Thin envelopes...

[Sherry Lu]

I have some envelopes that will feather with any ink I choose, but if I mix up some gouache, it's totally fine. (Maybe it's the extra pigments in gouache??) Have you tried it?

[JanisTX]

Hi!  I've been scared to give gouache a try, but your response motivated me to give it a shot!  I'm taking off work in the morning so that I can watch the US play in the World Cup and I'm going to try to letter those bad envelopes!    I'll post back with results!  Thank you very much for the suggestion!

[AmyNeub]

Hi!  I've been scared to give gouache a try, but your response motivated me to give it a shot!  I'm taking off work in the morning so that I can watch the US play in the World Cup and I'm going to try to letter those bad envelopes!    I'll post back with results!  Thank you very much for the suggestion!

Is this what happened to your's? I was creating my letter exchange inner envelopes. I always use Ziller ink and decided to use sumi last night. The ink bleed on the envelopes. They are 24lb, and usually are ok, but I guess Ziller is more acrylic so that helped.

Don't worry, summer exchangers, I didn't send out the ugly ones.

[JanisTX]

Yes, that's basically what happened to mine.  Mine was WAY WORSE, however, with every letter feathering & spreading all over the envelope.  It was horrible!!  I promised to post photos & just haven't had a chance, but I'm going to try to post photos this weekend.  It is SO frustrating!!!!  And, at envelopes.com, you have to order in multiples of 50, so I am stuck with a bunch of envelopes that are unusable! 

[Marcia Aronow]

Janis I hope that you love using gouache!  It's a fun & artsy way of lettering.  Erica's video is right on!  However....it's a little more time consuming (lots of previous groaning about brushing color on our nibs, me included).  I do load it with a brush on my nib.  The consistency shouldn't be too thin, or it will seem too transparent & may rub off easier.  I have addressed wedding envelopes in gouache even though when mixed with a drop or two of gum arabic, still may come off on a wet finger.  Can't beat the range of colors, which is why I love using it.   

[JanisTX]

I bought a "kit" of gouache at Micheal's on my way home from work yesterday.  I think it has 16 colors in it.  I'm going to do the envelopes for the sister-in-law of my daughter and her invitations are done in blue.  She wants Italic, instead of Copperplate & I have had trouble getting the "right" ink.  She claims her colors are royal blue and white, but the invitations are more denim and white.  Navy is too dark, royal blue is to bright, Robin's Egg blue is not right, & etc.  I'm hoping that I can get the right color in gouache.  I'm dreading the painting in on the nib part!  I like to dip and go!! :-)

[Erica McPhee]

Once you get going, you develop a rhythm and it isn't so bad. Good luck and have fun!

[Faeleia]

Behold the wrath of 666..

I have some fountain pen ink that feathers with most things. It feathered up a STORM and bled right into the next paper, and I wasn't even doing very heavy shading! Felt like murder. I found that A LOT of gum arabic helps. But I'll probably do both gum arabic and gum sandarac to be sure if I'm working on envelopes.

[SueL]

Felicia, can you use gum arabic on fountain pen ink? Does it work?

I've managed to write with Pelikan 4001 ink using a Nikko G. I think it's got to do with the nib, coz G nibs aren't as scratchy. I wrote on regular photocopy paper.

[Faeleia]

Felicia, can you use gum arabic on fountain pen ink? Does it work?

I've managed to write with Pelikan 4001 ink using a Nikko G. I think it's got to do with the nib, coz G nibs aren't as scratchy. I wrote on regular photocopy paper.

Yeah why not? It thickens it up so you get slightly less watery effect, which is nice. but there's a weird sheen (not matte but not gloss either) on some letters. It's not consistent.

[Despoina]

Hello everyone,

I am getting some envelopes for the upcoming exchange. I think my question is similar to the topic. How much weight an envelope should be, to be okay for calligraphy writing? I find some that are 160 gsm and others 250 gsm. Which should I prefer? What weight do you prefer on your envelopes?

Thank you in advance

[Erica McPhee]

Excellent question. I don’t find it is as much about the weight as it is about the sizing. So the important thing is to make sure the envelope takes the ink well and doesn’t feather. With that said, I sometimes prefer heavier envelopes and sometimes very thin, or even vellum envelopes. It is more important the envelope is smooth to take the nib and accepts the ink. 

[Despoina]

Excellent question. I don’t find it is as much about the weight as it is about the sizing. So the important thing is to make sure the envelope takes the ink well and doesn’t feather. With that said, I sometimes prefer heavier envelopes and sometimes very thin, or even vellum envelopes. It is more important the envelope is smooth to take the nib and accepts the ink. 

Thank you Erica! I ended up following your advice and take some smooth envelopes and at the same time in middle weight. I hope these work out! I guess we will find out soon