Sakura Permapaque Opaque Pigment Marker in Green

 

 Sakura Permapaque Fine Point Marker has a name that really puzzles me. It's not fine (looks like normal marker width to me), opaque or paint-like. The pen has a marker point that's fairly firm and just wet enough, it's shaped like a bell version of the cylinder, which means that when used sideway,  (thanks to the curve) contact area with the paper isn't that much broader than the 1mm tip (being squished).

For a disposable marker pen, the Permapaque is barrel is nice, solid and weighty (for a marker) and the plastic on the cap and grip are both hard and resistant to scratches.  I like the rib on the cap that makes it easier to take off/put on.

The pen itself is kind of like generic marker (haven't used enough of them to see a difference) and the smooth tip leaves a semi-opaque (it looks 75% opaque in the picture but the actual stroke is see-through enough to be used as a highlighter) and consistent line. The color green is more of an emerald green than neutral one.  The pen is alright and there seems to be an interesting selection of colors, I just didn't like how fast the tip wears out: After several pages of doodling, the tip was already losing the stiffness and became less precise.

Overall: It's a bummer that the outside fares much better than the cord. At least I found it at Micheal's clearance bin for 30 cents (normal retail price is $2.39) so it wasn't a waste of money.

Kelly Green - Diamine Ink Review

Friendly Neighborhood Duck

 

Another green from Diamine. Kelly Green is a medium-deep (intensity-wise) green that's neutral to slightly yellow. It's able to shift from fresh early-summer leaves to the peels of Granny Smith apples, in a short and fine stroke. As with all Diamine inks I have tried, there is no feathering/bleed through (even on cheap copy paper)and Kelly Green itself has little-to-no water-resistance. 

The ink is generally very well-behaved but I notice some crumbs forming around the feed and between the tines (same thing happened with Diamine Meadow), keep that in mind if it bothers you.

Taken under indoor artificial light (it has been raining all week) 

Scanned picture of the handwritten review (on a Rhodia No. 11 Pad)

J. Herbin Vert Pre Ink Cartridges

 

The tin of J. Herbin Ink Cartridges in Vert Pre was a part of a giveaway price from Quo Vadis blog (from back in March). I have been wanting this ink ever since I stumbled across Pen Addict's review on it (it was sold out in Jetpen almost immediately afterward) but I didn't get a chance to. In fact, this is the very reason I got back to the whole fountain pen addiction (because you need those to use the pretty inks).

The tins are not only cute but also very storage friendly, having color-coded cap for each shade. 

There are six cartridges in each tin. I think they could add two more, to fill all the space and make the number lucky...By the way, 8 is every Chinese's lucky number. My student number back in China was 628 and it kind of sounds like "Good luck all the way" in Cantonese...Because of that, I got called by teachers  mid-daydream all the time. (Maybe it's not that lucky after all...)

A swab (I don't normally do swab but one of the cartridges broke and leaked). Vert Pre is a medium to slightly pale grassy green with quite a bit of yellow. The ink flows very well, feathers a bit on cheaper paper, dries fast enough and (as with all J.Herbin inks I have used) has no water-resistance. At least it's very easy to clean and perfectly safe on more expensive pens.

Writing sample of Vert Pre with Ohto F-Spirit (which lays down a more concentrated line )

Verdict: I am totally getting a bottle of this (just so that I can use it on varies nib sizes)...

Diamine Meadow Ink Review

Green fish (made of nephrite) overseeing grassy area - The closest thing to meadow among my pictures

 

Diamine Meadow - Look at the shading (with an EF nib!)

Here is a short green ink review for the St. Patrick's day (it's weird that I love the color green but I don't really care about this day...Anyway, I hope the McDonald Shamrock Shake will still be available for a few more days). Speaking of green stationery, I want need a pen in this color (Lamy Apple Green is a bit too light/neon)...

 

 Meadow is just like the other Diamine I have reviewed - Flows reasonably well (not as good as Pilot and Sailor but the unit price is a lot more wallet-friendly), has a nice medium intensity, no feather or bleed through with this cheap paper and Lamy EF combo. The yellow-green looks quite refreshing and it's one of the better shaders from what I have tried.

Just realized that I really like how my handwriting look with fine steel nibs like Lamy EF

  Anyway, I bought the sample from Isellpens and the whole range of Diamine inks is on clearance in Jetpens (Meadows is sold out already = _= ) for a little over 10 bucks per bottle. I am trying hard to not get tempted (I always ended up with too many random junk while trying fill the 25-dollar free shipping threshold)....

