Inktend / Ink library / Underwater - Abyss

Van Dieman's

Underwater - Abyss

Blacks & greys#1C151B

Tasmanian small-batch inks that bottle the island's seasons, wilderness and night skies.

Track this bottle → Find a sample ↗

Specs

Color familyBlacks & greys
Approx. hex#1C151B
SheenNot typically noted

Paper & pairing

As a near-neutral tone, it reads as professional and safe for anything from journaling to signatures. This ink will behave predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Cheap, highly absorbent paper (standard copier paper) will dull any ink's saturation and can cause feathering or bleed-through with wetter nibs.

Own a bottle of Underwater - Abyss?
Track fills, remaining bottle life, and your real paper swatch in Inktend.
Track it →

About Van Dieman's

Van Dieman's Ink is a small-batch artisan ink maker based in Tasmania, Australia, named after Van Diemen's Land, the island's colonial-era name. The family-run company hand-blends fountain pen inks inspired by Tasmanian landscapes, wildlife and weather, organised into themed series such as Tassie Seasons, Wilderness and Night. It has become one of Australia's best-known boutique ink houses, with a large catalogue spanning standard, shimmering and sheening formulas.

Australia Founded 2016
See all Van Dieman's products →

Storing and using the bottle

Bottled fountain pen ink has an effectively long shelf life when kept capped and out of direct sunlight: most inks remain usable for years. The main risk isn't the ink spoiling, it's a pen sitting inked and unused for weeks: that's what causes clogs, not the ink's age.

Frequently asked questions

What color family is Underwater - Abyss?
Underwater - Abyss falls into Inktend's blacks & greys family based on its typical swatch color.
Does Underwater - Abyss have sheen?
Underwater - Abyss is not typically noted for sheen. If you want that effect, browse similarly colored inks tagged with sheen in the ink library.
How should I store a bottle of Underwater - Abyss?
Years, easily, as long as it stays capped and out of direct sunlight. The thing that actually shortens an ink's usable life is sitting unused inside a pen, not sitting on a shelf.
What paper works best with Underwater - Abyss?
It behaves predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Stick to something reasonably absorbent-resistant, since cheap copier paper dulls saturation and can feather.

Similar shades By colour distance

Faust
Wearingeul
Mix Free - Witches Potion
Platinum
Iron Throne Iron Gall
Fox & Quills
Ink of the Month - July 2025 Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly
Van Dieman's
Black
Leonardo
Return to Ruins
Fanyantan

Color shown is a close digital approximation of a typical swatch, not a calibrated color match.