I first saw the Dominant Industry inks on Mike’s Friday happy hours (Inkdependence on YouTube). I filed them away as something I wanted to try and on a recent trip to Yoseka’s website, purchased a bottle of No. 11 Autumn Forest ($20 for 25mL).
Dominant Industry is a South Korean company that makes special small batch inks for dip pens. Read carefully when purchasing, because not all the inks they offer are fountain pen friendly (some are dip nib only but the listing will state that). They offer a variety of colors available in one of four different categories: Hologram, Mirror, Pearl, and Standard.
I chose No. 11, Autumn Forest as my first ink to try. This is a warm green-brown ink with a pinkish red pearl sheen. This ink is amazing to watch. When I received the bottle, I could see the pink/red pearl down at the bottom. I shook the bottle gently and then started to swatch. The ink went more green, and turned a bit browner as it dried. But while I was watching it I could see bits of blue, yellow, and that red sheen. It reminded me of leaves on the ground after they’ve fallen off the trees. They’re no longer bright brilliant reds, oranges and yellows, but a more nebulous green-brown with hints of all those other colors.
Autumn Forest is unlike anything else I have in my collection. I don’t tend towards forest or olivey-greenish browns, and nothing rivals the color with the sheen. I did pull Noodler’s Rome Burning out, but it doesn’t come close. I’m just fascinated with this ink and I’ve loaded it into one of my TWSBI’s so I can play with it over time.
- Papers: Maruman Mnemosyne N182A Inspiration Notebook A5 ($10.50), Crossfield Journal ($24.00),
- Pen: Delike Glass Signature Pen ($37.80)
- Swatches: Col-o-Ring Ink Testing Book ($10) and Col-o-Dex Rotary Cards ($15)
- Inks: Dominant Industry No. 11 Autumn Forest ($20 for 25mL)
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Laura,
I also got a bottle of Autumn Forest after Mike trotted it out and it is amazing. On my computer, at least, the photos don't do justice to the sheen. Even out of a fine-nibbed pen, the unusual shimmer is eye-catching. And I love the bottle.You're right; it's not much like Rome Burning at all. The main attractions of that ink (which I like) are its permanence and the way the purple underneath is revealed if it gets water on it.
Ruth