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Specs-based review: based on published specifications and attributed feedback where available; not tested by us. Last verified: .
Choose Bombay Set 1 when you have a real color-lettering project and suitable dip pens or brushes to use with it.
Best for: Colored dip-pen lettering, Brush-and-ink work.
Skip it if: You only need black practice ink or are shopping for a refill for a fountain pen.
Check priceCompared with Speedball Super Black: check the linked variants, task fit and evidence limits.
At a glance
| Detail | Catalog specification |
|---|---|
| Category | Ink |
| Suggested experience | Intermediate |
| Listed feature 1 | Set 1: 12 colors |
| Listed feature 2 | 0.5 oz bottles |
| Listed feature 3 | Pigmented India ink |
Twelve colors, not twelve versions of black
Bombay Set 1 contains twelve half-ounce bottles. The manufacturer names yellow, red, magenta, green, blue, brown, black, white, violet, bright red, teal and grass green. The checked retailer also lists a mixing palette. Those contents make sense for projects that use a range of colors, not merely for buying a first bottle of practice ink.
The bottles are small individual supplies. Twelve of them do not give you a large bottle of your favorite color. If most of your practice will be black, read the Speedball Super Black review before paying for a palette you may barely use.
Our ink guide separates dipping inks from fountain-pen refills. Bombay belongs with suitable dip pens, brushes and other specifically listed tools. Do not put it in a LAMY joy or another fountain-pen cartridge system just because both are used for calligraphy.
Transparent color, with two exceptions
Dr. Ph. Martin’s describes the colors as transparent except for black and white, which are opaque. This is a useful distinction for layered work and an important warning for dark paper. A vivid bottle does not guarantee a solid visible letter on a black card.
Make small swatches on the intended surface before planning an opaque design. Label each color so the dry sample remains useful. A screen preview or a liquid color in the bottle cannot tell you exactly how a thin dry stroke will look on that sheet.
Waterproof means after drying
The manufacturer describes the ink as permanent, lightfast and waterproof when dry. We have not tested those claims under controlled conditions. In practical terms, do not treat a fresh stroke as ready for a wash or for stacking simply because the bottle says waterproof.
The watercolor lettering guide helps distinguish reactivating a color from layering over a fixed mark. Decide which effect you want before starting. If a later wash is part of the design, test the same ink amount, paper and wash on a spare area first.
Use the tool list carefully
The manufacturer lists brushes, dip pens, technical drawing pens and airbrushes. A fountain pen is not interchangeable with a technical pen mentioned on that list. Follow the instructions for the actual tool, including whether it permits this ink and how it must be cleaned.
For dip lettering, the nib guide and holder guide help assemble a suitable setup. A Nikko G or Hunt 101 still needs a compatible holder; the ink set does not supply one or establish that every combination has been tested.
Do not leave loaded tools to dry while you plan the next line. Keep a suitable cleaning arrangement nearby and follow the ink and tool makers’ directions. A dried deposit in a fitting is harder to deal with than a short pause to remove fresh ink.
Dilute a small portion, not the whole bottle
Dr. Ph. Martin’s permits water dilution for suitable techniques. If the exercise calls for it, use a separate small portion and record what you did. Changing the whole bottle makes later results harder to reproduce and can leave you with a supply that no longer suits your ordinary work.
Dilution changes the material deposited on the page. Do not assume a modified mixture has exactly the same coverage or water behavior as an undiluted mark. Test the result after drying rather than treating the manufacturer’s description of the original ink as a promise for every homemade mixture.
The paper guide is important here. A sheet that handles a fine dip-pen line may react differently to a broad wet wash. Choose the paper for the technique, not just for the word calligraphy on the ink label.
Build a useful sample sheet
Start with the colors you expect to use, not necessarily all twelve. Make a fine line, a modest shaded stroke and a small filled area with the same tool. Leave room for notes about the paper, dilution and drying conditions. These samples will tell you more about a planned project than a decorative chart without labels.
The palette tool can help plan color relationships, but its screen colors do not reproduce the exact dry pigments. The practice-sheet tool can supply a separate copying layout. Use the practice calendar to repeat a simple exercise with one changed variable rather than making a different mixture every day.
For letterforms, follow the technique guide and a suitable exemplar. A new color does not correct an uneven baseline or an overworked stroke. Keeping the lettering exercise simple lets you see the ink behavior more clearly.
Who should buy Set 1?
Keep the palette organized as you work. Mark which well holds each color and use a clean tool to take ink from a bottle. If you are making a mixture, record the colors in a notebook before the sample dries; neighboring reds can become difficult to identify from memory. Keep mixtures separate from the original supply rather than pouring them back. This is especially helpful when the final piece needs another matching word on a later day.
You have a colored dip-pen project
The set gives you a documented palette to explore. Check which colors need transparency and which need coverage, then trial the actual paper. If one color dominates the final project, consider whether a larger individual bottle would be the better follow-up purchase.
You are learning pointed pen in black
A single suitable black ink is the more focused start. Spend the attention on paper, holder fit and the lesson. The starter guide can help avoid buying a large collection before the basic setup works.
You want portable color with little cleanup
Read the Tombow marker review. Capped pens are a different ink system, but they may fit the routine better than open bottles. The right choice is the one you can use appropriately, not the one with the longest supply list.
Leave room for what is not verified
We have not measured drying speed, flow through every nib or long-term color stability. The recommendation rests on the manufacturer’s stated formulation and contents, with practical precautions for use. Keep bottles capped between sessions, label any separate mixtures, and do not treat a successful sample as proof for every paper you might buy later.
Pros and cons
Reasons to consider it
- Several colors for dip-pen lettering
- Water-resistant finish after drying
Trade-offs
- Not for fountain-pen reservoirs
- Dried ink requires prompt tool cleaning
Alternatives worth comparing
Choose by the job you need to do, not by how many accessories fit in the box. These are different buying options, not winners from a side-by-side test.
- Speedball Super Black India Ink: One black bottle is the more focused purchase for monochrome dip-pen practice.
- Tombow Dual Brush Pens: Consider capped markers instead if portability matters more than bottled pigment ink.
Price and where to buy
Check the current item title, selected variant, pack quantity, delivery charge, and return terms before paying. A familiar product name can cover several packages. We do not display a fixed price because the retailer can change it independently of this article.
Check priceSources and review method
This is a buying assessment, not a test report. We checked product identity against the retailer through Amazon CreatorAPI and used the references below for specifications and attributed observations. Seller copy can contain errors: specifications describe the intended product, not a guarantee about every delivered unit. Recommendations about practice are editorial advice.
- Dr. Ph. Martin's: Bombay 0.5 oz Set 1 Twelve 15 ml bottles, named colors, pigment ink, waterproof when dry, and transparent colors except opaque black and white. Listed tools are brushes, dip pens, technical pens and airbrushes; no fountain-pen recommendation.
- Amazon: Bombay Set 1 CreatorAPI confirms twelve half-ounce bottles with flat caps and mixing palette. Regional or seller package changes still need checking.
No star score, measured durability, water-resistance result, or first-person testing claim is attached to this review. Illustrations are explanatory drawings, not product photographs or measured writing samples. Customer comments, where discussed, remain the opinions of their authors; no review average has been calculated.