De Atramentis Document Black: Fountain Pen Ink Review

De Atramentis Document Black bottle with ink swab and writing sample

De Atramentis Document Black is part of the Document series of fountain pen inks. These are exclusively handmade in Germany by Dr. Franz-Josef Jansen. This is a favorite of artists for its water proof properties. Check below for our impressions!

De Atramentis Document Black Ink Review

Ink Review

Supplies Used:

LAMY AL-star with medium steel nib
Rhodia No. 16 dot pad, 80g white paper
Tomoé River 52 gsm white paper
Leuchtturm1917 80g notebook

Smear Test (Dry Time):

30+ seconds – As with most water resistant inks these do take longer to dry as they bond with the paper fibers so if you're planning to use it for writing notes be sure to avoid smearing.

Drip Test (Water Resistance):

High – De Atramentis Document inks are some of our most water resistant inks and once allowed to dry are perfect for use in art works, specifically as a baseline for water washes and for writing important documents. This ink (and all the other Document Inks) are a favorite pick for artists!

Saturation:

High – This ink goes down wet and swabs 1-3 all look consistently the same which is great for someone looking for a deep black color.

Ease of Cleaning:

Medium – Document Black is not an ink you'd want to let dry up in a pen but as long as the pen is cleaned regularly you should not experience too much issue rinsing it out or during cleaning. We do find that there can be a little color residue that wipes off the nib easily after filling.

Shading:

Low – As this ink is pretty saturated you won't see any color variation in writing; it is uniform and great for a deeper saturated color.

Flow:

Wet – This ink goes down pretty wet and will take a longer dry time, due to this if used in a wetter writing pen you may experience a little feathering on less fountain pen friendly paper.