Easy-to-find calligraphy inks in the UK
20140727-linthel
Like everything with pointed pen calligraphy — particularly modern calligraphy — your ink choice comes down to a number of various factors. You need to consider:
the paper you're writing on
your personal style of writing
the quality of the ink
As a newbie to calligraphy, I have a lot to learn, and I found a really comprehensive review about inks over at The Calligraphy Pen that's worth a read. My approach here is by no means scientific, but I hope gives you an idea of the different kinds of inks that are available for you to try out yourself. I'd love to hear your experiences and favourites.
My favourite calligraphy inks
In doing this exercise, I've narrowed down my favourites (for now. It changes as I go):
Speedball. It's one smooth criminal
Winsor & Newton (calligraphy ink)
Daler Rowney Calli
Gouache mixes
Pelikan 4001 (a good practice workhorse)
The paper I've used
Different papers will take ink differently. Some will bleed, some will catch, and some will be so smooth you won't want to stop writing. I'm still in the process of investigating paper variants, so for this exercise, I've used:
my practice paper: HP Colour Laser Paper 100gsm
Artcoe Frisk black pad 135gsm (not particular smooth).
You'll see that two inks in particular didn't sit so well on the laser paper (Higgins [non-waterproof] Sepia and W&N Nut Brown). I'll review how they sit on vellum (Rhodia) paper soon. The review I linked to earlier highlights that the Higgins Eternal is a better option for calligraphy.
The inks I've used
I've used the variety of calligraphy and drawing inks I've collected over the last six months. I go into more detail about them beneath the images, including where you can buy them online*, and my experience in general (if worth noting) with them on this type of paper.
In general, I wouldn't recommend using the W&N drawing inks (use the calligraphy inks instead) as they don't have the pigment that you need. And please excuse that I've spelt "Winsor" and "Pelikan" wrong in my examples... duh.
*Note: where I've linked to a product, an italicisedlink indicates that I haven't had experience ordering from that company yet.
Black, brown and metallic ink
20140727-inks-lg
Higgins and Windsor & Newton inks
Speedball and Windsor & Newton metallics
Windsor & Newton gold and silver
Ink
Colour
Type
Where to buy
Pelikan 4001
Brilliant Black
Fountain Pen Ink (non-waterproof)
,
,
,
Speedball
Superblack India Ink
Waterproof
,
,
,
Winsor & Newton
951 Black Indian Ink
Permanent
,
,
Higgins
Sepia
Non-waterproof
Try Higgins Eternal instead
,
,
Winsor & Newton
Nut Brown
Water resistant drawing ink
,
Speedball
Gold
Super pigmented acrylic
Winsor & Newton
Gold
Water resistant drawing ink
,
,
Winsor & Newton
Silver
Calligraphy ink (non-waterproof)
,
,
,
The Higgins and W&N nut brown inks are definitely not friends with the quality of paper I was using. They are better on Rhodia (vellum) paper, but I think there are better alternatives from the same brands.
Although I prefer the finish of the W&N gold better than the Speedball gold, it's just too hard to write with. The fine hairline upstrokes are virtually impossible to make smoothly.
Blue, purple and green ink
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Speedball and Calli blue inks
W&N violet and green, Schmincke gouache mix
Ink
Colour
Type
Where to buy
Speedball
Blue
Super pigmented acrylic
Daler Rowney
Blue
Waterproof
,
,
Winsor & Newton
Violet
Non-waterproof
,
,
Winsor & Newton
Green
Non-waterproof
,
,
Schmincke
helio green bluish & white
Gouache (Horadam)
,
,
,
I've just learnt that a Schmincke 'calligraphy' gouache is available. I do find the one I'm using to be a little scratchy, so it would be interesting to see if the calligraphy version is smoother.
White and metallic inks, watercolour and gouache
20140727-inks-3-lg
Watercolour, gouache and Speedball gold
Ink
Colour
Type
Where to buy
Dr Ph. Martin's
Bleedproof white
,
,
Winsor & Newton
White
Watercolour (with pointed pen)
,
,
Winsor & Newton
White
Watercolour (with brush)
,
,
Schmincke
White
Gouache
,
,
,
Speedball
Gold
Super pigmented acrylic
Winsor & Newton
Gold
Water resistant drawing ink
,
,
Winsor & Newton
Silver
Calligraphy ink (non-waterproof)
,
,
,
Lettering in the leaves
And now, here's our fun gallery of words in the weeds, calligraphy in the coriander, lettering in the lettuce, writing in the rosemary. Enjoy.
Black, brown and metallic calligraphy ink.
Blue, violet and green calligraphy inks
White and metallic calligraphy inks
Where to buy nib and ink calligraphy practice paper in the UK
Photo by Christa Dodoo on Unsplash
When I first started calligraphy, I wondered exactly what type and where to buy pointed pen calligraphy practice paper in the uk. Websites such as IAMPETH and The Flourish Forum are wonderful resources for calligraphers, especially when you're just starting out, but I've noticed that in the UK there's not a great deal of easily accessible advice about locally-sourced supplies of the fantastic products our US counterparts recommend. I intend to change that. Follow along with me as we chart the course of all things UK-based calligraphy; we'll find our way, and our best source of supplies, together.
Please not that some links included are Affiliate links, which means that if you purchase, I receive a small portion of the sale. It doesn’t affect how much you pay, and goes a long way to my maintaining the blog. I never recommend anything I haven’t used (or that has been recommended by trusted calligraphers).
Printing paper to practice pointed pen calligraphy
Laser paper
For my pointed pen calligraphy, I initially started out trying the UK equivalent to to the highly recommended HP Colour Laser Paper, but, to be honest, I've found it primarily to cause significant and frustrating bleeding. Fortunately, in chatting with other UK calligraphers I've discovered a few great alternatives:
Clairefontaine paper
I've yet to try any paper that provides a better glide and finish for the nib than French brand, Rhodia. There is a perception that these brands are quite expensive, but, at around £0.07/sheet each, they are around the same as HP Premium Choice.
For Rhodia, I use the grid pads for my practice and its brand counterpart (Clairefontaine Triomphe) for calligraphy I want to digitise. Find out more about these in my blog post specifically dedicated to them.
Calligraphy and layout papers
While printing paper is a more affordable option, nothing beats the reliability of a good layout paper through which you can see your guidelines. Recently, I’ve become aware of some great layout options that I wanted to share.
Canson Semi-Transparent Layout Paper (70gsm)
I was introduced to this paper for Maria Helena Hocksh’s Seastones Script workshop that was held in London by The European Pointed Pen Collective. It’s fabulously smooth and guidelines show perfectly through it. It was hard to come by in the UK, but now thankfully stocked by Simon at Scribblers (buy online).
Daler & Rowney’s Layout Pad (45gsm)
This high quality, thin layout paper is next on my list to order and try. The reason I have it listed here without having tried it, is that it comes as a recommendation from esteemed calligrapher, Heather Held, former IAMPETH president and student of many master penmen. During our evening online calligraphy social catch ups during COVID-19 lockdown, Heather showed me this layout paper and exclaimed her high regard for it, which puts it in high regard in my books. Buy online.
Manuscript calligraphy paper
I have the Manuscript A4 calligraphy practice pad on the shelf: it used to be a must for me — a stock standard go-to paper. It's a bit more expensive than the bulk reams of laser paper, but reliably takes the ink and allows me to see through to the guidelines below. However, I now am more likely to reach for the Canson, Daler & Rowney, Rhodia plain or Clairefontaine that I’ve talked about here, but it’s still worth having to hand.
Where I buy my calligraphy practice paper in the UK
Navigator Colour Documents Paper Ultra Smooth (120gsm): Amazon.co.uk
Rhodia Grid paper: Scribblers
Clairefontaine Triomphe: Scribblers
Canson Marker Semi-Transparent (70gsm): Scribblers
Daler & Rowney Layout Pad (45gsm), Scribblers
Frisk layout paper (60gsm), Scribblers
Manuscript calligraphy practice pad: Amazon.co.uk
Goldline layout paper: Amazon.co.uk
Are you calligraphing in the UK? Where's your go-to place for paper? What's your daily drill paper of preference.
