Writing Corner

“The perfect pen and the perfect paper and me working on work that pleases me and has no note for the critics.” - John Steinbeck

Edgar Allan Poe believed that handwriting is an indication of character revealing our “mental qualities.” Indeed, the marks we leave on the paper are our most intimate of thoughts. Few exercises offer the not always seamless collaboration between brain and body like that direct line of the brain and the tip of the pen reaching paper creating copy.

John Steinbeck (February 27, 1902–December 20, 1968) captures this curious role of the pen as a negotiator between brain and body in a series of disarming observations in Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath. This remarkable volume that gives us a glimpse of how the great writer used the diary as a tool of discipline and a hedge against self-doubt when he embarked on the most intense writing experience of his life, the masterwork that earned him the Pulitzer Prize and his Nobel Prize.

Read more »

Writing Corner

Far Eastern calligraphy is an art within art, a way of life, and a path to immortality. Just like love fills the heart, calligraphy fills our souls, nourishing a new sense of life born out of selflessness, absence of pride in the fertile soil of a pure mind. It can intrigue you by stimulating the deepest layers of sensitivity accessible to a human being. Life experience adds a lot of flavor to one’s work. In this capacity, it cannot be learned, and it ought to be experienced, it cannot be rushed, but it must be earned.

The importance of choosing the ink, whether using a calligraphy brush, calligraphy pen or an everyday fine instrument, is also held in high regard as a critical element in Far Eastern calligraphy and writing. Two of the most popular ink bottle brands that are mainstays in today’s eastern and western cultures are Sailor and Pilot Namiki Iroshizuku, both originating from Japan.
You too can embrace the Eastern way of mindful thoughtfulness is by choosing these captivating inks.

http://www.penboutique.com/search?q=+Pilot+Namiki+Iroshizuku%2C

Read more »

Writing Corner - Wild Bill Hickok Last Letter to his Wife

Wild Bill Hickok

Last Letter to his Wife

One of the beauties of a hand written letter is that they can live on long after the writer is gone. Be the reason sentimental or historical, reading a hand written letter from long ago packs an emotional response like nothing else.

James Butler Hickok, also known as Wild Bill Hickok, was a skilled gunfighter and lawman from the American old west. He was also a professional gambler between his law-enforcement duties. On August 2, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Deadwood, in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory. He had a premonition Deadwood would be his last camp, and expressed this belief to his friends who were traveling with him at the time. Shortly before his death, he wrote a letter to his new wife, which read: “Agnes Darling, if such should be we never meet again, while firing my last shot, I will gently breathe the name of my wife — Agnes — and with wishes even for my enemies I will make the plunge and try to swim to the other shore.” J.B. Hickok Wild Bill

Interesting Fact: Legend has it that before Hickok was shot he had lost all his money and had to borrow $50 from the house to continue playing. When shot, he was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, all black. The fifth card had been discarded and its replacement had not yet been dealt. In poker, a two-pair of aces and eights is known as the dead man’s hand. 

Read more »

Inspiring the young to write

In order to keep the art of writing, and writing in cursive penmanship, alive sometimes we all need a little inspiration. It is important to inspire our young ones to keep both arts alive. Here are some fun, sure-fire questions to prompt and get the young creative juices flowing.

1. If I was a super hero what kind of super hero would I be and what powers would I have (This can also be done using villains)?

2. If you were given 3 wishes what would they be and why?

3. If I could invent a new toy what kind of toy would I create and why?

4. If you could be invisible what would you do and why?

5. What would do if you won a million dollars?

6. Write about something you are really good at.

7. Write about 1 thing you want to learn about.

8. Write about a time when you worked really hard to get something.

9. What is the best thing someone has ever given to you?

10. What is the bravest thing you have ever done?

Read more »

Penmanship Writing Corner - Write Often

Penmanship Writing Corner

Write Often

If you really want to improve your penmanship you need to practice, An occasional note, birthday card , and a grocery list is a chance to practice, as is the ‘honey do’ list. But if you are serious about being able to showcase your exemplary penmanship skills keep a journal, pen a short story or copy cursive writing from a template, anything that will give you more experience forming letters and words.

I must admit my cursive is excellent; it must have been all those black and white composition books where I had to practice over and over again each letter of the alphabet. Like anything worthwhile, it takes time. But don’t despair, it will most likely take less than the twelve years I practiced in school!

It is a personal preference as to what writing tool you use. Rollerball pens are so smooth that they writer smoothly with the least amount of pressure. On the other hand, more pressure is required to write with ballpoint pens. If you write small, and want to explore writing with a fountain pen, you’ll probably want to go with a fine-tipped pen so your writing becomes more legible. If you write in a very simple, minimalistic way without much embellishment, you might want to try writing with a stub-nibbed fountain pen or a chisel-tipped pen just to see how that might change your writing. Whatever you decide “Write-on!”

