I got into watercolor toward the end of COVID with this particular picture being one of my goals to paint. I am happy with the colors, but the faces definitely look wonky because I traced through Arches cold-pressed paper using a tablet so I couldn’t see fine details well. I might sit down and paint this again to see if I’ve improved any since then (I haven’t painted in over a year now, but I’ve also acquired a light box).
From Friday to today I put all the pages I used for calligraphy/penmanship practice together, and we’re sitting at over 20 pages of me writing mostly stream-of-consciousness. Yes, foundational drills are super important as well, but sometimes you need to write what makes you happy instead.
How much daily practice do you try to get in? What kind of practice drills do you usually do? Do you focus on one or two aspects each time you sit down to practice?
When I first got into the fountain pen hobby about 15 years ago I told myself I wanted to learn calligraphy. I bought a Lamy Safari Al-Star in blue with fine and 1.5mm stub nibs as well as a bottle of Lamy Turquoise, and that was my one pen for years until I lost it during a move five years ago. I’ve since begun collecting pens again, and now I’ve amassed a not-insignificant collection—over half of which has semi- to full flex nibs.
Most recently I took a commission where I wrote the names and date for 70 awards. Imposter syndrome still tells me I’m not there yet, but the version of me 15 years ago would be so proud of where I am today. Of course there’s always room for improvement, but it’s also nice to celebrate where you are currently.
Looking back at my journals from when I first started practicing calligraphy versus how my penmanship looks today, the difference is night-and-day. Why do I have so many pens? Because I do, that’s why.
Pens and inks pictured:
Pilot Custom 743 verdigris- Diamine Gold Star
Pelikan 400NN tortoiseshell brown - FWP Oyster Hour
Magna Carta Mag 650 lava black - Diamine Deadly Nightshade
Magna Carta Mag 650 rainbow - ?? I honestly don’t remember… I think it might be a custom mix
Pelikan M400 tortoiseshell white - Wearingeul A Star Spattered Hill
Waterman’s 0552 - Diamine Golden Ivy
For awhile now I’ve wanted to try an oblique fountain pen nib, so I finally pulled the trigger over the weekend and purchased a Pelikan 400NN in tortoiseshell brown with an OBB nib. The right tine is raised ever-so-slightly which makes it catch at certain angles; however, even with the slightly misaligned tine, it writes so smoothly otherwise??? Even better, the color of the binde of the 400NN really complements the binde of my M400 in tortoiseshell white which makes me happy.
I had read that the barrel on the 400NN has a slightly textured feel (slightly bumpy) due to the material used, but I find this pen smoother in-hand than any of the other three Pelikans I own. Additionally, the top finial is more conical in shape than the finial caps on the other three Pelikans I own. It’s nice being able to see the changes that have been made to what is now the M400 and its less expensive model in the M200/5 range.
The only other piston filler I own is an Esterbrook Estie in Winter White with a push button filler system, so I can only compare these pens to that… the Estie sat in my drawer for over a year because the piston would seize every other time I’d press it down. After I got around to adding silicone grease to the inside barrel it operates as it should, but cleaning it well is another story entirely. I don’t know why I was expecting the piston on the 400NN to not be so smooth because it honestly operates better than the M400 from 2003 (is there supposed to be so much extra “give” when turning the knob of the M400? I can turn it a few cm before it starts to actually rotate the piston because it seems loose).
I’ve not measured it, but I also read the ink capacity of the 400NN is almost double that of the M400 which is great considering how juicy it writes. I have a pen to really showcase all my drier inks now!
I finally finished putting together my ink journal which is being housed in my Plotter A5 binder. The first few pages/section is dedicated to the current month’s calendar. The next section has all my inks written out with ink properties and writing samples (using Plotter paper). The third and final section has all my ink swatches punched out in the shape of butterflies using four other kinds of paper I use most frequently (Life, Life Bank, Tomoe River, and Yu-sari).
Red: Wearingeul Dracula, Diamine Love Potion, Diamine Coronation Ink, Platinum Cassis Black, Diamine Grotto, Taccia Benitsuchi, Diamine Dragon’s Blood
Pink: Diamine Hope Pink, Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutsuji, FWP Malibu Blush, FWP Radiant Rosewing, FWP Rose At Dawn, Colorverse No. 30 A Sgr, Robert Oster Rose Gold Antiqua, Teranishi Opera Rose, Sailor Manyo Sakura
Orange: Rohrer & Klingner Helianthus, Pelikan Edelstein Apricot Achat, FWP Oinking Embers
Yellow: Pelikan 4001 Yellow Highlighter, Custom mix, J. Herbin Bouton d’Or, Platinum Citrus Black, Diamine Golden Sands, Robert Oster Heart of Gold, Colorverse Dan Hwang, Wearingeul A Star Spattered Hill, Diamine Gold Star
Green: Rohrer & Klingner Alt-goldgrun, BPC Interstellar Bronze, Pilot Iroshizuku Sui-Gyoku, FWP Skies of Uproar, Waterman Harmonious Green, Van Dieman’s Emerald Eyes, Colorverse Danoje Festival, Van Dieman’s Mint Green, Diamine Golden Ivy, J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor, Taccia Sabimidori, FWP Galeforce Green
Blue: Wearingeul Enki, Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki, Waterman Inspired Blue, Pilot Blue, Waterman Serenity Blue, J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir, Pelikan Edelstein Golden Lapis, Lamy Blue Black, FWP Porcelain Past, Vinta Sodalite 1891 Kislap, Colorverse Monkeyhead Nebula
Purple: Sailor Shikiori Fuji-Sugata, Sailor Manyo Nekoyanagi, Waterman Tender Purple, Dominant Industry Dawn, Dominant Industry Dusk, Diamine Deadly Nightshade (this is actually a purple base with a heavy green sheen + multi-color shimmer but didn’t photograph well)
Brown: Platinum Khaki Black, DeAtramentis Urban Sienna, FWP Oyster Hour
Gray/Black: Diamine Lady Grey, Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same, Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-Syogun, Noodler’s Black, Pennonia Strigoi
I’m now onto the blues… seeing all the inks together like this makes me so happy.