Fountain pen inks can do things that no ballpoint or gel pen can. Three of the most distinctive — shading, sheen, and shimmer — are responsible for the most photographed and most talked-about ink effects in the community, and all three are invisible unless you use the right ink, the right paper, and the right pen. This guide explains each one and tells you exactly how to bring them out.
Shading
Shading is when an ink produces different tones within a single stroke or letter — darker where ink accumulates and lighter where the nib moves fastest. On the word "fountain" written with a well-shading ink, the beginning and end of each letter will be darker than the middle; the downstrokes will be more saturated than the cross-strokes. The result gives handwriting a handmade, calligraphic quality that flat inks can't produce.
Shading isn't a special property of a few inks — most dye-based fountain pen inks shade to some degree. What varies is how dramatically they do it. Lightly saturated inks in lighter colours tend to shade most visibly; very dark, very saturated inks (dense blacks, very dark blues) shade less because there isn't enough tonal range to show variation.
How to get the most from shading
Paper: Shading requires smooth, slow-absorbing paper. On absorbent papers like standard copy paper, ink soaks in immediately and evenly — there's no opportunity for it to pool and create tonal variation. On Tomoe River, Rhodia, or Clairefontaine paper, the ink sits on the surface longer, pooling at the thickest parts of the letter and creating visible variation. The smoother and less absorbent the paper, the more dramatic the shading.
Nib size: Broader nibs put down more ink per stroke, creating more material to pool and shade. An extra fine nib produces a thin, even line with limited shading; a medium or broad nib produces a more generous flow that varies as the nib changes direction. For maximum shading, a stub or italic nib — which creates deliberately different line widths depending on stroke direction — shows shading most dramatically.
Ink flow: A wetter pen (one with generous ink flow) shows more shading than a dry pen. The drier the flow, the less ink is being deposited and the less variation is possible.
Inks that shade particularly well
Pilot Iroshizuku inks are known for excellent shading across the range — the combination of their formulation and the wide, flat-bottomed bottle (which makes inks easy to fill from even when nearly empty) makes them easy to work with. Iroshizuku Yama-budo (a deep magenta), Momiji (soft red), and Hotaru-bi (chartreuse) are among the most dramatically shading in the range.
Diamine inks shade reliably at their price point. Diamine Autumn Oak and Diamine Earl Grey are community favourites for their dramatic light-to-dark variation.
Sheen
Sheen is a second colour visible in fountain pen ink, most apparent where ink pools thickest on the page. When you tilt a page of sheening ink under a lamp, certain letters will show a metallic glow in a completely different colour from the ink itself: a blue ink that sheens red, a green that sheens gold, a brown that sheens copper. It's one of the most striking effects in the hobby and something no other writing instrument produces.
Sheen happens because some dye molecules, rather than absorbing into the paper, concentrate on the surface as the ink dries. These surface-dwelling molecules reflect light differently from the main ink colour, producing the secondary colour effect.
How to get the most from sheen
Paper: Sheen requires the most demanding conditions of any ink property. It only appears on smooth, slow-absorbing paper where ink can pool and concentrate on the surface before drying. Tomoe River paper is the best available surface for sheen — inks that barely sheen on Rhodia will sheen dramatically on Tomoe River. On standard copy paper, sheen is nearly always invisible.
Ink flow: A wet pen (generous flow) produces more ink pooling, which means more sheen. If an ink you know should sheen is barely doing so, try a wetter pen or a broader nib.
Light angle: Sheen is only visible when the page is held at an angle to the light — the surface reflection disappears when you look at the page straight-on. Hold the page under a lamp at approximately 45 degrees and tilt slowly.
Inks with the most dramatic sheen
Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo — deep magenta with magnificent gold sheen. One of the most photographed inks in the hobby.
Pilot Iroshizuku Momiji — soft red with gold sheen visible in generous applications.
Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai — blue-black with red-black sheen in wetter pens.
Sailor Jentle Yamadori — a rich teal-green with copper sheen considered among the best sheen inks available at any price.
Diamine Ancient Copper — a russet-brown with green sheen, beautiful on cream Tomoe River paper.
The J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary series of inks was specifically designed around sheen effects — the 1670 Rouge Hematite (a red-brown with gold flecks and sheen) and 1670 Bleu Océan are among the most dramatic "special occasion" inks available. They're not everyday inks — the heavy sheen effect takes longer to dry — but as inks for correspondence and creative writing they're extraordinary.
Shimmer
Shimmer inks contain fine metallic or mica particles suspended in the ink, creating a glittery effect on the page. Unlike sheen, which requires specific conditions to see, shimmer is immediately visible — the particles catch light as they settle on the paper surface. Shimmer inks are unambiguously decorative and are used for journaling, special correspondence, and creative writing.
Using shimmer inks safely
The particles in shimmer inks are heavier than the ink itself and sink to the bottom of the bottle. Always gently roll (not shake) the bottle before filling to redistribute them evenly.
Store pens filled with shimmer ink horizontally rather than nib-down. Stored nib-down, the particles migrate toward the nib and can accumulate in the feed, restricting ink flow.
Clean pens filled with shimmer inks more frequently than you would with standard inks — every one to two weeks is recommended. The particles can build up in the feed fins over time. A thorough flush with clean water usually clears them; if the feed feels slow, a brief soak will help.
Shimmer inks work best in pens where the nib and feed can be removed easily — pens like the LAMY Safari or TWSBI Eco where the nib section separates cleanly. Fine nibs can be more susceptible to flow issues with heavy shimmer inks; medium and broad nibs are more forgiving.
Notable shimmer inks
Diamine Shimmertastic range — a wide selection of shimmer inks at accessible prices. The Diamine Blue Lightning (turquoise with silver shimmer) and Enchanted Ocean (deep blue with blue shimmer) are among the most popular.
J. Herbin 1670 series — the Anniversary inks contain both sheen and gold flecks that blur the line between shimmer and sheen. Not technically pure shimmer inks but among the most spectacular in terms of visible effect.
Sailor Shikiori shimmer editions — some seasonal Shikiori releases include subtle shimmer alongside the characteristic shading these inks are known for.
Dual shading: when an ink shifts colour entirely
Some inks don't just shade from light to dark within one colour — they shift between two distinct colours entirely, depending on how the ink pools. A blue ink that pools to purple, or a green that shades to brown. This "dual shading" or "chromatography" effect is one of the most unusual and sought-after ink properties, appearing in a small number of inks that contain multiple dye components with different absorption rates.
Sailor Manyo Haha and Sailor Manyo Nekoyanagi are among the most celebrated dual-shading inks — both shift dramatically between colours on Tomoe River paper with a wet pen. They require the same conditions as sheen: smooth paper, wet flow, and patience.
Combining effects
Many inks display more than one property simultaneously. Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo shades and sheens. The J. Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite shades, sheens, and contains metallic flecks. Finding inks that combine multiple effects on the right paper is one of the ongoing pleasures of the hobby.
Browse fountain pen inks at The Journal Shop — including Pilot Iroshizuku, Sailor Shikiori, Diamine, and J. Herbin.
Where to start: browse our fountain pen inks and fountain pens at The Journal Shop.
