Moon Palace Sumi Ink 180ml

I know nothing about calligraphy or calligraphic inks, but I do think this is a lovely, dense black, and very fluid and workable ink. I am using it on my gel plate and I am very pleased with its performance. It behaves nicely with water, too. It is not waterproof, but once dried, it can withstand moisture, e.g., gel medium, collage glues, etc. You get quite a lot of it -- way more than other black inks for about half the price. One caveat: operation of the bottle's nozzle is a bit tricky. I made a small mess because I was not patient enough to learn how to properly dispense the product. So take your time when you are starting out with it.

I am a dip pen calligraphy beginner, and I started out using a bottle of India ink. It seemed to work passably well, but it was a bit thick and could probably have benefited from dilution. I purchased this Kaimei sumi ink after seeing that many people recommend sumi ink for calligraphy beginners. The difference is like night and day. The Kaimei sumi ink flows easily from the nib, and I feel like I can write twice as long without having to re-dip. It is also much easier to clean off of the nib than the India ink. I found myself getting frustrated while trying to learn and practice with the India ink, but this sumi ink makes it enjoyable. I absolutely love this stuff. The ink is a nice dark, opaque black. The no-drip cap is awesome and allows you to dispense the ink into a smaller container without any mess. I think the price for the amount of ink that you receive is a great deal. As far as the odor that many reviewers have complained about, there is a rather pungent, organic/earthy smell to it; however, I don’t find it to be unpleasant, and I can only smell it when I hold my ink jar right under my nose. I had to take a good whiff just to see what all the fuss was about, and I was really surprised that so many people seemed to find the odor offensive. I don’t smell it at all with the jar sitting on my table as I write, so it’s not as if the ink is giving off fumes into the air that will stink up an entire room. I consider myself to be someone who is sensitive to odors, and I have no problems with this ink. If you make it a point to take a big whiff, the smell will definitely grab you by the nose, but it is very much an earthy, dirt/plant scent, and not anything like a chemical or dead animal smell. I highly recommend this Kaimei sumi ink for calligraphy beginners, and I might even try using it in my paintings. The large bottle will last a long time, and I’ll definitely reorder it once I run out.

This stuff has been around forever for a reason! Is there any better dip nib ink for black? I don’t know but i love it. The smell is a bit strong and can take some getting used to the earthy tones of it but i kinda like it now after hating it at first. The value is very good for the amount you get and i love the little squirt nozzle.

Well packaged and very nice consistency for a writing in a really dark black color. The bottle design makes it easy to pour into another container without making a mess. I gave it a try with my calligraphy and was pleasantly surprised

This is really great stuff! Cheap, very dark, dries quickly. I wasn't sure about this at first when the ink beaded off my pen nib but it did actually write beautifully. The ink does have a very strong earthy smell to it. Sumi ink is made from carbon from burning pine so that's to be expected. Also keep in mind that sumi inks like this are to be diluted with water. While you can use it straight from the bottle, adding water makes flow better and dry more quickly. Also of note for note to others using dip pens, sumi ink does corrode steel nibs!

I've spent the past few beginning months using Dr Ph Martin's india ink for my calligraphy. After switching to this - the difference is HUGE! Generally I'd have to dip my pen about 3-4x per line of practice, and wipe my nib thoroughly after each line due to the (thickness/quick drying?) of the india ink. With this Sumi ink, I can complete almost an entire line without having to re-dip, and I don't have to wipe my nib after each row. I understand that india ink vs. Sumi ink is an apples to oranges comparison, but for practicing letter forms - this ink is perfect. Large quantity, cheap price, and smooth enough to not frustrate the noobs. Even more handy, you've got the no-drip nozzle cap which is awesome. The only possible bad thing I can see is the smell. You will either love it or hate it. At first whiff, I was mostly disgusted and thought it smelled like weird diaper funk. Don't ask me how, but now all I can smell when I write is an earthy wet dirt smell with a dash of eucalyptus oil. I actually find it pretty pleasant now!

Very nice deep rich black. Very smooth and works on grid and multimedia paper. Cleans up well with cold water, or baby wipe. Will purchase again.

I’m not sure how to use this yet. It seems fine and I don’t mind the earthy smell. I need to learn how to use ink.