In keeping with the red theme from yesterday, I chose Robert Oster Shake & Shimmer Blood Rose for today. Blood Rose is a warm shimmering red that is perfect for the holiday season. The holidays are really the only time I search for the perfect shimmery red ink to address holiday cards and for general seasonal cheer.
I would have assumed there was a good shimmery red in last year’s Diamine Inkvent calendar but, alas, there was not. Blood Rose, with a different name, might have made a good holiday addition. Maybe for Inkvent 2021?
On close inspection, it’s easy to see the silvery shimmer of the Blood Rose ink, shown above on Tomoe River paper.
Even in my writing sample, the shimmer is visible, so much so that it overshadows any possible shading or sheen.
On William Hannah blank paper, the rosy pink is more evident in the ink. Overall, flow performance of the ink is pretty good. Blood Rose is a smoother, wetter ink than many Oster inks which is a pleasant change.
Compared to other shimmer inks and standard inks, the pinky undertones of Blood Rose become more apparent. Ancient Charm Phoenix Seeking Mate has a similar base ink but uses gold shimmer instead of silver. Robert Oster Rivers of Blood appears to be the same base ink color without the shimmer. Ancient Charm Song of the Wanderer is a deeper magenta with a gold shimmer. Diamine Matador is a more true red, almost a touch on the orange-y side.
Lined up above from top to bottom, Diamine Matador, Ancient Charms Song of the Wanderer, Robert Oster Rivers of Blood and Ancient Charms Phoenix Seeking Mate, then Robert Oster Blood Rose.
It’s much easier to see the color differences above. I just don’t have many shimmer reds in my collection to compare Blood Rose against but I think this combination of shimmer and traditional inks provides a good range.
If you need to add a little sparkle into your holiday season, Robert Oster Shimmy & Shake Blood Rose is a lovely option.
Tip:
Like all shimmer inks, continually moving the ink around in the bottle or pen will help to keep the shimmer particles evenly distributed. I recommend rolling your pen on the table, not shaking it. If you’re planning to use a shimmer ink with a dip pen, transfer a bit to a smaller vessel and stir it regularly as you use it.
Tools:
- Paper: William Hannah A5 (£6.00 for 50-sheets) with 7mm guide sheet, Curnow Backpack Notebook with Ink Journal Ink Collecting Guide Sheet (FREE)
- Pens: James Finniss Serendipity Hybrid Pen ($79AUD) and Franklin-Christoph with Fine Italic nib, Tachikawa dip nib holder ($7.75 and up) with Zebra G titanium nib ($33.50 per 10-pack) and Toronto Pen Company PENtastic CxPO Tester Pens (set of 2 for $40CAD), Kemmy’s Labo Corset Glass Pen ($35)
- Swatches: Col-o-Ring Ink Testing Book ($10) & Col-o-dex Rotary Cards ($15)
- Brush: Princeton Watercolor Round #8 brush
- Ink: Robert Oster Shake & Shimmer Blood Rose ($24 for 50ml bottle)
DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Vanness Pen Shop for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
