If you have been following the channel for a while, you guys could probably notice that I have my preference in terms of stationery: subdued, subtle, practical, and good value. There was a time I shunned away from over the top packaging and marketing, yet in the last few months or so, looking back I feel that the brand story and the user experience is also something you have to create and sell. From the first impression, to the website, presentation and down to the feeling of handling a product, everything should be effortless, but compliment one another as a whole in order to build a sort of connection between the users and the brand - and in this case, the ink colors.

Among the great many ink makers of the world I don't think there aren't many brands that could sell this kind of experience better than Ferris Wheel Press, but is there more to it than that? Let's take a look at their September releases - the Finer Things Collection's Oyster Hour, Steeped Umber, Spruce County Post, and the FerriTales' Blue Beryl Tonic - and find out how they managed to grow such a community of users and fans all over the world.

Disclaimer: I signed up for their Creative Ambassador, hence these products are sent to me free of charge, and I do not receive further monetary compensation to promote these products from Ferris Wheel Press. The opinions below are my own without interference from FWP.

Oyster Hour

 The Finer Things Collection intends to celebrate the collectors' hobbies other than just writing instruments, and the first thing that comes to mind when we think of collectors is rather obvious - watches. FWP really hones into the intricate details and the subdued gold tone really shows that. I instantly felt the connection between the shade and those aged lume pits on a watch dial. However, as much as I love its vibe, Oyster Hour wouldn't be my go to writing ink, just because of the faded saturation.

I also glossed over the packaging of these FWP bottles at first during my first few encounters with them, yet these impressed me even more because of that: individually designed box illustration in theme with the ink, uniquely shaped bottles, and the signature FWP machined brass cap for that heft and the firm feeling of “yeah this is good” whenever you screw out the cap of the bottle. There are a few down sides though, but I’ll get to that later.

As you can see from the photos above and below, Oyster Hour is not the most saturated ink out there and it would be lost on the page with finer nibs - but with something broader it has lots of potentials - I do like the depth of the ink pool at the end of each heavy stroke and would go back to it for the random artistic inspiration from time to time.

Steeped Umber

It screams black tea right from its name, and this with Spruce County Post are my favorites out of the bunch: well saturated, deep rich colors and most importantly, the flow is effortless. It goes really well with burgundy pens and for some reasons - rose gold plated nibs! There is also another thing that makes me like Steeped Umber - the contrast between light and heavy pressured strokes is vast and it gives the handwriting a lot more characters, which is always a nice touch to a signature or a flourish at the end of your letter.

The more I handle the FWP bottle the more I appreciate the cap design: the hexagonal shape makes your grip firmer compared to the usual plastic cap, on top of that there is a plastic lining separating the harsh brass cap and the fragile glass neck, makes the sound of turning the bottle open a lovely experience.

Spruce County Post

This one touches the page graciously at all the good places: looks black from further away but upclose it has this darkened green tone that stays consistent throughout the strokes. It's not going to be the brightest and most vibrant green out there but it would be the most outstandingly work-appropriate green for your writing instruments.

As I mentioned earlier, there are a few down sides to the chosen bottle shape. The smaller base of the bottles may look good from afar, but it may be the reason for a spillage if not handled carefully, with the thinner profile of the bottle on top of that instead of squared/rounded bottles as per usual, the chances of you accidentally boop the bottle and suddenly fill yourself with shock and horror are there. The brass cap, eventhough well machined, is slightly larger than the bottle, thus when the occasion of a fall happen, might be the stress point of collision and could crack the bottle if the fall were to be strong enough. Please be really careful when you handle these beauties!

Blue Beryl Tonic

The most interesting out of the bunch, Blue Beryl Tonic, had me confused right from the naming, since I first thought it was some sorts of cocktail. Beryl is a mineral composed of beryllium and aluminium plus a few other things, and their most notable varieties includes emerald and aquamarine. The tone FWP chose for this bottle is a pale blue base ink, closest to periwinkle blue in order to make the rose gold shimmers shine the best. The two compliment each other really well, and I have seen no staining or clogging problems while using it with fountain pens. Shaken well before use and the amount of shimmers is moderate without overbearing, which makes the letters easier to read under any lighting conditions. The smaller bottle size makes it more accessible to a broader audience, however, the only minor complaint I would have for it is the small bottle opening, since it would induce the chance of an inky hazard... and did I tell you that there is even a VR experience for you to behold when you visit this link .

Overall, Ferris Wheel Press brings a lot to the table: inspiring color choices in handsome bottles, plus the packaging and visual representations are just the cherries on the top. I was never a fan of extravagant wrapping around a subpar product, but FWP really is doing something awe-inducing for aspiring writers, to let us fall in love with writing again.

If you like the content, and wish to find out more about FWP and their offerings, check out my affiliate link or use the code WRITINGGUY at checkout when you shop at Ferris Wheel Press for a 10% off your total order and to support this journey of mine. Thank you and see you in the next one!