De Atramentis Document Ink Light Grey - 45ml Bottled Ink
De Atramentis fountain pen inks are exclusively handmade in Germany by Dr. Franz-Josef Jansen, and come in a 45ml glass bottle. This pigmented light grey ink is part of the Document series and is permanent and waterproof.
All of the inks in the Document series can be mixed together to create a unique waterproof color. Great for sketching with fountain pens!
Note: De Atramentis is in the process of changing their bottled ink lids. What is pictured might differ from what you receive. We cannot honor special requests.
- Condition
- New
- Brand
- De Atramentis
- Type
- Bottled Ink
- Color
- Silver/Grey
- Bottle Material
- Glass
- Bottle Opening Diameter
- 18.5mm (0.73in)
- Fast Drying
- No
- Fluorescent
- No
- Shimmer
Whether or not the ink contains glittery particles.
- No
- Freeze Resistant
Whether or not an ink is specially formulated to better withstand freezing temperatures.
- No
- Volume
- 45ml
- Iron Gall
Ink made from iron salts and tannic acids. Though quite permanent and waterproof, these inks are typically known for causing chemical corrosion to metal pen parts (especially the nib) and should be used sparingly or with less-valuable pens.
- No
- Lubricated
Whether or not an ink is specially formulated to increase flow in your pen.
- No
- Pigmented
Whether or not the ink contains finely-ground solid particles in liquid suspension.
- Yes
- Scented
- No
- Water Resistant
Whether or not the ink, once dried on the paper, will resist being washed away with water.
- Yes
Customer Reviews
Pricey, but exactly what I was looking for - a low-viscosity, waterproof, light gray ink to use to lay out watercolor sketches. Out of an extra-fine nib, it looks about like a 7H pencil.
It was like using a well pointed PENCIL! I wasn't Ready, beautiful delicate lines(ef nib), WAIT for it-it erased lightly enough, and I even did a little finger blending before it dried.
This ink runs drier than other d'Atramentis document inks, is very pale and has particulates separated out. It is not good for writing, but can give a very pale, sketchy under sketch where even the particles add some character. I do not know whether I will ultimately use this ink but am curious enough to give it a try given that I have enough pens to spare one. I am using a Sailor 1911 21 K nib so do wonder if this ink would flow well enough for sketching for other nibs. I believe the description for this ink should be more explicit about its character - more in line with the description of the white document ink - since it is so very different than the great majority of document inks.
I love De Atrementis inks and have been using them for a number of years now in my ink and watercolor illustrations. I was a bit hesitant to try the De Atramentis Document ink Light Grey after reading some of the reviews; however, I'm super happy that I did purchase it. The color is faint - similar to the color of lead in a HB pencil. But that means that I can either use the ink to create faint underdrawings for my ink illustrations, or simply for drawing in parts of the illustrations where I want to keep the lines soft.
The sample photo is heavily touched up. This ink is so light as to be barely visible. After loading it into my pen, I thought I had accidentally left the pen full of water. Nope, just non-existent ink.
FAQs about Bottled Ink
Which pens can accept this ink?
Any of these fountain pens will work with bottled ink. Typically, as long as the pen can be filled with a converter, has a built-in filling mechanism like a piston, or can be eyedropper-filled, it can accept bottled ink.
What is shading, sheening, or shimmering ink?
Shading - A common (and often desired) result of a fountain pen ink pooling in certain parts of a letter when writing, so that the color and saturation of the ink appears different within a single letter or word. This characteristic cannot be achieved with ballpoint or rollerball pens and is a very appealing aspect of fountain pen use for those particularly drawn to all the pretty ink colors.
Sheen - Characteristic of a fountain pen ink where when ink pools another color can be seen on top of the ink, especially when looked at in different light angles using certain paper types. There is no way to guarantee an ink will sheen, but using a larger nib on a pen will help obtain sheening results in your writing.
Shimmering - Fountain pen ink that has small particles of glitter mixed in.
Is shimmering ink safe to use in fountain pens?
Yes! Shimmering ink is a great way to add some flare to your writing. We have found that a larger nib will showcase more shimmering particles while writing, but you can use any nib size and shimmering ink. All the ink we sell is safe for use in fountain pens.
You can learn more in our blog: How to Write with Shimmering Ink.
My ink smells funny, is it safe to use?
Generally yes! Ink does not smell good- it usually has a chemical smell, along with other scents such as sulfur, rubber, chemicals or even paint. However, as long as you’re not seeing anything floating in the ink, it should be safe to use.
It’s cold and my ink froze; is it safe to use?
Yes, frozen ink will not hurt your pen (after it’s thawed of course!) The issue with ink freezing is primarily a concern because certain glass bottles could break as the water-based ink expands, and then you’d have a mess!
What is your return policy for bottled ink?
We do not accept returns for ink that has been used. Otherwise, we accept returns on unused ink products for up to 30 days from purchase. You can read all our Return Policies here.
To initiate a return, please submit a request at the Return Portal. Our Customer Care team might reach out to you for more information.