Author Topic: Ink flow  (Read 2611 times)

Offline mandybuckley

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Ink flow
« on: July 18, 2016, 10:53:01 PM »
Hi there,

Does anyone have any suggestions for what I'm doing wrong here. I seem to have a bit of trouble getting ink to flow through any of my nibs - new ones, old ones, clean, washed with dish-washing liquid, burnt to remove the chemical or punched into a potato... I have previously asked my teacher what I might be doing wrong and she couldn't pick it. The angle of my nib looks correct, I have ample ink and the pressure I put on the nib all seems fine. She is right handed and thought it might have something to do with my left-handed-ness  :( Any tips here would be hugely appreciated because I'm getting quite frustrated with myself!

Thanks in advance!

Offline Bianca M

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Re: Ink flow
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2016, 12:08:56 PM »
Mandy,

I am a righty, but at least want to throw out some questions to help facilitate a solution:  is your nib evenly coated when you're having trouble with flow?  what ink(s) are you having trouble with?  what nibs are you using?  do you twist your nib to either side when you write? 

Offline mandybuckley

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Re: Ink flow
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2016, 10:15:20 PM »
Thanks Bianca, that's actually a great help, I'm sure it's something to do with twisting the nib now that you mention it because it seems to happen with every nib I use (Brausse EF66, Gillott 303, 404, Willilam Mitchell Elbow nib and the Hiro-Leonardt Principal). I use Winsor Newton Indian Ink in black which as recommended by my teacher but it does seem to be quite thick in comparison to Dr Ph Martin's India Ink in red. The red ink also seems to flow a little better than the black ink and this issue happens much less with it.

Thanks again :D

Offline Bianca M

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Re: Ink flow
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2016, 11:05:01 PM »
Good!  You can always add some drops of water to the Indian ink when it thickens up.  And just be conscientious of how your tines are resting on the paper - they should be even, with the nib of the eye facing up (vs. facing to the left or right).