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Pen and Ink Stone Bridge

Pen and Ink Drawing

This drawing was made with the Pilot Penmanship FP with EF nib. I just got this pen a few days ago. Having been disappointed in the Lamy Safari “EF” nib in it’s so called extra fine line I started to look for a reasonably priced really fine pointed nib and as I discovered the German version of EF VS the Japanese version of EF is totally different, So I bought the Penmanship. It’s a very basic model..what do you want for 8.25? But it’s cheapness is over ridden by the fantastic line you can put down with this pen. It’s as thin a line as one of my crow quill dip pens and that is exactly what I was looking for. I use the Penmanship when away from home for sketch..out doors.
Pilot really made something very economical, (cheap..some would say) and the nib is very smooth..but, I’m comparing it to the tiny points of my dip pen nibs. It has some scratch but it does not poke the paper and it’s easy to push the pen as well. So scratchy is not a problem for me..I like a bit of feedback from the pen when drawing with it.
So this 8.25 pen (I can’t get over it’s price) is pretty much exactly what I was looking for.
The Pilot Converter for this pen costs more than the pen but I got it anyway. Clearly a must if loading your own ink. This drawing however, was done with the one sample cartridge (Black) that came with the pen. All in all a decent pen for the price.

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3 Weeks with Noodlers Black FP Ink

Noodling with Noodlers

Noodling with Noodlers

A few weeks ago I purchased a Lamy Safari EF, a Moleskin Hobbit SE and a bottle of Noodlers Black. I intended to use this set up for journaling away from the desk. Plein air sketching etc., Well it turns out the Moleskine is not really suited for heavier sketching with this particular combination…but it’s fine for pencil, Microns..

The Noodlers will bleed thru and feather on the Moleskine paper. But regardless of that the Noodlers worked out very well with this Lamy EF combination. no skipping,  hard starts, ink explosions, leaking.

The ink is very dense, black, lays down a solid black line, is as waterproof as it claims…I believe any  ink that is not completely absorbed by the paper will smudge, bleed etc…at least FP ink.

I use India ink regularly.  There are some india inks that are IMHO waterproof..even when I lay down a wide thick and heavy line with a dip pen nib..crow quill, G nib, etc.

but as Ive only read waterproof FP ink is  harder to come by.but as I said, if the ink doesn’t leave a deposit above the surface of your ground it can be 99.99% waterproof which is more then sufficient..at least for my purposes…which is drawing.  When adding a watercolor wash that’s where the waterproofness of the ink matters.

This Noodlers black stands up to the company’s claim.  Love this Noodlers..and it’s a large bottle, filled to the brim so its a good value as well as being waterproof, black as tar and safe in my fountain pen. It looks like slithery black eels when you do a little calligraphic style line with your dip pen. If that sort of thing turns you on(:!

it turns me on. Thick, glossy, and very very black and opaque On almost any paper Ive used so far..even watercolor paper. Get some…

and unfortunately no..I don’t get any swag from Noodlers…but that would be nice…