When I placed my order with Cult Pens UK a few weeks ago, I threw in a few other exclusive items just because. One of those was the Grey Skies No More ink which is part of the exclusive Diamine x Cult Pens Summer Fountain Pen Ink (30ml bottle). The series included eight colors total and I am kind of kicking myself for not grabbing a few other colors in the series.
The reason I grabbed the Grey Skies No More was that there is a distinctive multichromatic quality, I love a grey ink and the irony of an ink called Grey Skies No More that’s grey amused me. So very English summer.
I love the color of Ice Lolly in the sample but fear it would be too light in practice for me. A Jug of Sangria and Sand Between You Toes were close runner-ups for me based on the swatches above. I mean, really, they are all lovely if I didn’t already have too many inks.
But let’s get back to the ink at hand…
Grey Skies No More is a shading, sutble multichromatic in a warm grey tone. My swatches look much warmer than the sample shown by CultPens UK earlier in this review.
There is a distinct purply under tone. In wet application (like a brush, flex nib or swatch), the color is yummy and quite readable. However, in light applications like a fine nib, the color is quite light.
The writing samples above show the writing with an extra fine dip nib to be too light to be usable for writing. With a medium nib, things got more legible. Then with a large folded nib, the color variation is very intriguing.
The close-up above hints at the pink and blue chromatic effect in the overall greige ink.
When compared with other inks, my first thought was J. Herbin Gris Nuage which can also be too light to be usable in most writing circumstances. I was surprised to realize that Gris Nuage is a much cooler grey and also much lighter. I want to love Gris Nuage but its almost impossible for me to use.
Probably the closest ink color is Dominant Industry Downpour which does not have the multichromatic effects and is slightly more neutral grey-black but is the same or similar value. If you prefer cooler or more neutral toned greys, Diamine Silver Fox or Pelikan Edelstein Moonstone are better options.
Ink Institute Cat at Dusk has some of the multichromatic effects but is also a much cooler blue-grey with peachy undertones.
I might throw Grey Skies into my TWSBI Eco with the 1.1mm nib as it will give the ink its best chances at showing off the effects but for my day-to-day micro writing with EF nibs will not work with this ink. Sad about that FOR SURE.
But it is a really pretty color.
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