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inky
October 5th, 2012, 08:35 AM
Howdy Folks,

I have a few flex pens and use them mostly for the fun of it. Anyways I was wondering if anyone knows of a good resource to learn how to properly write with a flex nib? I know the general idea but I don't have any consistancy with it and would like to at least improve a bit.

Thanks!

Saintpaulia
October 13th, 2012, 06:50 PM
Howdy Folks,

I have a few flex pens and use them mostly for the fun of it. Anyways I was wondering if anyone knows of a good resource to learn how to properly write with a flex nib? I know the general idea but I don't have any consistancy with it and would like to at least improve a bit. Thanks!
You took the words out of my mouth. I've been watching Stephen Brown for months now as he writes in "flex mode" and with the same pens I have. And I still do not know how he does it. There must be some technique know-how but where one would find it...???????????

Carole
October 13th, 2012, 07:21 PM
Howdy Folks,

I have a few flex pens and use them mostly for the fun of it. Anyways I was wondering if anyone knows of a good resource to learn how to properly write with a flex nib? I know the general idea but I don't have any consistancy with it and would like to at least improve a bit.

Thanks!

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One resource online that I use all the time is: www.iampeth.com

I really like the videos, and exemplar pages--and they have all kinds of other great material you can download.
There's no charge for any of the instructional stuff, as far as I know. Dr. Joe Vitolo is the person doing most of the short videos, and he
does a good job with clear and simple instruction, I think.

Here's the direct link to the videos: http://www.iampeth.com/videos.php

You can also check out: www.zanerian.com

UPDATE: Joe Vitolo created an app called: "Script in the Copperplate Style: Pointed Pen Calligraphy" : "Interactive book includes video , text, and images. Free app, but can be viewed only on an iPad with IOS 5 or later. " Available now in iTunes.

I've heard good things about this but haven't seen it. Would love to hear reviews if anyone has used it.

And there are so many more, but since you asked about fundamentals, that's a good start. I'm sure others will add to this, too. Hope this helps! Let us know!

earthdawn
October 13th, 2012, 09:58 PM
You took the words out of my mouth. I've been watching Stephen Brown for months now as he writes in "flex mode" and with the same pens I have. And I still do not know how he does it. There must be some technique know-how but where one would find it...???????????

HA !!!.. lol

Tell me you dont write "Hello" the same way he does now !!!

Love his videos

inky
October 15th, 2012, 06:36 AM
Wow! Thanks Carole! The iampeth website is a welth of information. I think that is just what I'm looking for. I'll let you all know how I make out with it after viewing some of the videos! Of course I left my pen case a home today :( It really is a Monday folks!

KrazyIvan
October 15th, 2012, 08:22 AM
Thanks for the links! GClef gave me some pointers that really helped but I really need to practice more.

earthdawn
October 15th, 2012, 04:00 PM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One resource online that I use all the time is: www.iampeth.com

I really like the videos, and exemplar pages--and they have all kinds of other great material you can download.
There's no charge for any of the instructional stuff, as far as I know. Dr. Joe Vitolo is the person doing most of the short videos, and he
does a good job with clear and simple instruction, I think.

Here's the direct link to the videos: http://www.iampeth.com/videos.php

You can also check out: www.zanerian.com

UPDATE: Joe Vitolo created an app called: "Script in the Copperplate Style: Pointed Pen Calligraphy" : "Interactive book includes video , text, and images. Free app, but can be viewed only on an iPad with IOS 5 or later. " Available now in iTunes.

I've heard good things about this but haven't seen it. Would love to hear reviews if anyone has used it.

And there are so many more, but since you asked about fundamentals, that's a good start. I'm sure others will add to this, too. Hope this helps! Let us know!

Its actually an iBook in the book store part of iTunes. FREE ... man thats amazing

Heres a link to his video on how to use his iBook.

http://vimeo.com/43948060

this is great. Thank you so much for sharing this info.

Carole
October 16th, 2012, 12:01 AM
You're very welcome! Look forward to hearing how these work out for everyone. I really need to practice, too.

Maybe Dr. Joe Vitolo can do a guest spot on a show sometime and talk about using fountain pens for pointed pen writing? In fact, I think I saw something in the Iampeth discussion group, calligraphers evaluating Noodlers' pens, and modified Falcons for practice. (I just looked it up for the right name, it's a Yahoo Discussion Group: Ornamental Penmanship) And that wonderful writing sample that Janet Takahashi did for the Edison Spencer pen. Just beautiful. Inspiring!

inky
October 17th, 2012, 10:33 AM
I have been totally absorbed in those videos, they are truly impressive! I think I may need to pick up one of those oblique nib holders sometime.

Carole
October 18th, 2012, 12:01 AM
I have been totally absorbed in those videos, they are truly impressive! I think I may need to pick up one of those oblique nib holders sometime.

Great idea--and I bet you'll be surprised how quickly you adapt to using it. Both John Neal and Paper and Ink Arts have a good selection. Plus the regular ones, of course. And a great virtue of dip pens, to me, is the variety of inks: white ink, sumi ink, metallics, gouache (especially Schminke gold pearl) , twinkling H2Os, and on and on.

inky
October 18th, 2012, 09:35 AM
I have seen some really cool metallic inks. There is a video somewhere of Michael Sull using a gold ink on black paper that I think just looks cool! I will probably end up getting the Peerless Oblique nib holder and a Nikko G to start out. With the holidays coming up I'm considering putting one of Sull's Starter kits on my list. I think if I did that I would opt for the wooden holder. I suppose this will mean I need to find more space for ink in my ink box! This will end up taking away my excuse of "It won't work in a fountain pen so I can't use it." :)

Carole
October 18th, 2012, 11:10 AM
I suppose this will mean I need to find more space for ink in my ink box! This will end up taking away my excuse of "It won't work in a fountain pen so I can't use it." :)

Yes! All the inks in the world are belong to you! ..... As I was typing that, I looked at your name, inky, and realized something: /oo\ It is your destiny, InkWalker. You cannot escape! :cool:

inky
October 18th, 2012, 01:31 PM
Ha! That is very true so far, at least with fountain pen ink!

penultress
October 18th, 2012, 06:58 PM
Thanks, Carole! I am new to FP but I love seeing the flex writing. I'm looking forward to learning!

