Reddit mentions: The best drawing inks

Perfect! I would say with 99% confidence you have a fountain pen, not a dip pen (people can do anything, so not 100%). :)

Now, the only thing left to do is help figure out what filling mechanism you have, and what ink you want to start with.

For filling, it is most likely a converter of some sort, although with the end ring, it might be a piston fill using that. I doubt it, but that is a good place to start. On the end opposite the cap, does the part below the gold ring turn freely? That type of piston fill won't unscrew, but will turn freely until it gets to the end of the stroke, then it will turn freely the other way. I also have a parker that the end piece turns to release the section from the body. Again, I doubt that is what this one is, just because most chinese pens like this are not that way, but it doesn't hurt to check.

Most likely, what you need to do is take the cap off, grab the gold portion just below the body, and unscrew the body from the section. Once that is done, if you can take pictures of what it looks like, we can help you on how to fill it. Here are a couple of links to some chinese pens so you can see what I am talking about. In both pictures, the top is the pen fully assembled, the middle is without the cap, and the bottom is it unscrewed. There are two types of converter represented here too. Hong Qiang 621 Hero 257A.

Ask if you have any questions, post pics, go slow. I am sure you can get this figured out.

Now onto ink. The cheapest black you can get for these types of pens is probably Hero student ink. I haven't yet tried it, reviews I have seen have it as a very fast drying ink. I have a bottle on order though, just to see what it is like. The price makes it almost like sample pricing to pick up a bottle Hero Black Ink Amazon . Others have recommended Parker Quink Amazon again, an ink I haven't tried, but gets very good reviews. Noodler's has very good blacks too, I love Heart of Darkness, but if you are not on good paper, it may not work well for you, and it only comes in large bottles, so the cost may be more than you want to get into right now (although price per mL is great on it). If you write on cheaper paper alot, Noodler's X-Feather can be a good ink too, and it is designed not to feather on cheaper paper, and the standard Noodler's black is a good ink.

One big thing, only get an ink that is labeled for fountain pens. A lot of the other advice here (speedball, higgins, etc) assumed a dip pen.

Hope this helps.

EDIT: Noticed I repeated myself on getting ink, cleaned that up.

> Care to tell me the advantages? I'm open to new things, I might change my mind if the pros outweigh the cons.

Sure can! Here's why I use a fountain pen for most of my daily writing:

• Fountain pens require much less pressure with which to write. A few years ago, I started using rollerballs for this very reason. Most ballpoints require you to press down so god damn hard. This strains the hand. Good luck writing for a long period of time with a ballpoint. That shit sucks. I started using fountain pens just a few months ago because I found that they required even less pressure than liquid ink rollerballs and gels.
  
• If you pick the right fountain pen, it's going to be a pleasurable, buttery experience. I'm not kidding. The nib of a fountain pen glides across the paper. Nowadays, I look forward to when I have to write something down. It's not a chore anymore, and for me, it gives me just another slight motivation to do schoolwork (college student). Hey, nothing hurts, right?
  
• A single fountain pen can last you a lifetime, and even more. I find that there's something admirable and even romantic about carrying a single writing instrument that you can refill again and again. You get to know the nuances of the pen; you get attached it the pen. I think that's freaking cool in our current "use and dipose" culture of shitty Bics. Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-tech or anything. I just find it super cool to always have on me my trusty fountain pen that's been with me through a lot! It's neat. I recently bought a vintage pen from the 1950s. It still works like a charm!
  
• Speaking of refilling, the ink choices of fountain pens are a big plus! There are literally thousands of ink choices of all shades and colors. One of my favorite aspects of writing with certain inks is that it shades! It makes it look so pretty on paper. Check it out: http://wonderpens.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/img_2772.jpg https://colewardell.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/autumn-inks.jpg
  Fountain pens can be refilled through disposable cartridges or through filling mechanisms that take up ink from a bottle (cartridge-converter, piston filler, etc.)
  
