First Impression: Pilot Vanishing Point / Slate Grey / Binderized Broad Stub

I am a faithful listener of "The Pen Addict Podcast", in which Myke and Brad regularly discuss "the pen which cannot be named" - The Pilot Vanishing Point.  I have long desired the Slate Grey Pilot VP and was oh-so-close to picking one up around the holidays once Pilot announced that they were going to discontinue the body color.  I hesitated, and then they were gone.  However, by some strange miracle, Richard Binder still has them available at his website.  After listening to The Pen Addict week after week, and hearing about how amazing this pen is, I finally took the plunge, and there you go.

I am delighted with this pen.  I honestly don't know why I was such a goofball about it and waited so long.  I have been using it all week at work, and have used it for note-taking, signatures, and just plain doodling.  I honestly cannot stop using this pen.  As soon as I took it out of the box and held it, I knew I wanted another one.   

I find the Slate Grey a little bit difficult to photograph, but it is such a lovely, unobtrusive, understated, quiet color that really suits me.  This pen is a delight to look at and hold.  I do not find that the clip interferes with my grip on the pen.  In fact, if you are comfortable writing with a LAMY Safari, then you are likely comfortable with the Pilot VP.  I will add, that Richard Binder now offers a service for additional charge whereby he will remove the clip if it is an issue for you.  I think the charge is somewhere in the ballpark of $15.00 USD - a nominal fee considering the amount of use this pen will receive once you own it.  

Additionally, I do not find this pen too fat or chubby in the hand.  I have small hands, and sometimes have difficulty with pens in the grip section.  I have no problems with this pen and find that I am able to grip comfortably both lower towards the nib as well as a little bit higher up towards the clip.

Aside from the fact that Richard seems to be the only vendor who still offers this pen in this particular body color, he also offers a service whereby he will adjust the ink flow in the pen for an additional charge.  I routinely write on extremely cheap, absorbent paper at work.  I can only use certain select pens and inks with this paper, for example finer nibbed pens, dryer writers, and non-fussy inks otherwise I will see excessive feathering on the page.  I explained this to Richard, and asked if an ink flow of "4" would be appropriate.  Richard's standard ink flow adjustment is "6", which I find to be somewhat generous.  I intend to use mostly Pilot cartridges with this pen, since they hold more ink thus less high maintenance; a plus in a fast-paced work environment.  It is also my understanding that Pilot Blue-Black (the color I mainly intend to use) is very free flowing.  I was nervous about the ink flow adjustment at "4", and wrote a follow up email to Richard asking for his input.  He was very gracious and responded right away, and agreed that "4" was likely reasonable.  Thanks, Richard!

Since the pen arrived, I can't stop using it.  I inked it right away without cleaning, and the nib could probably use a good rinse, but the ink flow adjustment was right on.  Extremely minimal feathering on the cheapy-cheap paper, and it has written well on most other papers.  It hesitates a bit on smoother papers, but that's fine because this pen will see a majority of use on paper that is frankly better used as kindling than for communication.  

 

August 4, 2012: edited to add photos of writing samples.  Pilot VP with Pilot Blue-Black cartridge, ink flow = "4".

Exacompta Space 24 planner.  Ivory colored paper.

Exacompta Space 24 planner  Ivory colored paper.

The cheapest paper I've ever seen: Quill brand notepads.  Slight feathering seen.

The cheapest paper I've ever seen: Quill brand notepads.  Same page, but no feathering here.

Leuchtturm 1917 journal.  Paper is smooth; ivory color.

Apica 6A10.  Paper is smooth, with slight grey-ish tone.

I would definitely say that the ink flow adjustment to "4" is appropriate due to the combination of poor quality paper and the free-flowing nature of Pilot Blue-Black.  The combination balances out.  Notice that there is some very slight feathering on the Quill notepad paper.  The notepad quality is inconsistent.  I've seen pages with no feathering, and also feathering and no-feathering on the same page.  It's just garbage, but what can you do?  The amount of feathering is so minimal that it doesn't bother me.  I use these notepads for notetaking, listmaking, etc.

Links: 
The Pen Addict Podcast at 70decibels.com
The Pen Addict Blog
Richard Binder
Pilot Blue-Black Cartridges at Jetpens.com

Diva's Weekly Challenge #78 - Auraknot

The first photo is for submission to the Diva's Weekly Challenge.  The challenge is to use the new tangle pattern Auraknot.  I spent time this week trying to get to know this pattern, and attempting several different drawings.  This pattern inspires me to draw in color, thus there are several attached here.  Perhaps due to the fact that it's summer, several drawings took on either a flowery or beachy feel.  I am still getting the hang of this one, and tend to make a lot of mistakes with it.  I think this pattern is easy to over-do, and, ultimately, it seems as though less is more with this one.    

Spirit Smile.  I am calling this tile "Spirit Smile", because for whatever reason, it makes me think of a person's spirit bursting out of them with joy.  When I started drawing this tile, I didn't have anything in mind, but while drawing I simply wanted to keep adding auraknots.  As an aside, I used to draw flowers with this same type of petal shape when I was in high school.  Interesting that I wanted to keep using it with this pattern.   

