Writer Quotes

“In composing, as a general rule, run your pen through every other word you have written; you have no idea what vigor it will give your style.” - Sydney Smith

“I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” - James Michener

“If you can't write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don't have a clear idea.” - David Belasco

“Everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. “- Sylvia Plath

“The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.” - Norbet Platt

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Fun with Inkblots

Inkblots have been around as long as there has been ink.

The Rorschach test also known as the Rorschach inkblot test (or simply the inkblot test) is a psychological test in which subjects’ perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation. Some psychologists use this test to examine a person's personality characteristics and emotional functioning. The test is named after its creator, Swiss psychologist Hermann Rorschach. In the 1960s, the Rorschach was the most widely used projective test. In a national survey in the U.S., the Rorschach was ranked eighth among psychological tests used in outpatient mental health facilities

It is also fun to create inkblots by folding them together.

Start with the basics, as you scroll down, you will find more complex things to make and do with inkblots.

How to Make a Basic Inkblot

You will need:

Paper (light-medium weight art paper, or computer printer paper)

If you what to be really adventurous, try out some Rhodia smooth surface paper.

http://www.penboutique.com/rhodia-notepads-graph-orange-80s-3x4.html

http://www.penboutique.com/rhodia-notepads-black-lined-80s-3x4.html

Ink (in a bottle use a dropper)

Try these fun Noodlers colors:

http://www.penboutique.com/noodler-s-ink.html

Water in a squeeze bottle (or apply with a brush or cotton swab)

Fold a piece of paper in half. Apply a dot or two of water, and a dot or two of ink.

Fold the paper, and apply pressure with the palm of your hand. Unfold.

What do you see?

Things to Do With Inkblots

Inkblots can help anyone neatly sidestep their logical brain to access their creative right brain right away.  What one sees in an inkblot can be the impetus for a short story for creative writers, aid in character development for the budding playwright, provide a visual workout for a visual artist, or even the beginnings of a more developed painting.

Drawing into Inkblots

As soon as you make an inkblot, you will start seeing things in them–fantastic creatures, monsters, landscapes, flowers and plants. If you don’t see anything at first, give yourself time!

You will need:

A few inkblots

Colored pencils

 Black or colored gel pen

For fun you can customize your Parker Ballpoint pen with these gel refills:

http://www.penboutique.com/monteverde-capless-broad-2-pcs-pack-blister-card-gel-refill-to-fit-montblanc-pens-black.html

Simply draw around what you see and color it in!

Inkblot Butterflies

You can make inkblot butterflies, color into them with colored pencils, and collage them on a page or in a diorama.  Prefold you paper, as instructed above, and apply ink on one half in a simple butterfly shape–one wing, perhaps with two lobes, a dot on each wing lobe, a quick line of ink for the body. Fold and unfold–a butterfly! Some will be more butterfly-like than others.

Questions: When was the Rorschach test first used?

 

Answer: The first publication of Hermann Rorschach's 10 inkblots was in 1921 as a monograph, Psychodiagnostik. For the 1940s and 1950s, the Rorschach was the test of choice in clinical psychology.

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Pen Trivia : Match the song titles with the artist...

Writing letters has long been a popular theme in popular culture songs. Revealing your heart always seems a bit easier when penning your feelings. Let’s see how closely you have been listening about writing. Match the song titles with the artist who made the tune popular.

1.) Book of Love
2.) Mr. Postman
3.) Black & White
4.) Ink
5.) Take a Letter Maria
6.) Paperback Writer
7.) The Letter
8.) Lady Writer
9.) With Pen in Hand
10.) Every Day I Write the Book

1.) Dire Straits
2.) The Beatles
3.) Elvis Costello
4.) The Monotones
5.) Coldplay
6.) Three Dog Night
7.) The Box Tops
8.) The Marvelettes/The Beatles
9.) Vikki Carr
10.) R. B. Greaves






















Answers:
1.)  #4
2.) #8
3.) #6
4.) #5
5.) #10
6.) #2
7.) #7
8.) #1
9.) #9
10.) #3

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Moleskine

For two centuries now Moleskine® (mol-a-skeen'-a) has been the legendary notebook of artists, writers, intellectuals and travelers. From gifted artists Henri Matisse (1869–1954) and Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), to poet and leader of the surrealist movement André Breton (1896-1966) to Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) considered the most influential writer of the last century, to famous travel writer Bruce Chatwin (1940-1989).

