How to write with a pen: types of pens, use, calligraphy for beginners

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Communication with other people is an integral part of the life of each of us. But often we have to communicate with a person not personally, while establishing direct contact, but with the help of any means of communication. For a modern person, these are various instant messengers, social networks, e-mail, SMS messages. But once people wrote to each other not short notes, reaching the addressee at the same second. Previously, you had to write long letters that could take weeks. They pored over each letter for more than one hour, trying to write it as meaningfully and correctly as possible. But in such letters, not only the beauty of the text and the observance of spelling rules played a role, it was also important that it was written in a neat, understandable handwriting, so that the reader would be pleased to hold the paper written by your hand. Writing well was considered an art that not everyone can master, but everyone can appreciate.

Write nicely

Try to write something in beautiful handwriting! Chances are most of us can't handlethis task, because with the advent of the ability to print text, we are less and less resorting to the help of a pen. "But the pen is such a handy item!" - our ancestors would tell us now: they had to write their letters with a pen.

They say that if you master the skill of calligraphy with the help of an old device, then the handwriting will become perfect, since writing with a pen is not an easy task and not everyone can do it. Well, let's try and plunge into this intricate ink world of calligraphy.

The art of calligraphy

Calligraphy literally means "beautiful handwriting" in Greek. Now calligraphy is understood in different ways: for some, calligraphic handwriting is exemplary, understandable, such as in Soviet copybooks, writing style; others consider calligraphy to be the ability to turn a simple inscription into a masterpiece of fine art. And both points of view are correct. There are a great many types of calligraphic writing - for example, they differ in national versions. Depending on one or another option, the way the characters are drawn will also be different. In Japan and China, special sticks and ink are used, in Arab countries - brushes, the European tradition requires the use of a pen. We will dwell on it in more detail.

About the tool

To understand how to write with a pen, you need to understand the tool itself. First, you need to decide what kind of transition we are talking about. In ancient timestimes, natural feathers were used, which had to be first sharpened in a certain way. In modern calligraphy, they use special metal calligraphic nibs, reminiscent of a pen we are used to (they are sometimes called a fountain pen). Since the principle of drawing is almost the same for both devices, let's talk about each of the pens in turn.

Preparing the traditional pen

For writing, they most often used a goose quill, less often they took turkey or crow. If you are right-handed, then the third or fourth fly feather from the left wing of the bird is suitable for writing, left-handed people should take a right-wing feather. So the tool is more convenient to hold in your hand. It is difficult for us to imagine how people used to write with a pen, because there is no place for the accumulation of ink in it. However, we lose sight of the process of preparing a writing instrument for use. First, a groove was hollowed out in the pen, into which ink was collected, the edge of the tool was grinded obliquely. Feathers used to be even hardened like metal - to give them strength, they were boiled in lime mortar.

Fountain pen choice

Yes, a special calligraphy pen does not need to be sharpened, tempered and perform some other complicated procedures - just come to the store and buy the right thing. Alas, this is only at first glance. Choosing a fountain pen is an important and difficult step that you must go through if you want to master this art and learn how to write with a pen. It is better not to buy a pen at the nearest stationery store around the corner, butlook for a calligraphy salon that really specializes in this. The signs of a good tool include a flat, smooth surface of the metal from which it is made, a quality pen has symmetrical teeth that do not scratch the paper. Remember that in this case it is better to overpay for a truly worthwhile, high-quality device than to save on it. Then your passion will bring you only joy, and you will not abandon a new hobby because of a poor-quality tool.

Such different feathers

By the way, feathers can be very different in their technical characteristics. There are large-scale nibs and devices for small writing. In this case, the size speaks for itself - the larger the pen, the larger font it will fit. The thickness of the letters depends on the flexibility of the pen: the more the pen flexes, the greater the distance between the teeth becomes and the more ink is poured onto the paper. It will be difficult for a beginner to cope with the task of distributing pressure and controlling the amount of ink, so it is better to choose the least flexible pen for a start. The same applies to the width of the tip - beginners and those who are just mastering the technique of writing with a pen should buy a tool with a thin tip. It will allow you to display the neatest lines.

How to write with a pen

Firstly, before starting work, do not forget to wipe the pen with alcohol, and then wipe it dry - this will remove the remnants of grease or a special film that covers the factory metal nibs to protect against corrosion. And generally speaking,To keep your pen longer, remember to periodically clean and degrease it, store it in a dry place.

How to write with pen and ink

In order to start writing letters with a pen, it will not be superfluous to initially practice writing. The paper is lined there, there are samples of fonts. However, before you write letters to your friends with a pen, it is worth mastering the very technique of drawing characters on paper. Take the pen in your hand as you would with a regular pen, step back 3-5 centimeters from the tip. Relax your hand - this is very important, you will soon feel how much easier and more pleasant it is to write in this position.

Dip your pen in ink. Don't use too much paint. If you are learning to write with pen and ink, then you need to remember that it is somewhat thicker than ordinary ink - it is more difficult for beginners to cope with it.

Modern fountain pens, thanks to their mechanism, do not leave blots, but if you write with a real bird feather, you should be careful.

Next, place the pen on the paper at an angle of about 45 degrees - this is how the line is optimal for writing. Later, you can experiment with the angle of the pen and see how the line changes.

Glide the pen smoothly, evenly pressing on it (to get a thin line, almost no pressure is required - it comes out from under the nose).

Tear the pen off the paper and admire the result. With the initiative!