In Ink Review

Ink Review: Dominant Industry Leaf Green

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Ink Review: Dominant Industry Leaf Green

I recently picked up a bottle of Dominant Industry Leaf Green ($17 for 25ml bottle — $1.47 per ml). I must have been inspired by the Oregon landscape with this deep green, forest-y vibe ink as I had just been there for the PNW Pen Show.

When swatched, the ink is  deep green with a little shading that shows a tiny bit of a yellow-y undertone. I love a lime/olive/yellow-green.

I then tested the ink with a variety of pens, dip pens, muddler, and actual filled fountain pens. What I found with this ink and many others is that my penchant for very fine nib pens often makes inks much lighter than they appear in swatches. The two pens I filled, the Kaweco Marble Ocean with a F nib and my trusty Nagasawa Sailor Pro Gear Slim with H-F nib is that the Leaf-Green ink looks almost like two different colors. In the PGS, Leaf-Green is a brighter shading ink but in the Kaweco Sport, the ink looks darker and more solid in overall appearance. Despite appearing from their labels as having similar nib sizes, these two pens result in very different ink looks.

Don’t be fooled!  Inks will look different in a wet writer (in this case, the Kaweco) versus a dry writer (the Nagasawa Sailor) and depending on the nib size (a fine Japanese nib versus a fine European nib).

If you don’t like an ink color or wish it was lighter or darker in color, try putting the ink in another pen. Switch to a wider or narrower nib, a wetter nib or a drier nib. So, if at first you’re not happy with an ink color, try it in a different pen.

With the Leaf-Green, I like the ink color in the PGS (Pro Gear Slim) for everyday use and in the Kaweco Sport for a darker, wintery vibe.

Compared to other inks:

I have several “dark green” inks in my stash including one of my very first ink purchases (bought even before I started this web site), Noodler’s Army Green which I bought at our local pen shop. Crazy that my search for the best green ink has been going on for a long time. Vinta Carlos and Kuretake Art Nouveau Zsolnay Green are quite similar in the swatch to Leaf-Green. Brothers Grimm from Montblanc and Noodler’s Army Green are both a bit lighter.

The swatches are darker than how the inks look in a pen but this at least provides a ballpark for the color, if you own any of these other inks.

Since a lot of my green ink purchases have been in an effort to find a new ink to replace my almost-empty Pen BBS No. 224 Leo Tolstoy and No. 342 Matcha Ice Cream which are both either discontinued or just too hard to find another bottle. So, I thought that Leaf-Green, though a little darker than the other two, might be a good alternative. Unfortunately, while I really like Leaf-Green it feels more bright green than Leo which is a little muddy yellow-green. Matcha is a little brighter and cleaner than Leo but is my green ink “runner-up”

When loaded in the “right pen” — Nagasawa Original Pro Gear Slim (Gakuen-Toshi Fresh Green) — of which I have two, seeing what the writing looks like, the more forest-y green is evident. I do really like Leaf-Green and think it may be a good option in the winter months. If anything, it will give me an alternative to the Leo Tolstoy so hopefully, it will last a little longer!

If you have unused bottles of Pen BBS No. 224 Leo Tolstoy and want to send them to me, let me know! Until the ink fairy shows up, I’ll keep using the Dominant Industry Leaf-Green to tide me over.

Final Impressions:

I continue to hunt for a replacement for my beloved Pen BBS Leo Tolstoy but I think the Dominant Industry Leaf-Green stands on its own as a very usable everyday green ink. It’s light and springy in fine Japanese pens and dark and luscious in a wider nib

Tools:

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In feature

When Best Intentions are Not Enough

Author AnaPosted on 23 Comments
When Best Intentions are Not Enough

For those who don’t know my history before becoming a full-time content creator and stationery maker, I worked as a graphic designer for Hallmark Cards for almost 20 years. I worked with some of the most talented lettering artists, illustrators and writers. I went on to work for two other companies as a product developer (not digital products but a design of physical goods like tea sets, Christmas ornaments, home decor goods and more) where I had the pleasure of collaborating with artist and illustrators as well as creating my own artwork. I believe artists should be paid for their work and credited.

I have been writing The Well-Appointed Desk (for better or worse) since 2010. I have written every word in my posts and reviews, typos and all.

So, it’s surprising when people ask whether my zines were  created using AI. This question has come up a couple times about the Gamify zine and I felt like I needed to be absolutely sure about every aspect of the publication.

