Dominant Industry Standard 105 Forest — Deep Forest Green, Red Sheen Fountain Pen Ink (25ml)

Dominant Industry Standard 105 Forest — Deep Forest Green, Red Sheen Fountain Pen Ink (25ml)

Dominant Industry Standard 105 Forest is a 25ml fountain pen ink from Dominant Industry's Standard Series — a line of richly formulated, non-shimmer inks built for writers who prioritise colour depth, ink quality, and expressive character. Forest delivers a deep, saturated forest green — a rich, dark hunter green with subtle blue-green undertones that give it a cool, dimensional depth on the page. It is a green ink for writers who want presence and restraint simultaneously: a colour that reads as dark and sophisticated rather than vivid or aggressive, with a medium shading that adds meaningful tonal variation and a low red sheen that introduces a warm, unexpected reflective quality under directional light.

Part of Dominant Industry's Standard Series — alongside Standard 100 Base Black, Standard 101 Romania Red, and Standard 102 Citrus Yellow — Forest continues the series' commitment to pure colour depth without shimmer particle suspension. The deep forest green base is consistent and richly saturated across all nib sizes, with medium shading that reveals a meaningful tonal range from darker, denser green at pooling points to a slightly lighter green in thinner strokes. The low red sheen adds a warm chromatic counterpoint on smooth papers — a red-green complementary contrast that is subtle but distinctly present under good lighting. The bottle is 25ml glass.

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

What Makes Standard 105 Forest Different

Forest occupies a specific and well-defined position in the fountain pen green ink palette. Most dark green fountain pen inks shade toward either blue-green or yellow-green; Forest holds a centre position — a true dark forest green with blue-green undertones that reads as cool and dimensional without tipping into teal or hunter brown. It is the colour of deep woodland: saturated, shadowy, and alive.

The combination of medium shading and low red sheen is the ink's most distinctive technical characteristic. The shading provides tonal depth within the green spectrum — a visible, beautiful gradient from light to dark that makes every written stroke multi-dimensional. The red sheen introduces a chromatic surprise: a warm red-orange reflective quality that appears at heavier ink deposits on smooth papers, producing a complementary green-red contrast that is entirely consistent with the colour theory of forest light — the warm reddish-brown of fallen leaves and forest floor against the deep cool green of the canopy. For writers who want a dark green ink with genuine character and visual complexity, Forest is an exceptional choice.

Colour Profile

Colour

Standard 105 Forest is a deep, saturated forest green — a dark, rich green with blue-green undertones that give it a cool, dimensional depth. In the bottle, it presents as a deep, dark green with visible richness and saturation. On the page, it dries to a confident, legible dark green that holds its colour energy well across nib sizes: deeply saturated and richly coloured at medium to broad nib sizes, and still clearly readable as a dark green at fine sizes. Some descriptions note a blue-green or dark teal quality to the ink in certain lighting conditions, consistent with its cool undertones. Writers describe the base as deep forest green, hunter green, dark green, or a deep blue-green — a colour that is dark, sophisticated, and unmistakably forest-inspired.

Shading

Medium. Forest exhibits a clearly visible tonal gradient between lighter and denser areas of each stroke — a meaningful transition from a slightly lighter, cooler green in hairline strokes to a deeper, richer, darker green at pooling points and stroke edges. The shading is one of the ink's most rewarding characteristics, adding tonal depth and a beautiful dimensional quality to the dark base. Reviewers consistently describe the shading as beautiful and expressive. On premium papers with medium to broad nibs, the shading range is most apparent and most rewarding.

Sheen

Low red sheen. The red sheen of Forest is a warm, unexpected chromatic counterpoint to the cool deep green base — a reddish or warm-toned reflective quality that appears on smooth papers at heavier ink deposits under directional or raking light. The sheen is not dramatic or strongly coloured — it is low rather than high intensity — but it is clearly present on Tomoe River and similar slow-absorbing papers, particularly at broader nib sizes and in swab applications. On Rhodia, Leuchtturm, and similar papers, the red sheen is more subtle and requires directional light to appear clearly. The green-red complementary contrast produced by the ink's base colour and sheen is one of its most distinctive and characterful qualities.

Ink Properties at a Glance

Flow

Good. Standard 105 Forest flows at a smooth, reliable rate through standard converters and cartridge-converter systems — well-balanced and consistent across a range of pen and nib combinations. pH neutral and safe for all pen materials.

Dry Time

Approximately 30 seconds on quality paper under normal conditions (medium nib) — a practical dry time for everyday use.

