Dominant Industry Standard 123 The Polar Star – 25ml Fountain Pen Ink

Every sailor before satellites knew the Polar Star as the one point of light that didn't move — the fixed thing you could measure everything else against. Mucha painted it as a woman crowned in cool light, part of his series on the stars and moon. The Polar Star ink takes its colour from that same steady, quiet presence.

Dominant Industry Standard 123 The Polar Star is a 25ml fountain pen ink from the brand's Painter Series, made in small batches in Paju, South Korea. It's the companion ink to The Moon (No. 122), together forming Dominant Industry's tribute to Alphonse Mucha, the Czech Art Nouveau master.

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

The Colour

Base Tone

The Polar Star is a dark, restrained grey, rooted in cool neutrality but carrying gentle violet and blue undertones that keep it from ever feeling flat or purely achromatic. Dominant Industry describes it as radiating a subtle warmth from within its greyscale base — a colour built for quiet elegance rather than boldness. Some hints of violet-brown may also surface depending on paper.

Shading

The Polar Star shows low to moderate shading — not a dramatic effect, but genuinely visible in the right pen and paper combination. Users have noted pleasant shading with wetter or broader nibs, and the tonal range becomes clearer still with brush or dip pen application.

Sheen

Dominant Industry describes The Polar Star as carrying "a delicate glimmer of light" — a low, soft sheen rather than a bold metallic effect. It's the kind of detail that surfaces quietly in the right light, adding direction and depth to the grey base without ever competing with it.

Shimmer

The Polar Star has no shimmer. As a Standard Series ink, its character comes entirely from tone, shading, and that faint glimmer of sheen rather than added glitter particles.

Ink Properties at a Glance

Formula & Safety

A dye-based ink, pH-neutral and safe for resin and celluloid fountain pens. No iron gall, no added pigment particles.

Water Resistance

Non-water-resistant; not suited to documents requiring permanence.

Recommended Tools

Suitable for both fountain pens and dip pens. Wetter-flowing pens or broader nibs bring out the most visible shading and sheen.

Recommended Uses

• Daily journaling and formal correspondence — an elegant, understated grey with more depth than a standard neutral ink
• Night sky and Art Nouveau-themed writing — a natural companion to The Moon for anything referencing Mucha's celestial series
• Calligraphy and brush work — the shading and sheen both develop more fully with broader, wetter strokes

About the Painter Series

The Painter Series is Dominant Industry's collection inspired by great works of art, pairing complex, atmospheric inks with the artists and paintings behind them. This release draws from Alphonse Mucha, whose Art Nouveau illustrations and decorative panels remain some of the era's most recognisable work — The Polar Star and The Moon were created together as a tribute to what Dominant Industry describes as "the brilliant son of the Czech people."

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, landscape, and — in the case of the Painter Series — fine art. Each release is built around a specific visual reference point, aiming for what the brand describes as "bottled light."

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.