Inspired by the natural beauty, flora and fauna of Australia and specifically Tasmania, Van Diemen’s fountain pen inks have an amazing line up of colours showcasing how beautiful the colours of Australia really are.
Based in Launceston, Van Diemen’s inks are formulated and produced by a husband-and-wife duo who have long been passionate about fountain pens and inks.
And here’s a little history lesson! In 1642 Tasmania was discovered by Abel Janszoon Tasman. After he named his 'first sighted land' he named it after his Dutch superior Anthony Van Diemen. However, over time, the use of the name Tasmania grew until it stuck for good (so now you know!).
Van Diemen’s have seven, themed series of inks... yes, there are seven series! Their newest series, titled “Underwater” can only be described as gorgeous. With names like “Blue Ringed Octopus”, “Neptune’s Necklace” and “Parrot Fish”, one can only be intrigued as to what shade of ink colour these very creative names are represented by...
The seventh series of Van Dieman’s Inks are available in their standard formula, as a shimmer ink or in high saturation. Interestingly, most fountain ink brands include both highly saturated inks and inks that are drier however, I can’t recall another brand that actually specifies which of their inks are saturated or more on the dry side.
If you’re not proficient in the language of fountain pen inks, I’ll elaborate - although essentially, all fountain pen ink is made of water and lots of dye!
Without getting too scientific, saturated inks, also known as wet inks, are more highly lubricated and have a stronger capillary action than drier inks, allowing the ink to flow from the feed of your fountain pen, to the nib, to paper faster than usual, making your writing experience feel smoother, even with a fine nib.
Saturated vs dry inks can also be determined by the type of dye used, just to add to the complexity of this common inky issue. That said, most fountain pen users will have their preference of fountain pen nib size, ink, and of course, fountain pen friendly paper.
But what about shimmer inks?!
Great question! Basically, shimmer inks have tiny particles of shiny, pigmented powder added to them, making them shimmery! These inks are well loved within the fountain pen community and are a popular choice amongst many.
Then there’s the question of what’s the difference between shading and non-shading inks, and those inks with sheen... but I think we’ll leave that one for another day!
Basically, choosing what you like can be a matter of trial and error and can sometimes mean wishing and hoping that the ink colour of your choice comes in the formulation you prefer...first world problems, right?!
So, with all that said, the great thing about Van Diemen’s inks apart from their mesmerising and unique range of colours, is that they actually tell you which of their inks are saturated and which aren’t, making the decision of which one to buy that little bit easier! But hey, trying and testing is all part of the fun!
