Pen Holders and Nib Angle

When doing pointed pen calligraphy, the main tools that you need are:

  • Pen holder

  • Pointed nib

  • Ink

  • Paper

It is also useful to have a jar of water for rinsing the nib and paper towel or a piece of cloth for wiping the nib. You would want to clean off your nib after every session, whenever you get paper fibers stuck in it, or whenever the ink has dried on the nib.

There are two types of pen holders: straight and oblique. 

The straight pen has a groove at the top where you can insert the nib into. I would recommend using a straight pen if you want to do a vertical script (not slanted at all). I personally have trouble using the straight pen for a slanted script like copperplate because I find that I would have to twist my hand uncomfortably to do it, but different people hold pens differently so I would still encourage you to try using it. 

The oblique pen has a metal attachment to the pen called a flange. The metal flange protrudes at an angle from the pen holder and is meant to assist you in performing a slanted script.

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When buying oblique pens, I would advise you to pay attention to how much the flange allows the nib to be angled towards the center of the pen. If you trace an imaginary vertical line from the center of the pen, the tip of the nib should fall as close as possible to that imaginary line. Having it aligned to the center allows for a more balanced feel while writing.


Another thing that I would look at when writing with oblique pens is the angle of the nib relative to the paper. Everyone has their own preference on this and you would develop your own preference the more you use the tool. Here are some differences that I’ve noticed:

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Steeper nib-to-paper angle:

  • There is more resistance in splaying the tines of the nib

    • Shades tend to be naturally thinner

    • If you want shades to be thicker, you need to apply more pressure

  • Thinner and crisper hairlines

  • Paper tends to snag more

  • Scratchy writing

  • Personally, it is easier for me to create squared tops with a steeper angle

Lower nib-to-paper angle:

  • There is less resistance in splaying the tines

    • Easy to create thick shades

    • Less pressure needed

  • Hairlines can get thicker

  • Nib catches less fibers

  • Smoother writing

Hope this post helps you get to know your pen holders a bit better!

Maxie Penapointed pen, calligraphy, oblique pen