The new Vinta Inks Collection sets have recently arrived and I couldn’t be happier– despite a little inktastrophe. There are two collections, Neon and Vintage, and each include three-15ml bottles in a divided tray in a decorated slip jacket.
The Neon Collection features a bright pink (Tagpuan Electric Pink), a bright cyan (Magnetic Blue) and a teal (Android Teal). My instinct is that these are not highlighter neon colors but a nice assortment of usable bright colors — Not eye-searingly bright but bright. None of the colors in this collection appear to sheen but they all seem to shade nicely.
The Vintage Collection (which had dates from the 1970s on the bottles) are more what I would think of as Retro and not vintage. But that’s just me. The 70s have always seemed “retro” to me. That said, the colors in the collection are a bright blue (Pilgrim’s Blue), a dusty rose (Bini Bini) and a red orange (Silab Blaze). In the Vintage Collection, the only sheening ink is Silab Blaze. The other two colors are nice shaders.
Vintage Collection Ink Comparisons:
I initially thought, with the sheening that Silab Blaze would be similar in color to Sailor Irori but Silab Blaze is definitely more orange where Irori is more red. There are minor differences between Vinta’s Damili Terracotta and Silab Blaze. If you already own a full bottle of Terracotta, you probably don’t need Silab as well. If you prefer non-sheening inks, Penlux Tangerine is quite similar in color just without the sheen.
Pilgrim’s Blue immediately made me think of all of the Robert Oster blues. Surprisingly, Pilgrim’s Blue is a shade off from Robert Oster Fire & Ice, without the sheen. Colorverse Strelka and Callifolio Omi Osun are also close in color. Other inks I looked at for comparison were either lighter, darker, more teal or more desaturated (more smoky).
The Bini Bini Pink Rose was the most unusual ink in the Vintage Set and hardest to find an apples-to-apples comparison. Robert Oster Cherry Blossom and Sailor Studio 237 are similar but with subtle differences in the tones — Cherry Blossom is more pink, Sailor Studio 237 is a bit more orange. J. Herbin Bouquet D’Antan is lighter and pinker.
The Neon Collection Comparisons:
Android Teal is one of those “sweet spot” colors for me. I can never seem to get enough of this hue. And I swatched Diamine Marine twice and didn’t even notice! From the slight difference in ink application for the Marine swatches — one having a bit heavier coverage than the other — it’s clear to see that Marine can look very similar to Android Teal though slightly more green. Coloverse Strelka is a much closer match.
Tagpuan Electric Pink is not as “electric” as many other pinks in my ink collection. I included Krishna Bauhima which is one of the brightest pinks in my collection for comparison. iPaper Pleione Formosa is the closest color match but features a bit more purple in the ink than Electric Pink. I also included a sample of Pelikan Edelstein Tourmaline and Van Diemans Spring Fairy Orchid for comparison. Even with these ink comparisons added, Electric Pink is definitely a different color than the others shown.
The last ink is Magnetic Blue. As you can see from the swatch, this is a color created by many, many ink makers. Finding one or two comparisons seemed pointless since I had 16 that were all relatively the same color. Most notably, Magnetic Blue is the same color as Waterman Inspired Blue, Lamy Pacific Blue, Diamine Turquoise, Sheaffer Turquoise, J. Herbin Bleu Prevenche, and Robert Oster Blue River.
Conclusion:
While I love a good set of inks, I don’t really have need of these colors. There is one color from each collection that feel unique in my extremely large ink collection: Silab from the Vintage Collection and Bini Bini from the Neon collection. I would have liked the vintage collection to either be more vintage — maybe faded colors that Vinta already does so well or based on notable colors of the past (how about “Arsenic Green” and “Perkin’s Mauve“)? The Neon Collection was not NEON enough for the name, IMHO. The colors are pretty but this could have been called The 80s collection as easily as the Neon collection.
All my opinions aside, the range of colors in each set is good and the small bottles are perfect for trying new, different colors without having to commit to a lifetime supply. If you have a smaller ink collection, these would be a great way to add new range to your collection. If you have a massive ink collection, the only reason to purchase these is FOMO.
One of the things I like about Vinta is the thoughtfulness of their collections. Each ink color has a story related to Philippine culture and history. The choice of colors might not make sense out of context or even as “vintage”, but I do recommend reading the stories behind the color choices.
omg thank you for pointing this out!! It’s such a pet peeve for me when people only discuss the colors and not the backstory in which the colors were based on.
I’m not sure how easy they are to find so copying the description below from the founder’s local online store website:
• Blaze 1970 [Silab] -Blaze 1970 commemorates the “First Quarter Storm,” one of the earliest collective demonstrations led by students against the leadership and administration of President Marcos. This vibrant orange shade reminds us that we all have the fire within us to fight against injustice and demand accountability.
• Pilgrim’s Blue 1970 [Peregrino] -In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited the Philippines. Known as the “Pilgrim Pope,” this color celebrates the deep and longstanding Catholic faith of Filipinos. This beautiful shade of blue is also reminiscent of the iconic habits of the nuns who held the line against the military during People Power I.
• Pink Rose 1973 [Binibini] -In 1973, Margie Moran of the Philippines won the Miss Universe pageant held in Athens, Greece, making her the second out of four winners who hail from the Philippines. Considered as beauty pageant powerhouse, pageantry in the Philippines is a source of deep pride and joy.
•Pop! 1993 [Magnetic Blue] -Pop! 1993 celebrates Original Pinoy Music (OPM). Some of the most groundbreaking Filipino music came out during this period including songs from the band Eraserheads. Magnetic Blue is a bright shade of blue with shading.
•Tagpuan 2046 [Electric Pink] -For the first time ever, we are using an international reference for a Vinta ink. A Wong Kar Wai Ɗlm is a study in color and cinematography. 2046 is the epitome of color as language. Tagpuan means meeting place. Lovers, friends, and family, “when shall we three meet again?”
•Astro 1980 [Android Teal] -In 1980, asteroid 6282 was discovered by Carolyn Shoemaker from the Palomar Observatory. Asteroid 6282 is “Edwalda” after two Filipinos Edwin L. Aguirre and Imelda B. Joson who wrote a book on Halley’s comet published in 1985.
The Vinta Vintage Collection takes inspiration from the “Dekada 70s,” or the Philippines during the 70s. This is a very interesting period in Philippine history where we have the convergence of greater political resistance from students as well as the rise of pop culture. At the same time that there is a growing resistance against the Marcos regime, there is also flourishing of art and culture. It is this special moment that we pay homage to in this collection.
The Vinta Neon Collection is a fun capsule collection that focuses on technology, the future, and contemporary art including film. We were thinking of technology, in particular, computers and space/time travel. While the Vintage Collection looks back in time, the Neon Collection looks to the future and the possibilities that await us.