Greetings!

I have returned, dear readers, for a post that is probably long due. Welcome to another week of Calligraphy Corner! Today, I would like to discuss how someone could potentially get started in decorative writing.

For anyone interested in calligraphy, I would first suggest that you do your research on what you want to explore! There are so many different types of pens and writing styles to choose from. You can go for brush pen calligraphy, digital calligraphy, use a traditional fountain pen, and more .Browse Youtube and Instagram tags like #handlettering and #letteringart to figure out what intrigues you the most.

Fig. 1. Zebra. Modern Calligraphy Styles Using Zebra Pens.

Once you pick a style that captivates your interest, you want to pick a set of good tools to use as a beginner artist. These tools are dependent on whatever style you choose to explore. For brush pen calligraphy, you really only need the pens themselves and your paper of choice. Brush pens don’t usually come in different components like fountain pens, so you don’t have to worry about meticulous preparation. Digital calligraphy is a bit different; you obviously don’t need to use a real pen and paper with this style. Instead, getting a compatible stylus and tablet will make your goals go off without a hitch. The Adobe Suite has multiple apps that make digital calligraphy a breeze. Adobe Illustrator is quite commonly used for lettering of this method. Procreate is another popular option among calligraphers. If fountain pens are more your style, check out the previous blog for a look at how you can assemble them.

Fig. 2. By Dawn Nicole. Procreate Lesson: Lettering On Photos.

When you have your tools settled, you should make a decision on how you want to proceed based on your learning style. If you love to read, I would definitely suggest you take a look at calligraphy how-to books to really get a feel for the shapes you want your hand and pen to be able to form. When I started practicing, I would read these types of books to understand why I had to press the pen in ‘x’ way with ‘y’ amount of pressure. I found them incredibly helpful. Most of the books I’ve read choose to introduce a basic alphabet designed to be learned using a fountain pen. If you are interested in trying out a different type of pen, I would definitely make sure to do your research on a book’s content before purchasing it. The one below is an example of a book using fountain pens as part of its calligraphy instruction.

Fig. 3. Amazon. Calligraphy Workbook For Beginners.

If you are more of a visual video learner, I would point you to YouTube and its thousands of calligraphy tutorials! For any type of lettering you want to try, there is guaranteed a tutorial out there that matches your needs. These are very nice when pictures don’t seem to cut it. There have been plenty of times where I needed to watch someone complete a specific stroke before I could figure it out myself. I found some here for you to check out:

Digital Calligraphy Tutorial

Brush Pen Tutorial

Fountain Pen Tutorial

Whatever method you choose to go with in learning basic alphabets and strokes, you will end up needing some form of a guide or practice sheet to add accuracy to your characters. These guides often come in those calligraphy how-to books I mentioned earlier, but you can also find them for free all across the internet. To improve one’s calligraphy, I want to strongly emphasize how helpful these sheets can be.

Fig. 4. Tombow. Lettering Practice Worksheets.

Above all, once you have the tools and some base knowledge, you just need to practice, practice, practice! It is always advantageous as well to expose yourself to new things in order to find what you are really passionate about or good at. Take a few minutes to browse some of the above links and see if you find anything interesting!

Fig. 5. Instagram @elena.sol.calligraphy. Home Is Where The Pen Is.

Thanks again readers, and see you next time!

Hello, readers!

I am back at it here at Calligraphy Corner ready with some fresh posts for the spring semester. As some of you may be familiar with, Blogs 1-10 on this site focused on the rich history of decorative handwriting and its relationship to humans as an artform and means of expressive communication. This semester, I want to branch out and introduce some practical knowledge that will help any aspiring calligrapher or interested citizen to broaden their horizons when it comes to script.

Therefore, today I wish to discuss a subject that I am most often asked about when I tell people that I love learning about calligraphy: how to put together a calligraphy pen. In my experience, people tend to describe a fountain pen when they refer to a “calligraphy pen”. The assembly of the fountain pen is not overtly complicated. One must just be aware of the fragility of the parts involved.

Fig 1. Montblanc. Meisterstuck Gold-Coasted 149 Fountain Pen.

First, let’s consider the components.  The basic fountain pen will typically contain a cap, a type of reservoir for ink, a nib, and a barrel. The cap is the same as the cap to a regular pen; it protects the nib of the fountain pen. The ink reservoir simply holds the ink that is anticipated for use. It does not necessarily have to just be an ink cartridge; the reservoir may also be a converter. The converter allows you to use ink from a bottle if you prefer that over a premade cartridge. The nib of a pen is a detachable piece of shaped metal that attaches to the ink reservoir and the barrel. They come in various sizes to choose from and change the width of lettering that the pen can achieve. The ink flows through the cartridge or converter towards the nib as influenced by gravity when the pen points down towards the page. The barrel houses the ink reservoir and is the part of the pen that you hold on to.

Fig. 2. Faber-Castell. Fountain Pen 101.

So, how do we put such a pen together?

I would always recommend following the directions of whatever brand of fountain pen you buy, but we can make a general guide for this here. For pens with ink cartridges, you want the pen completely disassembled. Once you have all of the parts separated, you can choose which ink cartridge and nib you want to use. There are all sorts of colors and finishes you can choose from if you are interested. After you pick out your preferences, you should find the end of the cartridge that has a tiny hollow section (see below). This hollow section will be pierced into nib. Make sure that you feel a puncture of the cartridge so that the ink can properly flow through the pen. The combined nib/cartridge can then be screwed onto the barrel and thus, you have a complete pen!

Fig. 3. Fountain Pen Love. Fountain Pen Nib Options For Beginners.

Fig 4. Jet Pens. How To Install Ink Cartridges.

For pens with converters, the converters should also be attached to your chosen nib. To fill one with ink, you would first place the nib in the ink bottle. There is a little knob on the converter that you twist left to force any air out of the reservoir. Little air bubbles will appear in the ink that the pen is dipped into (there is a problem if this doesn’t happen!). Then, draw ink up into the converter by turning the knob right. The barrel can be attached when this step is finished.

One brand that I really recommend for fountain pens is Faber-Castell. This is a historic brand with over 250 years in the business. Their hundreds of years of experience in the manufacturing and sale of exclusive writing products enhances the experience of using their pens. I think they have a great website set-up as well. It goes through the details of their various products for sale and offer a variety of facts and tips for the interested artist.

Thanks for reading! I am so excited to explore the subject of calligraphy further.