Read more »

Monks Contributions to Calligraphy

Medieval monasteries were the refuges for book copying during the Middle Ages. The burning of the library at Alexandria in the 5th century had been a terrible blow to humanity. Countless scrolls containing scientific, philosophical, artistic and mathematical knowledge were destroyed out of ignorance. Surviving documents were rare, and were often brought to monasteries to be copied for future generations.

The Bible was certainly the most copied book of the Middle Ages. Not only was the Church interested in using these Bibles to spread its gospel throughout the land, these volumes were to be a veneration of beauty. Monks would often work in large rooms called a scriptorium, and only those working on texts would be allowed in this room.

Monks became specialists. The antiquaries were masters of calligraphy. Rubricatores illuminated the large initials at the beginning of a page while miniatores illustrated the margins. Monks called illuminators painted intricate designs and biblical scenes on pages, to supplement the text. One of the most famous of these, the Book of Kells, was written around 800 a.d. and can still be seen in the library at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Some monks made tremendous strides in changing the acceptance of non-biblical writing. Thomas Aquinas rattled the foundations of the Church when, instead of denouncing early Greek thinkers, he read ancient texts to reconcile their philosophies with Christianity. The illuminations also went against the convention of "never paint a picture of Christ." These illustrated scenes became masterpieces, and aided in the peasants' understanding of biblical stories.

Read more »

Music, Inspiration and Writing

Listening to music, while writing, has always provided an inspired backdrop. Writing with a musical related fine writing instrument will also motivate one to pen creative works.

Four young lads from Liverpool set the music world on its ear starting in the sixties. Their influence and collectability of all things Beatles related merchandise still stands strong to this day, over fifty years later. For the true Beatles fan Acme offers an array of wonderful choices of roller balls depicting the Fab Four from various periods of their esteemed career.

The Beatles

http://www.penboutique.com/p-13950-acme-the-beatles-1963-rollerball-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-14009-acme-the-beatles-1965-rollerball-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-14008-acme-the-beatles-1966-rollerball-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-14007-acme-the-beatles-1967-rollerball-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-14006-acme-the-beatles-1968-rollerball-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-14004-acme-the-beatles-1969-rollerball-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-8088-acme-rod-dyer-beatles-pen-with-interchangeable-rollerball-fountain-pen-set.aspx

Pink Floyd’s masterpiece “Dark Side of the Moon” had mammoth long-running sales, with its years charting success. The album showcased the talents of the group’s diversity and inventiveness.

Did you know that there is an actual Pink Floyd writing font? The font is based on the cover writing of the band’s famous groundbreaking work “The Wall.” What better way to test this alphabet than with the limited edition of the Acme Pink Floyd Rollerball.

How many artists have their own designed drum sticks and writing instruments? The answer is jazz great Lenny White. White is an American jazz fusion drummer best known for being the drummer of Chick Corea's Return to Forever. He has been described as "one of the founding fathers of jazz fusion".

You can own this hip writing pen by following the link here.

Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons the 20th century, he is often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll” or simply, "the King." Elvis is featured in these exquisite pens by Montegrappa. The royal treatment is given to these legacy collectible writing wonders.

http://www.penboutique.com/p-10757-montegrappa-elvis-aqua-ballpoint-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-10751-montegrappa-elvis-black-fountain-pen.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/p-10756-montegrappa-elvis-white-rollerball-pen.aspx

A music nib is actually a stub. But it’s not just any stub, it’s a special stub designed for a particular kind of usage. To write music, you need a pen that can make thin vertical strokes for the stems and flags of the notes, and fat horizontal ones very fast. To make it write music, you need to hold it a little differently than you might hold a pen when you’re writing text. There is a high angle of elevation in the way the pen is rotated in the hand so that its narrow stroke is vertical relative to the paper. Music nibs also write very wetly so that they can support the hasty style many musicians often use.
You do not have to be a musician to write with the music nib. You can write anything you like, and you’ll find that a music nib gives you nice line variation and the very smooth line. Many prefer using a music nib as their favorite form of writing expression. Sailor and Platinum both offer a wide selection of various colors with music nibs.

http://www.penboutique.com/sailor-1911s-gold-accents-14kt-gold-red-fountain-pen.html
http://www.penboutique.com/p-11526-platinum-3776-black-music-fountain-pens.aspx
http://www.penboutique.com/platinum-3776-century-chartres-blue-music-nib-fountain-pen.html

Read more »

Calligraphy Definition

1.) Fancy penmanship, especially highly decorative handwriting, as with a great many flourishes.

2.) Handwriting; penmanship.

3.) The art of writing beautifully

4.) A script, usually cursive, although sometimes angular, produced chiefly by brush, especially Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic writing of high aesthetic value.

5.) Fine Arts. A line or a group of lines either derived from or resembling letter forms and characterized by qualities usually associated with cursive writing especially produced with a brush or pen.

Read more »