Anderillium Cephalopod Ink Series: Eight Ocean-Inspired Fountain Pen Inks

Introduction

Anderillium is a small ink company based in Florida, founded by Bert Anderson, whose name is where the brand gets its first half. The company produces themed ink series inspired by the animal world, including an avian series, an upcoming lepidoptera series built around butterflies and moths, and the cephalopod series covered here, inspired by creatures such as squid, octopus, and cuttlefish.

The cephalopod series contains eight inks, each named for a specific animal, and the brand’s website pairs each bottle with an illustration of the creature behind the color. The lineup covers a genuinely wide tonal range: blues, greens, orange, red, and a brownish black, which makes it easy to assemble a small collection with very different personalities.

The Cephalopod Series at a Glance

The series was reviewed with swatches and writing samples on 52 gsm Tomoe River paper, where a few of the inks showed noticeable shading and some showed sheen in heavier applications. The overall impression is a well-balanced palette where each color has a distinct identity rather than eight variations of the same hue.

Flying Squid Blue

Flying Squid Blue is a deep, dark blue with a bit of shading to it. It reads as a classic everyday blue ink: dark enough for professional writing, with just enough variation to keep it interesting on the page.

Colossal Squid Dark

Colossal Squid Dark is a very dark blue-green. It is not a black, but a really dark blue-green that behaves almost like a black in everyday use while keeping a distinct cool undertone.

Flapjack Octopus Orange

Flapjack Octopus Orange is a solid, bright, vibrant orange and one of the standout colors of the series. Compared against other well-known vibrant oranges such as Montblanc Lucky Orange, Akkerman Orange a Boven, and Leonardo Arancio Taroka, it holds its own as a genuinely saturated orange.

Writing samples on 80 gsm Rhodia paper showed low ghosting and bleed, with only a tiny amount of bleed through. Shading is low and sheen is low as well. Flow was medium, and drying time came in between 15 and 30 seconds with both finer and medium nibs. The ink does not claim to be waterproof, and a water test confirmed that it is not, which is worth knowing for archival purposes.

Spirula Green

Spirula Green sits closer to a kelly green with a bit of shading to it. It is a good middle ground for riders… rather, for writers who find bright greens too loud but want something livelier than a dark forest green.

Vampire Squid Red

Vampire Squid Red is a lighter, pinkish red rather than a deep crimson. In larger applications there is a noticeable amount of sheening, which gives it more character on the page than the swatch alone suggests.

Cuttlefish Brown

Cuttlefish Brown leans more toward a dark brownish black. It is more black than brown, but the combination of both gives it a muted, understated character that works well for everyday writing.

Bobtail Squid Green and Blue Ringed Octopus Blue

Bobtail Squid Green is a bright, vibrant lime green, while Blue Ringed Octopus Blue is a really nice vibrant blue that accurately reflects the coloring of the real animal, which is famously venomous. Seen together sideways, these two bring the most energy to the series and pair nicely with the darker blues and greens elsewhere in the lineup.

Buying Advice

The cephalopod series suits anyone who wants themed inks with a good variety of colors that perform nicely in regular use. The orange stands out for fans of vibrant warm shades, the blues and greens cover both subtle and bold ends of the spectrum, and the brownish black offers a practical daily driver. It is worth checking the Anderillium website for the full range, and ink shows can be a good place to see special editions in person.

Conclusion

The Anderillium cephalopod series is a cohesive, well-chosen palette of eight colors with interesting themes behind them. Whether you pick one statement shade like the Flapjack Octopus Orange or build out a full set, the series makes an appealing option for fountain pen users who like their ink with a story attached.