Happy new year! I can't believe it's already 2016. I've certainly slacked off on posting towards the end of last year, with my daughter's birthday planning and the holidays all back-to-back.
I've been trying new things with pens and nibs. I've also been working on a few side projects including two names, one for a business identity and another for personal stationery.
I discovered that I really enjoy using the Pilot Fountain Pen Custom 742 with the FA nib. There's a nice smooth feel to how it writes on paper and although sometimes, I get the occasional railroading, it generally is a great soft nib fountain pen. To reduce the railroading, I tend to write as I do with a pointed pen, really allowing the ink to touch the paper and letting it be a slow stroke.
Skipping between the fountain pen and the pointed pen is a real treat because I've realized just how little I write on a normal basis. After a long week of work, I always feel really rusty picking up the pens. Warming up is incredibly important to get wrists rotating and the fingers used to carrying the curves of the pen since my hands are so used to the shape of the keyboard throughout the week.
Since signing up for the Modern Calligraphy Summit, I've been doing a ton of research to get prepared. I've pulled out tons of old tools and books, but I've also found a lot of great resources online. Here are some that have helped me get started again on this hobby:
- IAMPETH - A wonderful set of resources around supplies and videos on how to write letter forms.
- John Neal Booksellers - My favorite go-to for all tools for calligraphy. I was first introduced to their catalog by Hannah Rose Calligraphy.
- The Goulet Pen Company - When I was researching on the best flex nib fountain pen for my needs, I found the reviews so helpful and learned all about the basics.
- Connie Chen Calligraphy - I first came across Colors of Christ on Instagram and was instantly drawn to her beautiful works of art. She also shares videos of how she produces her work on YouTube and it is mesmerizing!
Additionally, I found a few other great posts on how to get started on calligraphy from these blogs:
What are some good resources you've come across to learning calligraphy?