While calligraphy nibs enable beautiful lettering creations, they can also prove to be finicky creatures! We’ve all been there: you open up a new packet of nibs, insert one that you’ve been excited about using in your pen, and … ink won’t flow. Or, maybe the nib writes, but not without scratching into the paper with a vengeance. Solutions for these two problems — plus a few others — can be found in the six nib usage tips below!
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There is no “must have” list of intermediate calligraphy supplies, and I want to get that out of the way from the get-go! As long as you have basic calligraphy supplies, you’re all set to create calligraphy regardless of your skill level. For that reason, this intermediate calligraphy supply list offers suggestions for tools that should be fun to toy with. None of these supplies are things you absolutely must own, but they’re all nice to have!
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It’s a little-known fact that new calligraphy nibs come with the manufacturer’s oils still on them. The use of oil is necessary to ensure that nibs store well as they are waiting to be sold. That’s good news for us writers: no one wants to receive an old, brittle nib! At the same time, though, new calligraphy nibs can be difficult to use because of the oil that coats them. In this blog post, we’ll explore four gentle ways to remove oil from nibs and prepare them for use!
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Modern calligraphy is a fun and useful hobby; there are few people out there who won’t appreciate a beautifully addressed envelope or a neatly written note! Many people would like to learn how to create swoon-worthy lettering, but the vast number of calligraphy supplies available may make the pastime intimidating for a calligraphy beginner. So, if you’re a beginner or if you know a beginner, this post is for you! In it, you’ll learn about supplies you can buy to make for a smooth and enjoyable introduction to this wonderful art.
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My last blog post, How to Practice Calligraphy, was inspired by a reader’s question. Similarly, today’s blog post will address a combination of questions and comments from three different readers regarding calligraphy troubleshooting. All of these questions relate to shakiness when writing or nib pressure, which are issues that happen all the time, but aren’t talked about a whole lot. I have expounded on what I know about ameliorating both problems in the post below, but if you have further input {or questions!}, feel free to comment.
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After I wrote The Beginner’s Guide to Modern Calligraphy, I received some questions via email and comments that led me to believe a follow-up post would be helpful. Let me begin by saying that if you’re completely new to calligraphy, I wouldn’t invest in a dip pen just yet. Instead, you might consider building up muscle memory with a regular pen and a faux calligraphy technique. Not only will your hands become accustomed to forming letters without hesitation/trepidation, but you will also gain an understanding of upstrokes and downstrokes.
Continue Reading about The Beginner’s Guide to Modern Calligraphy Part II