A lone flower in a secret garden.   (Esterbrook Transitional 9461 with J. Herbin Perle Noir and Platinum Preppy with Noodler's Saguaro Wine.  Clairefontaine Graf-it.)

This pattern makes me want to add Mooka.  All the time. (Pilot Iroshizuku Kosumosu and Lamy Vista EF.  Clairefontaine Graf-it.)

Starfish.  I felt that it was lacking something, so I went back and added the grounding effect that you typically see in Betweed.  (Lady Sheaffer Skripsert EF with Sheaffer Turquoise.  Clairefontaine Graf-it.)

Hydra.  While this isn't exactly a serpent with many heads, it is a bit of a water beast.  :D  I changed the way I drew Mooka here and wanted to add in the layered effect that you see inside the auraknot.  (Lady Sheaffer Skripsert EF with Sheaffer Turquoise.  Clairefontaine Graf-it.)

A Tangle with Sheaffer

Tangle pattern 'Nzeppel.  Lady Sheaffer Skripsert EF with Sheaffer Blue-Black.  

I love this ink!  And my Lady Sheaffer!

Iroshizuku Tsutsuji (Azalea / Japanese Townflower / Deep PInk)

I'm back with another pink ink.  I guess I really like pink.  Which is interesting, because in real life, I don't really do much pink.  There is a lot of black, navy, turquoise (or Robin's Egg for those of you who care about that type of thing), and golden-green such as sage, for example.  I also prefer darker wood furnishings.  Generally, I'm pretty neutral and conservative.  But, with inks, I can't get enough pink.  I don't know.  I can't explain it.  =)

I must extend a heartfelt thanks to my pen friend, Shaylen, for sending me a generous sample of this luscious stuff.  Thank you, Shaylen!  

I had the pleasure of playing with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutsuji this weekend, and I've been using it at work for the last week for note taking and editing (just to shake things up a bit!!!).  As an aside, the paper at work is really poor quality whether note tablet or copy paper.  I have found that I have needed to "dial back" the ink flow on all of my pens to prevent feathering and the like.  Same here.  I used both a LAMY Al-Star and LAMY Vista.  I typically don't have trouble with my Lamy pens or Pilot inks on cheaper paper, but I guess there is an exception if the paper happens to be exceptionally cheap.  

So, once I dialed back the flow on my pens, it was smooth sailing even on the sub-par, cheap paper.  When weekend time came, I needed to dial the flow back up on the LAMY Vista, because it was sporting an Extra Fine nib, and I wasn't getting enough inkflow when I tried to draw tangles with it.  

So, now that we have the technical formalities out of the way...phew!  This is a really fun ink, and if you like the Pilot Iroshizuku line, and you like pink, or you just want something a little different to spice up your ink drawer, why not take this for a whirl?  It's summer time, and this is a "summer-y" color.

I find that although the Iroshizuku inks are expensive ($28.00 - $35.00 USD per bottle), you at least get a value for your money.  Some folks balk at the price.  But, since I have begun using inks, I have to say...you really do get what you pay for.  I don't mind paying a premium, if what I will receive is quality.  

Pilot Iroshizuku Inks come in a 50 ml per bottle, which is a decent volume.  Pilot Iroshizuku inks tend to be known for being exceptionally well lubricated with "just right" flow properties making writing and other creative activities a pleasurable experience.  Tsutsuji follows suit.

Tsutsuji, specifically, is a very saturated pink.  I've read reviews where the authors have indicated that this is the "pinkest" ink they have ever used, and that it's so bright that it's eye searing.  I would not go that far.  Certainly, while it is bright, it is not offensively so.  It does jump off the page, but I don't find it screaming at me.  It is a bit brighter coming from an Extra Fine nib, as shown in the photos below.  However, my LAMY Al-Star Fine nib is a bit of a wetter writer, and the line it laid down with Tsutsuji is simply dark and luscious.  Because it is more saturated, there is a bit less shading with Tsutsuji.  Shading is not non-existent, but you will not find the type of dramatic shading that you would see with Yu-Yake.  Yu-Yake (or Sunset) is Iroshizuku's orange-y/yellow (or is it yellow-y/orange?) that gives such amazing shading that the words on the page appear to be on fire.  At least to me.  With Tsutsuji, there is much more subtle shading, but it is shading nonetheless.  I think choice of pen makes a big difference with the satisfaction you find with this ink, and I've provided a side-by side comparison so that you can get an idea. 

Wider, wetter nib = deeper pink, more saturation, a little more shading.  Finer, dryer nib = brighter pink, lighter pink, still shading, but less pronounced. (Please excuse the shadow/ showthrough on the reverse side of my notebook page.  lol.)

