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WHAT ARE MY FAVORITE NIBS?This is such a loaded question, and it is the one I get asked the most!Which nib you choose depends on several variables: paper, ink, x-height, skill level, etc. I use different nibs for different reasons and they’re all the best nib for that particular scenario. It is also a very personal decision. What works great for one person may not work for another.Here is a rundown of a few that I use most often. Of course, there are LOTS more wonderful nibs besides the …

The Luthis Libélula (Dragonfly) pen. Overall length: 15.5 cm (6.1")By Carol DuBosch. I first learned of these pens from Argentina when Silvia Cordero Vega wrote about them in Letter Arts Review 28-1. She told of their use in one of her artworks, which was featured on the cover of the issue: “I wanted very expressive calligraphy, with a visceral feel . . . . I used an extra-large Luthis ruling pen, which would allow me to make very large strokes with good control and firmness. Of course, if I use …

Calligraphic ruling pens create thick or thin strokes by tilting the nib relative to the writing surface.By Matthew Coffin.Traditionally, drafting ruling pens have been used to rule lines of fixed thicknesses on mechanical drawings or illustrations. In the second half of the 20th century, lettering artists – exploring ways to create expressive lettering – learned these same pens could also be used for calligraphy. By tilting a ruling pen on its side, dramatic and rough-edged strokes could be cre …

If you address envelopes with metallic ink, you know that when you first start working, it takes a lot of shaking to get the metallic color evenly mixed in the ink. And while you are working, you have to regularly stir the bottle to keep the pigment evenly dispersed. All metallic inks have a settling problem. Check out a small magnetic stirrer; this ingenious device provides a fine solution. You place a Teflon-coated, magnetic stirring bar in a wide-mouthed jar, pour in your metallic ink, and th …

At left: Spectralite Private Collection. At right: Gold Spectralite 18 Carat Gold. Spectralite 18 Carat Gold vs. Spectralite Private Collection Gold Several years ago Dr. Ph. Martin’s discontinued all colors of Spectralite Liquid Acrylic – even the 18 Carat Gold (54K), which had been the best-selling metallic gold at John Neal Books. Spectralite Private Collection Liquid Acrylic had been put forward by the company as a replacement, so I decided then to see how the newer ink compares to th …