you. Happy holidays to everyone and please send your comments and recommendations for other inks I should try.

---

The samples above were written with my Lamy Studio brushed stainless steel with 1.1mm nib in the Quo Vadis Habana bright white, blank notebook. Dry times will vary depending on paper stock. Comparison samples were written using a steel dip nib with a bit of flex which causes some of the more liquidy inks, like De Atramentis, to run a bit. They are included for color comparison. Best efforts were made to achieve color accuracy but the limitations of camera, lighting and individual monitor calibrations may alter the final look. For best results, order a sample of the ink color you like best and try it before you invest in a whole bottle.