Tuesday 14 September 2010

Using A Calligraphy Fountain Pen

Calligraphy means beautiful writing and to achieve this you need to start with a good pen. This is where the calligraphy fountain pen plays an important role as vital equipment in the field of calligraphy writing. The fountain pen is not a single piece but consists of the main body or the pen holder, sometimes known as the handle.

The holder or the handle is the part that you would hold in your hand when writing; hence this should feel comfortable when you hold it. You can choose from varying sizes from slender to thick. Choosing the best calligraphy fountain pen is like choosing an ordinary pencil or pen that feels comfortable to grip while writing. If you require a good grip you can choose the type which is rubberized or has cork grips that would avoid the fingers slipping while doing calligraphy writing.

Plastic, glass, wood or even bone are some of the materials used to make a calligraphy fountain pen. However if you are an antique lover you could even choose an ivory pen which were very popular during the years when the harvest of ivory was not considered inhumane.

Have you considered a glass calligraphy fountain pen? It is a beautiful piece of art in itself, especially the spiral-shaped hand-blown pen. It is very comfortable providing an easy and very firm grip. It comes in bright and attractive colors forming stripes and solid colors in attractive patterns.

A calligraphy fountain pen in wood would be an ideal choice for a person who loves wood carvings on the pen, showing the craftsmanship of woodwork like the craftsmanship of the writing styles they are practicing. Though it may cost a bit more than the regular calligraphy pens it is worth it because of its intricate carvings.

If you are looking for bone pens it could be quite difficult except in East Asian calligraphy kits that do not use nibs but brushes instead. Plastic pens are the choice of many and they are freely available. These are highly recommended for beginners since they may find other material hard to manage while practicing.

The next vital part for the calligraphy fountain pen to produce the best results in making lines on the paper is the nib. Usually there is a reservoir with ink attached to the nib, although some pens have an ink cartridge within the body of the pen. The choice of nib varies from metal to plastic. Though metal is more durable, people tend to prefer plastic ones since they move more freely on the paper.

There are different types and sizes of nibs ranging from fine tipped nibs for thin lines and wide tipped nibs for thicker lines. The structure of the nib of the calligraphy fountain pen with a reservoir is very versatile as you can change ink according to your choice more frequently by just washing off the older ink and replacing it with another color. Soap should not be used to clean pens or nibs. To protect nibs from rusting they have a special coating after manufacturing. This has to be washed off before starting to use them with ink.

Edward Ashcroft-Hamilton is a passionate calligraphy teacher and artist. Click the following link for more great tips and advice on calligraphy fountain pens

Also, for your FREE 10 DAY MINI CALLIGRAPHY COURSE, don't forget to visit http://www.calligraphywizard.com

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