Let's be honest...can anyone know more about ink than a squid?
We're excited to introduce the all-new Ternanishi Haikara inks from Nakabayashi.
These are superior quality and vivid color inks that reflect a time of high fashion from the past.
Did you know that Haikara means “stylish” in Japanese? This slang buzzword came to mean “new”, “fresh”, or “fashionable,” in response to the westernized fashion and people that influenced Japanese culture starting around 100 years ago. These colorful inks were developed to reflect this era in history.
Modern Red is a bright red that symbolizes wine, and cosmetic lip colors. The import of red wine became popular a century ago, as did the use of lipstick as a representation of feminine empowerment.
Melancholic Blue is a deep navy symbolizing the Asian school uniform: The Sailor Suit. This was the most popular school uniform for schoolchildren in Japan, and was influenced by westernized fashion.
Gentle Green is a striking spruce green that mimics the green of Lloyd Glasses, popularized by Harold Lloyd in the early 1900’s, who was a performer and comedian appearing in many silent comedy films.
Salon de Violet is a stark purple, designed to symbolize the meeting of intellectual minds at social places for drinking coffee—a to-do that was popularized in this era.
Antique Black offers the deepest of browns, reminiscent of the way old ink might fade over time. What was once stark and bright has aged into a fine color with more depth and history.
Opera Rose is a gentle, soft blush color that harkens back to a time when going to see a western opera became a popular event in Japan.
Lady Emerald displays a deep, almost blue green hue that sheens beautifully red violet. Emerald was and is viewed as a sophisticated color, often associated with the Art Deco era.
Nostalgic Honey shows a sweet honey amber color with a nostalgic yellow base to bring to mind the faded beauty of aging photographs of times long past.
