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« on: March 19, 2015, 06:49:02 PM »
Hello for chilly (-14C this morning) Ontario, Canada.
Lyn Ontario, just outside Brockville, for those other Canucks that are interested.
When I joined this group, the sign said say hello and tell us a little about yourself. Well here we go.
To begin with, I have never really tried my hand at calligraphy. Actually, up until a few years ago, I only used a pen for notes, lists and forms. I did all my correspondence with a computer, either email or typed and printed letters. Even way back in school, I hated cursive writing.
Well a few years back, I retired after 26 years of military service. Still young enough to work, but not for someone else. I took up my old love of woodworking, to bring in a little extra. Through a series of happy circumstances and events, I became a custom pen turner. This was how I learned about fountain pens.
When I began making the "kit" fountain pens, I realized I knew nothing about them. So my research started and I discovered that Fountain Pens were far from dead. My research lead me to a small group in our nations capital, the Ottawa Fountain Pen Society (OFPS). After a couple of emails to their president, George, he invited me to a meeting to ask all the questions I wanted. It was only an hour and a half drive, and its a good excuse to stop in to see my sister. At 7 o'clock the evening of the meeting I pulled into the parking lot of the meeting hall they were using. I didn't realize that this was my equivalent to Alice walking up to the edge of the rabbit hole. Needless to say I met some wonderful people that evening, and found out that a fountain pen writes far more elegantly than a ballpoint. Now you can picture me falling down the rabbit hole.
Fast forward, I am now into my third year as an OFPS member. I have a few pens in my collection, and I carry a fountain pen with me everyday. My pen making has now moved into the world of fully handmade custom fountain pens.
Now your probably saying, "What's this have to do with Calligraphy?". Lets step back again a few months. I am sitting quietly in the small artisan shop where I sell some of my work (part of the deal, is you have to work a shift or two behind the counter). A lovely lady comes in and notices the fountain pens on the shelf. We get discussing the idea that the fountain pen is experiencing a comeback. Next thing you know, she asks if I have ever done a nib holder. She then explains to me that Calligraphy is not dying either. When she was finished, I was intrigued. I looked around a little bit saw a few holders, and thought I could make those. Well, like I said before, I won't make something unless I understand it. I picked up some inserts for straight holders checked out some internet images for shape ideas. A lucky deal on kijiji got me an origional retail display box, almost full, of boxes of Sprott No.22 nibs. I played around a little bit using bottled fountain pen ink. This was on and off for a few months, to many other things on the go, and I was not having a lot of luck making anything on paper look good.
Now a couple of weeks ago, someone points me at "Yoke Pen Co". Well, from one pen maker to another, Christophers work is freeking amazing. Compared to the little sticks I turned to hold those Sprott nibs, his oblique holders are gorgeous and elegant. Not to mention, that oblique holders look really cool. I decided, that I had to try to make one of those.
Now the research starts in earnest. To understand the holders, I couldn't just look at the holders being made, I started watching how the holders were used. This lead me to a few videos by Dr Vitollo. Watching people elegantly produce beautiful works of art, it seemed so beautiful, relaxing and fulfilling. While my hand writing is horrible, this is mostly lack of use, I realized that I wanted to give pointed pen calligraphy a try. Next thing you know I'm researching more on the writing than the holders. This led me here and to "Pointed Pen Nirvana".
I guess you could say, I fell into a rabbit hole that led me to the wonderland of fountain pens. Now, inside that wonderland, I am standing at the edge of another hole. No falling this time though, I'm jumping in with pleasure.
So I have made up my first oblique holder and I have a little tin of new/old nibs that I aquired at the Scriptus Pen Show. I have a bottle of fountain pen ink and I've downloaded the Pointed Pen Lesson 1 worksheets. I have a million questions, but that is for another post.
I look forward to watching and learning from all the wonderful artists here.
Thanks for having me.
Darrin
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