thINKthursday
Stipula Calamo Light Blue
We’re sitting at the beach on the Amalfi coast enjoying the
Mediterranean colors of Stipula Light Blue.
thINKthursday – Stipula Light Blue
Stipula recently came out with a handful of new colors including the beautiful Light Blue. Stipula Calamo inks are best known for Musk Green and Sapphron but the whole lineup offers a nice range of basic colors. The ink comes in a 70ml glass bottle that they say has been treated to protect against light exposure. The square paper label has an actual swab of the ink in it, and a paper tab shows that the bottle has not been opened. The bottle has a large opening topped with a metal cap, which is embossed with Stipula’s logo. The bottle is nestled in a cardboard box with styrofoam protecting the bottom and top from falls. At $25, it is a fair price for the quantity and quality of ink. This review was done with a Pilot Prera F, Noodler’s Konrad with an Anderson 1.1 nib, and on Rhodia No. 18 blank paper.
Stipula Light Blue walks the line between a light arctic blue and a turquoise. In a fine nib the ink is fairly uniform and it has a rich cerulean color. In a broad or stub nib the ink gains a lot of richness, although the shading doesn’t increase. I much preferred the darker teal blue and ocean colors that the broader nib produced. This is a fairly saturated ink for a light blue, which meant that it was legible no matter what nib was used.
Light Blue performed well with good flow and low feathering / bleedthrough. The only problem area was dry time – the stub nib took well over 30 seconds to dry – but I chalk that up more to the wetness of the pen considering the fine Prera only took 20 seconds to dry. The ink had no water resistance, but clean up is easy. I wish the ink shaded more because I think the color would lend itself to showcasing a nice range of color.
If you haven’t experienced Stipula Calamo inks yet then this is a great one to try. Light Blue is a really pretty color that can definitely pass as a workplace appropriate blue. Ink it up in a wet pen for a writing experience that’ll make you wanting some limoncello.
As with any ink review, the pen, paper, and person doing the writing will influence the way the ink looks. If you’re not sure about a color, try a sample to see if it’s the one for you.
Ink it Up!
Chris
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