Paper for Tombow Brush Pens
I’ve had a few questions in the comments below about the best paper to use for writing brush calligraphy with Tombow Brush Pens. While it’s not my main area of calligraphy, I have used Tombows and have some to hand, so have made a brief video using two of the papers I have in the studio at the moment:
HP RH98112 80 gsm A4 White Office Copier Paper
Navigator Colour Documents Paper Ultra Smooth 120gsm A4 White
If you can help out by sharing your favourite practice paper and for which type of calligraphy, that would be great!
Dr Ph Martin's Iridescent Calligraphy Colours available in the UK
Find out about Dr Ph Martin’s Iridescent Calligraphy Inks and where you can buy them in the UK.
Just over a week ago, I received surprise exciting news that Scribblers is now stocking Dr Ph Martin's Iridescent Calligraphy Colours for the UK market.
Buy online from Scribblers (£8.95 / 30ml)
What are Iridescent Calligraphy Colours?
Scribblers tell it best:
Dr. Ph. Martin's Iridescent Calligraphy Colours are shimmering, highly reflective colours that are lightfast, waterproof, archival, and permanent. Made from the finest ground pigments, the colour intensity of Dr. Ph. Martin's Iridescent Calligraphy Colours gives you the ability to cover dark surfaces with a dynamic metallic colour.
Great for use on paper and board. Dr. Ph. Martin’s Iridescent Calligraphy Colours dries smooth with no start and stop marks. Great for use with dip pens and brushes. Designed especially for calligraphy, to accent watercolour work, or anywhere where you need to add a magical shine and shimmer that only pigment-based iridescent colour can provide.
Scribblers Copperplate Gold product description
What's the big deal about these metallic calligraphy inks?
In short, you're dealing with:
- a brand you can trust in Dr Ph Martin (see also my post about white inks)
- a highly regarded product by calligraphers
- fuss-free flow
- exceptional coverage
- waterproof and lightfast ink
I have been hearing about Dr Ph Martin's Iridescent Inks since I first started calligraphy in 2014. At that time, artists in the United States would rave about these inks on blogs, on Instagram and on (my short tenure on) Periscope — basically all over the calligraphy Internet. Every time, I'd go on the hunt on Amazon and around the UK for these inks without success. I eventually stopped looking. To be fair, I've been using the exceptional Finetec metallic watercolours all this time, and was extremely satisfied with the results.
As much as I love my Finetecs, it took only five minutes from the time I read the Scribblers email before I headed over and bought the much talked about Copperplate Gold colour.
Dr Ph Martin's or Finetec?
If, like me, you've been using the wonderful Finetec metallic palettes, you might be wondering if it's worth coughing up the cash for a different metallic ink. The biggest pros for me is that Dr Ph Martin Iridescent Inks are waterproof, and don't require the same time and effort to get the right consistency as Finetec (which can be a fine art in itself). However, it is worth noting that:
- the heavy metal pigment does settle quickly and requires a good shake regularly
- as an acrylic ink, you need to clean your nib more frequently.
The finish, when compared side by side to Finetec is a flatter, matter gold. It doesn't have quite the same texture, but, on its own, Dr Ph Martin's is certainly a worthy metallic ink contender.
Dr Ph Martin's Copper Plate Gold Iridescent Ink on black A6 envelope
Close up of Dr Ph Martin's Copper Plate Gold Iridescent Ink on black A6 envelope
Over on Bien Fait Calligraphy's blog, Joi Hunt gives a great run down in her post Dr. Ph. Martin Copperplate Gold + Rose Gold Pearl Ex on why she likes Copperplate Gold (and how beautifully it can combine with Pearl Ex to create a stunning rose gold):
Copperplate Gold is a great gold ink option. It flows wonderfully from most nibs, and as with any acrylic based ink, it stands up very well to postal service processing machines and water. It does require frequent stirring, because the metallic pigment particles are heavier than the medium (they will settle to the bottom of the jar), which can be tedious on larger envelope projects.
Let's not forget, though, that Finetec metallic watercolours come in SO MANY GORGEOUS COLOURS, it would be remiss to steer you away from them. As my bottom drawer will attest, in a calligraphy studio, there is no such thing as too many metallic inks. (These are available in the UK from Scribblers, Penman Direct, Calligraphy Arts, Quill London).
Troubleshooting tips for Dr Ph Martin's Iridescent Inks
While I'm pretty new to the game with these inks, like I said, a lot of others have been working with them for years. You'll find excellent tips for this ink (among many things) over on The Flourish Forum.
- Dilute your bottle with a couple of drops of rubbing alcohol/surgical spirit/isoproponal
- For fine hairlines, switch to a more flexible, fine nib such as Leonardt Principal EF, Hunt 22, Brause 76.
What metallic ink colours can you buy from Scribblers?
Scribblers currently has six colours available:
UK Stockists of Dr Ph Martin's Iridescent Inks
- Scribblers (six colours) - £8.50 + postage
- Quill London (five colours) - £8.50 + £4.50 postage
- Judy Broad Calligraphy - (2 colour combo) - £15 + £3.30 postage
Share your feedback
Have you tried Dr Ph Martin's Iridescent Inks? I'd love to hear your experience, and how they're working for you.
A note about links
I'm a Scribblers and Amazon affiliate, which means that if you click a link here and purchase something from those websites, a small percentage of your purchase is attributed to me. I don't recommend anything I haven't tried (or I'll specify otherwise), and, where possible, I support all local suppliers who stock these products.
Do you need a Moblique 2-in-1 Penholder in your life?
Designed by Luis Chiang of Luis Creations, the Moblique holder is deemed 2-in-1 as it can switch between being a straight holder or oblique by adding the flange.
Some calligraphers find the grip quite slippery; however, I find it is great to counter my heavy-handedness. I was first intrigued by the innovation and its uniqueness, and now sing a resounding yes to its usability!
What is an oblique penholder?
Where a straight penholder looks and moves like a standard pen (the nib is inserted directly at the top of the holder to create the pen tip you're used to), the oblique holder has an angled flange at the top that allows the nib to be inserted at an angle that will allow the calligrapher to achieve required angles of specific scripts.
Two types of penholder for calligraphy: oblique or straight
Should you use a straight or oblique holder for calligraphy?
The answer to this one really is up to you. For the most part, personal preference (and also script choice) dictates whether you will calligraph better with a straight or oblique holder.
Oblique holders for formal calligraphy script
I began calligraphy learning formal copperplate script from Eleanor Winters' exceptional book, Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy. In it, she advises that the 54° angle of Copperplate calligraphy can be achieved "with a straight penholder and elbow nibs...[or] with an oblique holder and straight nibs."
Similarly, Veiko Kespersaks highlights in his book, Calligraphy in 24 1-hour lessons that
"oblique penholders hold the nib at the correct angle for Copperplate and Spencerian scripts, which do not require a broad-edge nib."
I do know of calligraphers using a straight holder for Copperplate, though, so let your hand be your guide. Because I chose to learn with an oblique holder (I didn't find the elbow nib range as extensive), I now use an oblique holder most of the time for both formal and modern scripts. I switch only to a straight holder when I need a specific look (pointed pen uncials — but even then I can work around it with an oblique, or more upright modern calligraphy). I'm so used the oblique holder that I struggle with a straight holder to have a similar smooth motion.
Straight holders for modern calligraphy and broad-edge hands
Molly Suber Thorpe says in Modern Calligraphy: Everything you need to know to get started in script calligraphy
"...in contemporary calligraphy, there is no "proper" angle, so the choice of nib holder comes down to physical comfort and how slanted you want your lettering style to be."
Chiara Perano, from Lamplighter London in her book Nib + Ink: The New Art of Modern Calligraphy recommends "the straight to start with as it's more, well, straightforward". All of the modern calligraphy tutors I know teach with straight holders (with some obliques on hand to try), so a lot of modern calligraphers will be used to and stick with them.
Broad-edge scripts such as Roman capitals, Foundational, Italic, Gothic, and Carolingian all use a straight edge holder.
What is the Moblique 2-in-1 penholder?
I first heard about this unique penholder with a pre-orders tweet from Penman Direct.
