Messages

1

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Summer

« on: May 14, 2018, 01:17:15 PM »

So beautiful   

Saw this and Billy Connolly came to mind. "There are two seasons in Scotland: June and Winter." 
- Prasad
-

2

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Thank you

« on: May 11, 2018, 12:12:06 AM »

I just saw the post count.     I have barely crossed a 1000 and that took a LOT of time and effort.  5000 posts is just mind blowing. 

It is all of us 7309 members of this forum that should be thanking you for creating such a Magical platform.  Your dedication, selfless hard-work and pure love that you exude for us, is what makes this forum what it is. 

Eternally grateful for this world that you have created
Prasad

3

Introductions / Re: Hi everyone, love from India

« on: May 11, 2018, 12:05:11 AM »

Hi everyone,
One of my biggest problems at the moment is supplies. I have been trying to hunt decent copperplate nibs for the last two months, upto no luck.
Anyway Looking forward to learning new things!
Apoorva

Hi Apoorva,
Big Welcome to the Forum.  Wonderful to see so many Indians on here. 
Where are you based?  Getting supplies in India is always a chore.  Very few places have nibs, no places have stuff like Walnut ink.  You can get paper here though.

As far as Nibs are concerned there are only 2 options for decently priced nibs.  Ebay and this website http://creativehands.in/william-mitchell-calligraphy-drawing-loose-nibs-pack-of-2-open-stock.html
But he is mostly out of stock.  If you are comfortable with Gillott nibs then just write to them and ask them to get a bunch for you. They are priced very well.  Most other sources in India charge a kidney for a nib 

The other option is Ebay.  For G nibs like Zebra, Ebay.com is a good option and quite decently priced.  Getting it imported to India is not an issue as it's a small pack and does not attract custom duty. 
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR4.TRC2.A0.H0.Xzebra+G+nib.TRS0&_nkw=zebra+G+nib&_sacat=0

There is one source in Mumbai that gets Leonard Principal EF nibs.  Give me a day or so to find out the details and revert.

There are a few sellers on Ebay that still offer good rates for not so known nibs (European nibs, beautiful little creatures  .  Contact me on personal message and I will link you up there.

For ink, You can try the Pelikan 4001 ink, which I found works quite well.  You can also try the Camlin Photo Colours, which are a transparent ink and works well with the dip nibs
http://www.himalayafineart.com/Product/55/Camel+Transparent+Photocolours.aspx

If you want some walnut ink,  send me your address and I will send you crystals.  You will have to wait a while for Iron Gall ink, should you want some.  I have to brew a fresh batch. 

For paper,  I got a bunch of Excel Pro DIgio 100gsm, which was beautiful.  Can't find it online now.  Perhaps the stationary shops around your place may still have stock of it.  Make sure it has the "Digio" printed on it.  I think @ash0kgiri uses JK Excel Bond.  Not sure.  just ask him and he will confirm it.  Another good writing pad I found works really well is this one.  Make sure you only get the A4 size.  the paper in the other sizes don't take ink so well.  IT has a 4mm grid printed on it and is lovely for practice.
https://nightingaleshop.com/top-open-writing-pad-design-a     

How are you placed for holders? Are you using a straight or oblique?  Unfortunately, I gave away my last Yoke Deuce holder a couple of weeks back.  Will be getting a fresh stock only in September.  Again, I'll send you a few links on where you can get reasonably priced holders , should you want a brass flange oblique. 

This should do for the time being,  Send me a message and we can take it from there. 
Please feel free to contact me directly for any queries or information you require,  An Email or direct message is easier as I get a notification for it and can respond immediately.

Happy writing
Prasad

4

Introductions / Re: Hi everyone, love from India

« on: May 10, 2018, 11:30:07 PM »

Hi @apoorva

Sorry for the late welcome! I hope you have been finding your way around here and were able to find some nibs. We have a few members from India so they may have some suggestions as to where to find supplies ( @ash0kgiri @prasad )

Again, welcome! 

Will do @Erica McPhee .  Have not been active here for a while,  so please if there are any such queries, please please do that @ thing.  I get a notification and will reply a 100% to it 

5

Tools & Supplies / Re: Walnut Dyes and Other Natural Extracts?

« on: May 09, 2018, 12:20:23 PM »

Hi @Penda
Tried this about 4 yrs ago. Wasn't too successful and did not have the patience to keep with it. My main issue was getting a saturated colour. Couldn't use fixatives like they use for natural dyes and fabric.
You can see my results here.
http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=1321.0

Reply #9 at the bottom of the page

You may need to boil and reduce the mixture to a more concentrated one. A dash of clear alcohol like vodka will do the trick to stop fungal growth.

Happy mixing
Prasad

6

Tools & Supplies / Re: Where do you buy your vandyke crystals?

« on: May 05, 2018, 09:53:36 AM »

@RD5

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Liberon-Van-Dyck-Crystals/272088518505?epid=1802886530&hash=item3f59bd4f69:m:mW3S8TgHJDzmtLnt_6FsSfw

Not as cheap as in UK. But one option

I've got  1 kg from here. (Shipped within the US) And the rest from UK (another 2 kgs) but that was carried for me to India by a relative.

Happy writing
Prasad

7

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Please help finding supplies in India !

