Graduating Calligraphy Pens

When most folks take up calligraphy they begin with a cheaper calligraphy pen such as a fiber-tipped one or even a couple of pencils bound together. After some constant work at the newly acquired calligraphy skills and the basic pen techniques are mastered the next stage is to think about stepping up to the next level. It's going to be more expensive and there will be one or two new skills to learn but it will eventually become time to step up to the next level and buy a new calligraphy pen.

Some decisions will have to be made over whether you buy a calligraphy pen with a fixed nib or a pen with removable nibs. Naturally, it will come down to your own personal preference. Some calligraphers like the convenience of simply picking up a different pen depending on what nib width they need to use. Others prefer the familiarity and feel of the same pen holder and replace the nibs to suit their work. Adding and removing pen nibs will become second nature as you become more accustomed to your pen. If you're working with removable nibs you may have to take a little care in the beginning to ensure that the nib has been positioned correctly in the holder.. Failing to do so will affect your work.

Next, you may be faced with another choice to make. Do you buy a calligraphy pen with a reservoir that can be removed or one that comes with an ink reservoir permanently attached? There is an advantage in the permanently attached reservoir in that it holds more ink, reducing the interruption of constant refilling. Filling the ink reservoir, whether with an eye-dropper or by dipping the pen lets the calligrapher exert more control over their work. As you become accustomed to your pen you will appreciate this control too.

It will take some practice to add ink to your calligraphy pen to perfect. Making a mistake can affect your work with erratic lines, particularly if the nib is overloaded. It's also necessary to be very scrupulous when setting removable ink reservoirs, that the flange is correctly located every time. It only has to overhang the nib by a tiny amount to cause thin or ragged edges on one side of your lines.

There may still be a certain amount of maintenance required to keep your pen in good working order. The pen nib is one piece of equipment in particular that will require constant attention. Pen nibs are disposed to becoming choked with dried ink, some faster than others depending on the sort and quality of ink you employ. By keeping a clean absorbent cloth and a glass of water close by at your workstation, your pen will remain as reliable to produce sharp, clean lines as it was when you bought it.

Your calligraphy pen will have a big influence on the quality of work you produce. Careful choice and maintenance of your pen will mean that you have the best chance to create work that you will be proud of and that the work you produce will last a long time.