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If you’ve ever wondered how to create gorgeous gold calligraphy, you’ll appreciate this article! ✨ In it, I’ll show you how to prepare metallic watercolors for dip pen use with a written explanation and a short tutorial video.
For years, I scoured art supply stores for the perfect gold calligraphy ink. I needed something opaque, rich, and durable, but all the liquid inks I tried were partially transparent (or they had mica particles that sunk to the bottom of the jar and coagulated). As it turns out, the ink I was seeking wasn’t an ink at all! Once I discovered Finetec watercolors, there was no going back. In this article, I’ll teach you how to use metallic watercolors to create stunning gold calligraphy.
For years, I used a teaspoon to moisten my metallic watercolors. It got the job done, but it was a bit messy and I usually ended up adding too much water. Then, a Japan-based reader sent me a blunt art syringe, and I’ve never looked back. I use one for every creation session, whether it’s to moisten my metallic watercolors, dilute ink, or make intentional paint spatters.
If you’re exploring metallic watercolors, whether for calligraphy or other projects, a blunt art syringe can significantly enhance the experience. It allows precise control over the amount of water you add, helping you reach the perfect consistency every time. To support your artistic journey, I’m offering a blunt art syringe for free with any Supplies Shop order of $25 or more. Just type the code USEFUL in the “Have a Gift Card?” field at checkout to claim yours. It’s a small tool, but it can make a big difference in your work.
Please note: The code USEFUL is valid through this Friday, April 19th, at midnight MDT.
Finetec GmbH Coliro (not to be confused with Finetec, which is a different company — read more here in section #6) is a family-owned German company that makes opaque metallic watercolors. These lightfast watercolors are handmade from mica pigments and gum arabic. The watercolors have mica in them, which makes them very shimmery. The company sells a few different palettes, so you can choose which one fits you based on personal preference. My favorite is a custom palette we sell here on TPK because it offers a practical range of colors.
While you might associate watercolors with painting, many calligraphers use Finetec as a gold calligraphy ink. Finetec makes a wonderful ink because you can control the opacity, mix colors, and easily transport it. If your calligraphy session is abruptly interrupted, there’s no need to screw a lid on anything. Water simply evaporates out of the watercolor pan, and that’s that.
To transform the Finetec palette into a shimmery gold calligraphy ink, you need to moisten the pan(s) of your choice with about 0.75 mL of water. (A blunt art syringe is especially useful for this step.) Let the water sit on the watercolor for about 30 seconds, then use a small paintbrush, size two or so, to mix the water into the paint. As soon as you achieve the viscosity of heavy cream, you’re ready to write!
To see these instructions in action, watch the short video below:
Of course, brushing watercolor on the back of your nib can be time-consuming if you have a very large project. That’s the downside! For recommendations on metallic inks that you can dip your nib into, see this article.
If you’re not familiar with using the Finetec watercolors for making gold calligraphy, you might encounter ink flow issues. To ensure a smooth writing experience, it’s important to be vigilant about two things. First, make sure there’s enough water mixed into your watercolor! If the mixture is too thick, it won’t flow off the nib.
Second, clean off your nib often with water and a non-fibrous cloth while using Finetec. Shoot for cleaning the nib every two minutes. The mica particles in the watercolor tend to cling to the nib, which can gunk things up and affect ink flow.
If you’re making a calligraphy project on dark paper, a white mechanical pencil will come in very handy! You can use the pencil to draw guidelines, then create your gold calligraphy. Finetec dries very quickly, so after 5-ish minutes, you can safely erase your guidelines.
You can create stunning pieces by combining gold calligraphy with any other color of calligraphy. The place card below, for example, features a combination of Arabic gold watercolor and Bleed Proof White ink.
Finally, don’t forget that you can switch it up and use Finetec as a traditional watercolor! I used a small paintbrush and Finetec gold to enhance this pretty lily drawing.
I prepared the video below to show you what it’s like to use gold watercolor to create a pretty calligraphy medallion. The video does a good job of capturing that signature Finetec gold magic!
You can also browse through the photos below to see some of the projects that you can use Finetec watercolors to create:
There are many, many more tutorials on this Blog that rely on metallic watercolor to give them pop and personality. Click the button below to peruse and find the tutorial(s) that get you excited to create!
I stock the TPK Finetec Palette and single Arabic Gold watercolor pans in the TPK Supplies Shop. If you’re outside of the US, consider purchasing your Finetec from a local merchant. You can click here to find a list of places that you might find these shimmering watercolor gems (among many other calligraphy supplies).
If you have any questions about making gold calligraphy or writing with metallic watercolors, you are more than welcome to ask in the comments! I’ll be glad to help when I have a moment. In the meantime, I hope that you learned something from this post. I know that you’ll be creating stunning gold calligraphy in no time!
Warmly,
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