We're taking pre-orders on these fabulous 2-in-one Moblique penholders on our store now - bag yourself some of the first batch to arrive from Australia! #Moblique#LuisCreations#Calligraphyhttps://t.co/3jvU8ch18I … https://t.co/t8vglDNGxApic.twitter.com/AWMAZQvHAQ
— PenmanDirect (@PenmanDirect) May 9, 2018
As you can see from the pictures, the Moblique is a sexy little number with a very low price tag. Exactly my style.
See the Moblique 2-in-1 penholder switch in action
Where can you buy a Moblique 2-in-1 penholder in the UK?
There are now a few suppliers who stock these in the UK:
How does the Moblique 2-in-1 penholder compare to other penholders?
Selection of oblique penholders: Yoke Pen Co., UFOblique, Speedball, Moblique 2-in-1 Penholder, English Pen Crafts
When I unboxed the Moblique, I realised quickly that it had a steeper angled flange than I'm used to, and was very wary about how this would affect my script. I was pleasantly surprised to realise that the steeper angle has improved my Copperplate script.
After a little more testing, I upgraded 'pleasantly surprised' to 'absolutely ecstatic'. Creating square tops and bottoms, which I thought I was incapable of achieving for the last four years is suddenly not a problem. I'm over the moon to see that this slight angle switch of the flange has fixed the issue! Also, the top bowl on the lowercase 'k' has always given me grief. No more! I will forever sing the praise of this tool.
Ranking my penholders
Moblique 2-in-1 straight and oblique holder I should reiterate that this is NOT a sponsored blog post. It's purely based on my own experience, and I've kind of fallen in love with this holder in the short time I've had it. But it rarely takes me long to work out if a penholder will be good or not.
Speedball oblique (size 1) this was my first penholder and remains my go-to holder as it is comfortable and it holds the majority of nibs I use. It's important when buying your speedball oblique to check what size you're getting; I've heard stories of any size other than '1' not fitting a lot of nibs.
Yoke Pen Co. holder from Scribblers a splashy purchase for an early player at around £55, this was the first "exotic" penholder to land in the UK from the US. While it's not particularly flashy, I find the width and length really suit me, and, again the flange fits most nibs I work with.
English Pen Crafts penholder Melanie from the English Pen Co. kindly sent me this gorgeous holder. While I absolutely adore its elegance and the grip works nicely for me, the flange needs a little work because recently my nibs have been falling out. It really would just take some pliers, I'm sure, to give it a tweak, but I haven't gotten around to it! I would say that it would be otherwise tied with the Yoke Pen Co. holder
UFOblique holderWhile I absolutely love this quirky holder from the guys at UFOblique, I find the grip a little tricky to maintain Copperplate consistency. However, it works beautifully for modern calligraphy, so remains steadfastly in the mix.
Where other calligraphers have commented that they find the Moblique's matt-finish penholders slippy or too smooth, I really haven't been bothered by this. It's possible because I'm using it primarily as an oblique holder, whereas my a lot of my UK calligraphy friends prefer to use straight holders. Some calligraphers have commented that the grip is too thin for them, which is where the physical comfort aspect Molly Suber Thorpe talks about comes in. If you get used to a particular type of grip, then switching to a completely different style can cause muscle ache from working harder to hold then pen.
The only negative comment I have about the holder is that the flange does slide out a little if I put pressure on it with my thumb. Creator, Luis, advised that this could be resolved by pulling the flaps of the flange apart from each other.
What nibs does the Moblique 2-in-1 penholder hold?
I've had success with the following nibs in both the flange and straight holder:
Nikko G
Zebra G
Tachikawa G
John Heath's First Class G
Brause 361 pumpkin
I had issues with
Leonardt Principal EF (I resolved this by taking to the flange with pliers)
Gillott 1068A
Have you tested nibs I haven't? Let me know what's worked or not worked fo you.
Share your experience
How are you getting on with the Moblique 2-in-1 penholder? Yay or nay? Or do you have another favourite oblique holder? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
The UK's 5 best white calligraphy inks
photo of the various white calligraphy inks
I have long been a convert to Dr Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White™ as the best white calligraphy ink. But over the last year, I've been introduced to two new products, so I thought it was time to pull open the bottom drawer and surround myself with my white ink options, some of which needed little more dusting than others.
Find out what's in my white calligraphy ink stash and how they fit into my work. There are more white inks I'll be adding to the review (I'm keen to try out W&N calligraphy ink as reviewed by The Postman's Knock), but, for now, these are my top 5. The details are correct at the time of publishing.
#1 Dr Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White™
1 fl. oz / 29.57ml £9.49 (buy from Scribblers)
close up of dr ph martin's bleedproof white calligraphy ink
It feels a little unfair to include Dr Ph Martin's Bleedproof White because for so long it has been incomparable. Consistently and reliably creating bold downstrokes and fine hairlines, I have never questioned or even strayed far from using this product as a white calligraphy ink.
It is supplied in a very thick fluid form, which requires you to dilute to the right consistency. I usually mix with water (you can either do this in the supplied pot, or transfer to another container) until it's runny enough to write, but not so runny that it slides right off the nib. Others will call this the texture of heavy cream, and I guess that would be about right! I got a great tip from Suz Cunningham's Calligraphy Master's video that suggested if the ink was bit too thick to write, you could simple dip your nib tip in water to get the flow going. It works for me every time.
Watch the video of me writing calligraphy with Dr Ph Martin's Bleedproof White
#2 Dr Ph Martin's Pen White
1 fl. oz / 29.57ml £9.95 (buy from Scribblers)
In May 2017, Lauren from Oh Wonder Calligraphy brought Bleedproof's sister, Pen White, to our attention.
Of course, I leapt aboard the Pen White train, but my first impression was that it was a little too thick and globbed all over my paper. I think I might have just needed to shake it like a polaroid picture as the image included above was written straight from the bottle just fine. If you're really having trouble, you could add a little water or gum arabic to get it to the right consistency.
Watch the video of me writing calligraphy with Dr Ph Martin's Pen White
#3 Gouache
15ml (W&N - £4.99 Amazon.co.uk / Horadam - £8.45 +pp Amazon.co.uk)
I've never met a paper that gouache cannot perfectly suit. Where other inks bleed or pool (often unexpectedly) on certain card stocks, gouache has always come to the rescue. I recently had a limited number of customer-supplied place cards to calligraph, and my first attempt was a complete shambles when the ink when skating across the page at first nib touch. I mixed up gouache and was able to carry on without losing any more of the cards.
Gouache is so versatile for use across different lettering styles and on different textures and surfaces, and can be used to mix gorgeous unique colours, so it will always be one of my best white calligraphy inks. In the image I've included, the mix was a little too watery, but don't let that put you off. Just ensure you've got a creamy consistency and you're set.
A fantastic tip I received from Tina Warren of Alphabition Calligraphy is:
I use permanent white gouache for using as pure white and zinc white for mixing with colours.
Watch the video of me writing calligraphy with white Gouache
#4 Winsor & Newton Drawing Ink
14ml £3.50 (buy from Amazon.co.uk)
Winsor & Newton's white drawing ink was one of the first calligraphy purchases I made when I had no clue what materials I needed, so I just bought stuff that seemed relevant. Ink, yep. That should do it. But, of course, it's never that simple is it? Not all inks are created equal. I quickly relegated this ink to the box, fast to be forgotten until right now. It was useless for creating fine hairlines. I wasn't going to give it another chance, but seems I couldn't part with it either.
So, here we are, and with vastly more experience behind me, I can say that there's now not an ink I won't do battle with. Four years ago, I was looking for inks that I could use for delicate copperplate calligraphy. Now, my repertoire and confidence has expanded so that I'm more willing to try an old ink on a new application.
While I don't find this ink useful for copperplate script due to consistency issues (I *could* spend time trying to get it to work with gum arabic or distilled water, but when I already have other excellent options, I just don't need to) there's nothing to stop it from being a fantastic go-to for brush lettering work. It's not as opaque as some of the others, but lettering with some transparency definitely has its charm. Or, unlike with nib work, you could easily do a second layer with the brush to get a more opaque finish.
I plan to test W&N calligraphy ink, as recommended by Lindsey over at The Postman's Knock.