Carole
October 18th, 2012, 11:49 PM
Thanks, Carole! I am new to FP but I love seeing the flex writing. I'm looking forward to learning!

You're very welcome! And I found a calligraphy video of gold ink on black cardstock--a whopping nine minutes total! I confess I watched the whole thing. LOL Brilliant.

Heather Victoria Held: Christmas Flourish

1376

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWdrOtci_Ys&playnext=1&list=PL76DF4FC40FF75247&feature=results_main

inky
October 19th, 2012, 08:25 AM
That is the video I was thinking of. I thought it was Sull but I guess I was wrong. Either way that is such an amazing job! I wish they bottled skill and sold them in 6-packs!

I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a Peerless oblique holder and Nikko G nib. I keep looking at the Blackwell Wood holder over at John Neal though, something about just having a screw to adjust for diffrent nib sizes is appealing to me. Realisitically though I don't know if I'd need that feature very often.

Carole
October 24th, 2012, 03:00 PM
I wish they bottled skill and sold them in 6-packs!

Hah! For sure. I know there's a 'calligraphy kegger party' joke there somewhere but my brain can't retrieve it. :rolleyes:

So, maybe you've already decided on a purchase-- but ref: the comment about how often you might need to adjust: you may not know that until you try a bunch of different nibs.

Just for fun, I thought I'd do a comparison for you to find out how much adjustment is needed for different nib + holders, but.....I found I don't have any dip nibs. Shocking. That's because I've been using fountain pens to practice both italic and pointed pen (not that I've been practicing much).

I think that Hunt 56 was the nib that I found easiest to use for practice; next was Gillott 404. The list of intro dip nibs usually includes those two, among others. However, dip nibs in the wet noodle class are just crazy, so I think it's fun to get a couple of them, too. Esterbrook 357, which is a vintage dip nib, was one I liked. And I usually buy 2 of each nib, because they don't last a real long time, and sometimes you get a dud that just doesn't work.

I've never used a gold nib dip pen and would love to try one--but that's a whole other territory! :dirol:

inky
October 29th, 2012, 03:36 PM
Thanks for the advice Carole! I'll have to look up the nibs you mentioned. I haven't quite decided on a holder yet as I'm thinking I may stick a couple on my Christmas wish list. I can stick the nibs on there too!

Dee8go
November 3rd, 2012, 01:28 PM
That website is fascinating! I could sit here all day reading it and watching the videos . . .

fountainpenkid
November 7th, 2012, 01:19 PM
You're very welcome! And I found a calligraphy video of gold ink on black cardstock--a whopping nine minutes total! I confess I watched the whole thing. LOL Brilliant.

Heather Victoria Held: Christmas Flourish

1376

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWdrOtci_Ys&playnext=1&list=PL76DF4FC40FF75247&feature=results_main

That was awesome! I wish they made (ahem...safe)gold fountain pen ink. I would be all over it!

Greg Minuskin
February 21st, 2013, 10:16 PM
I second and third the motion for the IAMPETH website! Would you believe that both my wife and I hosted Michael Sull, the master penman, at our home for 10 days before and after the L.A. Pen Show? He was a delight to have, and we even conducted a private, invitation only class/workshop here that he taught for the whole day to a select group of students hand picked by my wife Janet!

Took Michael Sull to the beach one day, a "guy day" and then to the pen show, it was wonderful to have him, and he will be back next year!

Greg Minuskin
www.gregminuskin.com
greg@gregminuskin.com

earthdawn
February 22nd, 2013, 12:04 AM
I second and third the motion for the IAMPETH website! Would you believe that both my wife and I hosted Michael Sull, the master penman, at our home for 10 days before and after the L.A. Pen Show? He was a delight to have, and we even conducted a private, invitation only class/workshop here that he taught for the whole day to a select group of students hand picked by my wife Janet!

Took Michael Sull to the beach one day, a "guy day" and then to the pen show, it was wonderful to have him, and he will be back next year!

Greg Minuskin
www.gregminuskin.com
greg@gregminuskin.com

WOW that must have been an amazing 10 days.

He is a true master of the pen.

For those interested here is a link to his wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Sull

While it is not the same as being there at all but some video of his class he gave would have been awesome.

Just watching him write is a gift.

AndyT
May 26th, 2013, 11:00 AM
... Michael Sull, the master penman ...

Greg, Michael Sull is a hero to me, for his educational work as well as his penmanship.

There are quite a few copperplate videos on Youtube, including Dr Vitolo's. What you don't see so much of is Spencerian and Ornamental Penmanship, but here's a couple by John de Collibus for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwJyIYcEcGQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtiupZ2L_U8

In the second one the magic starts at about the 6'30" mark. Another big thumbs up for IAMPETH from me, it's a marvellous resource. Sorry to bump an old thread, but if anyone hasn't seen those two videos they're in for a treat.