In writing the Gamify zine, I researched and typed every word myself. My kind husband was my editor and proofreader and he is really good at it. At no point did I ever use ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney or any other AI software in any part of my production process. I laid everything out in InDesign and, where necessary, I used stock illustration sites with good reputations to purchase illustrations to zhoozh up the whole piece.

But because I’ve had multiple questions, it made me wonder if maybe, some of the artwork I bought utilized AI and didn’t mark it as such so I decided (a year after originally designing this in June of 2025) to go back to the original stock houses and verify that I had done my due diligence

Let’s dig into it:

In early 2025 when sourcing artwork, I turned to Shutterstock and Creative Market, as the stock image sites allow searching with a “no AI” button turned on which I did because I support artists who make art. I choose sites like Shutterstock in order to do my due diligence and utilize the authorship verification standards that sites like Shutterstock and Creative Market stand by.

Starting with the art I used for the cover which came from Shutterstock, the artist posted in his personal description that he does not use AI. I added a border from my vintage art collection so this is 100% original art. Textures and patterns were added to the inside and end papers that also came from my collection of vintage, out-of-copyright art collection.

 

This is what info I’d see, looking up images on Shutterstock and Creative Market:

This is the screenshot from Shutterstock of the art used on the cover of the zine.

I was able to click on the artist’s link and see that they stand by their no AI artwork. Yay!

The artist’s statement from their Shutterstock “about me” page.

Betrayed by the system:

After getting a few emails wondering about AI content this year, I revisited my artists’ sites because I know I did the diligence earlier. My husband and I, along with our many friends who are working comic illustrators, often discuss AI all the time. To find AI artwork in my Gamify zine would be unthinkable.

So I went back to Shutterstock and Creative Market and dug up info on every piece of artwork used in this zine. And this month I was shaking with rage when I found out that the Creative Market ‘NO AI’ feature had let me down, as I found that one artist is NOW flagged as having AI artwork. Their spot illustrations are kinda dispersed through the zine, and now the artist is even talking about their AI usage. I totally would not have used this artwork at all, despite how cute it is.

Screenshot from Creative Market taken in August 2026. I did not think to do a screenshot of the page when I purchased the art in 2025 but it looks different now with a distinct “AI” tag at the top under the title. The artist’s statement about their “Creative Process” at the bottom is also new.

What the ever-loving F*** is that “AI” tag doing there?!?! It was not there when I purchased the art nor was the statement from the creator at the bottom. I cannot tell you how angry I am that this was not on the art when I purchased it. I, of course,  have no proof that the art was not flagged when I purchased it so you will have to take my word for it and know that I did not intentionally lie or try to circumvent the beast that is AI.

It goes without saying that I sent a strongly worded letter to Creative Market for not advising previous purchasers that the status of this artwork had been changed.

I know that in today’s current climate, it is hard to assume anyone has good intentions but really, I did not use AI artwork knowingly. I even credited the creator of the illustrations in the zine so I was not trying to hide where I got it.

Needless to say, I have pulled the Gamify zine out of the shop until I can determine the best way to proceed. I did pay a printer to produce the zine so I am now sitting on a pile of inventory I don’t know what o do with. Do I offer a “I get duped by AI” fire sale? Do we just ritually burn them in the back yard and hope that the gods of creativity smile down on us and rain money on our heads?

As next steps, my goal is to create new illustrations for the inside of the zine and publish a new edition, 100% free and clear of AI. Once the new version is completed, anyone who purchased the original version can request to be sent a digital copy of the new edition (or a discount code to buy a new, no-AI).

I am sorry to anyone who feel like they got duped. I feel it too. I am trying to do my best to fix the situation but I know I can’t undo what has been done. Just know that none of this was done intentionally. I know that doesn’t make it right. But I hope I can make it better.

In photo

Yarn & Ink: Is it fall yet?

Author Laura CameronPosted on Leave a comment
Yarn & Ink: Is it fall yet?

I am eagerly awaiting fall. I’m not a summer lover. Sure those first few sunshiney days of spring are amazing after a long winter. And I do love a good summer vacation, but mostly it’s hot and humid and I just want to cuddle up and stay indoors with my woolens and my hobbies.

So today’s yarn + ink palette is fall inspired. The yarn has dark dark browns, oranges and peaches, a few spots of gold where the colors mix, and a minty green. I have all but that green nailed in some of my ink colors:

What would you suggest for that minty sage-y green that would fit better than Pennonia Almazold?

