From Alice Young’s Skillshare Class. Find out more...

ST R O N G L I N E S :
Getting Comfortable with the
Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen
Strong Lines » Class 1 » Supply List Online Class Supply “Kit” Now Available!
To make purchasing easy, John Neal Booksellers (USA)
Pens has set up a supply “kit” for our class:
• 1 - 6mm pilot parallel pen (blue cap) www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/1230
• 1 - 3.8mm pilot parallel pen (green cap)
• 1 package blue-black ink cartridges

Paper for Practice:

• Premium Inkjet Paper from stationery store OR Bleedproof Marker Paper OR Fine Tracing Paper from art supply store
• Option: Use paper you have! It may bleed, but while you learn, that is ok! You can choose to save expensive paper
for nearly final work.

Paper for Final Work:

• Clairfontaine Triomphe Blanc from fine stationers or online
• Bienfang Graphics 360 OR other Bleedproof Marker Paper from art supply store
• Hot Press (smooth) watercolour paper – I use 90lb. Arches or Textwove from art supply store

Other:
• white paper tape (artist’s tape) OR any other removable tape (green painters tape works well)
• pencil, paper and ruler for drawing guidelines or sketching ideas
• kneadable rubber eraser (for capping unused ink cartridges)
• small glass or plastic container for water
• plenty of paper towels or cloth rags – and sink nearby for clean-up
long-neck pipette
• long-neck pipette for flushing & cleaning cartridges (available at craft stores or online)
• good music if possible!

Optional:
• Artograph Light Pad

Papers shown in “Your Paper” video

To clarify, you do not need ALL the papers shown in this video; I’ve simply provided multiple suggestions.
Here’s the exact brand names that I used in the demo:
• Bienfang Graphics 360 Translucent Marker Paper • HP Bright White Inkjet
• Clairfontaine Triomphe (blank, not lined) • Arches Hot Press Watercolour Paper (90 lb.)
And others that were mentioned:
• Copic Bleedproof Marker Pad • Canson Tracing Paper • Clearprint Design Vellum

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 From Alice Young’s Skillshare Class. Find out more...

ST R O N G L I N E S : Consider purchasing
all four pen sizes as a set,
Getting Comfortable with the even though we only

Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen need the larger sizes

listed for this class.

Note:These pens
Online Sources for Pilot Parallel Pens are not expensive!
Don’t pay more than
www.johnnealbooks.com (search Pilot parallel pens) $20 USD for one – I have
www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Parallel-Calligraphy-Pen-6.0-mm-Nib-Width/pd/892 seen them online at
www.paperinkarts.com/calligraphy-pens-parallel-pens.html super crazy high prices!
www.dickblick.com/products/pilot-parallel-pens/
www.quietfiredesign.ca (search Pilot parallel pens)
www.gouletpens.com (search Pilot parallel pens)

Online Sources for Clairefontaine Paper

www.clairefontaine.com/EN/products-page/triomphe-n2/triomphe-pad-21x29-7cm-90gsm-plain-6170C/
www.gouletpens.com/C6170/p/C6170
www.paperinkarts.com/claire.html
www.johnnealbooks.com (search Clairefontaine)

Resources for Left-Handed Calligraphers

My understanding is that the flat nib makes this pen ideal for left-handed calligraphers as it comes from
the manufacturer. However, John Neal Booksellers also sells the pens specially cut for left-handed
calligraphers, so that is another option.

Pens:
Left Hand Parallel Pen (modified) are available at johnnealbooks.com

Videos:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwjt7Dhdu-g
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzYlQYWM2m4

Books:
Insights into Left-handed Calligraphy
by Betsy Rivers-Kennedy is available at johnnealbooks.com