• And speaking of shading inks, the nib options for fountain pens are awesome too! EF, F, M, B, BB, etc. And even flex! Flex nibs are nibs that allow you to get some line variation depending on the pressure you apply. http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/flex1.jpg That's sexy, lol. Oh yeah, and even italic, stub, oblique nibs, and a bunch more.
  
• Fountain pens are usually much manufactured with a much high quality than most other types of pens. It's the niche it fills. It has to be higher quality because it's meant to last hopefully forever. Besides the high quality, they look really cool, with the nib and big barrel and whatnot. Here's one of my favorite pens: http://img-2013.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/31/thumbnail/3e8e7yga.jpg
  
  So yeah, that's why I use fountain pens. My first fountain pen still works perfectly. It was a Lamy Safari EF: http://www.jetpens.com/Lamy-Safari-Fountain-Pen-Extra-Fine-Nib-Charcoal-Black-Body/pd/1937
  
  My first bottle of ink was Noodler's Black: http://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Black-Waterproof-Fountain-Pen/dp/B000MVZ2E6
  
  And to refill the Safari, I had to buy a converter: http://www.jetpens.com/Lamy-Fountain-Pen-Z-24-Converter/pd/1941
  
  And that's it. After 6 months, I still have the pen (although I've bought a bunch more :D), the converter, and the same bottle of ink is still going strong. I call that a good investment. If only I hadn't gotten addicted and bought a bunch more fountain pens and inks. But, it's a cool hobby that I enjoy. Check out some videos on Youtube and let me know if you want writing samples or anything!
  
  So, tl;dr Fountain pens are cool. Get one.
  
  > I love them. The smaller the better. I like the precision they provide. I usually don't buy anything more than 0.5, as a matter of fact, I didn't even know there was 0.38, I'll definitely look into that.
  
  Along with your Safari that you should definitely get, you could toss on a Mach III and the Pentel Energel that I linked. ;) Orders of $25 from Jetpens have free shipping. :D
  
  > I've been looking for the Pilot Precise since I read this testimonial on LifeHacker but I just can't find it in Canada. I might have to order it online. Never looked for pens in Walmart though, I'll definitely have to give that a shot.
  
  Yeah, if you enjoy needlepoint pens, you should definitely start off with the Pilot Precise V5. That was my first good pen that started my pen addiction 4 years ago.
  
  Wow, I'm too obsessed with pens, lol.
  
  

1. You seem like a sincerely generous person, eager to share what you have with others without asking for anything in return. You fit in perfectly here :)
   
   
2. Appreciate the small things afforded to you. Not the fact that you make a comfortable living, but the beautiful sunrise, the feelings on the wind when it blows just right so that you can recognize what it means to be alive. A birdsong, a particularly luminous day, or simply be grateful for your loved ones and the people who support you. Appreciate, laugh often, be passionate about life itself.
   
   
3. The same as above. If you can learn to notice and appreciate the small gifts of daily life, it will cease to be mundane and morph into the glorious. Find inspiration in every surrounding.
   
   
4. [Red sumi ink] ( http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0026HZ3VG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3MZKKTPS3LUTM&coliid=I1BG7FAKL7H2PA)!
   
   Thanks for this contest! <3

> Last year my mom passed down a Lamy Safari that was completely destroyed and after trying and failing to get it to work, I resigned myself to my good ol' cheap gel pens. But this post pretty much re-ignited my interest. Right now my Amazon cart has a universal cartridge, a Jinhao x750 in black night sky, zebra g nibs, and Diamine ink. So thanks for that :p

Speaking as someone who's recently done the same thing with calligraphy, I'm happy to help you do so. Except for the hit to your pocketbook, of course. ;-) I've heard decent things about Jinhao. Apparently they are very good for their price, but being a "cheap chinese knockoff", are more susceptible to defective units. Make sure you order from a reputable seller who will allow you to return it if it fails, but hopefully it won't. A nice thing about some Jinhao pens is that the nibs are replaceable with many #6 nibs, so you have some options there.

