development corrupts

Here's one of my favorite lines from Dreamwidth's diversity statement.

Focus today is on letterforms and consistency across the entire text, with minimal flourishes or fancy layout. This is the second attempt where I've tried to keep my hand looser, first attempt was more sloppy.

Written using Brause nib 2mm with winsor & newton sepia on a light purple sheet of paper. (I think the purple might not be showing up very well though)

So here's the rest of the alphabet. I only had a blank notebook available and no easy way to make guidelines or grids so errr. Lots of falling letters, beware!

Every time I get invited to something (assuming it's not completely spam), I say yes.

So far, I've attended a couple tech events which were okay.

I've started hooping, which has led me to discovering a group of people within that community who a) are interested in coding for fun b) are interested in the arduino c) know a local(!!!!) supplier for arduino/raspberry pi/suchlike. I'm terrified of hacking on electronics btw, but perhaps starting to inch towards interest with this group of people.

I've hooped in public, even. In front of strangers.

I've learned that a.) hooping will bruise and b.) how to bruise just a bit less.

I've been included in an ad for TV(??), among a group of ~ 20 strangers. (v. brief, anonymous crowd shot)

I've signed up for calligraphy classes for pointed nibs (ooops).

I'm considering doing a 30-day challenge. I considered 100-day, but I've upcoming travel which will interfere. Buuuut man. This saying yes is paying off

I passed by the art section in Fully Booked GB (it is nice and big and gorgeous and so much stuff :DDDD) and I came away with a set of gouache, and two(!) bottles of ink.

The Cretacolor ink comes only in black, and came recommended as a cheaper alternative. It's really cheap -- a quarter of the price of the J Herbin calligraphy inks. It's nice and opaque, maybe a bit thinner than the J Herbin, but the price really makes it. After seeing how much more other good quality ink is, the price for this makes it feel like I now literally can afford an infinite supply of ink for practice (180 pesos for 30 ml!)

I like how it looks on paper. It's a very solid, serviceable black, that dries well. The only problem is that it's a pain to clean off the nibs. It's remained crusted on even after I've soaked and rinsed, and it looks like I'll really need to get in there with a toothbrush.

Perhaps I've been spoiled by using the (much more watery) fountain pen inks, which just rinse right off :-)


The Talens drawing ink is about as thin as most fountain pen inks, and the color I got, carmine, came out very bright, almost neon. I'm still hesitant to use it, because I wasn't sure if it was suitable -- says for technical pen, but I decided to give it a shot. It's pretty expensive (200 pesos for 11 ml :x) but it comes in a bunch of colors, and assuming it doesn't damage the pen, which I still need to test, could satisfy my craving for more colors in smaller vials to play around with.

However -- it does feel very, I dunno, light? Malabnaw, I guess. I don't think it's going to cause any harm, but I'm somewhat dubious of its effect with a broad nib.


I also got a set of gouache to play around with, because I got envious of allll the pretty colors my classmates were using *___* I haven't dared crack it open yet; will probably wait until I have more time to focus, and not just doing the daily practice, but *_____*


OH OH. ALSO I'm being really ~fancy~ and brushing on ink into the reservoir instead of dipping my pen into the ink bottles. I'm much happier with the result: I'm starting out much more even, and now never have any issues with the pen being overloaded. It's less work than dipping, too, because I don't have to fuss with blotting off the excess.

I need to find droppers somewhere (mercury drug?). I feel sad when using the brush because because it does soak up ink (EXPENSIVE INK. WHICH I COULD HAVE USED TO WRITE WITH INSTEAD. Ahem). I want at least one dropper each color so I can switch within a session without having to clean in between. But that can wait :)