A few brands might also have the option of purchasing or including a converter that will allow you to use bottled ink instead of cartridges. Rotring ArtPen Calligraphy Fountain Pen with Ink Cartridges and ConverterĬalligraphy fountain pens typically use ink contained in plastic cartridges so it is relatively simple to purchase refills specific to your pen. One should generally follow the recommendations of the pen manufacturer or choose inks that are specifically labeled for fountain pens.
It’s possible that any similar medium for airbrushing (finely ground pigments) would also be finely ground enough for a dip pen.Ĭalligraphy fountain pens are a little more restrictive as to what type of ink should be used in the pen. There are other brands of similar mediums on the market but I have not tested enough of them yet to decide which one would be a suitable replacement. If you really need an ink to be waterproof, test it first or consider an acrylic-based alternative suitable for dip pens. This will be especially noticeable when mixing calligraphy with other media such as watercolor. Tip: Although some inks are labeled “waterproof”, a good soaking in water will cause some disruption of the ink. The black was dense, opaque, flowed well from the nib, did not “puddle” at the bottom of a pen stroke, and did not show the overlap of pen strokes.
It was used for a variety of techniques including drawing and airbrush. The Rotring Artist Color was not technically an “ink”, but an acrylic medium with finely ground pigments that was lightfast, waterproof and permanent. Unfortunately, the Rotring Artist Colors have been discontinued so I am in the process of looking for a comparable replacement. Try to avoid using inks with shellac – most brands will have it listed on the label. Tip: Some inks labeled “India” or “Indian” inks contain shellac, a substance that dries very quickly and will clog and often damage fountain pens and dip pen nibs.
The Winsor & Newton Liquid Indian Ink is rather interesting as it is a water-based solution of Chinese stick ink with no shellac.
INDIA INK FOUNTAIN PENS PROFESSIONAL
Rotring Artist Color Opaque (Waterproof) for professional work.Ī well-used bottle of Rotring Artist Color (Opaque) and Winsor & Newton Indian Ink.Winsor & Newton Liquid Indian Ink (Non-Waterproof) for general calligraphy.Over the years I’ve narrowed my “favorite” ink choices to two brands for all my calligraphy work : You don’t need to run out purchase several different brands of calligraphy ink unless, of course, you happen to love all the varieties! Pick one or two to start and work with it a while before deciding whether or not it suits your requirements and style. do you prefer blacks to be a warm (brownish) or cool (bluish) color?.is the ink for a dip pen or a fountain pen?.Chinese/Japanese stick ink (for dip pens)Ī few general questions to consider when selecting an ink:.fountain pen ink (only for calligraphy fountain pens – not dip pens).There are three types of inks suitable for calligraphy: Ask ten different calligraphers what is the best ink and you will probably get ten different answers! Ink is also a highly personal choice – what works well for one calligrapher might be a disaster for another.įortunately, there is a wide range of varieties, formulas and colors to choose from that also can be confusing when searching for the “perfect” calligraphy ink. Ink is arguably one of the most important parts of Calligraphy along with pens and supports (paper).