Starting as I mean to go on: characters

[marksealey]

(Apols; I couldn't immediately find an answer to this in any thread.)

I want to get into good writing habits at the start: which pen should I use to learn with?

Is round tip fountain the only way to go?

If so, which?

Are there fibre-tip ones just as good?

If so, which?

Thanks for any solid (= brand name and make number, really) advice

[OneEye]

Are you wanting to do calligraphy or just have a functional ability to write neat, legible characters? The first will require more than just a nice pen (a teacher), while the second can be done with any writing utensil. I use a ballpoint pen. Or a pencil.

But to be honest, I do have a "brush pen" that I picked up in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot in Walt Disney World. Don't know the brand name or model number (it was a Japanese import), but it does do really nice brushlike strokes when I want to get fancy in my practice.

[Hofmann]

I'd say any round-tipped writing instrument would work, although I think fountain pens are better because they require less pressure.

[The Elf Piper]

There's this:

http://www.hisnibs.com/uranus_2018.htm

They have some other nice-looking fountain pens, too.

[marksealey]

Hofmann and The Elf Piper,

Thanks.

Anyone know of a reliable source for any of the fountain pens mentioned in those threads: some of the pages no longer exist; Pelikan the best?

Edited October 8, 2008 at 02:29 PM by marksealey

[davidj]

For proper calligraphy, you must use a brush. The brushes come starched and you should only remove the starch from the tip, before using them, not from the whole length of the bristles. (You need a special sort of brush that, as I said, is starched, and which tapers to a point.)

Whereas western fonts are idealised pen calligraphy, oriental fonts are idealised brush calligraphy.

For casual use, I prefer a fine (0.3mm) liquid ink ball point pen (e.g. uni-ball eye micro).

[marksealey]

davidj,

Understood. Thanks.

And for regular writing of the characters in my notes, and in learning them?

Isn't a fountain pen best - for 'every day'?

[Lu]

If you want to do calligraphy, you'll need a brush. For any other writing, any writing utensil will do, just like for western letters. Ballpoint, pencil, finger in dust, whatever. Personally I didn't like writing characters with a fountain pen, but I see that opinions vary on that. If I were you I wouldn't especially buy a pen for writing characters, just pick up any pen and get started. A teacher (or any native Chinese, in this case) can help you learn to write better-looking characters.

Good luck!

[Hofmann]

For everyday writing, I'd say a stiff-nibbed fountain pen is the best. Pelikan is one brand of many, although it's one of the best IMO. If you want to know about any particular pen, you can see if it's reviewed.

There are "brush pens" which are pens with bristles, but most of them are crude substitutes for a real brush.

As for vendors, I recommend Oscar Braun Pens for Pelikan, Lamy, Waterman, Parker, etc. For Chinese pens or pens that Oscar Braun Pens doesn't have, I recommend isellpens.com. Their website is a mess, but they have a nice selection and nice prices. For ink, I recommend Pear Tree Pens. They have a nice ink sampling program. Finally, you can take a look at the For Sale forums on FPN.

[marksealey]

Thanks, Hofmann - that's very helpful