Watch the video of me writing calligraphy with W&N white drawing ink
#5 Herbin White Ink
10ml (part of a set of 5 inks) £13.95 (buy from Bureau Direct)
The Herbin set of inks has been awaiting a review for an embarrassingly long time. Dominic from Bureau Direct (home of my favourite calligraphy paper) kindly sent them to me just before my second daughter was born in June 2017. I'm writing this in May 2018. I'll be honest, I did briefly set about testing the inks back in 2017, but realised that they would need more work than I had time for then.
I will do a more detailed review of its metallic counterparts, but for the purpose of this article, I will say that, like the W&N drawing inks, these inks are best suited for brush lettering. They come in liquid form, making it easy to get going with the brush immediately. Though these pigment-heavy inks need frequent shaking as the pigment quickly settles to the bottom. Also, they would be a great way to pen a letter quickly using one of the sturdier nibs (such as the Nikko G), where you don't need to worry about pressure creating thicks and thins — you can create monoline handwriting as though using a pen, but with much higher opacity pigment.
These inks are not suitable for delicate pointed pen work. They are dense and do not allow for fine hairlines required.
Watch the video of me writing calligraphy with Herbin White Ink
What's your best white calligraphy ink
Are you a Bleedproof fan like me, or do you use something I haven't even mentioned?
I've already heard from @simonethessa on Instagram in response:
My favourite white ink is North Wind White from Ziller Ink. Scribblers sells it! I like it so much because it’s waterproof and perfect for envelopes 💌 It’s an acrylic ink and you have to clean your nib more often in between, but I don’t mind. I somehow never get a nice consistency with Bleed Proof White....
Share your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to chat ink.
A note about links
The prices and links in this blog post are provided for ease of comparison, and most of these should be available by a number of suppliers. If you choose to buy from Scribblers or Amazon.co.uk via the links here, I will receive a small percentage of the sale. Thank you!
6 tools to address envelopes in calligraphy
Once upon a time, when I wanted to address envelopes in calligraphy, I painstakingly calculated and ruled every single one. For copperplate, this included four lines per address line, and slanted 54° guidelines. While an excellent practice for learning good techniques and spacing, it doesn’t scale well on the big jobs.
Address envelopes in calligraphy like a boss
Now when it comes to writing calligraphy on envelopes, I have many tools to help. These are my favourites for both personal and professional work.
Ollie’s Studio envelope template
Lightbox
Laser Level
Reflections Phantom Liner
Ruler + pencil/soapstone
A piece of paper or no tool (aka freestyle)
To work out what’s best for you, you need to consider some key factors. Each tool has benefits but not without compromising something. For me, it’s a matter of considering:
how experienced / confident you are at maintaining script consistency
what script you’re going to use
the material you’re writing on (can you use a lightbox?)
how quickly you need work
whether your envelopes for personal or professional use
For example, I’m fairly confident to calligraph with a laser level for professional jobs or freehand for personal correspondence, but might turn to a lightbox (light envelopes) or phantom liner (dark envelopes) if I want to be exacting in my formal copperplate script. An envelope template is a fantastic middle ground for relaxed formal script, and also lends itself perfectly to modern calligraphy.
1. Ollie’s Studio envelope guideline template
(£14, Ollie’s Studio)
ollie's studio lettering template to address envelopes in calligraphy
Thanks to Ofe at Ollie’s Studio giving me a test drive, an envelope template is now my go-to tool for personal envelope addressing.
I designed this template to quickly create perfectly spaced guidelines and it's cut my envelope addressing time significantly. – Ofe Oyasor, Ollie’s Studio
Tools required:
graphite mechanical pencil of your choice
white fabric pencil of your choice
envelopes (any size)
What is an envelope guideline template?
An envelope template is a stiff shape (Ollie’s Studio’s is a sturdy 3mm acrylic) with spaces cut out where the lines of your address will go. You lay the template over your envelope, use a pencil to mark a line the length of each space, and, voila, you’ve got your address lines. Once you’ve addressed your envelope, you erase your black or white lines (I use an eraser and a soft cloth respectively).
You could make your own template using thick card stock, but having a professionally made tool is so much nicer and more reliable than having bits and pieces of paper flying around the place.
Note: I have always used this soap stone pencil on dark envelopes, but it won't fit through the stencil spaces, which is why I now use the amazingly awesome quilter's pencil.
The pros of a calligraphy envelope template
Grab and go! Place the template where it suits the address layout on your envelope, draw your lines (mark you vertical centre if you’re centre aligning), and write your address. Job done.
It adapts to different envelope sizes I originally thought the template was suited to C6 envelopes, but have since had a bit more sleep and realised that it can be used on many different sizes.
different scripts to address envelopes in calligraphy
You just need to make sure you can line it up consistently at the start (if it’s a professional job) so that your address lines are around the same place on each envelope. But that’s not so hard to do.
It can be used on different coloured envelopes Whether you’re writing on light or dark envelopes, as long as you’re marking up with the right tool, then you can use the template on any envelope.
Create gorgeous envelopes in your own style Assessing it straight off the bat, I thought that the template didn’t cater to the three key lines I work with (ascender, x height, and descender), or to longer (overseas addresses) but Ofe clarified that you can add more lines as you required just by sliding the template down the envelope and drawing more. This gave me more scope to play around with script spacing, and also means I can work with formal copperplate as well as modern calligraphy scripts. I just use about two-thirds of the x-height for copperplate as it would otherwise be a rather bulky 5mm lowercase letter.
using a lettering template to address envelopes in copperplate calligraphy
It’s a kind of meditation Once I got into the rhythm of ruling up my envelopes with the guideline template, I found it oddly soothing.
The cons of a calligraphy envelope template
Because you need to erase the lines, I tend not to use it for large batches of jobs. Writing the calligraphy is slow going so I try to limit any additional work, but love that I can just grab my template and get straight to work without any fuss. It’s worth testing to make sure that what you’re using will easily erase. I had some issues on metallic finish envelopes and the graphite mechanical pencil.
While I had my reservations in initial testing with the template, I’ve had more time to work with it and determine how it best fits into my calligraphy kit. It is now a mainstay on my desk.
2. Lightbox
(approx £70, Amazon.co.uk)
using a lightbox and guidelines to address envelopes in calligraphy
The lightbox has been with me since the very early days of starting Olive & Reid Studio and will always be an essential tool for much of my work. I don’t use it all that much for envelopes, though, as it can be restrictive in terms of ensuring you’re working with light envelopes of just the right thickness (GSM).
Tools required:
lightbox of your choice (I have a Huion A3 Light Box)
address template drawn/printed on paper cut to just smaller than your envelope
envelopes (any size)
The pros of a lightbox for calligraphy on envelopes
Reliable and fuss free As long as you’ve set your guidelines up correctly, and you can see them through your envelope with the lightbox, you can rely on creating consistently spaced and angled addresses in calligraphy.
The cons of a lightbox for calligraphy on envelopes
Specific A lightbox won’t be suitable for all envelopes, and, unless you’re supplying the envelopes you prefer to work with (that work with a lightbox), you will often need to find alternative ways to address them.
Repetition repetition repetition You may not be able to see your guidelines through the double thickness of an envelope, so your only option may be to cut your guidelines to fit inside the envelope, which you move to each new envelope. This will slow your progress a little.
3. Laser level
(approx £20, Amazon.co.uk)
using a laser level to address envelopes in calligraphy
For some reason, I thought that a laser level was going to cause me serious health issues, so I avoided getting one for way too long. Now, I just ensure that I keep the beam away from eyes, and I can put my super duper danger alarm back on the shelf.
Tools required:
Laser level (I have Black & Decker Laser Level and a 90° laser level)
Printed/drawn guideline template to sit under and extend beyond your envelope
Envelopes (any size)
The pros of calligraphing envelopes with a laser level
Super efficient calligraphy A laser level is by far the most efficient way to professionally calligraph envelopes... with one caveat. With just a baseline to follow, a laser level heavily relies on you “getting your eye in” (calligrapher speak for writing consistent letter forms) fairly quickly. I did once use two laser levels for a particularly precarious job (copperplate on curved porcelain), but that would be overkill for envelopes.
