Review - Ink - Blick Black Cat India Ink

Blick Black Cat India ink is the least expensive India ink that I have seen yet, so I naturally had to try it. It behaves very oddly, but is well worth getting.

In the finer nib technical pens, (0.45 mm and smaller), the ink comes out in a dark, rich, solid, matte black. In broader nib technical pens, it comes out watery and grey. The broader the line, the paler the ink applies. I generally must redraw a broader technical pen line once or twice to get it as dark as I like. However, this rule is not consistent outside of technical pens.

With dip pens, the ink applies that same deep black, even if the resulting line is over 1 mm thick. Using a brush, the ink tends to again be thin and watery. Multiple applications will eventually result in that matte black, though enough ink might also cause the paper to buckle. When using the ink in a fountain pen (do not try this at home), it came out solid black, though the pen's line is 0.8-1 mm.

So, depending upon the tool used, Blick Black Cat India ink might apply as a solid black or as a watery grey. In either case, its resistance to erasing has impressed me. I find it a handy ink for comic work when using the tools that help it yield a dark line and am experimenting with mixing it with thicker inks that need thinning to improve their flow.

While I cannot use it to my satisfaction with every inking tool I regularly use, I appreciate Blick Black Cat India ink in the right tools for that ink.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.