What should I know about sheen inks?

Sheen inks offer a unique, eye-catching effect as the ink dries—showing subtle shifts in color and a metallic or reflective quality. However, to fully appreciate the sheen, the paper you write on is crucial. High-quality, fountain pen–friendly paper with low absorbency (for example, Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Tomoe River paper) allows the ink to remain on the surface longer, thereby accentuating the sheen. In contrast, if the paper soaks in the ink too quickly, the effect is diminished, and you may not see the desired shift in hue when the ink dries. The amount of ink put on the paper by the nib is also a factor. If you use Sheen ink with an extra fine nib, the ink may not show off a lot of its characteristics. If you use a broad nib that puts down more ink on the paper, the sheen ink will show off its characterists more. In addition, the formulation of the ink is designed to display sheen only under the right conditions, so always consider both your ink and paper selections to achieve the best visual results.