Invitation To Show Off Your Stuff...

[MusinkMan]

 

So you don't have to wait for Ken's timezone to come around, I'll give you a hint: pressure and velocity. The point skates on a film of ink. If there is too much pressure, the film is squeezed out and the nib grabs the paper. If the nib move too slowly, the ink sinks into the paper and the nib grabs the paper. I guess that's two hints, but who's counting?

 

Seriously, keep the pen moving. As was pointed out earlier, the simple oval exercises (in both directions) are important, They build velocity and lightness of touch, and ingrain the shapes in your muscle memory.

 

Thank you Mickey. I hate to keep bothering everybody with these silly questions, but I would likely never figure them out on my own. So I still have too much pressure when moving the pen from right to left? Dang, it takes a whisper touch. Here is the "catch 22"...I can get a light touch when I write slowly and concentrate, but that gives chattery wonky lines; and I can whip the pen around quickly, but then I get too much pressure and the line swells. I feel like the pen gods are asking me to "choose my poison". LOL! I guess it just takes time, patience, and practice. If it were easy, everybody could do it.

 

In spite of all my belly-aching,I really do enjoy every aspect of it. I'm having fun...wishing I could "get it" more quickly, but having fun all the same.

 

Thanks so much for the insight. If I understand the "mechanics" causing the problems, that helps a lot. Hard to visualize what I'm doing wrong without you guys' help, that's for sure!

[Mickey]

Try this to get the right feel. Draw a bunch of counter-clockwise ovals on top of each other, gradually increasing speed and lightening your touch. Try to make the lines finer and improve the shape of the oval as you accelerate. (I know it seems counter-intuitive, but it is very possible.) Shift the paper an inch or so to the left and repeat, starting a little faster and lighter. Eventually, you'll get the right feel. Then repeat the process, writing the ovals clockwise. Then repeat both directions, gradually moving your ovals to the left (create a tight spiral) being careful to keep your touch light and the lines uniformly thin.

[MusinkMan]

I'm beginning (I think) to get the feel of it. It's almost like I "lock" my fingers, hand, and wrist into a fairly stationary position, and let the forearm manipulate most of the motion. Sort of the way I do slow vibrato on my guitar...I don't pull the string back-and-forth with finger movement, I lock the fingers in place, and rotate my forearm. Is that a good analogy? That's what it feels like to me.

[Mickey]

I'm beginning (I think) to get the feel of it. It's almost like I "lock" my fingers, hand, and wrist into a fairly stationary position, and let the forearm manipulate most of the motion. Sort of the way I do slow vibrato on my guitar...I don't pull the string back-and-forth with finger movement, I lock the fingers in place, and rotate my forearm. Is that a good analogy? That's what it feels like to me.

 

Other than the word "lock" which you quite sensibly parenthesized, it's a pretty good analogy. As you seem to be saying, the hand and wrist are inert or inactive and that the pen is moved by the forearm, which is itself moved by muscles in the upper arm and shoulder girdle. With the hand and wrist 'quiet,' the pressure on the point (and its orientation) won't change with the stroke, allowing you to make uniformly fine lines. I think the oval tracing exercise I described a few posts back is a good way to start developing that feel.

 

As for 'locking,' proper grip pressure can be discovered this way. Grasp the pen and squeeze firmly, then relax the fingers without opening the hand. The fingers and pen simply stay where they are. That's what I describe as 'quiet.' The hand and wrist are not locked, but available to contribute only as necessary rather than being prime movers.

[MusinkMan]

Another dumb question...I think I'm wearing out my nibs? How do you know when it's time to retire a nib? Mine are getting awfully scratchy and beginning to have flow problems. They also don't "start" well...I have to touch them to the paper a couple of times to get the flow going...and then they stop flowing and need a re-dip before the pen has discharged all of the ink in the nib. I guess it's time for nib coffins to be ordered?

[Mickey]

Another dumb question...I think I'm wearing out my nibs? How do you know when it's time to retire a nib? Mine are getting awfully scratchy and beginning to have flow problems. They also don't "start" well...I have to touch them to the paper a couple of times to get the flow going...and then they stop flowing and need a re-dip before the pen has discharged all of the ink in the nib. I guess it's time for nib coffins to be ordered?

 

Scratchy is definitely a wear symptom. Remember, steel dip pens corrode fairly quickly, even when used with the milder inks. Flow problems can arise from too much flexing and or excessive pressure or even normal wear and tear. Once the nib curve and slit taper are changed, flow can be a problem. Depending on how much I'm writing, I probably toss a nib a week. Stiff, not overly sharp nibs usually last longer. I've heard estimates of one nib every 20 pages, but who knows.

[MusinkMan]

Oh well, that is definitely the problem, Mickey. Thanks man. I've been doing those circular exercises and that really uses a lot of active nib-time. And these nibs weren't new when I started that, so I definitely have put a lot of mileage on them. I do try to keep mine extra clean and rinsed, but I guess that all good things got to come to an end.

 

New nibs it is. I will have a eulogy for the old nibs if you'd like to say a few words. :roflmho:

[caliken]

This is a little exercise which I use, to loosen up. It measures about 2 1/2" across and is shown here at a greatly enlarged size.