> I decided to go for the diamine because it was cheap and only 30ml, so if this is something that I actually really like (I print pretty small, my 0.4mm gel pens have become my holy grail, so I can be pretty picky about this stuff) I'll spring for the Iroshizuku and Noodler inks I've fallen in love with.

I've heard excellent things about Diamine ink. I ordered some Diamine Oxblood because I wanted something that looked like dried blood, and Diamine Majestic Blue because OH MY GOD look at those colors. Yes, that's just one ink being used: it goes from blue to red as you apply more ink. That's some magic ink, there. (This is called "sheening".) I'll be ordering some Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses (again with the glorious names!), J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor 1670 Anniversary Ink and Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgrun (Old Golden Green) because they perform similarly. The Noodler's ink is definitely the most cost-effective, but you can order a sample kit of sheening inks from Goulet if you aren't sure which you want.

> I've also been lusting over water brush pens... anything you can tell me about those?

I'm afraid I don't know much about the brush pens as yet. I've used some micron brush pens before, but never one supporting fountain pen inks. That said, I plan to get back into it. There is an artist named Kevin Eslinger that does some utterly amazing work with Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay India Ink. He basically paints like you would with watercolor paint, and then blows on the fresh ink through a straw, making those cool blown/dripped patterns you see. I bought some of the ink and some traditional brushes, but I'm also looking into some brush fountain pens as well. Noodler's and Platinum both have some that I've been eyeing.

/u/albatrossd covered most of it, but I just wanted to add a few things from personal experience.

When grinding the ink, be patient. Don't use too much water or it will be unusable. Start with a few drops and move the stick of ink in circular motion. To be honest, I recomment buying bottled ink for chinese/japanese calligraphy, you can probably find some on amazon. Like this one. After you finish with a session, the ink will dry out, but the next time you use it, you can add a few drops of water and just grind it out again. That way you save a lot of ink compared to cleaning it every time.

For the first time you're using the brush, leave it in a cup of room temperature water for a few hours to a day. That will soften it up and allow you to actually write with it. The top one with yellow coloured tip is probably weasel hair and the bottom one is probably sheep. The sheep hair brush will be softer and easier to use imo so i'd start with that one.

Oh and you also need paper, i think this would work pretty well. And although not necessary, a mat like this can prevent ink from seeping onto your table.

I love chinese calligraphy, it's a great way to relax and meditate and takes your mind off everything else.

The paper makes the experience and for the time being this will treat you nicely. You can get a 5 pack for three dollars at most Target.

If you can justify the price Rhodia and Clairefontaine makes excellent paper.

Ink:This is a well behaved ink that will work great on any paper.

Waterman is a nice ink sold on Amazon, I have inspired blue and it's excellent and a lot of fun.

The folks here will suggest all different kinds of ink, enjoy your new pen and try not to get addicted like me!

Based off of my own experience... see if you can find a physical shop instead. Ordering online is going to be somewhat iffy. Sets are almost always tourist traps with low-quality brushes and ink, made more to be seen than to be used. I would suggest buying the equipment separately and packaging them up yourself.

So! Actual stuff:

• Paper: Rice paper, full stop. Something like this would work - Japanese and Chinese calligraphy share tools, so it doesn't really matter if you use one or the other. Gridded paper would also be nice.
  
  
• Ink: Get black sumi ink, which should be available at art supply shops as well as online. I recommend the bottled stuff to begin with, because it's just so much less of a hassle than trying to get the appropriate level of thickness if you're grinding an inkstick. If you do decide to get an ink stick, be sure to get an ink stone as well. I prefer the rectangular ones, but that's personal preference. You add a little water on the deep end, then dip the end of your inkstick in the water and grind on the flat portion at the top until the ink is as thick as you want.
  
  
• Brush: I'd say a medium sized wolf or goat hair brush, like this one.
  
