We’re all guilty of choosing ink favorites, which eventually results in our not-so-beloved bottles turning into dried-up calligraphy ink. When I set out to write this article, I had six dry or sludgy bottles of old ink that I thought were destined for the trash can. What I discovered it is this: almost any calligraphy ink will reconstitute back to a usable state with water.

How to Fix Dried-Up Calligraphy Ink: A Video

In this video, I’ll walk you through my experience (successfully!) attempting to fix dried-up calligraphy ink.

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The Brause EF66 nib is known for its ability to transition from delicate upstrokes to thick downstrokes. Its considerable flexibility makes those transitions easy and enjoyable! But — and this is a big “but” — the nib has a learning curve that can be a source of frustration for those who are new to it. In today’s article, we’ll talk about six ways to troubleshoot the Brause EF66 nib if it’s just not working for you.

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The post Troubleshooting the Brause EF66 Nib appeared first on The Postman’s Knock.

Last weekend, I taught an in-person calligraphy lesson for the first time in a couple of years. It was an informal and fun favor for a friend who has wanted to learn for a while. Teaching my friend reminded me: learners have to overcome quite a few pointed pen calligraphy problems at the beginning! In today’s article, I’d like to talk about those problems and their solutions.

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The post 8 Beginner Pointed Pen Calligraphy Problems appeared first on The Postman’s Knock.

Calligraphy nibs enable beautiful lettering creations, but they can also prove to be finicky little things! We’ve all been there: you open up a new packet of nibs, insert one that you’ve been excited about using in your pen, and … the ink won’t flow. Or, maybe the nib writes, but not without scratching into the paper with a vengeance. You’ll find solutions for these problems — plus five others — in today’s article.

Tip #1: Clean the Manufacturer’s Oils Off of New Calligraphy Nibs

Whenever you buy a new calligraphy nib, you can bet that its manufacturer has applied oils or waxes to it. Why? Oils keep the nibs in mint condition as they await your purchase. Unfortunately, oil doesn’t mix well with other liquids (i.e. ink), which can cause your ink to bead up on your nib as shown in the photo below.

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The post 7 Ways to Troubleshoot Calligraphy Nibs appeared first on The Postman’s Knock.

Regardless of your skill level, shaky calligraphy strokes will always be a problem that requires attention. Today, we’ll talk about five potential shakiness causes and their solutions! I’ve also got a warm up worksheet for you that can lead to more fluid, confident strokes in your calligraphy projects.

1. Cause: Not Being Warmed Up

I’ve jumped right in to several calligraphy projects over the years only to be frustrated by my hand’s inability to make smooth strokes. Eventually, I realized that it’s a lot to ask of a body to sit down and immediately create flawless calligraphy. It’s important to warm up!

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The post Shaky Calligraphy Strokes: Causes, Solutions, and a Free Warm Up Worksheet appeared first on The Postman’s Knock.

A couple of weekends ago, I got to teach two calligraphy beginner workshops here in Boulder. I haven’t taught since 2017, so it felt amazing to get back on the horse! As we got into the meat of the workshops, I was reminded of beginner pitfalls. Every workshop, learners have the same issues, and all are easily corrected! In this blog post, I’m going to outline those issues and how they can be fixed. If you’d prefer to hear about the issues/solutions in person, be sure to tune in to @thepostmansknock on Instagram Live on Wednesday, June 19th, at 6:00 PM MDT (Denver, CO timezone)!

1. Ink Pools Up on the Paper

If you notice that your ink pools on the paper, take a look at your pen angle! Calligraphy beginners tend to hold dip pens as they would hold a regular ballpoint pen, which means the pen is quite upright. If you’re a beginner, you probably are a bit heavy-handed with your pressure. Combine that heavy-handedness with the pen being upright, and ink will often drop down onto the paper in a big blob.

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The post The Top Six Calligraphy Beginner Mistakes That I Observe at Workshops appeared first on The Postman’s Knock.