SPEEDBALL INDIA INK ON ROSEWOOD SERIES

It scans well, so I use it to create the components of all of the Learn Calligraphy worksheets, like the Kaitlin Style alphabet pictured below. Yasutomo’s sumi ink is one of my favorite calligraphy inks on the market! It’s velvety, pitch black, and boasts a smooth viscosity that is very beginner-friendly. Canada: Wonder Pens Malaysia: Alcee Calligraphy Singapore: Overjoyed United Kingdom: Scribblers (As a side note, Scribblers owner Simon tested Higgins Eternal on the Scribblers Edition Kaitlin Worksheet with excellent results!) United States: Paper & Ink Arts, among countless other retailers. If you’re interested in owning a bottle of Higgins Eternal, here are a few places you can buy it:Īustralia: Melbourne Artists’ Supplies (They unfortunately do not have an eCommerce site you might contact them to see if they take mail orders). Keep that in mind if you are planning on purchasing it! I really like that effect! All that said, you’ll probably be frustrated with Higgins Eternal if you are unable to pair it with a compatible paper (and/or add some gum arabic to it to thicken it up a bit).

I notice that there’s a little bit of gradation going on when you write with it: downstrokes are generally very dark, and upstrokes are a little bit lighter. It also dries nice and matte, which is visually appealing. Here’s what I like about this ink: it gives you the capability to make super-thin strokes. However, when I tried using the Sumi and Ziller inks, there was no problem. You can see that the Higgins ink bled like crazy on the printer paper. When I tried to use Higgins Eternal ink on it, disaster ensued. As a test, I printed off page 13 of the Amy Style worksheet set on standard 20# printer paper. That said, if the paper you are calligraphing is not necessarily high-quality, Higgins Eternal will give you a lot of grief. You can use it on envelopes or commissions and feel safe in knowing that the ink will withstand the test of time - thus the “Eternal”. To clarify: it’s a non-acidic ink, which means that it won’t eat away at paper over time. Higgins Eternal is a carbon-based ink that takes pride in its archival qualities. In fact, it’s an asset because the ink is capable of making impressively fine hairlines! You can see a beautiful contrast between thick downstrokes and super-thin upstrokes in the Janet Style envelope below: However, if you’re working with a high-quality paper, that’s not an issue. I gave it a try once when I was visiting her, and decided I didn’t like it: it was so watery and bled like crazy on the practice paper she provided me with! (Unfortunately, my mom didn’t love the ink, either … I think it’s part of the reason she abandoned her calligraphy learning endeavors.) However, there are many calligraphers who rave about this ink, so I purchased a bottle a couple of months ago to give it another chance.Īs far as black calligraphy inks go, Higgins Eternal ink is watery. When my mother decided she wanted to learn calligraphy a couple of years ago, she bought a bottle of Higgins Eternal ink. In the meantime, let’s kick off this ink examination by taking a look at Higgins! Higgins Eternal Black Ink

SPEEDBALL INDIA INK ON ROSEWOOD SERIES

I’d recommend waiting to buy any new black inks, though, until after this black ink post series concludes on Friday! That way, you’ll have all the information you need to make a smart buying decision. It’s only appropriate, then, that in today’s article we take a look at three well-known black calligraphy inks! You’ve probably heard of at least one of these inks … and if you haven’t, you may just find a new favorite. In previous posts we’ve discussed earthy calligraphy inks, sparkly calligraphy inks, and white calligraphy inks.

Speedball india ink on rosewood