DE ATRAMENTIS Permanent Document Ink - 5mL SAMPLE - Red

De Atramentis Document inks are handmade, pigment-based fountain pen inks designed for permanence. Once dry, they are waterproof, lightfast, and resistant to chemicals, making them ideal for writing that must stand the test of time.

Available in a wide range of colours, including black and blue for legal use, as well as vibrant options for your creative projects. The Urban Grey and Urban Sienna are colours we developed with the manufacturer to provide some non-black options for sketchers.

Perfect for:

• Artists and urban sketchers working with watercolour, ink washes, or mixed media
• Professionals needing archival-quality signatures or records
• Fountain pen enthusiasts who want permanent, smudge-proof writing
• Calligraphers and fans of snail mail addressing envelopes
• Some customers have used on fabric (cotton, canvas)
• Anyone who needs ink that won’t fade, run, or disappear over time

This may not be the right ink if you:

• Prefer easy care inks (pigment inks require more frequent cleaning)
• Use delicate or vintage fountain pens that aren’t suited for pigment inks
• Want highly shading or sheening inks (pigmented inks are more about permanence over visual effects)
• Rarely use your pen (letting this ink sit unused is likely to reduce flow)

Features:

• Waterproof & smudge-proof once dry (takes about 3 mins)
• Lightfast & archival 
• Nano pigment formula for permanence
• Compatible with most modern fountain pens (with proper care)
• Wide colour selection 
  
• Can be diluted with De Atramentis Dilution Fluid and maintain it's waterproofness
• Available in 45mL glass bottles, 5mL wide-mouth sample vials and 38mm cartridges (Black, Brown, Blue only)

FAQs:

• Safe for all fountain pens? It’s safe for most modern pens, but avoid using it in vintage or hard to clean pens. 
• How waterproof is it really? Once dry, it is fully waterproof and you can paint over it with watercolour without smearing.
• Does it clog pens? Usually only if you leave the pen unused for many weeks or skip cleaning a bit too often. If this does happen, soaking the parts in water usually gets the pen going again.
• How often should I clean my pen? Ideally every month, when you change ink colour or to troubleshoot a pen that's not flowing well.
• What are the most popular colours? Black, Grey, Urban Grey, Urban Sienna and Brown.
• Are Doc Black and Archive Black the same? Document meets the document standards (tamper-proof) and Archival meets the archival standards (fade-proof), but practically they have very similar properties - waterproof, lightfast, pH neutral and fountain pen safe.
• Are Document and Artist the same? Document is designed for fountain pens and the Artist label has more body for your brush.
• Can I mix colours? Yes, this range is designed to be mixed within the range. If you have Black, Fuchsia, Cyan and Yellow, you can just about mix any colour. Mix the custom colour in a separate vial. Avoid mixing with other brands.

Practical tip:

• Use a “wet” pen and keep it moving: Pigment inks flow best in pens with good ink flow (broader nibs or wetter feeds like Twsbi). If your pen runs dry or skips, do a quick dip of the nib in a cup of water to restart the flow. If you won’t use the pen for more than a month, clean it out to avoid pigment buildup.

Why choose De Atramentis?:

Whether you’re signing documents, creating artwork, or just want ink you can trust, this is ink that won’t wash away or fade. We think of all the pigmented fountain pen inks we've used this range has the best balance of permanence and flow.