Pens and Inks

There are two types of recommendable pens for artistic use. The traditional reed pen is very cheap and was a favourite of Van Gogh. It makes a line full of character, and if you have a stand of bamboo inthe garden, it is easy to cut an interesting variety of reed pens. Simply buy one, then cut your own following the style of the bought one.

Steel nibbed dip pens are a invention of the 18th century. The fact that the line is less than perfect as you dip and the ink runs out gives the lines a variety that is far more interesting than modern pens. A recent 'improvement on the traditional nib is the nib with an extra metal piece that acts as a 'reservoir'. This actually works very well without losing the character of the dip pen. Both nibs and holders are inexpensive and available from most art stores.

Inks should always be 'pigmented'. Be wary, because many inks fade easily. The best pigmented black 'Indian Ink' on the market is the Winsor and Newton one, but the Winsor and Newton coloured inks are dye based and have a bad reputation for fading and should be avoided. Any ink that is labeled as being pigmented and is not a bright colour should be fine for lightfastness. Remember never buy inks from newsagency's, never buy inks that have generic brands and never buy inks that are not labeled 'pigmented' unless it is the Winsor and Newton Indian Ink, which is pigmented, but they don't say so on the bottle.

Safe colours to buy are Burnt Sienna or Sepia, Ultramarine Blue and Black. Bright Yellows and Reds often are more prone to fading than earthy colours. If you have to have only 2 colours, the most useful combination is Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine. Together they make beautiful fleshy colours and soft neutrals.

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[Alberto Forero]

Gottfried Pott – A Look into the World of Calligraphy

http://audium.blogspot.com/2005/10/gottfried-pott-look-into-world-of.html

[Knowledgeregional]

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