Uni-Ball Style Fit Slim Ink Gel Pen 0.38 mm - Lime Green

Back in summer of 2012, Uni (Mitsubishi) released a collaboration collection with one of the daughter brands of Japanese cosmetic giant Shiseido, Majolica Majorca (frequently abbreviated as MJ). Being a lover for the MJ visual and a cheapskate (MJ isn't too affordable being a drugstore brand), I reckoned it was the perfect opportunity to get a dose of the princess cuteness - In the form of stationery.

There are quite a few options (including some multi-pens)and I just went with the Style Fit Slim Ink Gel Pen in lime green, with a 0.38mm point. Well, it's green (the color that never goes wrong for me) and it matches something that I already have and love...

 It's not hard to tell that the apple green is designed to match MJ Puff de Cheek in Cherry Macaron (released in the same collection but not as limited edition, but an addition to their permanent line up), with the same color theme and the green/white stripes.

At the end of the slim pen barrel, there is that golden emblem of MJ. Overall the print stays on rather well (not easily scratched away) but there have been wear around the seam of the pen, as I have been tossing it in my messy bag for the past few months.

The Style Fit Slim has a streamed line grip section that shows the width of the point, it's can be twisted and removed while you replace the refill . The overall construction of the pen is solid but given it's slim built and light weight, it's rather uncomfortable to hold after just a short period of writing.

As for the pen/refill itself, I have nothing to complain: It writes smoothly, evenly/consistently and the ink is neither too dry or wet. The lime green ink  is bright, happy and totally legible (although the color is a little too generic among different Japanese pen brands) and the fine width is perfect for adding footnote, making cram-it-all note cards and filling small planner.   

Overall: Not that great of a daily writer (I use fountain pen anyway) but I do like it.

FYI: The pen was purchased from Jetpens and the blush was purchased from Adambeauty (I had happy shopping experiences from both places). 

Pilot Petit1 Fountain Pen in Apple Green

Being a big fan of Pilot, the color green and cute appearance, it was a love-at-first-sight when I saw Pilot Petit1 Fountain Pen (at Jetpens ...where else). Since I already have a few other items in my to-buy list, I went ahead and ordered it immediately. After all, it's a 3.8-dollar fountain pen and it's green, what can possibly go wrong? It sort of did...and I am not even certain that if I call it a fountain pen.

J. Herbin Vert Olive Fountain Pen Ink

Vert Olive is the one of the first J. Herbin Ink bottle ink I have (OK, I only own two at the moment) and luckily, I didn't have to go through any internal struggle while I was picking it out (they do have a handful of greens in the line up)...Because this was the only green that wasn't sold out at the time.

Each bottle comes with 30ml of product and retails for 9 dollars at Jetpens (where I bought it from) and 8.91 bucks at Isellpen.com  (where they also offer some "official" shades like black, blue and purples in 100ml bottles for 18.75). There is a little groove in front of each bottle that works as a pen rest. I suppose it would be perfect for testing out ink with a glass dip pen but the groove it's too narrow for most of my pens.

 

Vert Olive/Olive Green is a golden yellow green that is "not unlike olive oil", according to many reviews.  With a heavy swap or a very wet nib (like this Lamy Safari Broad), the color is rich, warm and comforting but since normal fountain pens leave out a much thinner/drier line, I usually get something that's a little lighter, browner (like I am writing with pickle juice). 

As with most J.Herbin inks (which have medium to low intensity), this does shade nicely with wet nib. At the same time (as expected with watery inks), this flows very well, dries quickly and/but has no water resistance whatsoever. Since I am a cold-soda addict with a cluttered desk (more like cluttered room), I always found my entire note page smeared off completely where I have placed a cold glass/plate on top of this. 

What I think olive oil should look like (yes, I am aware that olive oil comes in all sorts of colors)...

What Vert Olive reminds me of...Watery, light and with a strong yellow/brown lean.  

Overall: I am on the fence about this one. This is certainly a very unique-looking shade that you don't come by very often (I have only seen one other pickle-looking ink, which is Wagner from Diamine's Music collection). Under yellow-lamp/by the candlelight, this looks luscious and warming, beautiful enough to make me overlook all the...pickle-ness. On the other hand, this is too light to be legible on most pens I use (I prefer fine nibs for daily writing) and the water resistance is a bit too low for my clumsy self.