Caligraphy

Conanius

Conanius

Conanius

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
12,946
All,

Anyone here ever dabbled at this?

My GF is quite new to it, and is looking for a starter kit to get into it in her spare time. Obviously not wanting to spend loads incase she decides that its not her bag, so appreciate some advice (some use cartridges, others are dip pens, so would like to know which other people find best)

also, subject to not linking to a competitor, appreciate any ideas on places online that people recommend to buy from, and decent manufacturers of bits and pieces.

Cheers in advance
 
A basic pen set should be enough to get started with. You can buy all sorts of pens and use cartridges or ink depending on what style you want to achieve. Until she decides exactly what she wants this shuld be a good starter:

Clicky
 
You used to be able to get a cheapo caligraphy set from WHSmith with about 4 or 5 nibs and a cheap plastic pen that took cartridges. I know it's not the best quality but it's good enough to get a feel for if you want to take things further and pay for a quality set.
 
Jonny69 said:
You used to be able to get a cheapo caligraphy set from WHSmith with about 4 or 5 nibs and a cheap plastic pen that took cartridges. I know it's not the best quality but it's good enough to get a feel for if you want to take things further and pay for a quality set.
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Cheers for replies so far,

Jonny, thats the set my GF saw, but for the future where would she get proper sets from? what makes? would it be a dip pen or cartridge?
 
Cartridges are handy for the occasional user as the ink doesn't dry too quickly in them (but it will dry).

Resevoir pens are good for the consistent (daily or every two days) user as they tend to hold a considerable amount of ink.

The dip style pens are only for traditional hardcore users.

I relate the different types to cars. Cartridge types are your track day only Sierra Cosworths. Resevoirs are your daily driver Pug. Dip style are your D-type Jaguars and Ford Model A's. That make sense? :)


Parker are generally an all around good pen, especially thier sets. I still have my set out in the garage, even though I haven't had a use for it in about 5 years. I probably should go back to making all birthday and Christmas cards myself, but when I can pick up a box at the Dollar Store, it just seems to make me ask "Why bother?"..... :(


[edit] Shaeffer are pretty good pens, too. They tend to hold thier own corner on the market as being the premiere cartridge type pen maker.
 
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Jonny69 said:
You used to be able to get a cheapo caligraphy set from WHSmith with about 4 or 5 nibs and a cheap plastic pen that took cartridges.
Click to expand...

I've still got it somewhere (must be twenty+ years old now). It was three nibs btw and came in a flat box about 12 inches square. There were cartridges in the following colours: Black, brown, green, red and three shades of blue. There was a Instruction manual printed in sepia style on heavyweight paper, and a spiral-bound notepad for practising.
 
my boyfriends mother does it.. quite well too. shes always writing poems and birthday cards in it. i dont think i have the patience for it to be honest. although i think when i was younger i had one of those sets?
its neat though. ill give it that.
 
i was quite into it when i was younger and started off on a cheap set and got a better set after that. didn't have the patience though and my handwriting was never any good anyway.

She's gotta have patience!
 
yer_averagejoe said:
i was quite into it when i was younger and started off on a cheap set and got a better set after that. didn't have the patience though and my handwriting was never any good anyway.

She's gotta have patience!
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Maybe ill give it a go one day. You can get a similar effect from parker fountain pens.....lol.....
 
yer_averagejoe said:
love parker pens
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i used to use them when i was younger, i had one at the start of each school year, after a week or two they get broken/stolen, damn kids. so you just stick to biros realllllly!
 
Sam Dufton said:
i used to use them when i was younger, i had one at the start of each school year, after a week or two they get broken/stolen, damn kids. so you just stick to biros realllllly!
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ahh that brings back memorys i once put nearly dry epoxy all over my parker and left it on a table needless to say i caught the tief red handed :cool: thats what i call crime prevention :D

Peace out Hombre :cool:
 
Sam Dufton said:
i used to use them when i was younger, i had one at the start of each school year, after a week or two they get broken/stolen, damn kids. so you just stick to biros realllllly!
Click to expand...

the older they are the better! the nibs are way too scratchy when new. when worn they give a smoother thicker line. used to do the same at the start of each school year.

Unfortunately i only write once in a blue moon now. I take things in better at lectures if i just listen/review online notes later.
 
Sam Dufton said:
i used to use them when i was younger, i had one at the start of each school year, after a week or two they get broken/stolen, damn kids. so you just stick to biros realllllly!
Click to expand...

I find I usually massacre any poor pen that falls into my possession. It always makes me chuckle when someone asks to borrow a pen and they realise too late that I've used it as a gnawing block. It's more amusing when they're too polite to rebuke me for it.
 
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