Platinum Carbon Ink Bottle 60ml - Black

I've written this review multiple times trying to get it right so I'm going to start from the beginning. I draw comic books and saw people talking about this ink and how black it was on Youtube. After all the reviews, I found it on Amazon an ordered it. Comic book artist like deep black ink against white Bristol board, Speedball Super Black is generally what's used along with Ultra Draw, Dr. PH Martin and various sumi inks which are also getting popular now. I wanted to review this ink on the Night Phoenix Press Youtube channel specifically from the point of view of a comic book artist and how it would work with my Pentel Fude Brush Pen, brushes and dip pens. When I got it, it seemed to dry more dark grayish than black. I shook it up and everything. I will say with the dip and fountain pens there were never any problems. My go to inks are Blick Black Cat and Yasumoto Waterproof Sumi, but I originally tested Carbon Black against Blick Black Cat and Zig Black Ink 60 which is also sumi and made for drawing. Both inks seemed noticeably blacker, so I reviewed it here. I revamped my review when I noticed on 300gsm cotton water color paper Carbon Black went down black and stayed black. I don't know what happened, but a few days later I was going to remove Carbon Black from my brush pen and fill it with Ultra Draw (a thinner ink used for technical pens), but I made some marks with the brush pen and the Carbon Black went down very black and stayed that way. I drew a few images using the brush pen and it was indeed satisfyingly black. I don't know if the pigment had to settle or maybe there was some water still in the brush pen, but I did also try it with a brush early on so I don't know. It is very black now. I tossed the original dark grayish images I used in the original review, but have posted the new images of the ink being very black. My issue is with pricing, considering big bottles of sumi ink cost the same as this and two ounces of Super Black, Black Cat and Zig's cartoonist and manga inks all cost much less. The thing is this ink is marketed to fountain pen users. It's a very black ink that's thin enough to use in fountain pens and easy to clean up according to reviews I've seen. Also the cool glass bottle and internal cup definitely add to the price as most fountain pen inks come in these slick glass bottles that do look cool on a desk. It's a definite recommend, but not something I would buy consistently considering Black Cat, Speed Ball Super Black, Yasumoto and Zig's sumi inks are all very black and Ultra Draw is decently black and can be used as a brush pen ink. I assume Ultra Draw would also work in a fountain pen as it's made for Rapidograph and other technical pens which have much smaller outlets. Also it's more water resistant than waterproof, but according to some that has to do with the kind of paper used. I'm not going to be painting over it and sketch artist who watercolor their art like Teoh Yi Chie still like it, so there's that.-Nathyn Brendan Masters

Usage time - almost a year.Platinum Carbon Black has a pencil like lustre to my eyes.This is a pigmented ink.These inks have their own set of troubles including the need for a thorough deep clean when there is a dried ink issue. However, this ink is easy to clean (as are sailor Kiwaguro and Seiboku, I will reserve judgement for Souboku). Also Platinum gets around this with their slip seal tech which is present on most of their pens (certainly their cheapest preppy, profounte and plaisir models ). If you are worried that you will forget about the ink and it will dry out, try a preppy. If you really forget about the pen, still, 2 weeks down the line you have a pen that writes when put to paper. If it is 2 months, you have a forgetful memory. If it is two years, you have way tooo many pens.Comparison to other black inks1. Noodlers X-Feather. better water resistance on Platinum carbon Black, wetter and more lubricated, also a faster dry time and non-smudging off good paper. X-F is blacker, cheaper (per ml basis) and also2. Herbin perle noire. PCB has Much better water resistance, slightly more lubricated. HPN is cheaper, slightly blacker and slightly wetter, and since it has no pretensions of water resistance, cleans off easier.3. Schneider Black cartridges - PCB has much better water resistance, is a true black. Schneider has a purple undertone, is much cheaper, and is wetter.Overall, if using in a EF/F pen (especially something like a preppy) - this is a solid, reliable daily pen.This ink bottle, a Sailor Seiboku bottle and a preppy F and EF for each, and a Sailor/Pilot 14k/18k FM PGS is all one needs for a desert island situation.

Platinum Carbon Ink is a solid choice if you're looking for a true black ink that’s waterproof and archival quality. It has a deep, rich black color that makes your writing or artwork stand out. The ink is great for situations where permanence is important, and it performs well on different paper types with minimal feathering and low bleed-through.However, it's a pigmented ink, which means it requires a bit more care and maintenance. If you don't regularly clean your pen, it can lead to clogging, and getting the pen back to working smoothly can be a hassle. While it doesn't offer any shading or sheen, the rich black tone provides excellent contrast, which is great for readability.Overall, Platinum Carbon Ink is a great option for those needing durable, high-quality ink. Just be prepared for the extra effort to maintain your pens to avoid any performance issues.

I have little experience with fountain pens. This ink was recommended in several places as being good for line & wash artwork. I drew my first sketch, let it dry a bit, and then used my watercolor paint over it. It did not smear or bleed. I just started drawing this year and was happy to find this. Rich black color, flowed easily. I've attached my initial sketch; I don't have one of the finished art.