Dominant Industry Pearl 006 Milky Way Blue – 25ml Fountain Pen Ink (Shimmer & Sheen)

Most shimmer inks give you one visual effect and stop there. Milky Way Blue gives you three, layered on top of each other: a deep, saturated blue base, a shimmer that catches the light as you write, and a sheen that surfaces around the edges of pooled ink in a colour that has nothing to do with blue at all.

Dominant Industry Pearl 006 Milky Way Blue is a 25ml fountain pen ink from the Pearl Series, hand-crafted in small batches at Dominant Industry's studio in Paju, South Korea. Like all Pearl Series inks, it uses fine, eco-friendly shimmer particles milled to move cleanly through standard fountain pen feeds — shake the bottle well before each fill, and periodically during longer writing sessions, to keep the shimmer evenly suspended.

Available at Shosai (shosai.ca) in Gatineau / Ottawa — with in-store pickup (J9J 0K6) and Canada-wide shipping.

Colour Profile

Base Colour

Milky Way Blue is a deep, rich blue — classic and saturated, closer to azure or true blue than navy, with enough warmth underneath to keep it from feeling cold or flat.

Shimmer

The shimmer runs blue, with several reviewers noting hints of purple or lilac depending on the angle and light — a cool, silvery particle that catches the eye without overwhelming the base colour. Paper quality matters a great deal here: the shimmer is far more visible on premium, low-absorbency papers than on standard copy paper.

Sheen

This is where Milky Way Blue does something unusual. At the edges of pooled ink and in heavily saturated strokes, a pronounced red sheen surfaces — described by different reviewers as everything from a deep red-gold to a softer lilac-lavender glow, depending on the exact lighting. Whatever the precise shade, the effect is striking: a warm colour emerging unexpectedly from a cool blue base, most dramatic on premium papers such as Tomoe River.

Shading

Milky Way Blue shows little to no shading. The ink lays down as a fairly consistent tone, which keeps attention on the shimmer and sheen rather than tonal variation within a stroke.

Ink Properties at a Glance

Flow & Dry Time

Average flow, with dry time landing between roughly 6 and 40 seconds depending on nib, paper, and how wet the line is — faster on more absorbent surfaces, slower on premium low-absorbency paper.

Water Resistance

Milky Way Blue offers moderate water resistance — not waterproof, with light feathering and minor bleeding under direct water exposure, as expected for a non-waterproof ink.

Formula & Safety

A dye-based shimmer ink, pH-neutral and safe for use in resin and celluloid fountain pens.

Paper Performance

On copy paper, expect a small amount of feathering and occasional bleeding. On Tomoe River, Rhodia, and similar premium papers, the ink performs cleanly and both the shimmer and sheen develop fully.

How to Get the Most Out of Milky Way Blue

Recommended Nibs

Medium or broader nibs are strongly recommended — both to lay down enough ink for the sheen to develop and to let the shimmer particles flow smoothly. Fine and extra-fine nibs risk clogging and won't show the ink's full character.

Recommended Uses

• Journaling and everyday writing — a deep, elegant blue with an unexpected reveal in the right light
• Swatching and ink reviews — a highly photogenic ink where the sheen and shimmer both read clearly in macro photography
• Calligraphy and dip pen work — broader, wetter strokes bring out the fullest expression of both shimmer and sheen

About the Pearl Series

The Pearl Series is Dominant Industry's signature shimmer line, pairing saturated, nature-inspired base colours with fine, eco-friendly glitter particles designed for smooth flow through fountain pen feeds. Milky Way Blue stands out even within the Pearl Series for combining a strong sheen effect with its shimmer — two layered visual effects on top of a single, confident blue.

About Dominant Industry

Dominant Industry is a South Korean ink studio based in Paju, dedicated to small-batch production and colours drawn from natural light and landscape. Rather than working from a flat colour chart, the brand develops each ink around a specific natural reference point, aiming for what they describe as "bottled light" — colour that can be felt as much as seen.

Product Specifications

Available at Shosai — Ottawa–Gatineau

Shosai (shosai.ca) is a fine stationery boutique serving the Ottawa–Gatineau National Capital Region. We carry a curated selection of premium fountain pen inks, papers, and writing instruments from the world's most respected stationery brands.

• 📍 In-store pickup: Gatineau, QC — J9J 0K6
• 🛵 Local delivery: Available in the Ottawa–Gatineau area
• 🚚 Canada-wide shipping
• 🇨🇦 Bilingual service — English and French

Whether you are new to fountain pens or a seasoned collector, Shosai is your local destination for inks that go beyond the ordinary.