5 Things to Know About Pointed Pen Calligraphy
The ever-popular modern calligraphy style is written with what’s called a pointed pen. If you’re interested in getting started with pointed pen calligraphy or simply have ever wondered how a calligraphy nib works, this post is for you! I’m breaking down 5 things to know about pointed pen calligraphy, along with three action steps to take at the end if you are curious to learn more!
1. The thicks and thins are made by the amount of pressure used.
When you look at something written in modern calligraphy, you’ll notice that some parts of the letters are thicker than other parts of the letters. These thicks and thins of the letters are created based on pressure on the flexible nib (the removable tip of a pointed pen), allowing more or less ink to flow through.
2. It’s different from broad-edged calligraphy.
When you think about medieval scripts, I’ll bet the first style that comes to mind is what’s called gothic calligraphy. This type of calligraphy is an example of broad-edged calligraphy (as opposed to pointed pen calligraphy). Broad-edged calligraphy tends to have a bolder, more gothic look to the letters. The broad-edged nib has a square end, as opposed to a pointed end, and it’s not flexible like a pointed nib is. The thicks and thins of the letters in broad-edged calligraphy are created by keeping the nib at a specific angle white writing (as opposed to changing the amount of pressure used while writing). Learn more about different calligraphy styles in this blog post!
3. There are many types of nibs available in various shapes, sizes, and more.
Aside from the broad categories of broad-edged and pointed nibs, there are many different types of nibs within each category. For pointed nibs, different nibs have various shapes, flexibilities, ink capacities, sizes, and more. This is important because the type of nib dictates what type of piece you can make with it. You’ll want the right nib depending on the size of the piece, the size of the letters, the surface you are writing on, and the script that you are using.
4. Ink and paper combos matter.
Some inks are thicker than others; some are thinner. Some papers are thicker than others; some are thinner. If you get the wrong paper and ink combination, your letters will feather or bleed, leading to illegibility and ruined pieces. Ink thickeners are available, but not all thickeners work with all inks, as inks are made from a variety of sources (and some just don’t mix well). Experiment beforehand to ensure the ink and paper work well together!
5. Lefties can do calligraphy too!
A lot of people think that being a left-handed calligrapher is impossible, assuming the left hand will smear ink and that a lefty can’t get the right angles with their nibs. As a lefty myself, I’m here to tell you that’s simply not true! In fact, I actually believe that lefties have great advantages to doing pointed pen calligraphy that righties don’t have!
First of all, pointed pen calligraphy typically requires the nib to be angled from the bottom left of a letter and pointing towards the top right corner of the letter (see photo for clarification). This means that since lefties come in from the left, they can more naturally achieve this angle. In fact, righties typically employ an oblique nib holder, which is a tool that gives them this angle that lefties naturally have!
Additionally, there are many ways for a lefty to approach writing with a pointed pen. I know “underwriters” who come from the bottom of the line to avoid smearing their hand (which is how I write) and is more akin to how a lefty may naturally write. I also know calligraphers who turn their paper a full 90 degrees to the side (so if you tilt your head to the right, it is upright), and then use an oblique nib holder to write their letters completely sideways from top to bottom. (Younghae of Logos Calligraphy is a great example of a lefty who writes in this way.) The truth is, there is no right or wrong way to approach writing in calligraphy, and lefties have so many options available to them!
Action Steps
If you’d like to give pointed pen calligraphy a try, here are three action steps to take today!
- Buy supplies. I recommend starting with a Nikko G nib, a straight pen holder, walnut ink, and premium 32lb laserjet paper.
- Download my calligraphy exemplar. It includes the full alphabet of lowercase letters for you to copy and practice with!
- Start practicing! It truly does take practice to get used to writing with a nib and ink, as well as to learn how to write the various letter forms. Remember to GO SLOW. Calligraphy isn’t meant to be written as quickly as cursive; it is a very slow and intentional artform!
Want to learn more?
I teach in-person calligraphy workshops in the greater Milwaukee area! Even if I don’t have a public workshop coming up, I’m available for private parties, girls’ nights, bachelorette parties, corporate team building, and more! Click the button below to inquire today!
