What A Surprise! Dr.PH Martin's Bombay India Inks

A very unexpected treat from dear friend Lauren. I have been finding that I enjoy working with inks and pens best of all and so Laurena thought that she would gift me with this wonderful surprise! I am not very very verbose today so I think I will just go and play with these wonderful to inks - so many to choose from too!

A New Mandala & Some Great New Acrylic Inks

By now many of you must know what an incurable art supply junkie I am! I buy art supplies rather than clothes, food or household objects. I love being surrounded by art supplies - which, of course, includes those supplies related to quilting, felting and knitting as well as to painting and drawing!

I found these fabulous new acrylic inks made by Liquitex and, of course, I had to have the whole range of 30 available colors. I sold some pens to be able to buy the inks - so as not to upset my inner exchequer! I am happy to say that it was a good exchange too. These inks are rich - saturated colors. They work really well with dip pens - and, of course, brushes. The color range is quite complete and the metallic colors are truly beautiful! I searched for the best prices and found that my usual purveyor of choice (DickBlick) had the best pricing for these inks. Here is the link to Liquitex - see what they say about their new inks. Joggles, one of my favorite craft and class suppliers is also now selling them - go here to see what they have. Liquitex says that you can use these inks on fabric - although I have not yet tried them for that. Maybe today I will though. I think that they would heat set some but am not sure that they would hold up to much washing. Then again - I really need to test their washability I guess!

A new Mandala piece I just finished - it's 9". I have been drawn to very earthy colors lately -I find them to be very calming - helps me get more centered. Hummm Is that really possible ??!

The metallics are rich and vibrant.

The Work Of My Hand

I've been experimenting with a variety of pens, inks, watercolors & acrylics. The "work of my hand" was painted/drawn/inked on a page of my regular (daily writing versus art) Moleskine lined journal. The paper is very thin &, once I had started this drawing I wished I had done it on my Clairefontaine Watercolor pads. Thankfully, a layer of gesso on the paper really helped to beef up the weight & made this sort of detailed work possible on such thin paper possible. I loved working on this hand ! I may doing a regular painting of both hands in a similar style - I have some nice square canvas' all ready to go !

The A Doodler's Journey; An Improbable Romance of Pen & Ink

I have, indeed, succumbed to the fountain pen bug, or perhaps it is, rather, that I have returned to the fountain pen fold after a prolonged absence. What is new - to me at least - is that the fountain pen ink industry has blossomed in my absence. As I recollect ink was generally a matter or blue,black or blue-black. Parker Super Quink did make a beautiful turquoise that I remember fondly while Sheaffer had an amazing green. There were reds to be had at that point as wel l- I especially remember that Osmiroid made a red that I used in a calligraphy pen. In general though, there was a dearth of color in fountain pen ink....which made doodling with a fountain pen less enjoyable. No more !!! Fountain pen inks are now as beautiful & varied as any artist's medium - ink purveyors are now truly artists & their inks have become a true art medium. There are 'wet' inks, 'dry' inks, lubricating inks, inks in every color, shade and tone that you could wish for .. and did I mention that most are blendable as well?! There are even highlighting inks. Ooolala!! Check out some of the amazing colors available at J.Herbin inks (one of my favorite companies that also makes dip pens and sealing waxes), or Noodlers inks - with an amazing palette of inks available made right here in the USA. Another of my favorites is Private Reserve ink. You will be amazed at the variety!

I have, therefore, been spending an inordinate amount of time learning about pens and inks, collecting them & recently even trading them. I have also been enjoying doodling a lot - as I try out each new pen and ink in various combinations. They have become a revelation, much like using Caran D'Ache Neocolor crayons or Stewart Gill paints have been. This is the beginning of my doodling journey so I thought I would show you a couple of pages of my doodles - wrought as I try a new pen, or a new ink or various combinations of both! Inks are magical, intriguing and they have really captured my imagination. Go out and buy a fountain pen - you really won't regret it and your writing & doodling life might change - just as mine has ! I was astounded at how many wonderful pen companies are out there now- willing to help you choose just the right pen for you. Of course, because of where I live I had to depend on on-line resources - and there are PLENTY of them! I got my first pen from jet pens - they have an amzing array of pens available - Japanese pens like Pilot for instance. Their prices are very reasonable and they sell lots of cool new art supplies - like water brushes, markers, crayons, water colors etc. After that I decided I needed to do some research. I joined the Fountain Pen Network. This is a very well though out site with some of the nicest, most helpful people you will ever find in an on-line site. There are always great pens being sold through their 'market place' feature. I Sell Pens is another online site taht insures fast service, great prices and an array of reasonable priced entry level (or high level) pens. I could on - and probably will in the future - about the amazing resources for pen fanatics like I am becoming. Ink On!..and have a very happy weekend !