Water Resistance

Low. Standard 105 Forest is a water-based dye ink with no meaningful water resistance. It will run or fade when exposed to moisture and is not suitable for documents requiring archival longevity.

Feathering and Bleed-Through

Minimal on quality papers (Rhodia, Tomoe River, Clairefontaine, Midori MD, Leuchtturm1917). Well-behaved and clean on fountain-pen-friendly papers. Some feathering may occur on standard absorbent papers.

How to Get the Most Out of Standard 105 Forest

Recommended Paper

Standard 105 Forest rewards smooth, slow-absorbing papers that allow the deep green saturation, shading gradient, and red sheen to develop fully:

• Tomoe River (52gsm or 68gsm) — the best paper for showcasing Forest's full shading range and red sheen; slow absorption allows the deep green saturation to develop fully; shading most beautiful and most expressive here; red sheen most visible under raking light
• Rhodia / Clairefontaine — consistent, reliable results; deep green saturation clearly expressed; medium shading clearly visible at broader nib sizes; red sheen present but requires directional light; a practical everyday option
• Leuchtturm1917 — good overall performance; full green saturation; shading visible; the dark green reads particularly well on cream-toned pages
• Midori MD Paper — smooth surface supports good colour development and shading expression; reliable everyday pairing that brings out the ink's forest depth

Avoid highly absorbent papers (standard copy paper). Feathering may occur, the shading gradient will be suppressed, and the red sheen will not develop on fast-absorbing surfaces.

Recommended Nibs

• Medium to Broad nibs — the primary recommendation; more ink on the page brings out the full depth and shading gradient; the red sheen develops most visibly at heavier ink deposits; the blue-green undertones are most apparent at broader sizes
• Stub or Italic nibs — the variation between thick and thin strokes showcases the medium shading dramatically; the contrast between lighter thin strokes and deeper broad strokes is one of the ink's most visually rewarding characteristics; particularly effective for expressive calligraphic and artistic work
• Fine nibs — the deep green base reads with excellent clarity and legibility at fine sizes; a very practical everyday pairing for note-taking, correspondence, and professional writing; shading less visible but ink performs cleanly
• Extra-fine nibs — fully functional; the deep green base remains legible and precise; shading and sheen largely absent; a reliable choice for fine annotation and precise writing
• Eyedropper pens — an excellent pairing; high ink volume ensures full colour saturation and consistent shading expression; red sheen most apparent with generous ink volume
• Dip pens — well-suited to Forest's deep, expressive character; shading and red sheen most spectacular in dip pen applications; particularly effective for nature-inspired illustration and forest-themed artistic work

Pen Maintenance

Standard 105 Forest is pH neutral and safe for resin and celluloid pens. As a non-shimmer ink, it does not carry particle clogging risk and is low-maintenance. Flush every 4–6 weeks under normal use.

Recommended Uses

• Everyday writing and correspondence — the deep, sophisticated forest green makes Forest an exceptional everyday ink for writers who want a dark, distinctive green that is legible, well-behaved, and visually rich
• Nature writing and journaling — the deep forest green is a natural choice for nature journals, botanical writing, outdoor observation notes, and any writing context where the colour of woodland and forest is directly relevant
• Calligraphy and expressive lettering — the medium shading and red sheen create a richly layered, dimensional page quality; stub and italic nibs bring out the ink's full tonal range; particularly effective for nature-themed and autumn-inspired calligraphic work
• Professional writing — the dark, sophisticated green reads as formal and distinctive across all paper types; a reliable and characterful choice for professional correspondence where a green ink is appropriate
• Art and illustration — compatible with dip pens and brush application; the medium shading and red sheen add forest depth and chromatic complexity to botanical illustration, nature-themed artwork, and mixed media work
• Fountain pen photography and swatching — the deep forest green photographs richly under natural light; the shading gradient is most dramatic on Tomoe River with broader nibs; the red sheen is most apparent in raking-light macro photography

About the Standard Series

The Standard Series is Dominant Industry's non-shimmer ink line — a range of richly formulated dye-based inks focused on colour depth, expressive character, and ink quality without metallic particle suspension. Standard 105 Forest continues the series' commitment to vivid, deeply saturated colour with distinctive shading and sheen character.

About Dominant Industry

Dominant Industry is a South Korean fountain pen ink brand known for its Pearl Collection shimmer inks and a broad catalogue of richly formulated colours. Founded on a commitment to high-quality ink production, Dominant Industry has built a strong international following among fountain pen enthusiasts, calligraphers, and stationery collectors. Their inks are manufactured in South Korea and distributed through curated stationery retailers worldwide.

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 available
• 🇫🇷 Service bilingue — français et anglais

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