The picture above shows the few tools I use the most, excluding a bigger round brush which is my universal acrylic and ink brush. I use lots of Indian ink which I keep in the glass inkwell pictured. I found the well from a swap meet: First bought the empty well and then found the funny metal-topped cork from a table nearby. I love finds like this. My inkwell is full of old metal nibs which have detached themselves from various ink pens. Naturally, it would be way too cumbersome to empty the bottle once in a while and save the nibs.. wouldn't it?
My favourite pen is a dip pen: I like dip pens because they're nice to use and also much more versatile than ballpoint pens or standard fineliners. In a way they're everlasting, too.. I only use wooden handles because many years ago I accidentally bought a set of them from a fleamarket, immediately falling in love. Before finding these old handles I had used the popular calligraphy handles that come with a metal gripper (the rose shaped opening in which you are supposed to attach the nib). The metal gripper is downright annoying and nothing else: I still have a couple of those handles which I from time to time try to use and always end up dropping or losing the nib somewhere. The vintage wooden handles are extraordinary, even though the thinnest ones sometimes split a bit and need some repair with a masking tape. Gentle loving!
