Bubble Gum is the first of four inks to be reviewed from Studio360’s Supermarket line of inks. With a recent review of Vinta Makopa – the only other pink ink I own – fresh on my mind, I decided to start reviewing with Bubble Gum first. It was recommended as a best seller and so joined my mini haul from Studio360, a Thai stationery shop and brand. The initial swatches showed the inks bleeding and feathering a lot so let’s see how Bubble Gum performs on Rhodia dotgrid paper.
Shading: 1/5
Sheen: 0/5
Shimmer: 0/5
Saturation: 4/5
Wetness: 1.5/5
Lubrication: 1/5
Water resistance: 0/5
Bubble Gum is a flat magenta coloured ink with no sheen or shimmer whatsoever. Shading is only noticeable if you squint with broader nibs. It makes me think of magenta printer ink. This was a dry ink that felt like Lamy blue or black, maybe a bit drier and with less lubrication. Perhaps I was under the presumption that it would be a wet ink due to the feathering from the swatch but this was not the case. It also dries quickly which could be useful for left handers. The lack of lubrication means that the ink was more comfortable and smooth to write with in broader nibs as the EF and F nibs felt unpleasantly scratchy with it. The ink showed feathering and even hints of bleed-through on Rhodia paper which surprised me (swipe to see the close-up). It is not water resistant as you can see from the water drip test.
This ink creates a bit of a catch-22. Finer nibs would make it easier to control the feathering and bleed-through but would feel rough due to the dryness and low lubrication. The colour is fine though pinks generally are not my favourite and the lack of shading means the ink is automatically less interesting to me. I would probably use this ink for art on watercolour paper more than I would for writing and would not repurchase it. Not the best first impression of inks by Studio360, especially since it was suggested as a best seller, so here’s to hoping that the other inks behave differently. If you’ve tried any Studio360 inks or have recommendations, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Edit: Reviews for Oyster , Soda and Green Tea here.
Disclaimer: I bought this ink with my own money and do not receive any compensation for writing this review.
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