In Link Love

Link Love: Paper, Planners and 2027 is coming!

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Link Love: Paper, Planners and 2027 is coming!

With every week that I do Link Love, I see and feel transitions in the types of posts I find. Lately, I’ve seen a shift towards the paper part of our hobby. As the vessel for our thoughts, ideas, plans and memories, paper can often be the most important part of the stationery hobby. Whether you are looking for notecards or writing paper for letters, notebooks for ideas and projects, journals for memory keeping or planners for (finally) getting your life in order, paper is the key.

We can feel like we have enough ink, enough pens and enough ephemera but do we ever feel like we have enough notebooks? In every size, configuration or possible paper to fulfill every possible writing, drawing or notetaking need?

Are you already plotting your 2027 planner, seeking out a new notebook or stockpiling your favorite notebook in case it ever gets discontinued? Leave me a note in the comments. I’d love to hear about your notebook stash!

Pen Show Recaps:

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Other Interesting Things:

Check out our Patreon where you can get inspiration, gossip and free printables that include a biweekly podcast and more. Your patronage supports this site. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In Paper Review

Notebook Review: Graphilo Style – 8.3″ x 4.7″ – Blank

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Notebook Review: Graphilo Style – 8.3″ x 4.7″ – Blank

You know how sometimes you see the measurements of a notebooks and think, “Oh, I know what size that is” and just order it? Yeah, that’s what happened to me when I ordered the Kobeha Graphilo Notebook – Style – 8.3″ x 4.7″ – Blank ($34 or $0.36 per page, ).

The Graphilo pictured with a standard Navy Traveler’s Notebook cover (customized with Hot Dang Press iron-on transfers) and a Benu Viper Fountain Pen.

I thought it was Traveler’s Standard-size since JetPens listed it as “A5 Slim” so I assumed I’d have an existing cover to use with the notebook. But no. This Graphilo notebook is the same height as a standard Traveler’s notebook but about a half an inch wider. The official measurements for the Graphilo notebook are 210mm x 120mm compared to Traveler’s 210mm x 110mm so that’s a 10mm difference in width. Annoying since the notebook will not fit into a Standard Traveler’s cover. If you have a larger cover designed to hold more notebooks, this one thick insert might fit into but I don’t have any of those.

Compared to a standard A5 Slim/Traveler’s Notebook size, the Graphilo is about 1/2? wider making it incompatible with Traveler’s Covers but about the same size as the Traveler’s Notebook cover with inserts inside.

The notebook also includes 94 sheets/188 pages so its as thick as three or more Traveler’s inserts (as shown in the photo above). If you’re looking for a Traveler’s-sized carry but would prefer not to need a cover and a bunch of inserts, this could be an alternative.

The next thing I noticed was that the cover is a very stiff cardstock made from matte coated paper which reminds me more of the paperboard used for school grade composition notebooks. For a small, simple notebook costing $34, I was hoping for a more upscale cover material — or at least more artisan. I love the more supple feel of covers like Hobonichi and Stalogy so this cover, while supportive for writing on uneven surfaces or in your lap does not lend itself to fanning the pages. Am I the only person who loves to fan the pages of a book or notebook? his might be a “me problem”.

So, even before I got to the point to test the paper I was bummed about this notebook. The paper better dazzle.

Writing Tests:

The paper is a little toothy with one side having slightly more tooth than the other. I’d compared it to Canopus Note or Midori MD Cotton from the standpoint of texture. The color is a natural white, not too bright but will give fairly clean color representations.

Overall, the paper presented no bleeding or feathering and none of the pens I tested seemed to spread ink or appear wider in writing than I expected. The only potential issue was the longer dry time.

Dry time with wetter pens and some inks must be a known issue on the Graphilo paper as the notebook does included a blotter sheet. I experienced some ink drying issues, particularly with sheening and wet inks. I had a lot of particularly wet inks loaded in my pens this week and some took as long or longer to dry than on Tomoe River does. Crazy, right? It is also hot, humid and August in the Midwest so I can’t blame all the issues on the. paper or ink. Everything is sweating right now, even my paper.

