Calligraphy Ink Recommendations: Sparkling Delights (Part I) + Giveaway

In the last TPK blog post, you were introduced to three kinds of earthy-hued calligraphy ink. Today, you’re going to meet the glitzy cousins of those inks! The sparkling inks detailed in this post are perfect for when you want to make something glamorous and unique, something that makes observers do a double-take. You’ll learn the nuances behind various metallic calligraphy mediums, and you can use the information presented today and in the next TPK blog post to decide which sparkling ink (or inks) are right for you!

Finetec Golds and Pearl Colors Palettes

Finetec is my favorite supply when it comes to writing sparkling calligraphy. Believe it or not, Finetec calligraphy “inks” are actually watercolors! The watercolors are made with mica, which is a natural shimmering mineral. When you put a Finetec-loaded pen to paper, you will be amazed at how beautiful the effect is; for example, check out the sumptuous color in the Kaitlin Style menu pictured below!

Of course, as a beginner, I puzzled over how one could use hardened little circles of finely-ground glitter, essentially, to create liquid beauty on a page. The answer lies in adding water and mixing: you can learn exactly how to use the palette in this blog post, which includes a helpful tutorial video.

I love both of the Finetec palettes (the Pearl Colors and the Golds) because of their extraordinary opacity and the fact that you as the calligrapher can easily control the viscosity of the ink based on how much water you mix in. However, there are some downsides. First of all, if you’re new to using Finetec, there’s a little bit of a learning curve; you have to figure out the “sweet spot” as far as viscosity goes for you. Secondly, you have to brush Finetec on to the back of your nib. That’s fine if you’re making one card or envelope, but if you’re making a lot of envelopes (e.g. for a wedding), the process will be very time-consuming! Finally, Finetec is a little on the pricey side — the palette will run you around $25 plus shipping. That’s a hefty chunk to pay for calligraphy ink, but it’s worth noting that the palette will last you for several years.

If you live in the US, you can find the Finetec palette at Paper and Ink Arts. UK residents can strike gold (ha!) at Penman Direct. In Germany/the EU, you can purchase Finetec at coliro.de, and in Canada you can find it at Artist Supply Source. If you do not live in any of these countries, and you know where the Finetec palette can be purchased locally, please comment! You never know: your information may be the key to happily ending someone’s search!

Lumiere by Jacquard

Like the Finetec palette, Jacquard’s Lumiere paint (which doubles as calligraphy ink) is infused with mica to give it a lot of vibrant sparkle. Lumiere paint is a good multi-purpose supply to keep around; Jacquard boasts of its ability to adhere to any surface including canvas, leather, wood, and, of course, paper. I don’t believe it was originally developed to be a calligraphy ink, but eventually someone figured out that it can be used as such, and now artists in the calligraphy world are doing really neat things with it.

If you are going to use Lumiere as a calligraphy ink, diluting it is an absolute must! When you get a new bottle of Lumiere, you’ll want to transfer about two tablespoons of the paint into a separate container …

Then, add about 1.5 teaspoons of water. The ratio of paint to water should be approximately 4:1 to ensure opaque coverage when creating calligraphy.

Next, shake the container vigorously to mix the water and paint together.

Once the water and paint have mixed, you can dip your nib directly in the mixture and use it as a calligraphy ink, as shown in the lace envelope art photo below! If you’re having trouble getting the ink to flow, you can always add a little bit more water. If you add too much water (you’ll know it’s too much because the ink will no longer be opaque), that’s no biggie; just let the ink sit out without the lid for a couple of hours to allow some water to evaporate out.

One of my favorite things about Lumiere paint, particularly the colored varieties like Halo Pink Gold, is the fact that the creations you make with it look very different depending on which angle you’re viewing them from. For example, if you look at the Janet Style envelope below straight-on, the color is indeed a reddish gold.

However, if you angle the envelope toward a light source, it suddenly bursts with golden brilliance! It doesn’t even look like the same envelope!

I like Lumiere ink because it comes in a variety of different colors, and once you add water, it’s convenient to use. I have noticed, however, that its coverage isn’t quite as good as Finetec because you do need to add a significant amount of water to make it calligraphy-friendly. It’s acrylic paint, so it also gunks up your nib relatively quickly, which facilitates the need to wipe off the nib quite often. All in all, though, its brilliant, interactive tones and convenience are worth it!

You can purchase Lumiere ink at Paper and Ink Arts in the US, Art Van Go in the UK, Art Materials in Australia, and Artist Supply Source in Canada. For all other countries, you can use the handy search tool on the Jacquard website to see where you can buy Lumiere ink locally! (Make sure you click “Products Carried” on the right to double-check that Lumiere is one of them.)

Ink Giveaway

As part of this series of ink-focused posts, I want to give you the chance to try out these beautiful, sparkly supplies! This post’s giveaway includes one bottle of Lumiere paint/ink, one bottle of Iridescent ink, and one large container of PearlEx powdered pigment, all in the colors of your choosing. Additionally, you will receive a Finetec Golds palette! The total value of this prize is $42.45 plus shipping cost, and I’m glad to ship anywhere! You may enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Just as a side note, you don’t have to utilize all of the entry options; even if you just enter using one (e.g. the “Answer a Question” option), you’re still eligible to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, February 16th, at 11:59 PM MST (Denver, CO, USA timezone). On Wednesday, the winner will be contacted and his or her name will be displayed on the Rafflecopter widget in this blog post!

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If you have any questions about the two types of “ink” detailed in today’s post — or tips on where to find them in your country — please feel free to comment. I’m glad to offer input, and I am always looking for suppliers to recommend to readers across the globe. Thanks so much for reading TPK, and we’ll reconvene this weekend with more information on making glamorous, glittering calligraphy!

Warmly,