Compared to other methods, the setup time for a laser level is minimal and requires no additional intervention as you work (such as moving guidelines from envelope to envelope on a lightbox) or after you’ve finished (such as erasing template guidelines).
To see a master at work, check out Suz Cunningham’s video via Calligraphy Masters to see how she uses a laser tool specifically designed for calligraphy, the laser square and mat.
The cons of calligraphing envelopes with a laser level
The likelihood of inconsistencies That little caveat I mentioned — the one where you need get your eye in. If you don’t, it can mean obvious inconsistencies across a batch of envelopes (which you may be able to live with, depending on your degree of perfectionism), or across a single envelope (which your client may not be able to live with).
Bumping the tool This might just be me, but I’m pretty prone to bumping stuff, so I’m always setting up my laser, bumping my laser, setting up my laser, etc. This is where the laser square and mat would probably make the world of difference (rather than my portable builders’ tool).
4. Phantom Line Lettering Guide
(approx £45 + import taxes, Paper & Ink Arts USA)
using a phantom liner to address envelopes in calligraphy
For creating precise copperplate script on dark or very thick paper, the Phantom Liner has been essential for my work.
Tools required:
Phantom Line Lettering Guide (Reflections)
Guidelines with reversed slant lines
Envelopes (larger sizes may be trickier)
What is a phantom liner?
The liner is an optical instrument, which you can use to reflect guidelines onto your writing surface (paper or otherwise). It comprises three key pieces: a base, the guideline holder (angled on the left), and the reflection plastic (angled on the right) upon which the light shines through.
This YouTube video kinda sorta explains what I mean with that set up, but I found this Paper & Ink Arts blog post from Nan Deluca more detailed and useful.
The pros of using a phantom line lettering guide for envelope calligraphy
Extending your scope The phantom liner can allow you to take on jobs that you might otherwise have to forego. I used it to address Astley Clarke’s AW17 collection invitations — 500 in a weekend — which would have been a logistical impossibility otherwise (unless I were willing to sacrifice letterform quality).
Precision tactics With the exact guidelines reflecting, as though drawn, directly onto your paper, you can be very precise with your script. This is perfect for dark or very thick paper that would otherwise become a very laborious task to rule up to perfect proportions.
The cons of using a phantom line lettering guide for envelope calligraphy
The eyes, the eyes! This tool can really send you cross eyed and cause some headaches. The depth of field can take some getting used to, and confuse where your nib or guidelines are in relation to the paper. You must ensure your set up, including light source, is in the best position to reflect the guidelines.
5. Ruler and pencil
Tools required:
Ruler
Pencil/soapstone/fabric pencil
Printed/drawn guideline template to sit under and extend beyond your envelope
I mentioned at the start of this blog post, that I once spent a lot of time measuring and ruling up individual envelopes. Madness! A very basic upgrade on this would be to place paper with printed guidelines underneath the envelope. You'd use the same method for the laser level and just switch the ruler for the level. The lines should extend out horizontally beyond the envelope, and then you can use your ruler to match up the lines and draw across your envelope. I currently use a standard steel ruler, but I’ve been eyeing off a rolling ruler or parallel glider that Lindsey from The Postman’s Knock mentions in her posts.
This method is still a lot more work than any of the above mentioned techniques, but it certainly has its place in the calligrapher’s toolbox.
6. A piece of paper or no tool at all (aka freestyle)
This is, of course, my favourite tool of all because it is the ultimate fuss-free solution to address envelopes in calligraphy: no ruling up, no erasing, no fancy gizmos. It’s right up my street. But unless you do a lot of loose script envelopes and have a loads of consistency confidence, then I would suggest it’s more for your one-offs and personal communications.
Option 1: freehand
Be confident and prepared to adjust your layout as you go to try and accommodate anything that goes awry.
freehand addressed envelopes monoline calligraphy
Option 2: a piece of paper
If your layout calls for straight lines, simply lay a piece of paper just below where you want to write and parallel to the envelope and you have a non-invasive visual guide to help you. In time, you'll no doubt get better at spacing your lines consistently, but, as per option 1 above, just be willing to adapt as you need to create a balanced address layout.
freehand envelope addressing monoline calligraphy
Share your thoughts about addressing envelopes in calligraphy
I'd love to hear from you about your wild and wonderful ways when it comes to envelope calligraphy. What have I missed? What haven't I explained very clearly? What have I been doing the wrong way? What's your favourite method? Let's chat in the comments section below.
A note about links in this blog post
Some of the links in this post are to Amazon.co.uk, which, as an affiliate means I may earn a small commission if you purchase. I only ever link to products I have purchased or tried, or know from my trusted calligraphy counterparts (in this post, from Lindsey at The Postman's Knock and Suz Cunningham). While it is a small amount of money, it does help to keep me blogging so that I can share tips, supplies and techniques with you. Consider it a donation that you don't have to donate, if you will.
UK oblique pen holders for all calligraphy budgets
If you're in the UK and on the hunt for oblique pen holders a step above the standard plastic Speedball oblique holder (which ain't a bad little tool, might I add), you might feel you're out of luck. It wasn't that long ago that I was scouring the web for something a little more unique, elegant and handmade (having seen the fantastic work of our US counterparts such as Unique Obliques). Finally, I'm starting to see more of a range available to UK calligraphers for varying budgets.
Here are a range of holders that I know are available at the moment. I'm sure there may be more out there, and I'll update as I find them. Feel free to let me know of any via the comments.
*NOTE: this blog post was originally posted in 2016, and has since been updated to include other oblique holders now available in the UK.
Scribblers was the first on the scene with its US Yoke collaboration, so I put my hard earned pennies towards that. Meantime, I'll admire Chic Oblique's and English Pen Crafts oblique pen holders from my computer screen. Please let me know if you do buy/own any of these. I'd love to see some pictures and hear how they're going for you.
Scribblers
£54.95 (Buy online)
Scribblers and Yoke Co. collaboration for oblique pen holder
Scribblers teamed up with US Yoke Pen Company to deliver this oak finished dip pen holder, Scribblers Classic. Technically not handmade in the UK, but one of the first I found available locally at least. I own this one, and definitely enjoy its smooth texture and feel, and how nice it is to move the nib about.
Scribblers now has a wide array of oblique holders ranging from £2.50 to £54.95, so there's a selection for many budgets.
English Pen Crafts oblique pen holder
Approx £40–£110 (buy online)
English Pen Crafts oblique pen holder
Melanie is a local UK calligrapher who has turned her hand to holder turning. They're in demand so tough to get a hold of, but I spotted one in the hands of Rosella Garavaglia at a recent Spencerian calligraphy workshop. It was a lot lighter than I expected, with a lovely long length that reminded me of an elegant cigarette holder without the associated health hazards.
English Pen Crafts holders are handmade from wood, brass and maple with reviewers highlighting how much nicer the quality wood feels as an upgrade from the plastic, and commending that they are so lovingly packaged.
Rosella Garavaglia's English Pen Crafts oblique pen holder
UFOblique Holders
Russian based calligrapher, Anton, and his team, have created these bold, beautiful ergonomic oblique holders. I first gave the 'Alien' holder a try, but it was alas not the best shape for my hand. Anton kindly provided this sleek, streamlined 'Shark' as an alternative and it has fast become a favourite, especially for my modern calligraphy script with the Brause 361 Pumpkin nib.
Penman Direct
£44.99 (buy online)
Roger Mayeda's oblique pen holder available in the UK via Penman Direct
One of my favourite calligraphy suppliers, Penman Direct, has teamed up with US artisan, Rodger Mayeda (from Rodger's Pen Box). This one is highly sought after, being a favourite of guru calligraphy blogger, Lindsey Bugbee of The Postman's Knock. While it's not a UK-made option, it's a help to avoiding those customs taxes when it's coming from a local UK supplier.
Oblique pen holder from Chic Oblique
I got a heads up via Instagram (thanks to @metamorfosiuno) about these UK oblique holder creation from Edward Curran (@curran_calligraphy).
Currently, Chic Obliques holders are well out of my price range, but they look to be great quality and very creative and unique.
"You will receive a very unique pen ... created by hand using a wide variety of materials, from exotic woods and Acrylics to everything in between. The flanges are cut and shaped by hand to fit each individual oblique pen holder."
