Quite often when searching online for a new calligraphy pen you may find that the results you get back will direct you to “fountain calligraphy pens” pages. This may lead to some confusion as the newcomer to the world of calligraphy may not be aware of the difference between a calligraphy pen and a fountain pen.

Let’s start with a fountain pen first. The fountain pen was the forerunner to the modern day ballpoint pen in terms of being the implement used primarily for cursive writing on a day to day basis. The fountain pen contains its own ink supply that is then delivered to the pen nib from a replaceable ink cartridge or refillable reservoir. The nib of a fountain pen has a rounded point that is suitable for flowing script with minimal pen lifts.

The calligraphy pen is otherwise known as a dip pen stemming back to the early pens made from reeds or quills with the ink delivered to the nib by dipping it into the ink. The nib of a calligraphy pen differs to that of a fountain pen in that the calligraphy pen nib has a straight edge compared to the fountain pen’s rounded point. The calligraphy pen is designed to be held at a constant angle to the page throughout each stroke, creating the thick and thin lines that are particular to the lettering that is being created. Similarly, the calligraphy pen nib is designed to be pulled in one direction (from the top of the page to the bottom), creating each letter with multiple pen lifts. To make this even clearer, the calligraphy pen is never pushed.

So, for example, when constructing the letter ‘o’, the calligrapher will first draw the left semicircle in an anti-clockwise direction starting at the ten o’clock position and ending at the four o’clock position. Then the pen is lifted back to the ten o’clock position and, in a clockwise direction will draw another semicircle from ten o’clock to four o’clock again.

Another difference between calligraphy pens and fountain pens is in the ink that can be used with each. Make sure you use only ink that is specifically labelled as being suitable for a fountain pen in your fountain pens. India ink, drawing ink and calligraphy ink are thicker than that which is used in a fountain pen and will only clog up the fountain pen feed with the particles that are present.

So, when searching for a calligraphy pen that you are intending to use specifically for calligraphy, take care to buy an actual calligraphy or dip pen. You will be after a separate calligraphy pen holder into which can be inserted a pen nib. To get you started, some of the better known calligraphy pen makers include Osmiroid, Speedball, Platignum, Rotring, Sanford and Brause.