CHAPTER ONE
BASIC TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Have you ever heard the proverb “It’s a poor carpenter who blames his tools”? Well, that doesn’t apply to us. Half the battle of doing calligraphic art is having the right nib, so we can absolutely blame any poor work we do on poor tools. Our art relies so much on precision mark making that using a subpar nib, ink, or paper can greatly affect the outcome. Learning a new art form is difficult enough without the added frustration of the wrong tools, don’t you agree?
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Here are my personal favorite nibs, inks, and papers. These work the best for me, but you may have other favorites.
POINTED NIBS
There are quite a few different brands and styles of nibs available. I’ve outlined some of them here. If you can, get a few of each to determine which you like best. It’s good to know your favorites because you’ll be replacing them regularly. Nibs aren’t meant to last for very long. You can tell when a nib is worn and needs replacing when your lines start to look too thick, or too scratchy, or the nib starts splattering more than usual. How quickly this happens will depend on how often you use your nib.
When starting with a fresh nib, you’ll need to break it in by cleaning it with rubbing alcohol or dish soap to remove the factory oils. Never let water or ink dry on the nib, as it is made of steel and will rust easily.
NIKKO G
These are great if you’re just starting out. They are beginner-friendly and relatively cheap. These nibs are quite large. If you don’t already have a nib holder, buy one when you buy these to make sure that your Nikko G nibs fit in the holder.
ZEBRA G
These are basically the same as the Nikko G, but are more flexible and last a little longer. (I like the gold color, too!) Like the Nikko G, the Zebra G is beginner-friendly and a good value.
LEONARDT & CO. EF PRINCIPAL:
These wonderful, flexible nibs gracefully create dramatic variations in thick and thin lines. They’re perfect for flourishing, but they can be a little tricky to use because the super sharp point can catch easily on upstrokes. Still, I recommend these once you’re comfortable with using pointed nibs.
BRAUSE & CO. NO. 76 (ROSE):
These nibs are very flexible and are able to create very thick lines in a single stroke. I use them for larger artworks and bold lettering work.
NIB HOLDERS
Once you’ve chosen your nib, you’ll also need a nib holder (also called a penholder). I recommend buying both a straight and an oblique penholder. Oblique penholders have a flange that holds the nib to the side of the holder. (Be sure to buy one that has a metal flange as these are adjustable.) Oblique holders are mainly used for calligraphic writing, but sometimes I use mine for flourishing as well. Try both to find out which type your hand prefers.
INK AND INKWELLS
You’ll need an inkwell to hold your ink. It can be any small container with a wide mouth. I like to use liquid sumi ink in bottle form—sumi makes a beautiful black ink that is perfect for calligraphy. Pour a little ink into an inkwell and add about 30 percent extra water. The water dilutes the ink just enough to make it flow properly. The only drawback is that it’s messy. Be careful not to spill because it’s a pain to clean! And never let it dry on your nib, as the ink will form a layer of dried crust, which will negatively affect your drawing and writing.
PAPER
Paper is the trickiest part. It really is a matter of personal taste. My personal preference is Rhodia pads, but you can try any drawing, layout, sketchbook, or calligraphy practice pads. Good-quality copy paper works just as well, but don’t use cheap dollar-store quality paper because the bleeding and tearing will drive you crazy.
Most of my calligraphy budget goes toward good paper because paper is where most of the trouble in calligraphy comes from!
OTHER THINGS YOU’LL NEED
Large container of clean, fresh water: Keep your nib clean by rinsing it in clean water at regular intervals. Sumi ink is made of charcoal, which is super dirty, messy stuff. You don’t want sumi ink to dry on your nib—you’ll be surprised how quickly it can happen. Whenever the water container looks black and dirty (which won’t take long, either), refill it with fresh water. Otherwise, you’ll just be reusing water full of charcoal bits.
Roll of paper towels: As soon as you rinse your nib, d...
