Dominant Industry Standard 115 Lake — Clear Blue-Green, Medium Shading Fountain Pen Ink (25ml)

Dominant Industry Standard 115 Lake — Clear Blue-Green, Medium Shading Fountain Pen Ink (25ml)

Dominant Industry Standard 115 Lake 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. Lake delivers a clear, vivid blue-green — a bright, medium-saturation colour that evokes the specific quality of still mountain lake water: clear, luminous, and refreshing, with a calm elegance that reads as neither purely blue nor purely green but as the specific chromatic quality that exists precisely at their intersection. It is a colour that is simultaneously cool and alive, serene and saturated, and entirely consistent with its natural inspiration.

Part of Dominant Industry's Standard Series, Lake is one of the line's most characterfully natural entries — a blue-green that achieves clarity and brightness without shimmer particle effects, relying entirely on the purity and saturation of the dye base and a medium shading that reveals a beautiful tonal gradient from lighter blue-green in thin strokes to a deeper, richer teal at pooling points. There is no shimmer and no significant sheen under normal writing conditions — the colour and shading carry the full visual character of Lake with a clean, natural elegance. 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 115 Lake Different

Blue-green is a colour space that many fountain pen inks attempt but few navigate well. Teal inks often tip toward either blue or green and lose their chromatic balance; turquoise inks can read as too vivid or too tropical; aqua inks often sacrifice saturation for freshness. Lake holds its centre position with unusual precision — a true blue-green that reads as both simultaneously, with a medium saturation that is vivid enough to be visually striking but calm enough to suit extended writing and professional use.

The medium shading distinguishes Lake from flatter blue-green inks. Within the blue-green colour space, shading typically produces a visible gradient from a lighter, clearer blue-green in hairline strokes to a deeper, more teal-leaning colour at pooling points — a natural expression of the colour's depth that rewards premium paper and broader nibs. For writers who want a blue-green ink that is beautiful to look at, practical to use, and genuinely expressive on the page, Lake is a precision-calibrated, versatile choice.

Colour Profile

Colour

Standard 115 Lake is a clear, vivid blue-green — a medium-saturation colour that sits precisely at the intersection of blue and green, with neither hue dominating. In the bottle, it presents as a bright, clear blue-green with a refreshing, luminous quality. On the page, it dries to a confident, legible blue-green that holds its colour energy well across nib sizes: vivid and fully saturated at medium to broad nib sizes, and still clearly readable as a bright blue-green at fine sizes. Writers describe the base as clear blue-green, bright blue-green, lake blue, or a refreshing elegant teal — a colour that is natural, luminous, and evocative of still, clear water.

Shading

Medium, natural and expressive. Lake exhibits a clearly visible tonal gradient between lighter and denser areas of each stroke — a natural transition from a lighter, clearer blue-green in hairline strokes to a deeper, richer, more teal-leaning colour at pooling points and stroke edges. The shading is described as beautiful by reviewers — a quality that adds tonal depth and visual interest to the bright base without disrupting its essential clarity and freshness. On premium papers with medium to broad nibs, the full shading range is most apparent and most rewarding; stub and italic nibs bring out the gradient most dramatically.

Sheen

None to negligible under normal writing conditions. Lake does not develop a significant traditional metallic sheen in everyday use. Some descriptions note that a faint sheen may appear if ink is allowed to pool heavily on smooth papers, but under normal writing conditions the sheen is not present or not noticeable. The visual character of Lake comes from the clear blue-green base and the medium shading.

Ink Properties at a Glance

Flow

Average, medium wetness. Standard 115 Lake flows at a smooth, consistent, well-balanced rate through standard converters and cartridge-converter systems. pH neutral and safe for all pen materials.

Dry Time

Approximately 40 seconds on quality paper under normal conditions (medium nib on Rhodia) — a practical dry time for everyday use.

Water Resistance

Low. Standard 115 Lake 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 115 Lake

Recommended Paper

Standard 115 Lake rewards smooth, slow-absorbing papers that allow the bright blue-green saturation and shading gradient to develop fully:

• Tomoe River (52gsm or 68gsm) — the best paper for showcasing Lake's full shading range; slow absorption allows the full tonal gradient from pale blue-green to deep teal to develop on the surface; shading most beautiful and most expressive here; the clear blue-green base reads at maximum chromatic depth
• Rhodia / Clairefontaine — consistent, reliable results; bright blue-green saturation clearly expressed; shading clearly visible at broader nib sizes; a practical everyday option with the 40-second dry time
• Leuchtturm1917 — good overall performance; full blue-green saturation; shading visible; the cool colour reads well on cream-toned pages
• Midori MD Paper — smooth surface supports good colour development and shading expression; a reliable everyday pairing that preserves the clear, refreshing character of the base colour

Avoid highly absorbent papers (standard copy paper). Feathering may occur and the shading gradient will be suppressed on fast-absorbing surfaces.

Recommended Nibs

• Medium to Broad nibs — the primary recommendation; more ink on the page brings out the full blue-green saturation and shading gradient; the teal depth at pooling points is most apparent at broader sizes; the clear blue-green reads with full chromatic presence
• Stub or Italic nibs — the variation between thick and thin strokes showcases the shading gradient most effectively; the contrast between lighter thin strokes and deeper teal pooling points gives the ink a natural, water-like expressiveness; particularly effective for nature-inspired calligraphic and artistic work
• Fine nibs — the clear blue-green reads with excellent clarity and legibility at fine sizes; a practical everyday pairing for correspondence, note-taking, and professional writing; shading less visible but colour performs cleanly
• Extra-fine nibs — fully functional; the blue-green base remains legible and precise; shading largely absent; a clean, clear blue-green line
• Eyedropper pens — an excellent pairing; high ink volume ensures full colour saturation and consistent shading expression throughout long writing sessions
• Dip pens — well-suited to Lake's clear, expressive natural character; the shading gradient is most dramatic in dip pen applications; particularly effective for water-themed illustration, nature writing, and botanical artwork

Pen Maintenance

Standard 115 Lake 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 clear, vivid blue-green makes Lake a distinctive and practical everyday ink; fresh and characterful enough to stand apart from standard blue or green inks, calm enough to suit professional and everyday writing contexts
• Nature writing and journaling — the lake-inspired blue-green is a natural choice for nature journals, outdoor observation notes, travel writing, and any writing context where the colour of clear water is directly evocative
• Note-taking and annotation — the vivid, legible blue-green reads clearly alongside darker inks in multi-colour note-taking systems; a practical and visually distinctive annotation colour
• Calligraphy and expressive lettering — the medium shading and bright saturation create a natural, dimensional page quality; stub and italic nibs bring out the ink's full tonal range; particularly effective for water-themed and nature-inspired decorative work
• Art and illustration — compatible with dip pens and brush application; the medium shading adds natural depth to water-themed illustration, coastal and landscape artwork, and botanical mixed media
• Fountain pen photography and swatching — the clear blue-green photographs vividly under natural light; the shading gradient is most dramatic on Tomoe River with broader nibs; the teal depth at pooling points is most apparent in swab 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 115 Lake is one of the series' most naturally evocative entries — a clear, vivid blue-green with medium shading that captures the specific visual quality of still, clear mountain lake water.

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.