Know your nibs

Nibs are fundamental to Modern Calligraphy as it allow you to achieve those thin and thick strokes that are unique to Modern Calligraphy. There are lots of nibs out there, so what’s the difference? Flex, ink capacity, size & durability. As they come in all shapes, sizes and metals, there can be quite a variation in feel and application.

If you’re just starting out, then focus on the basic shapes and pressure control. Make your life easy and start off with a Nikko G nib which is a great all-rounder, it’s responsive but doesn’t require too much control to achieve your thick and thin stokes due to its medium flex and fine tip.

Have you started with the Nikko G and now looking to switch things up? The blue pumpkin (Brause Steno 361) nib is a great place to start, not only is it good to look at but it also has greater flexibility. So if you feel that the Nikko G is a little stiff for you, maybe you will prefer the flow of the blue pumpkin for larger lettering or flourishing! The larger nib also means you’ll benefit from not having to dip as frequently because it has a larger ink capacity. Just be warned that this nib actually works best with watery inks, thicker inks will tend to blob off quite quickly!

For extra fine lines, go for the Leonardt EF Principal Nib. This is a very flexible nib and with it’s extra fine tip it means you can get a striking contrast between your thick and thin downward strokes. Experienced pressure control is needed here for those smooth strokes.

Don’t forget to wash them!

As with all new nibs, they will come with a protective coating of oil. If you don’t wash them, the oil will resist the ink and therefore not holding enough ink on the nib to last very long, if at all!

So don’t forget to wash the nibs, I typically use toothpaste and an old brush as I find this the most effective. You could also pop it into a potato for 15 minutes, or just keep cleaning it multiple times with water/soap until the ink coats the nibs surface.