These notebooks have proven they can withstand the trials of travel and abuses that ensues from normal use. This is the one true trusted travel journal.

Genuine Moleskine
For over a century a small French bookbinder supplied Paris stationery shops with this simple black book where the artistic and literary avant-gardes of the world browsed and bought them. Writer-traveler Bruce Chatwin used to buy his moleskine at a Paris stationery shop in Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, always stocking up before going on his infamous journeys. It was Bruce Chatwin that called this little black notebook, "moleskine". He gave his friend Luis Sepùlveda, a Chilean novelist, a precious moleskine before a trip to Patagonia. It was precious because by then the notebooks were no longer to be found, as the small family concern in Tours closed down. "Le vrai moleskine n’est plus" were the lapidary words of the stationer to Chatwin who had ordered one hundred before leaving for Australia. Now, the Moleskine® tradition continues by Italian manufacturer Moleskine Srl. It can go back to being a witness, passing from one pocket to another and continue the adventure.

Moleskine paper and journals are so popular that they have inspired various blogs by true fans of the brand. Many of these blogs celebrate the various uses of Moleskine from travel blogs, class notes, drawings or journals. Check out and be inspired with details of the brand from some its most passionate admirers. With a variety of sizes, pages and colors to choose from the possibilities are endless!

Moleskine blogs:
http://www.moleskinerie.com/
http://mymoleskine.moleskine.com/cgi-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=register&blog_id=7
https://themoleskineblog.wordpress.com/category/moleskine/

Here are some of our favorite choices:
http://www.penboutique.com/p-7698-moleskine-volant-mini-extra-small-address-book-25-x-4-inches.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-7702-moleskine-pocket-35-x-55-ruled-notebook.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-7703-moleskine-soft-cover-pocket-squared-black-notebook-35-x-55.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-14392-moleskine-volant-large-plain-redburgundy-notebook-set-of-2.aspx
SPECIAL 30% OFF: http://www.penboutique.com/p-13049-moleskine-watercolour-a4-album-book.aspx

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Ink Trivia : How many years ago was the first successful recipe for writing ink created?

Ink Trivia

For years people had been carving into clay, stone, or wood to write a record of their life and experiences. But when ink and paper came, it revolutionized writing for all time. They are still in use today. Thus, it’s interesting to know who invented ink.

Many say it was the Egyptians who invented ink. They also say paper was invented by an Egyptian, because “paper” comes from the word “papyrus” which grew abundantly in the Nile region. But recorded history shows that both writing implements—paper and ink—were invented by Chinese men. The paper inventor was T’sai-Lun and the ink inventor was Tien-Lcheu.

Egyptians are often deemed the first users of ink. And that an Egyptian was who invented ink. This is because of the common notion that paper was invented by an Egyptian. True, papyrus was in wide use in Egypt for writing in early times. But they used stylus to carve figures on papyrus instead of black ink. Stylus is a pointed thin rod. Ink was first applied using a brush made of bird’s feather. With this invention, the ink inventor simplified writing and made it so convenient. By 1200 B.C. this black liquid writing implement became popular and other people developed it further by mixing natural dyes. Some applied different colors they took from minerals and plants like berries. This was all made possible because of the breakthrough provided by the man who invented ink.



Q. How many years ago was the first successful recipe for writing ink created?
























Answer: About 1,600 years ago, a popular ink recipe was created. The recipe was used for centuries. Iron salts, such as ferrous sulfate (made by treating iron with sulfuric acid), were mixed with tannin from gallnuts (they grow on trees) and a thickener. When first put to paper, this ink is bluish-black. Over time it fades to a dull brown.

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