Ink Flight: September 2021

Note: this is just the first part (and delayed publishing) covering my experience on the September 2021 Ink Flight.

This is the second Ink Flight I’ve taken (via the Ink Journal subscription box), and quite a delight. Here it is the morning after, and I’ve upgraded the whole ink collection to wishlist status.

lineup of seven September Ink Flight samples

Ink Flight samples & descriptive insert prepped for sampling with glass dip pen in notebook from last month’s Ink Flight

I’m kind of glad my first Ink Flight sampling last month didn’t yield any ink I felt would write reliably enough to covet or justify wishlisting, because it made this month’s so much more rewarding. Last month I wondered if maybe using a glass dip pen was the reason none of the inks really worked great / failed to impress me in terms of writing with them (the colors were lovely enough, I just couldn’t get them to write very well), but these Taccia inks worked just fine with the glass dip pen so I know the pen (or the way I wielded it and/or rinsed and dried it between inks) was not the problem; the problem was definitely the inks.

Writing trial of Taccia Ukiyo-e ink samples

Writing & smudge & doodle trial of Taccia Ukiyo-e 2nd collection ink samples inspired by 17th century artists Utamaro & Hiroshige

AINEZU (TEAL-GREY)

Finding my first perfect grey ink is VERY HIGH on my list of ink wishes. While I was pretty sure this one is not it (a little darker and greenish-blue than I want if I can only have one grey), smudging it across the paper and looking at the page afterwards (along with all of the other doodles) really kindles my desire to dive into the drawing and “painting” end / possibilities of fountain pen and ink collecting/pleasures more. It’s very beautiful. I love seeing the colors all together. Appreciating the intent and art of people making this collection. Getting a tiny window into bodies of art and history and natural-world knowledge and interpretations and visuals that I am ignorant of, and wanting to know and see more. It goes with my signatures strengths: Gratitude, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Curiosity, and Love of Learning.

I’ve been pondering whether the Ink Flight subscription is worth it (for me personally on a limited budget; outside of the confines of my personal finances, there is NO QUESTION it objectively is absolutely is worth the money it costs), and this box makes it much harder to say no. My experience with these inks yesterday really epitomizes one beautiful way of “Pleasure Writing”. Putting on music, getting everything laid out, and just taking curious PLEASURE in the colors and wetness … the different shades and highlights that show up with fingerprints versus thin lines. Seeming them unroll like rivers and clouds forming in the sky.

I’m kind of glad my first Ink Flight sampling last month didn’t yield any ink I felt would write reliably enough to covet or justify wishlisting, because it made this month’s so much more rewarding. Last month I wondered if maybe using a glass dip pen was the reason none of the inks really worked great / failed to impress me in terms of writing with them (the colors were lovely enough, I just couldn’t get them to write very well), but these Taccia inks worked just fine with the glass dip pen so I know the pen (or the way I wielded it and/or rinsed and dried it between inks) was not the problem; the problem was definitely the inks.

While I enjoyed experiencing these Taccia inks for the first time and playing with them on the page and my fingers (still stained after multiple hand-scrubbings, which makes me impressed with the inks, too, that they’re that pigmented and durable), I didn’t feel a sense of urgency about actually buying any of them except maybe the red since the collection is pretty dusky / shadowy, and it’s a higher priority for me to add bright colors to my collection.

But this morning? I actually do want the whole entire collection. Even though it still won’t go to the top of the list (and I can’t afford it anyway), I love the way the colors look together. Like rich moistened mineral powders a solitary miner would extract from the caves of a secret wilderness behind them and use to build a tunnel of deep dark leaves made of charcoal with jolts of gilded flame and blue lightning.

I’m relieved that this collection doesn’t seem to be on sale yet anywhere (at least, it wasn’t at the time I actually wrote this), partly so I’m safe from making a compulsive purchase but also because it does make the Ink Flight subscription feel that much more special and valuable.

Come back later for my experience with the other six Taccia Ukiyo-e Utamaro and Hiroshige ink colors included in the 9/2021 Ink Flight Box. In the meantime, check out Macchiato Man’s detailed overview of the Hiroshige inks.

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