A little bit of caution can go a long way in preventing accidents at your calligraphy workspace. From storing ink in screw-top containers to applying a fixative to your work, we’ll examine different ways to keep your work and your workspace in pristine condition.
When it comes to being cautious with my work, I’ve learned a lot of things the hard way. From smudges to ink spills to water-damaged mail, a lot of disasters have happened at this desk (and their frequency increased when I became a mother). While I can’t claim consistent savviness in preventing facepalm-worthy situations, I try my best! In today’s article, I’m going to help you avoid some of the mistakes that I’ve made in the past and show you how to protect your artwork. Keep these tips in mind next time you sit down to create.
Ink can transform your work … and wreak havoc on your carpet. I know of TPK readers who have had to get entire rooms re-carpeted because of devastating ink spills! Here’s the thing: lids that lift on and off, like those on vintage ink wells, are convenient and cool-looking. The moment a child grabs a container like that (or said container spills to the floor), though, it’s game over.
While screw-top containers aren’t infallible — some ink can seep under the rim if the jar is jostled — they’re more reliable than lids that easily lift on and off. Screw-top containers are also good if you have kids around! While my two-year-old has done an excellent job of causing her share of ink spills, I generally catch her in the act as she’s figuring out how to remove the ink’s lid.
For five years, I practiced calligraphy in an apartment with white walls and off-white carpeting. I now realize how lucky I was to not have stained the floor with any of my creative antics! It’s a miracle that no acrylic paint, calligraphy ink, or watercolors got on that carpet. If I had it to do over, I would have purchased a splash mat to put under my chair. That $20-ish investment would have paid in spades to avoid losing a damage deposit!
Now that we are homeowners, I have more control over my environment, so an ink spill can be less devastating. I do work with two rugs underneath my chair, but both rugs are thrift store finds that I don’t mind punctuating with an inky blob or two. There’s a black grout tile floor under the rugs, and inks can’t really hurt that. As you’re evaluating your workspace, think about how an ink spill would work. Will it just be annoying to clean up? Then you’re probably okay. Will it be devastating? If the answer to that is yes, buy that splash mat!
As you write, it’s easy to be mindful of what your hands are doing. Beware, though, for beside you lurks an outlier: your elbow! While the elbow is indispensable in granting you the mobility to create beautiful things, it’s also your quickest route to clumsiness. I’ve knocked over inks, beverages, and glue sticks while writing. Bumping into such items can either be mildly annoying or downright messy.
The solution? Keep the area around the elbow of your dominant arm clutter-free. Get rid of everything in your elbow’s potential path, even items that have zero mess potential! No matter what you bump into with your elbow, it may affect your writing by changing your hand’s course.
This one is a no-brainer … and yet it causes the downfall of my projects again and again. Here’s the thing: once you finish making something, you want to enjoy the result ASAP! That usually means having to erase pencil guidelines. Unfortunately, just because ink is dry to the touch doesn’t mean it’s completely dry. You’ll find that out in a big way as soon as your eraser passes over it.
You just have to get to know your inks to understand drying times. Sumi and India inks usually dry within five minutes or so, then you’re fine to go over them with an eraser. White inks need at least a couple of hours. Of course, waiting time also depends on the amount of ink you used: more ink needs more time to dry. In the end, you’ll just have to experiment; and, if in doubt, wait overnight before erasing pencil guidelines. If you do end up with a smudge, you can learn how to try to fix it here.
I have to admit that I don’t have a lot of problems with things being damaged by moisture here in super-dry Colorado. Almost no matter where you’re located, though, there’s a potential for rain; and in very humid areas, dried ink easily rehydrates and smears. To easily protect your artwork, particularly mail art or envelope calligraphy, apply a fixative to it.
My fixative of choice is Microglaze because it’s very waterproof and easy to apply. However, for large batches of envelopes, I would use a spray fixative because it’s quick. You can decide which is best for you in this article.
“Archival” is one of those words that sounds important, but a lot of people don’t really know what it means. Basically, if something is archival, it will last quite a long time. Archival papers, for example, usually don’t have acids, which can react with most inks over time to cause discoloration or even make holes.
If you want your creations to last, use high-quality, archival materials to make them. You can find pens, inks, and paints that are all archival. If you don’t opt for archival materials, you’ll start to notice that your paper and your colors change for the worse after a few years. Of course, if you are making a temporary, just-for-fun type project, that’s no big deal. But if you’re crafting a gift for someone or a piece of calligraphy or artwork that you want your grandchildren to enjoy, consider going archival.
At the end of the day, the best defense against accidents is adopting a relaxed attitude. No matter how cautious you are, some things can’t be controlled. That’s just life: it rarely goes as planned. Do your best, and if something goes wrong, remember there’s always a remedy. Your creativity and a calm approach will see you through. 🙂
Thanks very much for reading TPK, and I’ll be in touch in a couple of days with a fun tutorial!
Warmly,
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