Difference between "calligraphy pen" and Fountain?

[chupie]

While I wait to get my "better" pen, I bought what was called a calligraphy pen that came with four ink cartridges, mucho inexpensivo. I was wondering IS there a difference between a calligraphy pen and a fountain pen? It does come with three different sized nibs. It really feels pretty smooth. But it is plastic and light. I like the weight of a real pen.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

They are actually the same thing, just sold under a different name. Calligraphy pens are actually fountain pens with a nib for calligraphy.

 

Dillon

[chupie]

So what is the difference in the nib? Thanks for answering.

[M4R1N4]

"calligraphy" nibs are usually italic: a line rather than a dot!!

 

If a normal fountain pen nib for everyday writing looks like this . then an italic nib looks like this _ Does that make sense? Italic nibs are made so that when held at an angle (usually 45 degrees / ) they create thick and thin parts to the letters as you write.

 

But technically, Calligraphy (from the Greek Calli (kalos) = good and graphy (grafos) = writing) just means beautiful writing.

 

I hope this makes sense.

 

 

 

Marina.

[Goodwhiskers]

"Calligraphy" nibs have straight-edged points, for that pre-industrial-era effect of the ink mark's width changing through curves.

 

Pre-industrial European and Middle Eastern pens were cut from feathers, dried reeds, cane or other easy-to-cut but firm material, and a rounded fine point like in today's fountain pens wouldn't have lasted long, so the point had to be edged and broad to stay in a consistent shape for as long as possible. After all, most pre-industrial Europeans, Middle Easterners and Euro-Americans who wrote had to carve and maintain their own pen points, and they would have preferred to keep their pen maintenance labor to a minimum.

 

In the movie "Shakespeare in Love," the Title Character was shown storing his feather pens by sticking them into an apple on his desk. I'd never heard of that, but it seems like a way to keep feather-shaft material from drying up and splitting.

 

"Standard" fountain pens have rounded points for an ink mark that is almost always the same width through any curve. This allows more freedom of choice in methods for holding the pen.

[Goodwhiskers]

Chupie, about pen weight: I have had fountain pens ranging from as light as yours to as heavy as a framing nail. I think you'll eventually enjoy different weights of pens for different situations.

[wimg]

Hi chupie,

 

Another difference is often tipping material. Calligraphy pens, at least the ones that are sold as such, generally have no tipping material at the end of the tip. They don't need it really, because for sharpness of the nib, which increases the ratio to thick vertical and thin horizontal lines, is more easily increased in non-tipped nibs that it is in tipped nibs. Plus, people who do a lot of calligraphy, resharpen their nibs whenever required, and just a steel nib makes that process a lot easier and not as difficult as for tipped nibs.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[Dillo]

Hi chupie,

 

Another difference is often tipping material. Calligraphy pens, at least the ones that are sold as such, generally have no tipping material at the end of the tip. They don't need it really, because for sharpness of the nib, which increases the ratio to thick vertical and thin horizontal lines, is more easily increased in non-tipped nibs that it is in tipped nibs. Plus, people who do a lot of calligraphy, resharpen their nibs whenever required, and just a steel nib makes that process a lot easier and not as difficult as for tipped nibs.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Hi,

 

I do make [very] sharp tipped nibs for italic calligraphy.

 

By the way, as Rotring put it, the nib is "square cut.:"

 

Dillon

[chupie]

Thanks everyone. That makes total sense.

[James Pickering]

Some great explanations posted in this thread, IMO!

 

http://jp29.org/cal59.jpg

[davyr]

In the movie "Shakespeare in Love," the Title Character was shown storing his feather pens by sticking them into an apple on his desk. I'd never heard of that, but it seems like a way to keep feather-shaft material from drying up and splitting.

 

haha, i saw a short bit of that movie on tv just the other day, specifically that scene! he sure had inky fingers. that shot with the nib was only momentary, but it looked like a persimmon he planted his quill in.

[James Pickering]

http://jp29.org/cal103.jpg