I love the smell of sumi in the morning ...

[ultraQuiche]

I'm having a hard time getting happy off of pen an paper and canvas and paint and art in general, nowadays. I do it because it shuts my brain right off (as opposed to waking me up) and I zone out... Sometimes I don't hear people talking to me when I'm doing calligraphy.

I'm hoping that some inspiration will come to me and that my new stuff will help me bust through a years worth of plateauing... And I really, really hope I can paint something good.

[Moya]

I am 100% sure you can.  You're extremely talented (you don't need us to tell you that!) - I reckon if that gorgeous new penholder coming your way doesn't inspire you, maybe then you can worry 

[ultraQuiche]

Thanks Moya (: It's just a little disturbing that I keep telling myself that the fingers never forget... Yet my watercolour tonight was like Yeti barf. It takes a while for me to get onto the zone again after a semester, and by the time I'm all warmed up and I've put out a half decent piece, the onslaught starts again! I need to make naptime turn into art time. That seems to be the best way forward.

[Moya]

Yeah, unfortunately, "use it or lose it" is so true when it comes to art skills!

[Roseann]

I can honestly say I haven't smelled an ink I didn't like!   

[tintenfuchs]

I wonder if we could arrange to have an ink that smelled like coffee... ?

Has anyone used coffee as ink?  I bet it's possible.

I tried, but it's way too thin :-/

[AmyNeub]

For those of you who use Moon Palace Sumi Ink, could you please check the bottle for me and see if it's made in Japan or China? I'm curious. Thanks.

Japan

http://www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/129

[AndyT]

Has anyone used coffee as ink?  I bet it's possible.

I have, inadvertently, resulting in a little nugget of hard won wisdom.  When writing with brown ink it is inadvisable to set one's espresso cup down next to the ink bottle.

[Nickkih]

Omg Andy I can completely relate and laughed out loud when I read your comment.

[Moya]

Has anyone used coffee as ink?  I bet it's possible.

I have, inadvertently, resulting in a little nugget of hard won wisdom.  When writing with brown ink it is inadvisable to set one's espresso cup down next to the ink bottle.

Oh dear.  I can say I've come close, but I've never quite ruined the coffee ... I'm sure it'll happen though!

[Erica McPhee]

I love the way the nib sails across the page.

I love that feeling in the pit of my stomach just before I'm about to flourish.

I love the rush of adrenaline when I finish a flourish and it came out exactly how I wanted it to.

I love the contrast of thick and thin lines.

I love that a simple line of black ink can be oh so beautiful.

I love that the emotion I am feeling can come out across the page without me ever speaking a word.

I love that only a fraction of the world can do what we do.

I love drawing pretty letters with a pencil.

I love beautiful words made even more so when written in calligraphy.

I love the people who share this love with me. 

[Moya]

Oh, Erica!  That gives me a new one:

I love that the people who share this enthusiasm can put words together so beautifully and make me feel such love!

[ultraQuiche]

Sorry to have to disappoint then, Moya, because I probably can't (; I think it's just that Erica happens to be a darn good poet too.

[AmyNeub]

I love the way the nib sails across the page.

I love that feeling in the pit of my stomach just before I'm about to flourish.

I love the rush of adrenaline when I finish a flourish and it came out exactly how I wanted it to.

I love the contrast of thick and thin lines.

I love that a simple line of black ink can be oh so beautiful.

I love that the emotion I am feeling can come out across the page without me ever speaking a word.

I love that only a fraction of the world can do what we do.

I love drawing pretty letters with a pencil.

I love beautiful words made even more so when written in calligraphy.

I love the people who share this love with me. 

This should be the mission statement (or something like that) for the forum. You should make it into a document.

Love it!