Regular fountain pen calligraphy

[Ayla]

Since I am very new to calligraphy, I had a couple questions

1) Can calligraphy be done with just a "normal" or "average" fountain pen. No special nibs ect
2) And if it can be done, what fonts would you suggest?

[KrazyIvan]

Not an expert at all but I believe calligraphy will require at least an italic nib.

[BikerBabe]

I think you can do calligraphy with a fountain pen, all it takes is practise.
Look up "fountain pen calligraphy" on Google, you'll get plenty of results.

[magnesium68]

If you want to write copperplate or spencerian style get a flex pen.

[peterpen53]

Literally, calligraphy means "beautiful writing". You can do that with a ballpoint pen, if you're so inclined. It comes in many forms, some of which, but certainly not all, require an edged nib, like an italic, or a flex nib like the previous poster says. But, as an example, you could very well write in the italic style with a round nib, I do that practically every day.
Ken Fraser (www.caliken.co.uk) has samples in many different styles on his website. Just prepare yourself for a shock.

Edit: as an aside, a calligraphy set with a pen and a few different size italic nibs need not be expensive at all. I taught myself italic with a Sheaffer No-Nonsense pen with three nibs back in the day that currently sells for $20 at Amazon and there are other similar pens.

[John the Monkey]

I've done a sort of faux calligraphy with a Waterman Phileas, making props for my local theatrical society (a set of title deeds that were the macguffin for a murder mystery). The letters needed to be reasonably visible from the audience, and I had no nib wide enough for that!

I outlined the letters with a 3H pencil, and filled in with the Phileas, using Diamine Oxblood.

[KrazyIvan]

Well beautiful writing I can only get out of an italic nib or stub and that in the eye of the beholder.

[chaimann]

When I took a italic calligraphy class, way back in the day, we started learning the letter shapes and angles by writing them with a Flair pen on regular ruled notebook paper. IMO, thoughtful handwriting will look good, no matter what tools are used.

Introduction To Handwriting and Calligraphy shows how the same basic letter shapes can be applied to regular handwriting as well as calligraphy. (At least I think it does. I have an older book on the subject by the same author.)

Speedball has a nice, and free, Calligraphy Lettering Chart at http://www.speedballart.com/media-center.php?cat=32 , and several of those styles are demonstrated with non-angled nibs.

[Barbara]

Literally, calligraphy means "beautiful writing". You can do that with a ballpoint pen, if you're so inclined. It comes in many forms, some of which, but certainly not all, require an edged nib, like an italic, or a flex nib like the previous poster says. But, as an example, you could very well write in the italic style with a round nib, I do that practically every day.
Ken Fraser (www.caliken.co.uk) has samples in many different styles on his website. Just prepare yourself for a shock.

Edit: as an aside, a calligraphy set with a pen and a few different size italic nibs need not be expensive at all. I taught myself italic with a Sheaffer No-Nonsense pen with three nibs back in the day that currently sells for $20 at Amazon and there are other similar pens.

Thanks for that link! Stunning calligraphy doesn't begin to express the beauty of Ken's work! Absolutely gorgeous!
Do you suppose one would be able to learn some of those styles from the books, or would one be more successful with a talented teacher? I know what will be going on my must-try list.

[caliken]

Ken Fraser (www.caliken.co.uk) has samples in many different styles on his website. Just prepare yourself for a shock.

Please note my change of website to www.kenfrasercalligrapher.com

Ken

[AndyT]

Please note my change of website to www.kenfrasercalligrapher.co.uk

That link isn't working for me, Ken (nor is the old one).

On the original subject, beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder (and "calligraphy" a term roundly despised by many of the old penmen), but for my money Palmer Method and the other Spencerian derived monoline scripts look mighty fine when done well. Here's a nice example by Schin Loong.

I note with interest that she as a very nice avatar, by the way.

[ardgedee]

Looks like it should be:
http://www.kenfrasercalligrapher.com

Very nice work!

[caliken]

Please note my change of website to www.kenfrasercalligrapher.co.uk

That link isn't working for me, Ken (nor is the old one).

Sorry AndyT - it should have been www.kenfrasercalligrapher.com - my apologies. ardgedee got it right and I've corrected my original post.

My old website is now defunct.

Ken