  
• Other nice things: something like this practice book might be nice. Look for water-based practice sheets - the idea is you write over it in water, let it dry, and then you can reuse it. From my brief look at the preview, this book looks decent and also has good reviews. I like its stroke-by-stroke breakdown with examples.
  
  One thing's for sure - if your boyfriend isn't already learning the language, it will kick his ass, because the writing system is just so different. If he's not learning the language, he will also be limited to whatever words come in the instruction book, because it's not like in alphabets where if you know all 26/52 symbols you can write what you want. Each character is unique, and though there's a standard stroke order, you have to just be able to recognise the character in order to write it.
  
  Learning Chinese calligraphy from written sources is going to be hard. If at all possible, see if your local area offers Chinese calligraphy classes for beginners. It really, really helps to have a teacher who can correct your brushwork. A lot of the expressiveness and beauty of Chinese calligraphy IMO comes from understanding what it is that you're writing, and how it should look proportionally, and these things are hard to understand just by reading.

I like the idea, but make sure you know (a) how much ink cartridge refills cost, (b) whether you'll be willing to pay for them going forward, and (c) how easy they are to obtain. If they're only available online, you may want to buy a few packs with your purchase of the pen so you don't have to worry about additional shipping costs when purchasing later. (Don't go crazy and buy a lifetime supply, though - sometimes they go bad/dry out after a year or two.) My experience with nice stationery and art supplies is that if they're too expensive and/or difficult to obtain, you won't use them for fear of wasting them. So make sure this won't be a problem.

If you can't find a pen you like that meets these requirements, I'd suggest buying a nice writing journal and a pack of several decent-but-not-luxury pens to use in it. (Assuming you want to stay on the writing theme.) I have one of these MUJI pens and it writes quite well.

Another less expensive pen alternative, if you're more of the old-school fountain pen persuasion, would be a stick pen with interchangeable nibs and ink bottle. It's honestly not very practical but it's pretty fun to write with.

No worries on the writing samples. Your analysis has been extremely helpful, even if my poor attempts don't fully reflect it.

1. I'll just need to buckle down and work on my short 's' -- I think it not being familiar to modern eyes is reason enough to not use it.
   
2. Thank you. I found some instances that I think show what I need to do, so I'll give it another try soon.
   
3. I did not draw a ladder, but I will next time and see how it differs. I just measured the nib width with a ruler and went with that.
   
4. I always thought gouche was expensive, but honestly never priced it out. I might be able to get some from the Fine Arts department at the university I work at to try it out. I also found some no-shellac India ink, but it sounds like it's not quite that black. (Pity on this stuff -- it's a pretty excellent black to me!)
   
5. Noted. Thank you for the advice. I was using the cleaning solution every few letters and can soak it for a bit if I missed any spots.
   
6. I also got a C-2, and have a C-3 that I had used before. The shellac ink I was using clogged the C-3 pretty quickly, which is why I jumped to the C-1 -- I figured bigger tines might mean a bit more time to write, but I was wrong. I'll try the Brause and Mitchell nibs. I just get a little overwhelmed when looking at nibs sometimes! So many choices.
   
   Thank you for your response. I wasn't trying to direct the questions to you, but I do appreciate you taking the time to answer!

>I am looking at getting the fw pearlescent inks, they look really great, far more vibrant and shiny. So that might get a better overal effect.

I have a few of these (this set) and they're very hit and miss. The purple is pretty nice and the gold is useful for making highlight colors if you're using lower quality metallics. Most of the other colors were pretty underwhelming.

​

They also separate like you wouldn't believe.

Tombow Dual Brush is great ‘large brush’ for beginners. I would say first do lots of practice with small brush pens and then move to ink and nibs. Tombow Fudenosuke ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M71S9DU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2pv3AbQ543M8T ) or Pentel Sign Pen ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EN0HCH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_qGOz3EhHHfH49 ) are great small pen options. And when you feel ready for upgrade, hunt 513 nib and sumi black ink would be great.
Nibs - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BYT4DE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rtv3AbPZNAD77
Pen Holder - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BYU1BI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Utv3AbJBGTJV4
Sumi Ink - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AMLR8M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.tv3AbBVQG8T2
Hope this will be helpful!

