rararatigan

[rararatigan]

I know this is a dumb question but I have bought a fountain pen and am trying to learn better cursive. How do you get your lines different widths? It would really help if someone explained like I'm five. I have read a lot of handwritten early 19th century court documents recently and I love how early 19th c your writing looks! It's simply beautiful. Thank you!

Ahh, thank you very much! That’s so kind.

Your question isn’t stupid at all! Everyone has to start somewhere =]

There are a lot of variables when it comes to pens for calligraphy, but when you say you have a fountain pen, I’m assuming it’s a traditional fountain pen with a cartridge for ink inside of the pen. Usually those pens have a little less give in the tip, so you won’t get a broad variation in your writing strokes (the thick vs thin lines) that you’ll get with a calligraphy pen.

A calligraphy pen is what I use for writing my cards and basically this consists of a nib (the flexible tip of the pen with prongs known as “tines”) and the holder or body of the pen. Different nibs will have different widths, flex, or “springiness”, so you’ll get different effects depending on what you use. Fountain pens usually have ink in a cartridge inside of the body, whereas calligraphy pens need to be dipped in ink.

Generally how it works is that when you do a downstroke on a letter, you apply slightly more pressure, and the tines of the nib split apart and draw the ink in a wider line. On an upstroke, you apply lighter pressure, the tines stay together, and it makes a thinner line.

There are a lot of variables, but that’s the basic gist of it! There are a ton of fantastic tutorials online for calligraphy and I highly recommend looking into it if you’re interested! But if you want some practice, a fountain pen is a good start to just control your pressure, but you can get a similar effect of calligraphy by doing cursive with a ballpoint pen and practicing with varying your pressure between downstrokes and upstrokes. Just know you’ll be pushing a lot harder on your downstrokes with a ballpoint pen than you will with a calligraphy pen.

Hopefully this helps! I’d love to see what you make if you decide to share it!

#the hag replies #calligraphy

[rararatigan]

Uuuggghhhhh

“It’s rotten work. Especially to me. Especially if it’s you. I’ll fucking do it but Christ alive.”

#i have not known peace since you reblogged this #my notes are a mess lol

[rararatigan]

Believe it or not, these are for my work

“Do your phleboto-best”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting

[rararatigan]

Not to shove my own post on here, but I asked about inks specifically awhile back and people were kind enough to give me a lot of helpful information.

Here’s a link to the post and there’s a lot of good info in the notes at least about calligraphy inks. Hope this helps some!

Hi, sorry to bother you (and also sorry if the submissions aren't meant for stuff like this, I'm still learning to navigate this place). I just wanted to say that I love your calligraphy and your account, and I just wanted to ask, if you have the time: if I want to get into calligraphy, where would you suggest to start? What are some tools/pens you recommend, your favourite inks, what exercises/practice methods do you suggest, stuff like that. Thank you so much for any advice!

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honestly i just kinda picked up a speedball kit and started copying fonts off of google images so idk how much that'd help

but when I post this i KNOW a huge amount of pen and ink enthusiasts will be in the notes rarin' to help!

#calligraphy help

[rararatigan]

Me @ my taxes

“Dearly Beloathed”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #dearly beloathed #self rebagle

[rararatigan]

Yeah, the person who played this card in CAH won by a landslide

Card played by: @deusvervewrites

“WHAT ARE THOSE?!?!

The hostages.”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #WHAT ARE THOSE?!?! The hostages

[rararatigan]

Unfortunate misdial if ever their was one

Quote: @runningwolf62

“… and that’s why you don’t have your partner’s name as “daddy” in your phone.”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #and that’s why you don’t have your partner’s name as daddy in your phone

[rararatigan]

Things you never want to hear, even in a game of Cards Against Humanity

Quote: @trollsarenotwelcome

“How do you think I feel? I’m stuck with Donald Trump’s third nipple!”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #morning rebagle #because suffering is inevitable

[rararatigan]

When your friend comes out of left field with a verbal chair

Quote: @deusvervewrites

“Of all the words in the English language, that was the last one I expected.”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #of all the words in the english language that was the last one I expected

[rararatigan]

Things you never want to hear, even in a game of Cards Against Humanity

Quote: @trollsarenotwelcome

“How do you think I feel? I’m stuck with Donald Trump’s third nipple!”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #how do you think I feel? I’m stuck with Donald Trump’s third nipple!

[rararatigan]

Outgoing mail art: MGMT's Nothing to Declare, but make it neon.

#bro #calligraphy goals #calligraphy #nothing to declare #not my calligraphy #neon

[rararatigan]

Playing cards against humanity with my friends.

Y’all are about to get some hella quotes calligraphied

#ramblings of the hag

[rararatigan]

Why is this still getting notes?????

Uuuggghhhhh

“It’s rotten work. Especially to me. Especially if it’s you. I’ll fucking do it but Christ alive.”

#my calligraphy #I thought it was over but then a few days ago I got a new little burst of notes

[rararatigan]

A nifty fashion accessory!

Quote: Muppet Treasure Island

“He’s got demons? Cool!”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #the muppets #muppet treasure island

[rararatigan]

Me @ my taxes

“Dearly Beloathed”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #dearly beloathed

[rararatigan]

A totally original quote I came up with and 1000% didn’t plagiarize from a youtuber

(You know the video)

“It wasn’t ‘y’all,’ it was someone else! It was THEM’LL!”

#calligraphy #my calligraphy #hand lettering #shitpost #handwriting #hbomberguy

[rararatigan]

I am suffering

@eagle-writes your turn

#calligraphy #communal calligraphy #y’all summoned me for this? #one of my mutuals is going to loose their minds over this