Tom's Studio
£125+ (buy online)
Tom's Studio oblique pen holder featuring solid copper
All the girls go crazy for...
I found out about Tom's Studio oblique calligraphy pen holder from a Facebook group I recently joined. I've seen this one posted in the group a couple of times. Personally, I'm happy enough with something that will get the job done (read: Speedball and Yoke are my go-to holders at the moment), I appreciate the appeal of this sexy little number with its sleek copper tail.
Blots Pen & Ink Supplies
£30 (buy online)
Oblique holder, nibs and ink available from Blots, Pen & Ink supplies
This teak offering from Blots, Pen and Ink Supplies is great value as a calligraphy starter kit: at £30, the holder is supplied with 10 nibs and a wide-necked jar of Blots Iron Gall ink. You can also buy the teak oblique holder on its own for £16.50, or check out all of Blots holders to see if something takes your fancy.
Share your oblique holder experience
I'm looking forward to hearing from you if you own any of these pens. Feel free to share in the comments below, or send me an email and I'll update the with your thoughts here.
-- Kate
My favourite must-have calligraphy paper (includes giveaway)
Bureau Direct, one of my favourite UK stationery suppliers, is offering an exclusive giveaway of my must-have calligraphy paper: Rhodia and Clairefontaine Triomphe. Enter to win via the widget at the end of this blog post, but, for now, find out why these papers are my go-to calligraphy paper choices for practice and digitising. A quick overview of Clairefontaine and Rhodia paper is that both have an exceptionally smooth finish which is perfect for calligraphy nibs and ink. With a little research for this post, I learned that, while they are two separate brands, Clairefontaine is the parent company and produces the paper for both.
The official US Rhodia website states:
"The Rhodia pad... features superfine vellum Clairefontaine paper in white with an exceptionally smooth satin finish."
Why is Rhodia grid paper the best for calligraphy practice
There’s nothing quite like Rhodia paper for calligraphy practice. A high grade vellum paper, it’s by far the smoothest I’ve come across. If you were just looking at specs alone, the 80gsm weight of this paper belies its ability to heartily withstand just about any ink you want to splotch on it -- and the ink won’t bleed.
I have always used the grid-style in A4 format. It doesn’t have Copperplate’s 54 degree angled guidelines and traditional 3:2:3 letter height ratio (it’s 1:1:1), but the ease with which the ink glides across it lets me focus on specific areas for creating calligraphy letter forms.
For example, I might spend time on squaring my tops and bottoms — a difficult but very aesthetically pleasing skill to master. Or I might practice consistent straight lines
Or I’ll get in the rhythm with some underturns
Or belt out some ovals
Of course, you could opt for plain Rhodia paper and draw/print your own guidelines, but, for me, for practice purposes, the grid works out just fine.
Buy online from Bureau Direct
Rhodia Pad (no. 18) — £4.95 / pad (80 sheets) — plain, lined, grid and dot grid.
Why I love Clairefontaine Triomphe paper for creating digitised calligraphy
My go-to blank paper for writing calligraphy that I plan to digitise is now undisputedly Clairefontaine’s Triomphe. This 90gsm high white paper, like Rhodia, is exceptionally smooth and a dream under any calligraphy nib. When there’s so many factors that can influence whether your calligraphy ends up looking good or bad (apart from your own cruel self examination), I really appreciate having a foolproof paper to hand that will take any ink or nib I bring to it.
Buy online from Bureau Direct
Clairfontaine Triomphe (A4) — £3.50 / pad (50 sheets)
While these papers — from high quality French stationery brands — aren’t the cheapest, I’ve always found them flawless and so reliable that I’m happy to spend the money (and, when you break it down, they work out to around £0.07 per sheet). I do use other, more economical paper choices when working solely on calligraphy layout, but I’ll save that for another blog post.
Rhodia paper in action
Watch this clip of me writing "Rhodia" on Rhodia to demonstrate the paper's delightfully smooth texture (at double speed).
Calligraphy Magazines in the UK
I am always on the search for calligraphy magazines in the UK, so please do let me know in the comments if you hear of any.
VNA Magazine
U P P E R C A S E magazine
U P P E R C A S E magazine Issue 23 (Oct 2014) – $18 – boasted a special feature on calligraphy lettering. Unfortunately, I believe that the back issue has sold out, but you can check for availability online here.
Dasherie Magazine
Dasherie Magazine is the beautiful brain child of the person who brought us The Flourish Forum: Erica McPhee, from Paperwhite Studio. It's pitched as the world's only magazine dedicated purely to the art of modern calligraphy, lettering and design. You can order this calligraphy magazine from the US now ($18 + £10pp).
Giveaway: The ABC of Custom Lettering
A great place to start learning calligraphy
I don’t want to seem hyperbolic, but The ABC of Custom Lettering by Ivan Castro has changed my life; creatively, at least. For years, I have lamented my inability to progressively learn more scripts — the ones that make a great calligraphic foundation such as Roman Capitals, Italic, and, of course, Foundational hands. I don’t mean my inability to learn in the technical sense; I can definitely learn new things. I mean my inability to know where to start. To pick a script and go. To wade through the technicalities of pen angles and x-heights. To do it on my own at home as a full-time mum and working calligrapher.
A word from the author, Ivan Castro
I quickly realised how great this book was for me and thought I’d say thanks to the author, Ivan Castro, via email.
Me to Ivan:
I'm currently working through your latest book, The ABC of Custom Lettering, and wanted to send a personal word of thanks. In the three years since I started learning calligraphy (Copperplate script), it's the first time I haven't felt overwhelmed by all of the various hands that I should be learning as a great foundation. So, thank you.
Ivan to me:
You make a point in not being overwhelmed by a lot of information and different hands. After a few years of teaching calligraphy, I know that what a beginner needs is not one hundred models, just mastering three or four basic scripts. All the rest will be variations of that. So, thanks for getting the point and I hope it really helps you through the way of the pen.
Since 2014, I’ve focused my attention on Copperplate (English Roundhand), consequently using it as a jump-off point to its rule-breaking counterpart, modern calligraphy.
Use the ABC of Custom Lettering to better your calligraphy skills
The book is broken into two key sections —
Calligraphy: The written Word
The first section walks you through building a foundation of calligraphic skills, featuring five main models:
- Carolingian Miniscule
- Roman Capitals
- Italic
- Brush Script
- Blackletter
- Numerals
Lettering: Drawing Letters
The second section uses the calligraphic foundations you build in the first section to draw letters and create your own style and design. Example projects using Gothic Letter, Slab Serif and Script include a title for a musical movie, a logotype for a BBQ restaurant and a logo for a burlesque dancer.
I’ll be focusing on the first section of calligraphy in this blog post, with my primary interest in familiarising myself with a broader range of alphabets to see what suits me and where I might apply them in my working life. I’ve set a goal of working through a different calligraphic model each month, and posting my progress here.
Take a look at Korero Press's walk through of the book
The ABC of Custom Lettering Giveaway
As part of this blog feature, Ivan’s publisher has kindly offered some books to giveaway — an excellent opportunity for others to learn calligraphy and hand lettering, too. To enter, submit your entries via the widget below. It will require you to sign in and then check off each step that you take to enter (e.g. if you tweet something, you need to indicate that you’ve done it in the widget — it’s not automatically detected).
a Rafflecopter giveawayThe giveaway is open to anyone worldwide, so please do share with friends and family who you think would benefit from this book.
Learning Carolingian (pronounced Caro-lin-jian)
Materials I used for practice
Ink: Parker blue ink (for my near-daily letterform practice).
Paper: Goldline layout paper (links to Penman Direct), a very smooth 50gsm paper that you can see through but doesn’t bleed. It allows you to see your guidelines easily underneath the really churn through your practice.
Nibs: Manuscript Tape (3mm) bought many years ago in a student calligraphy set (links to Amazon.co.uk). I wouldn’t necessarily recommend these nibs, but they did serve me just fine to begin.
Holder: When I have to use a straight holder, my go to is this cork-tipped one (links to Amazon.co.uk).