It's a Chinese seal, often called a 'chop' in Western terminology. Traditionally they have a carving on the bottom and are used with bright red ink as a signature on artwork and business papers.

If you're in the West, they often come in gift sets like this with the seal, red ink, ink stone, brushes, etc. Yours, with the Chinese lion on top, looks like a common modern soapstone one, probably unetched on the bottom. I can't speak with certainty, but it's probably worthless, I'm sorry to say.

I also can't read the text; I study Japanese, not Chinese, but I'm sure someone who can will show up soon.

edit: Let me say, though, I've never run across one that had script on the side like that. It was definitely done by hand, as the kanji seem to be somewhat sloppy and undefined. It also seems a fair bit more weathered than I see in common ones, so it may have some age and history that gives it some value. You may want to post it in r/translator and see what the Chinese speakers have to say about what is written on it.

Sure!!

Single:
https://www.amazon.com/Ranger-Crimson-Holtz-Alcohol-5oz/dp/B079NC216D/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=crimson+red+alcohol+ink&qid=1570660789&sr=8-1

Color pack of 3 colors:
https://www.amazon.com/Ranger-Rodeo-Crimson-Aquamarine-Sepia-Alcohol/dp/B079C391XF/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=crimson+red+alcohol+ink&qid=1570660857&sr=8-2


A little pricey. But they work and look great. I did find a couple local art supply/craft stores sold these for a tad cheaper for singles.

Good luck!! Have fun!!

Quink is good, but I'm a big Noodler's Ink fan. You will find many of them here.

Noodler's basic black is, IMHO, better than Quink - it dries quickly, doesn't penetrate through the paper or feather (much), is waterproof and bleachproof, and is very, very black. Their "bulletproof black" is fraudproof too -- it contains individually tailored formulations to identify the writing later -- but dries more slowly. Both cost about $10 for a jar that will last you nearly forever.

They have a range of amazing colors and some inks that do things that will blow your mind. It's worth browsing through the selection.

How about a nice pen? Have you ever used a fountain pen?

This pen is great. I have one with a silver trim. I've had many a fountain pen, and this is still my favorite, even more so than pens that cost me twice as much. Feels good, looks good, made very well, writes well. Just don't drop it. It will break. That's the only downside for me. However, I've broken mine 3 times, and epoxied it back together and polished it up each time.

When you start using a FP, paper becomes important too. Cheap paper and some fancy notebook brands (i.e moleskine) are horrible for fountain pens. Ink will bleed and spider on the page. I'd suggest looking at this brand of paper. They're cheap(er than moleskine), look good, and take fountain pen ink super well.

You'll need some ink too. I'd suggest starting with something from Noodler's ink lke this. Some FP inks are waterproof, some are not. Bulletproof, iron gall, or pigmented inks are usually water proof.

I know that probably puts you closer to $100, but imo, it's worth it if that's something that interests you.

Yellow is hard. I've had success with Vallejo Game Ink Yellow. Prime in white then use this as a glaze/wash. When it pools in the recesses it'll be darker and slightly on the orange side and makes great easy shadows that look natural. If you have an airbrush I suggest the entire Game Ink line, amazing product. If you want a bright vibrant yellow go with the Liquidtex Cadmium Yellow. I've only started to experiment with it and it doesn't seem to do the shadow effect of the Game Ink but it lays down like how I think yellow should look.

Oh goodness, if you like ink you muuuust try Inktense blocks!! There is a 24 set with WHITE! I know it's not "traditional" to have white, but I love em! They go on dry, then add the water OR you can premix with water and use the ink that way. Once it is wet and has dried. You can go over it again with out worry the under layer will smear!! (Long as all the dry portions were wet at some point and dried.) IT IS AWESOME!

The company Derwent also has a set of Inktense pencils that work the same way, and keep your hands somewhat cleaner.