Final Thoughts:

Honestly, I would have preferred a standard A5 Slim size and thinner, cahier-style booklets. The paper is pleasant with good weight and tooth despite the size of the notebook and stiff, plasticky covers which I find off-putting. The Graphilo notebooks are available in A5 size with 64 pages (32 sheets) for $15 and available in graph, blank and lined which is probably a more useful format. The Limited Edition version with the Kobe Nagasawa ink bottles on the cover is definitely tempting.

So, I think I was put off by the size and format more than the paper quality though I do think that the more toothy, texture-y Graphilo paper will not be to everyone’s taste. If you prefer slick, smooth, frictionless paper, than I don’t think the Graphilo notebooks will be for you. But if you’re looking to try some new papers, Graphilo is definitely a good quality paper that likes fountain pens.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In feature

Giveaway Winner: Galen Leather Sinclair Case

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Giveaway Winner: Galen Leather Sinclair Case

Thanks to everyone who entered the Galen Leather Sinclair case giveaway. I wish I had more to give away but I only have one so let’s celebrate today’s lucky winner:

I’m happy to treat you this beautiful case!

More giveaways soon so stay tuned!

I’ve emailed the winner directly. If its you, check your spam filter. If winner does not reach out within 7 days, I will pick a new winner. 

In Ink Review

Ink Review: Monteverde Trailhead Coffee & Cathedral Grove + Pen Flush (Dromgoole’s Exclusive)

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Ink Review: Monteverde Trailhead Coffee & Cathedral Grove + Pen Flush (Dromgoole’s Exclusive)

Dromgoole’s released a new collection of inks for the Portland PNW Pen Show. The set was a collaboration with Monteverde x Dromgoole’s Trailhead Coffee and Cathedral Grove (30ml ink set + 30ml Pen Flush for $23.04  – 0.25 per ml) and were inspired by the Pacific Northwest.

Trailhead Coffee:

Trailhead Coffee is a rich, earthy brown inspired by freshly brewed coffee with the addition of a gold shimmer. Not sure glitter makes me think of coffee but I love a good brown ink and I don’t have any that have shimmer in them.

When I first sampled Trailhead Coffee, I wondered if Monteverde took an existing brown ink from their collection and added shimmer. I compared it to Brown Sugar but it was much warmer and much lighter. It’s possible that they referenced a different brown from their collection like the new Paws German Shepard Brown (scented ink). The golden sheen warms the color but I think the shimmer also makes the ink more dense overall and decreases shading.

When compared with other inks, Trailhead Coffee is a dark, neutral brown. Ignoring the shimmer, the closest brown I could find was Kuretake Art Nouveau Mahogany Brown and Robert Oster Motor Oil. Motor Oil has a sheen that mimics the shimmer if you prefer sheen over shimmer. I inlcuded more common browns to show how much darker Trailhead Coffee is and how cooler than browns like Waterman Absolute/Havana Brown which is very warm.

Cathedral Grove:

Cathedral Grove is a deep teal with gold shimmer that reminds me of one of my favorite Monteverde inks, California Teal but with the added bonus of shimmer. Cathedral Grove feels like the glorious evergreens and deep seas of the Pacific coast.

The shimmer tones down the bluish and pink-red sheen of California Teal but I feel very confident that Cathedral Grove is California Teal with shimmer. I am not complaining. I think it looks pretty cool but I would also have loved a blue or green shimmer rather than gold although I suppose the gold shimmer looks more like sunlight through the trees.

The gold shimmer makes Cathedral Grove look more greenish than teal so the closest comparisons I could find were Colorverse Shrodinger and Kaweco Palm Green if you like the color but not the shimmer.

Pen Flush:

The bonus addition of the Pen Flush is great for anyone nervous about using shimmer inks to have quick access to some pen flush though its not always necessary. Most of the time pens can be cleaned with clean water and a drop of clear dish liquid but having a little pen flush handy is always nice.

I didn’t get a chance to test the Pen Flush as my pens were either clean or recently filled but maybe in the future I’ll compare it to my homemade Pen Flush.

Final Thoughts:

I don’t have a ton of shimmer inks and I love greens and browns so this set was a great way to try som out at a reasonable price. I haven’t filled any pens yet to test the usability in long term usage but the shimmer seems fineso I’ll get a pen filled soon.

I find Monteverde inks to be good performers and reasonably priced so I feel good recommending this set, if you’re looking to try some.

The Trailhead Coffee and Cathedral Grove are also available in 90ml bottles ($15.36 per bottle).

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Dromgoole’s for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.