Lightfastness of Indian Ink

Ink lightfastness test

I have made my own lightfastness test for almost all the ink and pens that I currently own. This means that it is very random which inks and pens you will find here, I have never bought a full set of any ink or pens, but I thought that maybe someone else but me have use for this so I decided to publish the result anyway.

Method and theory
I made swatches of all ink and pens and put them in a window facing south for three summer months. Since I am an amateur, I always consider my own testing like this: even if the product (pen, pencil, ink or paint) doesn't show any proof of fading this doesn't prove anything for sure. It is only to consider as a chance of being lightfast. If the samples however show fading of the color, it is safe to say that it is not lightfast.

Indian ink

I currently have five different Indian inks. Three of them from China but none of them have a brand name in English. All of my Indian inks are black.

Sennelier Indian ink

Sennelier Indian Ink

Daler Rowney (Kandahar drawing ink) Indian black

Daler Rowney Kandahar Ink

Three different Chinese ink (all without English text on the package)

Chinese ink

All five of them made the test perfectly. No fading at all.