How the ABC of Custom Lettering helped me prosper
I was surprised, but pleasantly, that the first script to try my hand at was Carolingian. I was expecting to be launched in with the big guns such as Roman or Italic. Having heard only the slightest mention in my travels (via Joan Quiros and Amanda Adams) of Carolingian, I have to admit I felt that the pressure was off. I had no preconceived idea of what my alphabet should look like, so very much focused in on Ivan’s direction without the constraints of expectation. Suddenly I had grasped a broad-edge nib alphabet without much fuss at all.
My struggles with Carolingian script
One of my main challenges with this hand was having no concept of overall proportions for the script. This is no fault of the book’s. When writing in Carolingian, my words would always end up much longer than I anticipated and completely misaligned. I’ve spent years learning the ways of the much finer pointed pen, so, of course, my brain tries to overlay that information. This is purely something only time and practice can fix.
The other issue I had was trying to get my head around scale. Maths has never been my strong point, and the pointed pen doesn’t require adjusting for nib width, so, unfortunately, Ivan’s explanation of drawing up my guidelines and applying it to different sized nibs and scale didn’t correlate with how my brain works. I wanted to recreate the variations of scale Ivan had outlined, but I struggled to adjust my scale for playing around with varying x-heights. I chatted to a calligrapher friend who is familiar with this script and she told me that, as varying the scale of the script created a more modern effect anyway, I could play around with working out what ascender and descender heights worked for me.
Carolingian calligraphy after a month of practice
After my month of focusing on Carolingian (and this probably actually amounted to about two weeks of daily 30-min practise, really), I’m really happy with how I’ve progressed and confident about using this script when it’s called for. I’m looking forward to mixing majuscules with it to see what works best. Stay tuned as I progress through the scripts in coming months.
Some examples of Carolingian in practice
I have been writing birthday cards to friends this year, and decided to use Carolingian combined with Copperplate or Spencerian scripts to highlight recipients' names.
A post shared by Kate Watson 🇬🇧 (@oliveandreid) on Jan 17, 2017 at 2:50pm PST
A post shared by Kate Watson 🇬🇧 (@oliveandreid) on Feb 9, 2017 at 4:34am PST
Do you use dinky dips to store your calligraphy ink?
I've long heard from US calligraphers that it's great to use dinky dips to store your calligraphy ink for pointed pen scripts.
"These are so good to have on hand! I had my share of ink spills, too, before I found out about the magic of dinky dips."
All well and good when dinky dips are easily sourced in the US via suppliers like Paper & Ink Arts and John Neal Bookseller.
Until last week, I've struggled to find dinky dips in the UK. But I received a newsletter from Blots Pen & Inks Supplies, and here they are!
Description of the Jumbo Dinky Dips from Blots:
Four clear plastic 30ml bottles with push on lids in wooden tray. The clear plastic allows you to see your nib as you dip. The tray is sanded and finished but unpolished so that it can be decorated or personalised. Approximately 3½"square x 1½" high. Provides stable containment for bottles.
How do you store your calligraphy inks?
Before using dinky dips for storgae, I was just using a selection of moisturiser storage containers that I found at Muji.
I also picked up a shot glass at Tiger, but have to be verrrrry careful because I'm a walking ink spill waiting to happen. I put it in a baking tray on the desk after my first spill (within just hours of using it!)
So, I'd love to hear about what you use for storage. Will you be moving to dinky dips to store your calligraphy ink?
Ever needed calligraphy ink alternatives?
This post wasn't planned to be about calligraphy ink alternatives. Originally, I was going to talk about envelope suppliers in the UK, but during the sample testing process, I suffered some sad calligraphy ink catastrophes. ...so you bought less-than-perfect quality envelopes and now your ink is bleeding everywhere like a scene from CSI. Don't panic. All is not lost.
What's the ideal stationery gsm weight for calligraphy?
As a general rule of thumb, envelopes (well, pretty much any form of stationery) for calligraphy should be at least 120gsm. It's still always a good idea to test the paper stock if you can because you just never know.
I recently made the schoolgirl error of buying 110gsm envelopes... I swear I thought it was 160 gsm! With a solid helping of optimism, I tested it out, and things did not go so well. Next to the 130 gsm counterpart I was testing, it was a right mess. Hollywood superstar Daniel Craig doesn't deserve to receive this trash calligraphy.
Ideal-110gsm-close-sml
Testing sample envelopes for calligraphy
The sample envelopes I used for testing
C6 Ivory Envelopes 130 gsm (£7.20/50)
Accent Antique Magnolia 110 gsm (£11.04/50)
Do you think it was the fancy name of the 110 gsm ones that blinded me? Before you answer, it's important to know that I'm a sucker for marketing. And as a marketer, I should know better. Maybe I thought more expensive meant better? I wish we could just forget they ever happened. But they did, and now we have to find a way to fix this.
The black inks I used to test with
Accent Antique Magnolia 110 gsm envelopes
You can see for yourself how the envelope fared with these inks. I used Leonardt Principal EF nib and within seconds of nib to paper I knew it was going to be hazardous. It takes a lot of effort to persist when your writing looks like this. You're wiping away tears and clutching at your heart and reputation all while creating the calligraphy version of a Pinterest Fail that you very absolutely intend to share with the internet. You're welcome.
Ideal-110gsm-close-sml
There really isn't much point in assessing each ink, but I would say that the watercolour may make them usable, and the Pelikan 4001 suffered the most. Sad, really.
Although I went to bed annoyed at myself for these envelopes, I woke thinking, "I CAN FIX THIS".
What can you use instead of ink for calligraphy?
You see, calligraphy isn't restricted to inks. There's a range of water-based paints and products that can be diluted to the right consistency to write with. Rummaging through my inky tool box, I pulled out four alternatives that I thought could be worth a try.
Ideal-110gsm-paint-full
Every single one of the alternatives to ink works on these envelopes. Well, the fact that the white is barely legible is beside the point; it didn't bleed. Cos it's "bleed proof". Dr Ph Martin did not lie. And — come on! — secret writing is exactly perfect for James Bond. Maybe not for Royal Mail.
Let's compare the inks with the paints in close view to just really prove the point that all is not lost with the envelopes — we have many alternative options to play with.
Ideal-110gsm-ink
Ideal-110gsm-paint
Ivory envelopes 130 gsm
Now, this is more like it! Bring on the inks, I say. I used Gillott's 303 nib for this test. My only struggle was that they were a little hard to see through in parts on the light box, but, if all else fails, rule it up my friends. Draw those guidelines and erase once you're done. Old school.
Ideal-120gsm-sml
Sumi - was lovely! It created beautiful hairlines and was easy to write with on this envelope. It did dry slowly, though.
W&N Calligraphy Ink - slight bleeding and the hairlines aren't so fine, but still works. I do find this ink thicker than it should be, so could be watered down for a better result. I just haven't tried it yet.
Pelikan 4001 - went on smoothly and hairlines still very nice
Watercolour - also lovely and created thin hairlines and a smooth experience.
Top tip for troubleshooting calligraphy inks and stationery
At the end of the day, the main thing is to test your stationery and be ready to adjust your expectations. Be willing to experiment with different media, and have fun!
Learn Modern Calligraphy — British Style
Highly regarded calligraphy supplier, Scribblers, has teamed up with Lindsey Bugbee at The Postman's Knock to create a guide to Modern Calligraphy for Brits.
Learn Modern Calligraphy with a Cup of Tea
Based on Lindsey's original downloadable Kaitlyn style, the team at Scribblers has created a special printed edition for the UK (replete with a complimentary tea bag... because, as Brits well know, tea makes everything better).
Scribblers A4 printed handbook (£9.75) boasts 32 pages of:
- Kaitlin Style Alphabet
- Letter and number formation practice sheets
- Stroke and word practice
- Letter formation practice with a dip pen
- Stroke dips
- Letter connections
- Common calligraphy problems and their solutions.
This edition also includes a complimentary 4-page pull-out practice guideline sheets.
So, make haste! Over to Scribblers to buy your copy of Learn Modern Calligraphy with a Cup of Tea.
A Simple Copperplate Manual
In 2016, British calligrapher and lettering designer, Rachel Yallop, released a back-to-basics Copperplate calligraphy manual that promptly sold out. It's now in its first reprint, so get in touch with Rachel via her website or Facebook page. if you're interested in ordering a copy (or see ordering details below). Adapting her workshop handouts, Rachel has created a "collection of examples to help and inspire", rather than a weighty 'how-to' manual. But don't be fooled by her humble description. This is still a great guide for anyone learning Copperplate calligraphy script.
