Full fills and aesthetically compelling nib designs
This week’s pen tray gives me an even spread of three M line width options (the Nakaya, Carolina, and Relic) and three narrow line width pairings (the Sailor, Visconti, and Montblanc). Promising balance for wide longform writing and small bursts of detailed notetaking.
Full fills remain from my trip to California last week. I elected to keep all six inks as they balance easy differentiation with understated saturation. The ink palette is uniformly coolly toned and 80% mellow. That last element is key for reading notes I plan to edit soon afterwards. Revisions will stand out on the page if I later choose bright, popping colors. Thinking ahead with the outcome of past decisions. Hindsight.
Visual interest keeps my attention. I need consistent attention if I’m to design a brand new full year course for September. I’ll need nibs that draw me into uncapping my pens for bouts of curricular sketching.
With that in mind, I chose five aesthetically powerful nib designs. The Relic’s Jinhao #8 features a nib slit in the shape of a heartbeat. The Carolina is fitted with Able Snail’s intricate engraving. Nakaya’s imprint is a clean, yet eye catching, globe. The Montblanc has both the Little Prince and my favorite character from that book, the Fox, engraved. And the Visconti’s black art deco lines remind me of a Star Wars helmet. The Force should draw me in.
Grey/Black
Sailor Pro Gear Smoothie Blue Moon (F). Bungukan Kobayashi Soyahanotsuruki. The daily driver this week produces line widths akin to a European F. Wide enough to remain easily discernible for structuring reading notes and sketching lesson plan designs — of which there will be much. A light grey with green undertones that keep my notes visually interesting. Task management, reading notes, lesson plan notes, and pocket notes.
Blue/Teal
Relic Pens Large (M, Jinhao #8 Heartbeat). Akkerman #7 Koninginne Nacht-Blauw. The nib and feed produce wide, wet lines that skew a mid-toned grey-blue. Longform reflections on how I might use book chapters and articles in my new course will play out in Akkerman’s Queen’s Night. Demure color lets my ideas flow without distraction from pretty colors emerging in my notebook. Reading notes, reflections, journaling, and some letter writing.
Carolina Charlotte Dragon Scales (M, Able Snail Engraving). Yoseka Ceramics Ming Kong Que Blue. MKQ Blue has become a favorite bright blue in my collection. Searing turquoise with persistent mid-blue haloing. MKQ is the brightest color in this week’s palette, which qualifies this pairing for accenting reading and lecture notes. I also like the blue on its own over longform writing sessions: reflective journaling. And, perhaps, some letter writing.
Earth Tones
Nakaya Neostandard Heki-tamenuri (Mini Naginata, by Tokyo Station Pens). Troublemaker Sea Glass. My Nakaya is a pen I actively seek out opportunities to use. An excellent draw back to my desk during a week I aim to complete a healthy amount of curriculum design. The Naginata-togi grind is tailor-made to handle small letterforms with flair enough to remain interesting. Sea Glass accents the palette’s other dark hues, which sets me up for accenting and editing reading notes - a must when sequencing readings and learning goals across a marking period. Pieces fallen into place.
Wild Cards
Visconti Homo Sapiens Blizzard (EF). Kuretake Meiji No Iro Ebicha. Much-needed love and attention to the collar’s internal lining revealed sticky material that impeded ink flow. Ink flows reliably while still maintaining a disciplined EF line width after cleaning. Success. The heavy Visconti offers contrast to this week’s otherwise lightweight pairings. Excellent for kicking off reading and curriculum designing sessions. Also: targeted journaling and D&D notes.
Montblanc 146 Le Petit Prince & Fox (EF). Kyo-no-oto Sakuranezumi. This particular 146 performs particularly well with dry inks like Kyo-no-oto’s standard line. Well, in an educator’s summer context, translates into hairline width writing that easily accommodates small, detailed notes accompanying packing plans, brainstorm lists of activities, and slow writing tasks like designing final assessments. And, perhaps, journaling on nights I feel especially fancy. Montblanc fancy.