Also you can set Inktense on fabric, so designing on shirts, quilts and what have you is just eaaasy! There are a LOT of ways to use these! Printmaking, watercolors, stamping, inking, washes!~ Add to gesso or Mod Podge for a colored glaze! Lots of things really... It can cater to the professionals, amateurs and beginners!

There is also a set of water pens that you may be interested in, with trying these. I have always used brushes though, with water.. Or I wet the brush, and just dab it on the lil block its self. Or chip off a lil piece of color and add water to it on a little pallet. (Piece of plastic lol.)


Question: Can the name be computerized, long as it is drawn? Aka mouse/tablet?

My suggestion is to buy a Pilot Metropolitan, which comes with both a cartridge and a converter so you can try both out. I would also suggest getting a bottle of a basic, workhorse ink. Something like Noodler's Black would be a good option, a nice saturated black that is waterproof and behaves pretty well on cheap paper.

I would recommend not getting a fountain pen, because it would be expensive to get one with the flexible nib necessary to have variable-breadth strokes like in the OP.

Just get a starter set of nibs and a nib holder like this Speedball set for $10, find a tutorial for pointed-pen scripts like Engrosser's or any of the scripts mentioned in this video.

Oh, you'll also need some ink. India ink or walnut ink both work fine.

Sorry, I should've been more specific. When I wrote Noodler's, I meant Noodlers Black, this one.

> if you find an ink too wet, you can add a tiny bit of water to make it drier. This works by diluting the amount of surfectants/other things that help the ink flow.

Well that's new for me. Thanks, that's awesome to know this! I'd think quite the opposite because all this wetness/dryness logic (such as add water = wetter).

I just got a JinHao pen and it looks amazing. The reason I say looks is because I don't have ink for it. I've checked the sidebar and the sub wiki and such, but I had a question for y'all. What's your favorite non-blue and non-black ink? If I was going to go black I'd get this and blue would be this. But I want something.. different.

I'd like to stay around or under $20.

Keyboard: WASD 61 Keys with custom cap colors (built on their site)

Headphones: Sennheiser HD 598 SR with open backs.

Pen: Baoer 388 with a medium nib

I want to buy a nicer pen but for right now this one (with Noodler's black ink) works perfectly. I use numbers a lot at work, so I plan on making a separate number pad soon, and I also am probably going to purchase a trackball to place between the keyboard and number pad. The headphones I bought on Prime Day for half their normal price (at the time).

Thanks, used miniwax wood finish (gunstock) for the general stain and Dr.PH. Martin's ink while sanding, cleaning and drying well a few times over then a few layers of high gloss tung oil. These are just the brands I had on hand and generally like the products.

That so nice that you are getting into inking !Personnally I prefer watercolor \^\^

For the materials :

sketch: a pen https://www.amazon.fr/Pilot-Couleur-crayon-mécanique-clair/dp/B00195EEH0

a eraser https://www.amazon.fr/Faber-Castell-10003496-Gomme-Pain-Gris/dp/B01EFPZHOO/

​

lineart: ink fineliner https://www.amazon.fr/Fineliner-Pigma-Micron-Sakura-POXSDK3/dp/B00GS8HO34/ref=pd_sbs_229_2/262-3373145-5858605 (I use very often the 0.4mm)

​

inking: a random india ink like this one https://www.amazon.fr/Pébéo-Peinture-Encre-Graphique-Flacon/dp/B005IW0VG8 I a have little conteners where I do my different dillutions

2 brunches https://www.geant-beaux-arts.fr/pinceau-lavis-gerstaecker-aqualon-exclusivite.html I have a little and a medium one

highlight : white gel pen https://www.amazon.fr/Uni-788711000-Stylo-dessin-pastel/dp/B001AO2T8Q

​

That it ! \^\^ Sorry for all the french references... Hope that can help you !

Noodler's Ink black. Item number 19001. I use the pen at work so I have to keep things simple and professional. I'd prefer a nice dark blue, but, eh. It's for my paperwork.

