Pen nibs for drawing on WC paper?

[Lilo]

Hello all --

Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with drawing with nib pens using hot press watercolor paper instead of bristol?

There's lots of nib pen comparison info for calligraphers and comic book artists, but not so much for the person who wishes to do detailed drawings on a watercolor surface. (a' la Golden Age illustration)

I'm currently using a Speedball Hunt Globe 513 EF nib with Dr. Phil Martin's Bombay Black India ink on an Arches 140lb hot press block with fairly passable results, but would love to compare notes with anyone who has experimented with this.

Thanks!

[brushwaggler]

Hi Lilo. I've used nibs on smooth paper before but find, if they're too pointed, they catch on the paper. I find a nib that is square at the end works better.
Don't know if this helps at all.
Brushwaggler

[Lilo]

Hi Brushwaggler --

The 513 EF doesn't snag, which is why I've been using it. Square nibs might be a bit tricky, as I'm trying to show variance of line, from wide to super-thin (the sort you see in Spencerian script or Roundhand). This is why I'm using nib pens versus, say, a Rapidograph or Microns. Unless I'm misunderstanding what is meant by "square"...?

Thanks so much for your thoughts on this.

[brushwaggler]

No, I don't think so. I just put more pressure on the nib to produce a wider mark and lift it for a thinner one. It's usually the snagging that gets me. By square, I mean flat across the top.
Brushwaggler

[dkk]

Lilo, yes I've also had difficulty with pen nibs and various other pens on watercolor paper. So, much so, that I wanted to give up on the watercolor paper altogether.
Then I experimented with the Signo 207, the V7RT and the V5RT.......the V7Rt medium point COLD (it's a gel pen) works wonderfully on this paper. Also the V5RT. I can use the V5RT in a sort of drybrush technique too. Very fun.
I just happened upon this when I took these pens on vacation in a colder climate and higher altitudes.......on mountain hikes.
The COLD part keeps the gel from flattening and it keeps it stiffer for application.

[gpathy]

Lilo,

For the kind of work you are precisely aiming for.. there was a representative set of nibs used by the Golden age illustrators. Primarily they were Joseph Gillott nibs, or Esterbrook nibs.

But these are not made anymore , though you can occasionally find them on eBay.

Speedball Hunt has these exact set still in production..

The 513 you use is very good in fact.

check this out..
http://www.reuels.com/reuels/Hunt_Steel_Pens.html

The 52, 22, 99,103 and 102 would form part of standard artist set. The difference being..variation in size and stiffness.

[objectivistartist]

one must also take into consideration the pressure generated in applying the ink to the paper - and with effort, this can be extremely light, such to render VERY fine lines and stippling... I've only done one on heavy hot press watercolor paper, and that was "The Loner", which was done stippling to achieve the trompe l'oeil effect of the leaf, and the slats were done loosely to place more emphasis to the leaf - so cannot say much on nib usage, other than that for any of the works, I try to use the finest possible and if they break, get another....

[earnest_ward]

Hi Lilo. Modern steel nibs can sometimes feel harsh on a hard surfaced paper like HP w/c. One option might be to look at vintage dip pens with full flex gold nibs (14k are generally the best). Unless you know the seller, eBay can be rather dicey. But, fortunately, there are several very reputable penmeisters around who frequently have vintage dip pens on offer. And the Fountain Pen Network boards can be a wealth of information and advice.

Oh, one other option if your looking for amazing line variation and waterproof black ink -- Japanese fude brush pens. They can produce everything from the finest hairline to BB or even BBB and back again with no risk of a sprung nib.

Hope that helps. Cheers!

[Continental]

I usually use a fine emory board to slightly sand my pen nibs before use.

[earnest_ward]

Originally Posted by Continental

I usually use a fine emory board to slightly sand my pen nibs before use.

Hopefully not gold or iridium nibs!?!

[Continental]

Speedball does a good job on their nibs, I just slightly sand the edges and they glide across the paper with ease.