You can also buy ready made bamboo pens, they don't hold an awful lot of ink but they produce an effect of their own when used on smooth or rough paper. Just dip them in the ink, write off the excess ink on a scrap of paper and away you go.

Chisel-edged paint brushes act on the same principle as the chisel-edged nib, but have greater flexibility and hold more ink or paint. Hold it in the same way as you hold a pen.

Take the principle further and try using a paint brush such as the ones you would use to decorate your house with. On a large area of paper you can really go to town with the free expression of big, bold, marks.

The bigger the marks the more you can see the difference between the thick and thin lines and you will understand the positioning of the pen, where you begin and end your strokes, and what happens if you manipulate the angle of the 'nib' much more. The smaller the nib the less distinction between the strokes. Writing done quickly, and in a controlled manner, shows movement - it 'speaks' to you - and that is what calligraphy is all about.

Copperplate nibs (see diag.) are quite different. Designed to replicate the lettering on plates of copper (hence its name) for printing important and decorative documents, the nib opens when pressure is applied on the down stroke so that the stroke becomes wider. The pressure is relieved on the up stroke so the the nib points close and produce a fine line. Note the elbow to give flexibility when pressing down on the nib and to help hold the correct angle for the slope of the letters.

Real Copperplate is engraved onto copper with a fine tool, the plate being fixed to a wheel which is turned to change the angle of the writing rather than the engraver changing the angle of his hand - as is the case with the pen. The engraver also has to work in reverse (mirror writing) for the print to come out the right way round!

Using the Pen >>

Useful Links:

Calligraphy Pens from Amazon.co.uk

Calligraphy Pens from Amazon.com

Dick Blick Art Materials

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