Using a calligraphy pen when I don't know calligraphy?

annie6672

So I got all ready to address my invitations but I noticed that I only have a Bic black pen.  I got paranoid that  it will take away from how nice and formal the invitations look. I don't know if I'm over thinking it though. 

Have you used a regular pen if you addressed evelopes yourself? 
If not, what did you use? 
Has anyone bought a calligraphy pen and used it just to write in normal handwriting, not knowing calligraphy? 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

ootmother2

You can find a calligraphy pen at most stationery stores.  They even make markers that resemble calligraphy pens.

If you can print, you can do calligraphy if you have the pen

Tanq&Tonic

I took calligraphy in like...6th grade.  I remember some of the principles -- eg, hold the pen so the wide part is at a 45 degree angle.  Other than that, I just used a variation of my normal handwriting & think it looks fine.  Definitely nicer than a ball point pen, and not as nice a professional calligraphy, but good enough for us.  I got my set at Michaels with interchangeable tips.  I have only ever used the smallest tip.

If you don't want to use a calligraphy pen, you could at least consider one of those gel pens for a sleeker, more consistent line - I'm a fan of the Pilot G2 series.

annie6672

OOOOH!  I like the sounds of these two posts...there is light at the end of the tunnel on this...thank you so much!

Karen's MOH

I used a gold paint-type calligraphy pen and used my normal cursive, and it looked really good. People were surprised I did it myself (or they were just being nice). I tried using one of those calligraphy marker things and it looked like a second grader just learning cursive.

The gold paint type pen looked way better, partly because the end was a little softer, but sometimes it did make blobs of gold ink, especially towards the end when the pen was getting old.

artbyallie

You can write normally with a calligraphy pen, just make sure the whole tip (not one corner of it, which is how FI did it until I showed him how) is touching the paper, as a PP said, at a 45 degree angle, and write normally. Practice first before touching your real invites.

annie6672

Great advice...thank you!