The fountain pen ink color reference provides swatches, hex codes, and properties for 180+ popular inks from the top five brands. Filter by brand, color family, or special properties to find the perfect ink for your writing style.
How to Use the Fountain Pen Ink Color Reference
This fountain pen ink reference lets you browse and compare 180+ inks by color, brand, and special properties. Use it to find a specific ink, discover new colors, or copy hex codes for design projects.
Filtering by Brand
Each major brand has a distinct character. Pilot Iroshizuku inks are premium Japanese inks with poetic names (Ama-iro means "sky blue", Tsuki-yo means "moonlit night"). They have exceptional shading and flow. Noodler's offers bulletproof waterproof inks and hundreds of unusual colors at budget prices. Diamine has the widest range for everyday use. Sailor 1911 inks offer excellent flow; Sailor Jentle inks are known for vibrant colors and sheening. Pelikan inks are a reliable classic choice for everyday writing.
Special Properties Explained
Sheening inks show a metallic or contrasting color in pooled areas. Best seen on smooth paper (Rhodia, Clairefontaine) with a wet nib. Shading inks vary in intensity as ink flows from wet to dry — this creates a natural light-to-dark gradient within strokes. Waterproof inks resist washing and are essential for documents, artwork, and field notes. Most iron gall and pigment inks are waterproof.
Copying Hex Codes
Click any ink card to copy its hex code to clipboard. These codes are approximate on-screen representations. Actual appearance varies by paper, nib wetness, and lighting. Use hex codes for digital mood boards, brand matching, or when ordering custom pen accessories to match a favorite ink.
FAQ
Is this fountain pen ink reference free?
Yes, completely free. Browse all ink swatches, hex codes, and properties without any account or payment.
Is my data safe?
Everything runs locally in your browser. No data is sent to any server.
What does sheening mean for fountain pen ink?
Sheening inks show a second color when they pool — typically a metallic or contrasting hue on the surface of dried ink. For example, Diamine Oxblood sheens green. Sheening is most visible on smooth, coated paper and with a wet-writing nib.
What is waterproof fountain pen ink?
Waterproof inks (also called water-resistant) don't wash away when wet. They typically use iron gall, pigment, or a special resin binder. Noodler's Bulletproof line is the most popular waterproof fountain pen ink family. Be aware that some waterproof inks require more cleaning to prevent nib clogging.
What does dry time mean for fountain pen ink?
Dry time is how long ink takes to become smudge-proof after writing. Slow-drying inks are problematic for left-handers and fast writers. Pigment and iron gall inks tend to dry faster. Lubricated inks like Noodler's X-Feather are often slower.
Which fountain pen ink brand has the most color variety?
Diamine offers the widest range with 80+ standard colors plus special editions. Noodler's has 50+ colors with unique bulletproof and fluorescent options. Pilot Iroshizuku is known for premium quality with 24 carefully curated colors named after Japanese natural phenomena.
Can I copy the hex codes from this reference?
Yes, click any ink card to copy the hex code to your clipboard. The hex codes are approximate representations — actual ink color on paper varies by paper type, nib wetness, and lighting conditions.