I like your handwriting. Mine is still sloppy but I'm working on it.

If cleaning doesn't work then I'll try the soap trick. Thanks.

I love this idea of an alphabetical contest series :)

Dr. Ph. Martin's India Inks so I can write colorful calligraphy :)

or

Decodyne™ Fruit Infused Water Bottle so I can make really tasty water! I drink 3 L a day so it gets a little boring :)

Do we need a raffle phrase?

[Lamy 2000] (http://www.amazon.com/Lamy-2000-Fountain-Black-L01F/dp/B001D3PYT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397277169&sr=8-1&keywords=lamy+2000) as a modern pen, [Sheaffer Snorkel] (http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/sheaffer/1950s-sheaffers/sheaffer-valiant-snorkel-1950s-black-medium-superior-restored.html) as a vintage { [here] (http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/sheaffer/1950s-sheaffers/sheaffer-triumph-tm-touchdown-fountain-pen-gold-filled-fine-very-nice-restored.html) is another snorkel that matches your EDC}. however if you want something to try it out first go with a [pilot metropolitan] (http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Writing-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397277744&sr=8-1&keywords=pilot+metropolitan+fountain+pen). Finally [here] (http://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Black-Waterproof-Fountain-Pen/dp/B000MVZ2E6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397277859&sr=8-1&keywords=noodlers+black) is a good black ink to start with. If you want me to recommend another color ink or want a specific trait in the pen just ask!

My experience with inks is pretty limited, I hope others will help me out with suggestions. I use Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue, which is a full, darkish blue. My uncle recommended it to me because it is easy to clean and it is easy to restart pens that have dried up using a drop of water. HOWEVER, it has no water resistance whatsoever, so if you expect your notes to come in contact with water (aka rain), they will smear badly. Inks like a Noodler's Bulletproof Black are great if you want your notes to last a long time. However, I haven't used a bulletproof ink before, but I know they smell.

Daniel Smith Essentials set $23 , Arches Hot Press Watercolor Pad $11, Pentel Waterbruahes 3 pack - $13 , and a bottle of [India Ink $3] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001E6CUPC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1478233526&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX280_SY350_QL65&keywords=india+ink&dpPl=1&dpID=51a6zmSbLPL&ref=plSrch). If I had a little extra, I'd spring for the da Vinci round 6 sable travel brush - favorite all around brush for smaller paintings :)

What about you? What would you have purchased? Or are you looking to buy?

Also, It might be the style in which you paint. I found a great instructional book by artist Claudia Nice, I learned a lot from her book Painting with Watercolor, pen & ink. Take a look at one of the pages here she shows how with just 3 layers you can really show form and depth.

The advice that was given to me by /u/GardenofWelcomeLies was to start with a dip pen, so I will pass along the same advice.

Overall, a dip pen and some sumi ink will run you cheaper than an automatic like the pilot parallel's.

edit: Here are the 3 things you can use to start your adventure: 1. Manuscript Student Set 2. Sumi ink - make sure it is NONwaterproof 3. Rhodia dot pad

If you're wanting to do black, sumi is my favorite. It's a large amount, pretty inexpensive, and lasts a long time:
https://www.amazon.com/Yasutomo-KY2-Sumi-Ink-Black/dp/B000AMPD5A/ref=pd_sbs_229_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000AMPD5A&pd_rd_r=PDJH7CP3H238346VCDZK&pd_rd_w=fUZfD&pd_rd_wg=NNaSV&psc=1&refRID=PDJH7CP3H238346VCDZK

For colors, especially white (get no bleed) and metallics, I like Dr. Ph. Martin's: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_11?url=search-alias%3Darts-crafts&field-keywords=dr.+ph.+martin%27s&sprefix=dr.+ph.+mar%2Carts-crafts%2C151&crid=1QBLJKAKBP9G2&rh=n%3A2617941011%2Ck%3Adr.+ph.+martin%27s

