THE ONLY HELPFUL TIP FOR LEARNING HOW TO WRITE ON HANDMADE PAPER
Understanding Calligraphy – Claudia writes
Calligraphy is like dancing or playing an instrument. Of course, first and foremost, you need a certain love for aesthetics and an artistic spirit to master it. But the second most important things are the right “instruments” and: practice. Yes, a lot of practice. It’s the art of movement on a delicate surface. Our founder and creative director Claudia, first a calligrapher (and dancer) and then a papermaker, will be sharing everything she knows and learnt in this blog series. From great nibs and inks to techniques and general thoughts. So in the end the dance on paper will become so much easier for you!
THE ONLY HELPFUL TIP FOR LEARNING HOW TO WRITE ON HANDMADE PAPER
Handmade paper and calligraphy will forever be an exquisite pairing. But everyone knows that pointed nibs and the surface of handmade paper sometimes don't get along well.
While we constantly optimise our product to achieve the best quality paper for calligraphy, our hands are tied at a certain point. I know that it is possible to get nice and clean results with pointed nib on our handmade paper. I know that from my own experience, and you, my dear customers, have proven that so many times with your wonderful works of art. But there is only one way to get there: practice, practice, practice.
What I practiced every day for several hours (in front of the TV, in the evening, when my children were asleep): my upstrokes.
With the upstrokes, never apply any pressure on the nib. No pressure at all. The nib must only slide upward. Easier said than done, I know, since handmade paper is not forgiving. As soon as there is only slight pressure on the nib, the fibers come off the handmade paper, unlike machine made paper.
I promise you though, practice makes perfect!
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