I liked this ink so much, that I decided that I wanted to draw some tangles with it this weekend.  So, I drew a few things.  I found Tsutsuji to definitely be a "summery" color so I tried to draw a couple of "summery" things.  The photos I've included here were drawn with a LAMY Vista EF. 

This is the tangle pattern "Sanibelle".  You can see a nice range of color with this doodle.  The range of pink that Tsutsuji has to offer is evident, and shows that it's shading can be dramatic after 2 or more passes.  I really like the range of pink here.  It can be bright and it can be dark.  I think that helps to give this drawing a more animated appearance.

This is the tangle pattern "Squid".  Again, you can see the range of pink from bright to dark.  This drawing was also done with a LAMY EF; the ink gets darker after more passes.  The arms were generally one pass, thus lighter and brighter.  The circles drawn on the inside were often drawn over more than once to give them more emphasis, so they appear darker and shading is more evident.

Additionally, Tsutsuji did not clog and rinsed out of my pen relatively easily.  

Tsutsuji is probably best used for such activities as editing and drawing.  I have received personal correspondence where the writer used Tsutsuji and it was very pleasant, but I might limit its use to personal correspondence as opposed to business, and perhaps a notecard instead of an entire letter.  If you are a creative person, I think Tsutsuji is a nice-to-have because of its saturation and gentle shading properties.  The ink is not too difficult to manipulate when drawing, and doesn't "pool" like greater shading inks.

I liked Tsutsuji so much, that I have become much more willing to dip my toes a little deeper into the Iroshizuku waters and try Yama-budo (Wild Grapes, also referred to as Crimson Glory Vine).  Yama-budo seems like a purple (which I tend to dislike), and a bright purple (which I tend to dislike even more), but now that I take a second look at it appears to "read" magenta, which sorta straddles pink territory and I'm motivated to check it out.  Having experienced the bright and luscious Tsutsuji, I have acquired a "bright ink" addiction, and need more.  So, I will be trying to acquire a sample for myself in the near future.

Inks are fun!  Treat yourself to some samples of "fun" ink this week.  Set a limit of $10.00 or $20.00 and choose a few things that you wouldn't normally pick for yourself.  I often find that I am very surprised, and enjoy the trip down "the road less traveled".

Fiore di Pietro

This is a new tangle pattern introduced on http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/.  It's called Fiore di Pietro and it is a tribute in memory of the creator's brother-in-law who recently passed away.  The creator of this pattern is collecting tiles featuring this pattern in order to make a memory book for the family members, so I thought I might finally participate, and add my tangle to the bunch.  I found this pattern difficult to master, but I haven't worked with it very long.  I messed up the bigger side (the one on the right).  It doesn't really conform to the pattern, and I had to just go with it.  I tried to decorate the inside of the circles and triangles with Nzeppel, or Shattuck.  I added in some auras, and stippling.  I think it has an organic feel to it.

Edited to add: Rho, feel free to use my tangle.

Catching Up

I've been negligent with my posts lately because I was hit pretty hard with both a sinus infection and ear infection.  It's been an unfortunately long recovery, but I'm finally feeling like my old self again, and ready to post some of the tangles that I've been working on during my "down time".

Most of these were inspired by I am the Diva's weekly challenge.  I have not yet had the courage to post any of my tangles, but I'm sure I'll get up the nerve one of these days.  In the interim, I've been enjoying her challenges since she usually will focus on one tangle pattern each week.  A few weeks ago she was looking for challenge submissions using the pattern "Cadent".  What ended up happening was that I tried several different drawings using the same pattern and really had some fun branching out with it.

getting my bearings with Cadent, and trying to mix in Betweed and Tipple.

Monotangle with Cadent.

More Cadent but with more Betweed.

This is my favorite one.  It makes me feel relaxed. 

Then I decided that I wanted to learn the pattern, "Nzeppel".  I really like it!  I think it's pretty.

Nzeppel with Tripoli and Betweed.  Oh, and that random pattern I made up that looks like Spirograph.  

I tried using only Nzeppel with this one.  I really like it and think it has an earthy look to it.

This past week, the challenge at I Am The Diva is to draw a tangle that reminds you of something about your home.  Well, at the time, it had been stormy and raining quite a bit here in beautiful Connecticut, so I drew a tangle that (hopefully) brings that to mind.

Nzeppel, Pais, Printemps, Ixorus, Tipple.  Do the skies look dark and stormy?  Do you see the rain hydrating the dry, parched ground and making things grow?  lol.

And then, this weekend, I decided that I wanted to learn the pattern "Tripoli".  I am having a lot of fun with it!

Tripoli, with Mooka, Tipple, and a tangelation of Cadent.

A monotangle with Tripoli.

Another monotangle with Tripoli.  I like Tripoli a lot because it can look completely different depending upon the pattern you use inside the triangles.

I've been doing a lot of drawing in my Leuchtterm 1917 blank journal which has been great, but I find that the ink smudges a bit if I'm not careful and brush my hand over what I just drew moments after having drawn it.  I will need to find a sketchbook alternative, but for right now it's something I'm trying to remain conscious of.