Calligraphy Equipment: Pens
We begin with what you need to produce text. We will get back to things
needed for illumination in chapter five.
Pens
What gives calligraphic text its beauty is that you write it with a broad
nib. Such nibs give a broad line when you draw at a square angle to the
writing edge of the nib, and a much thinner line when you draw at a square
angle to the pen shaft.
Medieval scribes used pens that were made from reeds or goose quills. The
favoured material was one of the five forwardmost quills from the left wing
of a goose (the left wing because these quills bend neatly over your hand,
while right-wing quills tend to poke you in the eye). The feathers were
removed and the shaft shortened to a fitting length. Then the quills were
soaked in water and hardened by putting them into hot sand. A specially
honed knife was used to cut the nib.
Making such pens is very difficult, however, and since this is only a primer
we'll skip the art of pen making. Donald Jackson describes how to do it
in "The Calligrapher's Handbook", and also in "The Story
of Writing". Such hand made pens are superior to metal pens, and most
professional artists use them. For our purposes, a steel pen will do.
The quality of the pen can be seen in the difference between the broad and
the thin lines. A good pen can produce very thin lines. The broader the
pen, the bigger the letters and the more contrast between thick and thin
lines - but big characters are not always what you want. A good pen should
give good contrast between the broad and thin lines, even if the nib is
not very broad. There are many kinds of suitable steel pens available. They
are essentially of two types: fountain pens and dip pen nibs.
Right and left hand pens
Wether you buy a fountain pen or a dip nib pen, be aware that they come
in two varieties: for right and left hand writers. Look at the box (or ask
the shop assistant) so you don't get the wrong kind. Left hand pens have
nibs that are cut at a left-slanting angle. Right hand nibs are straight.
There are also (right hand) nibs that are cut at a right-slanting angle.
These are especially suitable for writing certain scripts, e.g. Uncials.
To begin with, get the straight type if you are right-handed.
This file contains no special information for left handed scribes, since
I am right handed and have no experience of writing with my other paw.
Fountain pens
Fountain pens have the advantage of portability; you can have one in your
pouch and be able to produce calligraphy on the spot. Another advantage
is that you don't need to refill ink every five words or so, which you do
with dip nibs. Beware that you get a calligraphy pen and not a "lettering
set", "music pen" or something like that - there are many
types of fountain pens. You need pen(s) with broad nib(s). If the package
doesn't say "Calligraphy", the pen is probably not what you want.
There are several brands available, e.g. Osmiroid, Platignum and Rotring.
Which you prefer is up to you; I would hesitate to say that one brand is
better than another. But here are a few things to consider:
1. Pen sets.
Some pens are sold in sets with several nibs and only one shaft. This means
that very time you want to change nib, you have to screw off the shaft,
remove the ink container, attach it to the new nib, and replace the shaft.
The old nib must then be put in water immediately, or it will dry up and
become clogged. Buying separate, complete pens means you avoid this tedious
work, and many inkstained fingers.
2. Boxes.
Some pen sets come in a nice plastic box which may contain a guidebook and
perhaps a whetstone for sharpening the nibs when they get worn or if you
want to kill someone (The pen is mightier than the sword!). This is an advantage;
the box protects your pens and keeps them in order.
3. Ink containers.
Some pens come with some sort of pump that sucks up ink from a bottle. This is
an advantage because it gives you a wider choice of inks than those available
in cartridges. Bottle ink is also a lot cheaper than cartridges. You may think
this is irrelevant, but believe me: broad nibs use a lot of ink. Pumps are also
sold separately. If your pen doesn't come with a pump, see if the dealer has one
that fits. By "pump" I mean am imk container made of soft plastic. It
fits on the rear side of the pen nib just like an ink cartridge. With the pump
in place, iinsert the nib into an ink bottle, squeeze the pump and release. It
will suck up ink.
Dip nibs
Really good dip nibs are the best steel pens. "Speedball nibs"
is a brand name which has become a common name for steel nibs of many different
brands. The nibs are cheap, so you can buy a lot of them and try them out
until you find one you like. I have used a kind made by Heintze & Blanckertz,
Frankfurt am Main, Germany, called Bandzugfeder TO. Another good brand is
"William Mitchell's Round Hand Pen".
You buy a wooden shaft, and attach the nib in a standard mounting at one
end. There are also plastic shafts, but avoid them if they're glossy because
that means slippery. These pens are not fountain pens, so you have to dip
them in the ink or apply the ink with a pipette or a brush. This means some
advantages. You can use bottle ink or even India black ink (which is too
thick for fountain pens). Most professionals prefer Chinese or Japanese
stick ink, which they mix in small quantities when they are going to write,
and which is not suitable for fountain pens. The nibs are considerably softer
than fountain pens nibs, which is a feature for advanced writers. There
are many different nibs of varying sizes, and even special angle-cut nibs
which make it easier to do certain character styles such as Uncials.
There are disadvantages too. I have found that many dip nibs are hard to
use on a horizontal surface because the ink flow is too rich - they may
produce blobs. You can use a table that leans 30-45 degrees. (This will
cause the pen to be held more horizontally and reduce the ink flow.) Dip
nibs will rust if they are not dried off immediately after writing and/or
cleaning. Since they have no fountain, the ink flow may be uneven. The constant
need to refill ink means lots of interruptions, and stained fingers. And
dip nibs are less portable than fountain pens.
Felt tip pens for practise
A beginner can use a broad-edge felt-tip pen to practise and get the feel
of the letters. The advantage is that they are easier to handle than steel
pens. There are several types, some even labelled "Calligraphic".
These pens are wholly unsuitable for real artwork, but it is often easier
for beginners to use one for learning the letter forms. They are cheap and
usually don't last very long.