Communication with other people is an integral part of the life of each of us. But often we have to communicate with a person not personally, establishing direct contact, but using any means of communication. For a modern person, these are various instant messengers, social networks, email, SMS messages. But once upon a time people wrote to each other not short notes, reaching the addressee in the same second. Previously, I had to write long letters that could go on for weeks. More than one hour was piled over each letter, we tried to write it as meaningfully as possible, correctly. But in such letters not only the beauty of the text and the observance of spelling rules played a role, it was also important that it was written in a neat, understandable handwriting, so that the reader was pleased to hold the paper written with your hand. Proper writing was considered an art that not everyone can master, but everyone is able to appreciate.
Write beautifully!
Try to write something in beautiful handwriting! Most likely, most of us will not be able to cope with this task, because with the advent of the ability to print text, we increasingly resort to the help of a pen. "But a pen is such a convenient item!" - our ancestors would tell us now: they had to display their letters with a pen.
They say that if you master the skill of calligraphy with the help of an old adaptation, then the handwriting will become ideal, since writing with a pen is a difficult task and not everyone can handle it. Well, let's try and we will plunge into this confused ink world of calligraphy.
The art of calligraphy
Calligraphy in the translation of the Greek language literally means "beautiful handwriting." Now calligraphy is understood in different ways: for some, calligraphic handwriting is an exemplary, understandable writing style, such as in Soviet copybooks; others consider calligraphy the ability to turn a simple inscription into a masterpiece of fine art. And both points of view are true. There are a great many types of calligraphic writing - for example, they differ in national versions. Depending on this or that option, the way of drawing characters will be different. In Japan and China they use special sticks and mascara, in the Arab countries they use brushes, the European tradition obliges us to use a pen. We will dwell on it in more detail.
About tool
To understand how to write with a pen, you need to deal with the tool itself. Firstly, it is necessary to decide what kind of discussion is being discussed. In ancient times, natural feathers were used, which should first be repaired in a certain way. In modern calligraphy, they use special metal calligraphy pens, reminiscent of the pen we are used to (they are sometimes called the fountain pen). Since the principle of drawing for both devices is almost the same, let's talk about each of the feathers in turn.
Preparing a traditional pen
For writing, most often used a goose feather, less often took turkey or crow. If you are right-handed, then the third or fourth fly feather from the left wing of the bird is suitable for writing to you, left-handed people should take a right-wing feather. So the tool is more convenient to hold in your hand. It is difficult for us to imagine how they used to write with a pen, because there is no place for ink accumulation in it. However, we overlook the process of preparing writing instruments for use. At first, a groove was hollowed out in the pen into which ink was collected, and the edge of the tool was obliquely seated. The feathers used to even be tempered like metal - to give strength they were boiled in a mortar.
Fountain pen selection
Yes, you don’t need to repair a special calligraphy pen, temper it or carry out any other complicated procedures - just go to the store and buy the right thing. Alas, the situation looks only at first glance. Choosing a fountain pen is an important and difficult step that you must go through if you want to master this art and learn how to write with a pen. It’s better not to buy a pen at the nearest stationery store around the corner, but to look for a really calligraphy salon specializing in this. Signs of a good tool include the even, smooth surface of the metal from which it is made; high-quality pen has symmetrical teeth that do not scratch the paper. Remember that in this case it is better to overpay for a truly worthwhile, high-class device than to save on it. Then your hobby will bring you only joy, and you will not abandon a new hobby because of a poor-quality tool.
So different feathers
By the way, feathers can be very different in their technical characteristics. Large-scale pens and small-writing devices are distinguished. In this case, the size speaks for itself - the larger the pen, the more suitable for a larger font. The thickness of the letters depends on the flexibility of the pen: the more the pen bends, the larger the distance between the cloves becomes and the more ink is poured on the paper. It will be difficult for a beginner to cope with the task of distributing pressure and controlling the amount of ink, so for a start it is better to choose the least flexible stylus. The same applies to the width of the tip - for beginners and those who are just mastering the technique of writing with a pen, you should buy a tool with a thin tip. It will allow you to display the most accurate lines.
How to write with a pen
Firstly, before starting work, do not forget to wipe the pen with alcohol, and then wipe it dry - this will remove the remnants of grease or a special film that covers the factory metal feathers to protect against corrosion. And in general, so that the pen lasts longer, do not forget to periodically clean and degrease it, keep it in a dry place.
How to write with pen and ink
In order to start writing letters with a pen, it will not be superfluous to initially train in copybooks. The paper is lined there, there are font samples. However, before you write letters to your friends with a pen, it’s worth mastering the very technique of writing characters on paper. Take a pen in your hand as you would with a regular pen, back 3-5 centimeters from the tip. Relax your hand - this is very important, soon you yourself will feel how much easier and more pleasant it is to write in this position.
Dip the pen in ink. Do not draw a lot of paint. If you learn to write with pen and ink, you need to remember that it is somewhat thicker than ordinary ink - it is more difficult for beginners to cope with it.
Modern fountain pens, thanks to their mechanism, do not leave blots, but if you write with a real bird's feather, you should be careful.
Next, put the pen on the paper at an angle of about 45 degrees - this produces a line that is optimal for writing. Later, you can experiment with the angle of the pen and observe how the line changes.
Keep the pen smoothly, evenly pressing on it (to get a thin line, you practically do not need to press on - it itself comes out from under the nose).
Tear off the pen from the paper and enjoy the result. With an initiative!