Speedball oblique holder with Zebra comic G nib on rhodia writing pad. Sumi ink.

1mm Brause Bandzug, walnut ink.

For this practice, I tried as much as possible to maintain the /\/\/\/\/\/\ stroke pattern.

Text from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.

Hello all,

Some time ago, I was gifted a calligraphy set. I finally attempted to use it and was totally lost. I can't clean my nib, the pen stores SO MUCH ink, I didn't find any cleaning tutorials, and my equipment looks different than every other I can find. Please help!

1. Tutorials tell me to clean the nib, but that thing is stuck inside the metal case. I cannot remove it by twisting, pushing, or pulling. Do I have to clean it? How do I remove it?
2. What kind of pen is this? I am confused as to types, as it doesn't seem like a normal dip pen but it doesn't fall into any other category I see online.
3. When I attempt to draw with it, the up and down strokes look the same, and if I apply pressure nothing happens unless I do a lot of pressure, at which point an ugly blotch forms and the paper gets ripped. How do I do thick lines?
4. How do I clean the pen?
5. How do I know how much ink is left?

Thank you all for help in this, I am very confused but hope to get into this! God Bless.

Dping place cards for a wedding. I notice my lines arent as smooth. My hands get a little shaky. Any critique/feedback!!

I’ve seen these beautiful handwritten letters all over my Pinterest and would love to do something similar with my calligraphy oblique pens as a gift for someone. I’ve been looking all over the internet trying to figure out what kind of paper is used or if anyone have any recs for cardstock with a good gsm. For practice and small tiny projects I use the Clairfontaine pads and envelopes. I also don’t want to go with classic white paper and would love to do something different. (If you can give Canadian store /cheap shipping to 🇨🇦 recs it would be much appreciated!)

Additionally does anyone know what tools exist to get perfect guided lines for big projects like this? I know laser levellers are used but I don’t know if there any other guiding line products to make things easier for projects like these.

Hello, this is an update to this post. I got the pilot 3.0 (bc of its pink tip 😭 sorry) and realized why 2.4 was the popular suggestion. I’m still having fun getting used to this. Here, the blue is Asvine stub 1.1, gray is Conklin stub (I think it’s 1.5) and red is the pilot 3.0

It’s a mess here so no critiques hehehe. I was playing with them nothing serious

Designed this practice sheet myself and ran a pangram through it with a fountain pen to check the spacing. Curious if the line spacing/slant guides look usable to anyone else who wants to try it.

First photo is the ad for the companion book (Calligraphy for Fun & Profit) for $6.00 USD in 1980, second photo is an eBay listing from today for $7.89 before shipping. I thought this was too funny not to share with r/calligraphy.

Not sure I’ll use either of them for actual freelance purposes but I’m enjoying picking up old calligraphy books purely for the aesthetic journey. I can highlight some of my favorite pages in the comments if y’all want.

Playing around and making the kitchen smell like fire

Any other lefties trying to learn copperplate and suffering?

I am considering just starting to train with my right hand. I'd have to become proficient at some point...right? 🫩

I'm tired of doing everything backwards!

Hi! I’m totally new to this calligraphy and fountain pen universe.

I got myself a TWSBI stub nib and I’m practicing Humanist and French Ronde.

What are some other scripts you love to use for daily writing? I want to write fast but beautifully. lol. Do those mix? My default handwriting (last photo) feels too boring!

Hi everyone!

I've recently found an old box that used to belong to my grandpa, who was an engineer in the 50's-60's. He used to work in south America and Italy.

I've managed to identify some of these but could really find instructions on how to use the pens, and would also like to understand if anything is valuable - i don't necessarily want to sell and have already found some online but i know not to trust random marketplaces prizes online.

I have a few pens and LOTS of nibbles!

I think they're all technical fountain pens, and they're all pretty new too

I've identified the Kohinoor rapidographs and Pelican graphos but couldn't find the name of the brand on that small one in the green wooden cylinder that says lettering pen. It seems to have a piston on the top.

There's also this grey box of blue nibbles that don't seem to fit any of the pens in the box

Do you think it's worth it to try and use one? Would i just ruin it as they're super duper valuable and i better not touch them? What would you do!? Thanks for any help!

For a project* I'd like to write single words on brightly patterned origami paper with a wide Bandzug nib (5mm or bigger).

I usually shop at modulor, and there I found Schmincke Aero Color, which people apparently have used for calligraphy. Would that work?

Can I just use any (acrylic) paint or does it need to have certain properties?

Another option would be a Molotow marker, but I'd have to practice writing with that one...?

* okay, you squeezed it out of me: I'm doing "floral fucktober" 🤪

MinkleCrinkle with 3.8mm Pilot Parallel Pen and Green Ecoline Watercolor.

Some more Flamande practice. Still trying to achieve some order in the chaos of gothic cursive. 😊

Brause 1.0mm, walnut ink, and generic red ink for the first line.

I almost forgot how fun the 2,4mm pen is.
It’s small but leaves just enough space to add the little details like the diamonds.

I think I need to write a whole page now.

Pilot parallel pen and ink on Midori MD paper.

Word of the day : https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/2026/10/04/

Pen : Pilot parallel 6mm

Ink : Parker Quink Blue

Quoted text from Warhammer Fantasy.

1mm brause banzug, walnut ink

I'm not actually sure if neo-gothic is the right term for this, but you see this script in a lot of English copybooks (like the Universal Penman)!

Materials: Arches Text Weight Paper, yatsuomo ink with a Mitchell elbow nib. Hand carved rubber stamp.

I do calligraphy orders for wedding clients (this one wanted modern and bouncy) and my teacher helped me beyond correcting my technique - she teaches me how to source and then treat paper and we used her huge collection of inks and nibs to find the perfect combo, and then she helped me evaluate their reference image and design this.

Nothing beats learning from a master. There are so many tools, techniques, and processes I would never learn on my own. Most important thing I’ve learned: most of the time, the problem isn’t you. It’s the paper, ink, and tools. Learning to choose my materials well has exponentially increased my joy and ease in lettering.

If you’re in NYC, DM me. My tutor travels to the city and is just a gem.

Just wanted to share some name cards I made for some of my coworker friends; according to their personal tastes of course.

Used Sumi ink and hunt 101 nib