Penfabulous : Another Fine Virus Hits

This has been another week of being patient with myself. I seem to have been hit by another round of virus - whose main component is mind numbing exhaustion, cold sweats and a bit of dizzyness (no cracks from the peanut gallery - and you know who you are!). I did go to work & I did manage to get down to the "wood" beneath the piles on my desk. No mean feat at that! I was bound and determined that 1: I would make it thorough the work week and 2: that I would get through the piles before the new piles, marking the beginning of the month, began to appear by mail, fax and pony express . Mission accomplished.

Levenger Golden Tortoise

It was also one of those relatively contemplative weeks - frustration at not being as fast to recover, thinking about what I really wanted to make certain I finish before the final curtain gets called - hopefully a very long time from now, and thinking about the things that I truly enjoy doing. The things that fill me up - and don't deplete. When I was in my 20's & 30's I seldom deigned to use anything other than a fountain pen. I love fountain pens - always have. Somewhere along the line I was led astray & began using gel pens or ball points. Most people know that even with those plebeian instruments I am fussy and very picky. I am happy to report have finally returned to the fold. I had been grazing the foddered fields of ebay last week longing to replace the one pen that I truly miss. It was always my favorite and I still can't believe that I lost it somewhere along the occasionally dreary path to adult hood. It was a Mont Blanc fountain pen -of course. My holy grail of pens. Alas! In the intervening years I find that there is hardly any chance that I will be able to replace this pen of all pens. Pen prices have become as sky high as petrol prices (well, truth be told - a lot higher) and the business of putting ink to paper is no longer a young girls game. I did find a Levenger True Writer Golden Tortoise on Ebay from the Levenger Outlet - and I have to say that I am in love with it. It came with a medium tip that is, to me, a broad point that simply does not work very well for my hand. Levenger is sending out a fine point though which is wonderful &, in the mean time, I am enjoying the "medium" just fine. It's odd too that I would like this pen so much. It is larger for my hand that I though would be comfortable. I like where the "finger stop" is on this model - and I also like the nib - a steel nib but it does have a nice bit of flex and the ink flow is a bit wetter than drier. Perfect - not a Mont Blanc - but quite good none-the-less. The sensual feel of a good pen, with fine ink laid on paper is something you just have to understand! I am really enjoying writing - even just my journaling - so much more again!

Retro 1951 Scriptmaster 2 Fountain Pen in Citron

Here is my next pen. This is the pen that I must, absolutely, own. It has taken all of my will power this week to not just hit the "buy" button on several web sites. It would be here by now where I could be drooling on it and filling it with Noodlers Forest Green ink. Those of you who know me, understand why this pen, above any other is THE pen for for. I want it. I will have it ....soon anyway ! Lord ! I hope they don't run out of this in a fine point !!!

Pelikan 120 from the 1970's

Here is The Pelikan 120 that I unearthed this week. Is is the one pen that I have held on to for all of these years - and it still writes like a top - italic nib and all. I came across this wonderful place Fountain Pen Network this week too. Talk about an education ! Great people, lots of help, lots to learn. I found out about Chartpak, where I can send the Pelikan in to have my 'antique' fixed up... the top is cracked and she has lost the part that holds pen to shirt pocket. I think it will be nice to bring the old gal up to snuff again I think. Now, if bringing myself up to snuff was only so easy !!

The Beloved Mont Blanc That Is Lost.

This was the Mont Blanc that I used to carry everywhere. I used to write a lot then - probably much like now - but no doubt in a more plaintive way! This pen had a wonderful 22k gold nib that conformed itself to my hand writing. I guess it will always hold a special place in the pen box in my mind - I am still shocked at the prices. My father had a Mont Blanc Diplomat that I lusted for too. Unfortunately before I could ever screw up the nerve to ask him to leave it to me ( I mean before I was disinherited!) - he broke it quite soundly. It was also a bit large for my hand - but it was beautiful to look at!

I have also been enjoying an inexpensive Shaffer Calligraphic pen. They have made the [en more ergonomic than earlier models and it writes really wee. A couple of months ago Teri got me hooked into buying two of Pilot's new Parallel Calligraphy pens - now there are truly a boon to calligraphy and nice hand writing in general. There really is nothing like the feel on real ink on paper. Thank goodness thet still make it !