Noodler's Black is fairly well known for being bleed resistant:
https://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Black-Waterproof-Fountain-Pen/dp/B000MVZ2E6

For bleed through I've found that higher quality paper helps more than different inks. I like these A5 Clairefontaines:
https://www.gouletpens.com/clairefontaine-1951-clothbound-notebook-black-lined/p/C195246

Inks. Go play with these inks. You'll get way more contrast and enjoy the intense colors. http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Ph-Martin-27s-Bombay-India/dp/B0026I10EE

i got these two with a metro

hope i got the right stuff lol

I haven't tried many inks, but the one I'm using now is Noodler's Bulletproof Black, and it's just excellent. In a Lamy Safari EF, it's my go-to pen for everyday use.

Oil based inks? No, it wouldn't flow as nicely and it wouldn't flow as nicely in the pen. However, there are some safe pigment inks that are "waterproof." I want to put a disclaimer here though, you should not use any ink not intended for fountain pens, ever. Specifically India ink. It's too heavily pigmented and will destroy the pen's feed (that's the piece that rests behind the nib and connects to the ink reserve).

There are a few notable waterproof inks out there, most of them are labeled as "taper proof" or "safety ink" intended for office use. After all, there still are a fair share of professionals who use fountain pens but need to have taper proof signatures (same goes for personal use and signing documents). Noodle's bullet proof ink is quite good, and inexpensive for a waterproof and tamper proof ink. Platinum also makes one as well. There are others out there, but they escape my mind. Only downside to the waterproof inks is they are not quite as "wet" as other inks., and they lack the verity of colours

Get Noodlers ink. The stuff is awesome and doesn't bleed through moleskine paper.

Any of the inks that are considered "bulletproof" from Noodler's (Noodler's black, 54th Mass. etc.) will not smear (unless they haven't dried). Once a bulletproof black is on some cellulose material (e.g. paper, fibers) it is there for good.

http://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Black-Waterproof-Fountain-Pen/dp/B000MVZ2E6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427578163&sr=8-1&keywords=noodler%27s+black

Derwent Inktense Blocks for Drawing and or Dabbling in watercolors. =D

My cheapest is $6 tea and my most expensive is this ink set at a whopping $23. Haha. I don't typically spend a lot of myself so at $23 it's probably something I'll never convince myself that I need.

Noodlers Bulletproof black has a pretty big following. I use it myself and it perfectly fits my ink needs. They also sell other inks that people seem to enjoy, but I personally have no experience with them.

Online, the ink I use is on Amazon so I just get it there in recent years.

I just bought Noodler's black and it's exactly what you want. The only small thing is that it's not a pure, darkness of space black.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MVZ2E6/ref=nav_timeline_asin?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pilot Metropolitan <F> nib and Noodler's Black. Use a CON-40 or CON-50 converter for the ink as the included converter is more for cleaning than anything

Make it Noodler's bulletproof.

Once this touches fabric it is never. Ever. Coming out. Not even with bleach. If you want something ruined forever, this will more than do the trick.

My Lamy Safari is getting quite worn out. I've had it for years and it's been riding around in my pocket the entire time. Switching back to writing in cursive with that pen made it so that I can actually somewhat keep up with notes without developing horrifying writer's cramp.

A large portion of the black coating is gone off of the wire clip, it no longer retains in the cap like it should, and I've had to replace the nib where it got loose in my pocket and got crushed. Still love the thing, though. In the end, it's wound up saving me money, because the $40 I spent on the pen, a bottle of ink, plunger insert, and replacement nib is all I've spent on writing implements in the last 3 years or so, whereas before, I was going through multiple G2 gel pens a month.

I have no idea why that caused me to go off onto such a tangent. I guess I'm just attached to that pen. I use Noodler's Bulletproof Black Ink in mine, by the way.

EDIT: Why not get that USP in .45 ACP, by the way? I think I would have gone with .45 instead. I already have half a dozen handguns in 9mm, though, so maybe it's just saturation on my part.