« on: March 23, 2018, 11:23:42 PM »

Hi Meenakshi,
So for the last two years I been writing is with what Prasad have given me.

I definitely can give you HUNT 101, Gillott 303, 404, Brause 66EF, Nikko and few other for sure. Also i can share walnut crystals which Prasad have given me. No worries.
Plse DM me you address.

BTW in which city are you located. Feel free to ask if you need anything else.

-Ashok

@ash0kgiri Please keep the crystals with you.  It's the only way you will keep writing and I will enjoy your Instagram posts.   
I am sending a package to her with a holder some ink and nibs.  Thanks to Andy, I got 1 ½ kgs of the crystals.  Will be enough to keep the likes of you busy for a while.....
Happy writing
Prasad

8

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Please help finding supplies in India !

« on: March 16, 2018, 02:58:40 AM »

Hi everyone ! 
Could someone please help and guide me finding some supplies in India ?

I also ordered the basic speedball oblique holder from amazon and I will continue to use it till the time I am not able to get my hands on a better one .
Waiting for your kind response !

Thank you very much . 

Meenakshi

Just saw your message on the holders.  Again, the speedball oblique will do fine initially, but you will want one with a brass flange very soon.
I got a whole bunch of the Deuce holders of Chris Yoke to distribute here.  You can get Chinese versions of the same on amazon but I don't know of their quality and flange geometry, so cannot recommend them. 
The Yoke holder is just perfect,  Will send you that too. 
You will have to bear with me for a about a week or two, as I am travelling.
Happy writing.
Prasad

9

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Please help finding supplies in India !

« on: March 16, 2018, 02:22:31 AM »

oh my goodness, and @prasad of course!!!  any pointers here?

As ordered.. pointers follow 
Sorry have not been very active on the forum,  have been busy with  a lot of personal issues.  But that does not stop me from reading the Forum EVERYDAY.  The magic of the Flourish Forum

Hi everyone ! 
Could someone please help and guide me finding some supplies in India ?

I am mainly looking for Walnut crystals which are hard to find here and also a few nibs like the Hunt 101 . (I tried the Daniel Smith Walnut Ink available here but I would love to try the walnut crystal ink , if given a chance )

Waiting for your kind response !

Thank you very much . 

Meenakshi

Hi Meenakshi,
Walnut ink and nibs are very difficult to get in India.  The only decently priced nibs are Gillott 303 and 404 (new ones) and they are available locally.  But the supplier is almost always out of stock.  There is one place for Brause nibs, but they are 4 to 5 times the price and really not worth it. 
You can get G nibs (Nikko, Zebra) from Ebay at a very good price, but I personally, am not too fond of those nibs for copperplate.

Walnut ink is the same.  Not available in India at all.  Whenever I have someone travelling from the US or the UK I have them carry it for me. 
As recommended by the wonderful people on here, I got a substitute for the commercial walnut ink and get a lot of it stocked for the calligraphers in India.  I have about 2 kgs of the stuff with me now.
Send me your address by a personal message and I can stock you up with the crystals for sure. I also make my own Iron gall ink,  have a couple of litres of that too which I can send you some from.

I can also send you a sampler set of nibs (different nibs suit different people)  See what you like in that and we can work out something to get you stocked up.

How are you set for holders?  Do you use Oblique or straight holders?


Happy writing
Prasad

10

Introductions / Re: Introduction

« on: December 14, 2017, 11:43:03 PM »

Big Welcome to the forum,
Nice to see you posting here 
This is the perfect place for you to improve your already great writing 

DO post your stuff in the "Kind Critique" section and you will find the people here amazingly helpful.
Happy writing
Prasad

11

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: We have a new SUPERHERO!

« on: September 21, 2017, 11:18:49 PM »

Booyah   

Awesome and Congrats Janis. 

Happy Writing
Prasad

12

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Evacuating Florida because of Irma

« on: September 07, 2017, 01:45:28 AM »

All prayers with you and family
Hope all goes well and please be safe

Prasad

13

Kind Critique / Re: Request critique and suggestions

« on: August 17, 2017, 05:39:30 AM »

@Vipul
I saw this post first so replied about the papers here 
Happy writing
Prasad

14

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 1

« on: August 17, 2017, 03:05:13 AM »

Hi @Vipul ,

The Kanwrite modified nib will not duplicate the dip nib.  Do you have the extra flex EEF nib from Sandeep?
Ask him for that in a Desire pen and that works a little better. You can also ask him for that in an untipped option.  Bit scratchier but works well. 

You are better off to get a dip nib and holder if you are serious about copperplate and this script.  The Kanwrite option is ok for modern calligraphy.

Send me a private message and I will work out holder, nibs and ink options for you.
happy writing
Prasad

15

Kind Critique / Re: Request critique and suggestions

« on: August 17, 2017, 02:58:49 AM »

Welcome to the Forum Vipul,
I am from India too and I know the problems of getting good material here. 

Couple of papers that you can try out which are available locally and work well with dip pens


http://www.amazon.in/Excel-A4-100gsm-Copier-250sheets/dp/B01CA72G4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502952774&sr=8-1&keywords=excel+pro
Make sure it is the Digio range that you order

https://nightingaleshop.com/top-open-writing-pad-design-a
This one has 4mm squares and works well too.  Not so good with Fountain pens and some inks,  but great with dip pens.
Happy writing
Prasad