The Calligraphic Proccess - Pens, Ink & You

Calligraphic exercises are rarely just putting ink on paper.

For me, the process of writing begins with ink grinding. There is something sublime and serene about taking the quality ink stick to an ink stone and pulling water from the well up onto the grinding surface and using regular motions to create just the right viscosity of fluid for filling a quill or reed or metal nib with which to write well-formed letters.

Paper preparation comes next. That might sound tedious to someone in a hurry, but let's remember we are chasing perfection, not playing slap and tickle with this art form. Good paper still needs the attention of pumice, sandarach and the critical eye. We don't want a single loose fiber jumping into the split of the nib and ruining a line of writing.

Preparing the writing instrument is also critical and is part of the process. Whatever the writing instrument, we want it sharp, clean and prepared to receive our writing fluid. Cleaning it with soap and water is a start, a touch of acetone will remove oily impurities and a sharp eye on the edge will let us know that we will have a crisp edge and fine hair strokes and dandy finials.

Now, we prepare our mind and body. Michael Hughey, my first calligraphy tutor and expert in so many areas of lettering arts and design, suggests we begin with Mental Preparation, Relaxation which includes Breathing, even when writing. You see, even letters reveal if they are suffering from oxygen deprivation. Proper Posture. Proper pen-hold, The use of a slant board. And Practice.

We digress here because we must note that no major calligraphic work, be it a hand-lettered book, document or scroll, was ever created at a flat desk. Thus I set out to build portable, sturdy and inexpensive writing board for my students and colleagues and do to this day. They cost just $75 and will free your body from cramps, pain and bad posture. Plus, it makes you look cool as you write.

Now, we lay out our page, supposing we have something to say and we put pen to paper. We practice. We don't JUST practice. We practice perfectly. Practice does not make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.

In my studio and in my classes, we use the correct tools, which are surprisingly inexpensive, we learn to sit and breathe and we learn to hold the pen. We make our letters correctly. We practice perfectly and we laugh a lot.

Get some of the good paper, get the good tools, get the best writing fluids and get Tim to coach you through the process of practicing perfectly. I'll put it in WRITING that you'll be happy with the results.

Tim www.timjohnsonphoto.com