This comprehensive manual covers:
- minuscule (small letter) construction, joining, spacing and double letters
- common problems you might face
- majuscule (capital letter) construction and variations
- numerals and punctuation
- weight variations and double lines
- the open loop and flourishing
- writing in a circle, on a curve, or in a square
- white on black
Features of Rachel's Copperplate manual
- 50 A4-size pages, printed on 150 gsm silk coated paper with 300 gsm covers.
- Wire bound so that it will open flat on your table or drawing board.
- 35 instructional pages covering lowercase letters and capitals, joining and spacing, numerals, weight variations, flourishing and design ideas.
- 15 pages of gallery pieces.
I've been poring over A Simple Copperplate Manual since I bought my copy late last year, and I love the simple styling — black and red font throughout, and how accessible Rachel makes the script. It's a little different from what I'm used to as Rachel's style avoids the 'square tops and bottoms' I've learnt, but I love seeing variations of script to keep things interesting! Her manual has given me courage to try a little flourish!
Buy your copy of A Simple Copperplate Manual
If you are interested in buying a copy, prices including shipping, are as follows:
- UK: £18
- USA: $38
- Europe: €31
- Australia: AUD$53.
You can pay Rachel by her PayPal web page. You can find out more about Rachel or get in touch with any questions via her website or Facebook page.
Nib & Ink — A modern calligraphy book
I always love finding out about modern calligraphy books to add to my growing collection of calligraphy reference material. I saw on Lamplighter London's Instagram account that Chiara is publishing a new handbook: Nib & Ink: The New Art of Modern Calligraphy.
I love Chiara's way with romance and whimsy when creating her personal style of calligraphy, so this modern calligraphy book is definitely one I've pre-ordered via Amazon.co.uk. I'll get a review posted for the summer. Who's with me?
A photo posted by Lamplighter • Creative • Type (@lamplighterlondon) on Jan 19, 2016 at 10:50am PST
Add artisitic flair with vintage British postage stamps
I've been on the hunt for some lovely alternatives to the standard Royal Mail postage stamps for both UK and international post.
Where to buy quirky British postage stamps
I did stumble upon a stamp store in Brighton last year, but I got caught up in an intellectual fracas about the investment potential of stamp collecting and had to hightail my not-coping 8-month-pregnant brain out of there (I managed to buy 10 1st class stamps before I made my exit).
Resuming the search online, I found Philatelink and the Dauwalders of Salisbury (via Collect GB Stamps), which have exactly what I'm after... varied beautiful vintage postage stamps.
Philatelink offers free postage on all purchases, which is brilliant for keeping your per-stamp costs down, and had despatched my order so quick, it arrived the next day. The only surprise was that I ordered specific-value stamps (e.g. 50p to 97p) for their image, but didn't realise that they are a random mix as well. Fair enough, and I'm not bothered, but some people might be, so worth mentioning it.
Alternative stamps for UK postage
Local UK stamps (1st and 2nd class) have been presented in the Machin series, a sculpted profile of the Queen's head, since 1957 and varies only in colour from year to year.
The beauty of vintage British stamps, is not only in a more exciting artistry (no offence, Queenie) than the definitive stamp in use, but also in the value. First-and Second-class stamps are known as non-value indicator (NVI) postage, which means that they don't have a currency value printed on them. This was done to prevent wastage and the need to produce small price value stamps to make up the postage after a price hike. Therefore, these stamps can be used even after the price has gone up, and you can often buy them at a discounted price (just be sure to factor the cost of P&P for your online purchase into the equation).
While I've got local post covered easily with a selection of vintage NVIs, international post isn't so easy. I have heard of Worldwide NVIs, but haven't yet found any that I liked, so I'm getting a mix-and-match bag of various values to make up the postage myself. It could end up taking quite a number of stamps to reach the basic value (£1.33 up to 20g letter), but should be fun creating a visual compliment to the envelope, especially with one that's almost half the size of a C6 envelope! My favourite.
So, all that's left to know is...where do you buy your stamps?
Sponsored: Valentine's Day calligraphy haikus
This post is brought to you by Pen Heaven, who, this Valentine's day, is collaborating with calligraphers to bring a little lettering love to the V-day spirit with calligraphed haikus.
I've never been great with Valentine's Day romance (or any gift giving particularly). I think one year JW got a small tin of (4) Ben's Cookies. I appreciate that people use the day to celebrate their love, but I'm usually not that organised.
This year, I got a little heads up from Pen Heaven, when they asked me to bring a love haiku to life with my calligraphy.
If there is one thing that I will profess love for any day of the week, it's haikus, so it felt right that Olive & Reid's first foray into an online collaboration like this would satisfy all forms of my word nerd tendencies. Pens, calligraphy, haikus!
I was asked to calligraph the following haiku:
Your precious delight
Turns shallow, simple trinkets
Into memories
When I considered which style I would go with for this piece, I knew that another contributor, Chiara Perano from Lamplighter London, had presented a stunning, simple modern white copperplate on black background, which probably would have been my modus operandi, so I decided to go out on a limb, and, working with what The Postman's Knock tutorial has taught me, bring a little floral watercolour into the mix.
Why love and calligraphy go hand in hand
As I got to work on the calligraphy for the haiku, I started thinking what it is about beautiful handwriting that is so well connected to the art of romance. I think, at the heart of it (do NOT excuse the pun) is the fact that handwriting is so unique and personal much like the way we love. Everyone can write, everyone can love: they are a perfect pair.
The Pen Museum, Birmingham UK
I came home from work one Friday night, and JW was quietly working away on his laptop. Suddenly, he pronounced that he had found cheap train tickets to and accommodation in Birmingham (we live in London). I wasn't expecting a weekend away, so I was a little bit hesitant, but I got involved and started investigating "things to do in Birmingham".
There, ranked 13th on the list of Birmingham attractions, was The Pen Museum. I suddenly couldn't wait to go, and also didn't really care what else we did in the city (although the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery and the Barber Institute of Fine Art were calling my name, too). I was a kid on Christmas eve: "TO THE PEN MUSEUM". It did not disappoint.
A handsome gent welcomed us in, inviting us to take a look around before he would show us the nib-making machines that were used in the booming business of the time, when Birmingham produced 75% of the world's pen nibs.
Step by step, he took us through five of the 17 steps in the nib-making process: "blanking", "piercing", "marking", "raising", and "slitting" (thanks to C Brandauer & Co blog for the process details). I'd come across as the ultra nerd I am if I tried to explain how awesome it was to do that, so, suffice it to say that it was good fun for a calligrapher.
The nib-making process
Blanking
Piercing
Marking
Raising
Slitting
JW got to have his time in the sun when we sat ourselves at old-school school desks and tried out the nibs they had on display. To be fair, they had been pretty trashed by the unseasoned calligraphers, but I think it's more important for people to be able to feel and see and have the technique become more accessible in that way than keeping them locked up.
Naturally, when surrounded by boxes and boxes of nibs at 25p a pop, there was no doubt that I would leave with a fair selection. I bought 10 different nibs The Pen Museum; four were perfect for copperplate.
I also bought 1 gross (144 nibs) pack, Victor Series Exhibition Pen, for a fiver. I had no idea if that boxed set of nibs was going to be any good for copperplate, but they were vintage, and a great price so worth the risk. I'm glad I did, because they're lovely.
- John Heath's Golden Coated
- Victor Series Exhibition Pen
- John Heath's First Class Selected
- British Pens Co. 5005
- University School Pen
I'm so super excited to have found The Pen Museum, and looking forward to visiting again. Run by volunteers, the museum relies on donations and support. You can support in lots of ways:
- donate a couple of quid every time you visit
- support them with an online donation
- become a member
- shop online (the nibs I've noted aren't listed in the shop, but get in touch with them; I'm sure they'll be happy to help).
Take a look also at this blog post from Tiger Pens, which gives more detailed information about the history and venue details of The Pen Museum.
So, where's your favourite calligraphy spot?