broad nibs

I have never used a broad nib. Is what is considered a broad nib (like in a
Cross pen) suitable for calligraphy or is even a wider nib needed to get the
variations in line width. Anyone have any writing examples? thanks.

jeffdanz wrote:
I have never used a broad nib. Is what is
considered a broad nib (like in a Cross pen)
suitable for calligraphy or is even a wider nib
needed to get the variations in line width.
Anyone have any writing examples? thanks.


Hi Jeff... Broad nibs per say won't give you the desired effect for
calligraphy. What you want is a broad (or broader) nib that is ground
flat such as an italic. John Mottishaw's site has great writing
examples...

http://www.nibs.com/calligraphicwriting.htm

B

I'm assuming that you are mostly interested in improving your
handwriting, and would like to learn to write in an italic hand. You
want an italic nib, which gives you "thick and thin" elements in your
letters. A broad nib just makes a nice fat line without much variation
in width.

Some fountain pen brands offer italic nibs (Parker is one example, and
Shaffer sells calligraphy pens that you can find in Office Depot,
Staples, or Office Max). Or you can visit a site such as Pendemonium
(www.pendemonium.com), where they sell nibs that are custom-ground. If
you are left-handed, you will need to let the seller know that. Lefties
often find writing with a left oblique pen more comfortable.

If you want to take up calligraphy as a more serious hobby, don't use a
fountain pen. Use a dip pen and calligraphy ink (which isn't suitable
for fountain pen use). You can buy the nibs for calligraphy at art
supply stores and at some hobby stores. Depending on where you live,
you may be able to take a class from a professional calligrapher (check
your Yellow Pages, or your local community/junior college catalog). Or
contact Susie-Melissa Cherry in Dallas (www.calligraphicarts.com) --
she knows everyone and might be able to make a recommendation local to
you.

Believe it or not, one of the most important things in calligraphy is
learning to breathe. Another is learning to look at the white space
inside and between the letters. The rest is pretty mechanical and just
takes practice. You develop an eye for layout and decoration by looking
at the work of others and then having the curiosity to make your own
inventions.

Good luck! I started studying and doing calligraphy in high school 43
years ago. Never did it professionally, but it's one of those studies
where you never learn it all and it has given me years and years of
happiness and satisfaction.

Bill

In article .com, "bill7tx" wrote:
If you want to take up calligraphy as a more serious hobby, don't use a
fountain pen. Use a dip pen and calligraphy ink (which isn't suitable
for fountain pen use). You can buy the nibs for calligraphy at art
supply stores and at some hobby stores. [snip]

Manuscript has a calligraphy starter kit that comes with a fountain pen with
exchangeable nibs & a small booklet. it is quite inexpensive too.

Believe it or not, one of the most important things in calligraphy is
learning to breathe. Another is learning to look at the white space
[snip]

interesting. never heard about that.

bye now,

==========
Pam @ Home

Cort Furniture Rental and Honesty are two exclusive concepts.

I think a bit of nib flex helps with line width variation too. But if
you have poor handwriting like I do, a smaller the nib the better in
most cases.

Chris
http://amateureconblog.blogspot.com/

Yep. A lot of people trying calligraphy get so focused on "getting it
right" that they tense up and so are unable to form the letters with
any regularity or sense of rhythm and grace. The writing looks crabbed
or wobbly. Keeping a regular rhythm to your breathing helps with
relaxation. It also helps to exhale on the long ascenders and
descenders when writing an italic style, such as chancery.

In article .com, "bill7tx" wrote:
Yep. A lot of people trying calligraphy get so focused on "getting it
right" that they tense up and so are unable to form the letters with
any regularity or sense of rhythm and grace. The writing looks crabbed
or wobbly. Keeping a regular rhythm to your breathing helps with
relaxation. It also helps to exhale on the long ascenders and
[snip]

Thanks. it makes sense. but isn't breathing important in many other
activities, (e.g. sport,s singing, piano playing)

but i never manually "regulate" my breathing, except in breathing related
exercises (chi-kung, yoga). i just try to keep calm & relax.

bye now,

==========
Pam @ Home

Cort Furniture Rental and Honesty are two exclusive concepts.