 

Three anti-clockwise curves are followed by three clockwise ones. It's important that the pen isn't lifted between the two movements. The shifting from one to the other, occurs constantly in flex-nibbed majuscule lettering and this little exercise is helpful in developing the movemement memory involved.

 

This figure is performed using muscular movement only, with the hand and fingers still, and is produced at a fairly brisk speed. Too slow, and distortions begin to appear in the hairlines.

 

Ken

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Flexiblenib380.jpg

Edited April 13, 2013 by caliken

[Mickey]

This is a little exercise which I use, to loosen up. It measures about 3 1/4" across and is shown here at an enlarged size.

 

Three anti-clockwise curves are followed by three clockwise ones. It's important that the pen isn't lifted between the two movements. The shifting from one to the other, occurs constantly in flex-nibbed majuscule lettering and this little exercise is helpful in developing the movemement memory involved.

 

This figure is performed using muscular movement only, with the hand and fingers still, and is produced at a fairly brisk speed. Too slow, and distortions begin to appear in the hairlines.

 

Ken

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Flexiblenib380.jpg

 

That's a good one, Ken. I just gave it a try and while I'm a good long way from reproducing your results, I've got a couple of hints that might help others and save a couple of trees world wide. The first is to imagine a vertical line bounding the right side of the figure. The second is to visualize that big S curve in the middle, which needs to be perfectly balanced for the spirals to be even spaced. Doing those two things make it a lot easier to see one's way through the figure and concentrate on making the pen move smoothly.

[Stompie]

Musinkman, Scribblers here in the UK are having a special on nibs including 303's. I don't know if the postage puts it up too much but thought I would mention it just in case!

[caliken]

That's a good one, Ken. I just gave it a try and while I'm a good long way from reproducing your results, I've got a couple of hints that might help others and save a couple of trees world wide. The first is to imagine a vertical line bounding the right side of the figure. The second is to visualize that big S curve in the middle, which needs to be perfectly balanced for the spirals to be even spaced. Doing those two things make it a lot easier to see one's way through the figure and concentrate on making the pen move smoothly.

 

Sorry - I made a mistake in my measurement. The image in my example is about 3" wide.

Of course, it can be any size you like, but too small will probably involve finger movement, which is to be avoided.

 

Thanks for your comments and appraisal, Mickey.

 

Ken

Edited April 13, 2013 by caliken

[Stompie]

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1367_zpsb1e3f7e5.jpg

[caliken]

Great paper at a great price - have fun!

 

Ken

Edited April 13, 2013 by caliken

[thang1thang2]

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Flexiblenib380.jpg

 

I have a question about this fun exercise. When one does the exercise, should the paper be oriented exactly how it is in your image? Because I can't see being able to hold my pen straight and make the swells at that angle. It looks more like one would rotate the image 90º and then try the same exercise?

[Mickey]

I don't know what Ken does or intends, but it can be done with the paper oriented normally. It's not easy, but it is possible.

[caliken]

I don't know what Ken does or intends, but it can be done with the paper oriented normally. It's not easy, but it is possible.

I place the paper square-on to the edge of my desk. With my normal tripod handhold, I rotate my oblique penholder clockwise with my fingers, so that the the nib is pointing to a horizontal line. This rotating movement raises the nib-to-paper angle. The exercise shape is then produced from side to side, with no finger movement.

 

As I wasn't entirely happy with my first posted attempt, here it is again, this time at the actual written size with better observation of the four basic 'rules' of construction.

 

1) Evenly balanced shades.

 

2) Even spacing between the parallel curves.

 

3) Consistent width of image from top to bottom.

 

4) Smooth hairlines with minimal kinks.

 

As we are not machines, these are just a guide - but their observation in practice, will pay dividends.

 

The central, large 'S' shape (as identified by Mickey) is very important as the smooth reversal from clockwise to counter-clockwise movement is a vital component in the construction of Majuscules; especially in the construction of ornate Spencerian.

 

As stated earlier, it's very important that this shape should be produced in one go with no finger movement and with no pausing in the middle.

 

Ken

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/FinalSwirls300.jpg

Edited April 13, 2013 by caliken

[MusinkMan]

Dang Ken,that is crazy-difficult. It doesn't look too bad until you try it. One big stroke for the whole thing? And writing with the nib rotated that way absolutely blows my mind. I want to video myself trying to do it, because it's hillarious to watch. Woe is me...I have soooo far to go...

[Stompie]

I want to video myself trying to do it, because it's hillarious to watch. Woe is me...I have soooo far to go...

 

LOL, yeah, I think videos of me trying to do certain things with pens would get me on that "Show me the Funny" slot! :roflmho:

[MusinkMan]

I want to video myself trying to do it, because it's hillarious to watch. Woe is me...I have soooo far to go...

 

LOL, yeah, I think videos of me trying to do certain things with pens would get me on that "Show me the Funny" slot! :roflmho:

 

We may win some money with that, especially both of us trying to do it. hahaha

[Najdorf]

I also tried this thing, its no easy

but i think you can split this problem to 3, the "ACW" the "CW" and the "S" and when you feel confident, do it in one go.

Its funny how sometimes you can actually feel the conflict between your hand to the brain when doing new drills like this.