Maybe it’s our British sensibilities and love of the countryside, but there’s something special about unearthing the perfect green fountain pen ink. Whether you’re hunting down your go-to choice for everyday use, or a showstopper for unique tasks, green fountain pen inks offer some of the most diverse and pleasing colour palettes on offer to fountain pen users.
There’s the grassy mid-range, the muddy but sturdy green-brown selection, and then there’s the oceanic teal-turquoise variety. And of course, you’re further spoiled for choice when considering whether you fancy a golden shimmer or a reddish sheen. Here’s a look at some of our best-selling green fountain pen inks.
1. Robert Oster: Sublime
We may as well start with one the eye can’t miss. Robert Oster’s Sublime is well named. It is a mouth-watering lime-yellow, and as a result doesn’t need to work hard to add brightness any piece of work you put your fountain pen to. It has a very clear darker shade (particularly visible in a swatch) which comes through clearly in writing, be it from a finer or broader nib.
A theme of Robert Oster’s inks is their vibrancy, and this, alongside others such as Fire & Ice, is a great example. While it’s not a waterproof ink, it tends to not bleed across most paper and despite its light tone, sets down well for longer form writing. One of Australia’s finest exports, Sublime is a great starting point in your search for the perfect green.
Discover Robert Oster Sublime >
2. Troublemaker Inks: Kelp Tea
While Sublime is a great go-to for writers and artists alike, Troublemaker’s Kelp Tea is certainly one for your artistic side. Owing to its paler complexion (but no less interesting), it thrives when used through a broader nib. Laying down a green initially, with time, the ink dries and shows a green-brown finish. However, when pooled, you will notice an even wider spectrum of colour with shades of pink/purple through grey to grey.
While it may not be your most-used everyday ink, Kelp Tea’s unique characteristics has made it one of the brand’s top-selling inks at Pure Pens. Its artisanal manufacturer is a relative newcomer to the fountain pen ink field, hailing from the idyllic Phillipines.
Discover Troublemaker Inks Kelp Tea >
3. Ferris Wheel Press: Frivolous Lime
Ferris Wheel Press are another relative newcomer to the fountain pen ink market, having been developing fountain pen products in Canada for around 10 years. Their inspiration is that of the writing press, countered against the carnival Ferris wheel. The result? Beautifully boutique products that appear to sit miles above their relatively modest price tag.
Presented in stunning glass bottles, their Frivolous Lime is as the name suggests. It’s extremely bright, so probably one for the artists over writers, but needs to be sampled. Citrous green shades effortlessly into lemon haze and results in a fun, mouth-watering cocktail.
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4. Diamine Shimmer: Golden Ivy
New fountain pen users may not be familiar with the prevalence of shimmering inks. These types of fountain pen ink contain flecks of colour (often gold or silver) to leave a shiny layer atop of the main base ink colour. They’re extremely attractive to the eye, and quite often, even despite the flair they possess, they’re not too overpowering and more than suitable for everyday use. It is important to remember though that given the thickness of the flecks, clogging of the pen can occur without regular use or cleaning, but this can be overcome.
Diamine’s range of shimmering inks are unrivalled, both in terms of quantity and quality. Their Golden Ivy is a spectacular example, boasting a heavy golden shimmer when swabbed, and a red sheen also showing its head. The golden, green and red works together to produce an almost festive tone, which is best demonstrated using a wet, broad nib.
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5. Noodler’s: El Lawrence
Nathan Tardiff perfectly recreates the military khaki tone with El Lawrence – an ode to Lawrence of Arabia. Its flat olive tones wouldn’t be amiss on the battlefield, and neither would its characteristics as a bulletproof ink once dry. This means that while the top layer of ink will be removed if you smudge it, the ink in direct contact with the paper will be permanent. It remains however, perfectly suitable for all fountain pens and will not stain.
If you’ve yet to experience a Noodler’s Ink, you may not be too familiar with their typical characteristics. Like many of Tardiff’s concoctions, El Lawrence is a well-behaved ink on a variety of paper types. Unlike some others however, it dries very quickly – the perfect ink for the day-to-day.
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Others that shouldn’t be missed
- Pure Pens: John Frost
- Herbin ‘1670’: Chivor Emerald
- KWZ: Sheen Machine 2
- Dominant Industry: Autumn Forest
- Colorverse: Walk the Dog
We can think of so many more green inks that are worth a go too. Like purple inks, there are lots of different shades that are almost dominated by other colours – so it really is down to personal preference and how you’re going to use the ink. As ever, let us know your thoughts!