Resources:
www.clas.co.uk/left-handers.html

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 From Alice Young’s Skillshare Class. Find out more...
ST R O N G L I N E S : Getting Comfortable with the Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen
Parts of the Pen
Cap
Nib
Ink Controller
Nib Cleaner
THE PILOT PARALLEL PEN – A CRITIQUE
Strengths
• portable, convenient, durable – can be used
anywhere (ferry lineups, watching TV, while your
computer processes a large file)
• great for practice – larger sizes allow beginners
to concentrate on form
• great for achieving rhythm – no pauses for
dipping or filling
• great for fast, expressive calligraphy
• because the nib is flat (not angled), it is suitable for
left-handed calligraphers as well as right-handed
• strong, reliable ink flow is especially well-suited
for working on textured surfaces
• great for flourishing and hairlines
• long-lasting: metal nibs don’t wear down
• great for large work
• great for creating interesting colour effects
• can be used with a variety of inks
• can be completely disassembled for cleaning
– right down to the metal plates
Ink Cartridge
Rubber Converter
Barrel
Weaknesses
• not appropriate for small, delicate work
• smallest size (1.5 mm) still has .5 mm hairlines
(not enough thick/thin contrast)
• colour blending cannot be precisely controlled
• changing colours/inks/cartridges canSyringe
Monoject 412 Plastic be fussy
(available through John Neal)
• limited to 4 sizes*: 1 .5 mm (red)
2.4 mm (orange)
3.8 mm (green)
6.0 mm (blue)
• in some sets, the rubber converter is too loose to
be filled with ink; in others it fits tightly
• new to the market (about 15 years) so still
insert end of Monoject beyond plastic tab
considered ‘unproven’
Ink by many calligraphers
Cartridge
• if you work slowly, or on regular bond paper, ink will
tend to bleed, since it is such a strong-flowing
Ensure metal ball movesink
freely in cleaned cartridg
* John Neal Booksellers is now modifying pens to
smaller sizes, and other suppliers are modifying the
pens by splicing them for a double-stroke pen.
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 From Alice Young’s Skillshare Class. Find out more...

ST R O N G L I N E S : Getting Comfortable with the Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen

TATTOO DESIGN: FOUR APPROACHES

Approach 1: Refine your own art or doodles & sketches.
If you keep a sketchbook, or like to draw or doodle,
build on what you have already created. If not, pull
out those high school notebooks and see what you
were drawing and doodling. Take it from there!

Approach 2: Fill in a shape

Find a shape that will fit and complement the part
of the body where you want your tattoo. You might
want to photograph your arm (for example) and
sketch an outline of it, then fill in. Use layers of
tracing paper or translucent marker paper to refine
your design until you love it!

Approach 3: Find a reference you love and change it up!

Don’t plagerize! Do find reference material that
speaks to you and make modifications to create
your own unique piece of art. If your reference is
in the common domain (rather than the work of
another artist, with copyright) you can follow it
more closely. Did I say don’t plagerize?
»
You’ll find reference everywhere — in books,
(look for copyright-free), online and walking
down the street!

Approach 4: Explore your cultural roots

Each culture has it’s own visual iconography and
it often influences us at a young age. Most people
today can trace their roots to several cultures.
Explore the iconography of your lineage(s) and
create a tattoo as unique as YOU.
to narrow the scope of a project and help you
Note: In doing this project,
you might feel limited by the pen. Yet having
design restrictions can be very helpful
close in on a visual solution. Using the pen
will help you simplify your design and the
line quality of all your elements
will have a pleasing consistency.

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 From Alice Young’s Skillshare Class. Find out more...

ST R O N G L I N E S : Getting Comfortable with the Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen

STEPS TO CLEAN UP ARTWORK IN PHOTOSHOP

1. Scan (300-600 ppi) or photograph carefully (well lit, well focussed)

2. Open in Photoshop. Erase any background smudges or visible paper texture. Adjust levels if necessary.

3. Select white background with Magic Wand Tool (set to low tolerance, about 10)

Select/ Similar — to select any enclosed areas or counterspaces.

Select/ Refine Edge — Feather: ~ 1.5 px to soften selection edge

Select/ Refine Edge — Shift Edge: ~ +10% to tighten selection just a hair

4. Fill background with white

5. Select/Inverse to choose tattoo

6. Fill tattoo with black.

RECOMMENDED READING
Parallel Pen Wizardry by Brenda Broadbent
Foundations of Calligraphy by Sheila Waters
The Speedball Textbook, 23rd Edition by Joanne Fink and Judy Kastin
Design by Nature, Using Universal Forms and Principles in Design by Maggie MacNab

CONTINUED LEARNING
Most major cities have calligraphy societies, and they often bring in teachers of international acclaim.

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