“What pen did you use?”
A guide to lettering with unconventional writing instruments
Introduction
Calligraphers and lettering artists receive a lot of questions on platforms such as Instagram and YouTube, about which tools they are using. Granted, using the appropriate nibs, brushes & pens can be of help to achieve certain styles, but not unless you know how to wield them. It’s easy to forget the dedication and years of practice that this skill necessitates, and many seem to place too much emphasis on specific tools.
Based on this, I conducted a little investigation into this phenomenon for my master’s degree thesis. How important is the pen, the nib or the brush? I experimented with about 50 different items, and narrowed it down to 16 really useful ones. I then used these 16 household items to create a large calligraphic mural, by using them as writing instruments instead of more traditional tools, such as pens and brushes.
During this time I learned a lot about various factors that contribute to successful lettering with unconventional writing tools. Lettering and calligraphy with random items is great fun, and I’d encourage everyone to try it. It can however be a messy endeavour, so I’ve compiled a list of tips, tricks & learnings as a free resource for you. That way, you can dive straight into the good stuff and not have to faff about so much in the beginning.
Firstly, here are some links to get you inspired:
36 Days of Type 2019 | by epletyv
36 Days of Type is an annual design challenge created by Barcelona based design studio Treintayseis. In 2019 I participated in this challenge and drew each letter with an item that started with the letter-of-the-day and compiled them into a video.
What pen did you use?
This is my Master’s Project ‘What pen did you use?’ on Behance.
@whatpendidyouuse
See more experiments on the Instagram account I created for this project.
Let’s go!
Tips & tricks for doing calligraphy with random items
01: Kerning
Kerning is the spacing between the letters. Some items are particularly difficult to achieve good kerning with, as the stroke width can be unpredictable/different to what you’re used to. The key here is practice (boring answer, I know). Alternatively you can practice the letter on a separate piece of paper to see how much room it needs, hold it up next to your artwork and mentally mark (or with a pencil) where to start the letter.
02: Spell check 🤓
Remember to include all letters in the word! If it is practice sheets, it’s not a big deal, but remember to spell check before putting paint/ink on a real wall. I often find myself missing out letters because I’m so caught up in what I’m doing.
03: Ink distribution
If you have an item with an uneven ink-distribution, for example if it releases most of the ink in the first few centimetres, think about where you need to start and end the stroke. Sometimes it’s best to start in the middle of the stroke to ensure good visual balance and to honour the traditional typographic structure of the letter.
04: Item size
When you’re dealing with a particularly wide item: make sure the letters are tall enough to include all necessary features, such as the crossbar of a capital E. Actually, this goes for all sizes: keep an eye on the spacing and balance inside the letter.
05: Guidelines
Draw guidelines to ensure a consistent baseline or letter height throughout. Guidelines are also helpful when planning out a mural, especially when it comes to large letters. They always need more space than you think.
06: Cover the floor + walls
There WILL be dripping. Lots of dripping.
07: Clothing
This one may seem obvious, but I’d hate for you to ruin your fave t shirt. Remember that ink can run down into your sweater if you hold it at an upright angle. Or that you can suddenly step in the ink tray because you’re not paying attention. Ink gets everywhere, no matter how careful you try to be. A solution to this could be to wear clothing that matches the colour of your ink. ⚫️
08: How ink affects your item
Some items, especially paper based ones, get soggy quicker than cereal. This will change the visual texture of your strokes while you’re writing, as the items get softer when they soak up ink and the result is a much smoother stroke. To battle this, you could cut off the ink soaked end bit when it gets soggy (provided that your item is big enough). Empty toilet rolls are great for lettering, but you need a lot of them because they get soft real quick.
09: Experiment with stroke textures
Think about how the object writes differently when it is full of ink, half full or almost empty. This can offer some great varieties in contrasts and expressions.
There are just a few things I noticed when I was doing this project. Using random items as writing instruments is a fun exercise that can give you unexpected and unpredictable results. My advice would be to embrace the imperfection and happy accidents. Scan it, clean it up in Photoshop and use in your designs for added tactility. Or simply frame your creation and give it to your mum — she’ll love it.
It’s also great for dealing with a creative block. Hopefully these tips can inspire you and get you started. Feel free to share your experiments with me on Instagram (tag me @whatpendidyouuse). I’d love to see.
Have fun!
