My Favorite Tool and A Helpful Tip

By Dianne Wright

My Favorite Tool:

One tool that I use whenever I sit down to do a project is my Parallel Glider made by Alvin. It’s great for all kinds of projects including drawing guidelines and other times when you want to square up lines for text blocks. It has marks that allow for 45 and 60 degree angle guidelines and others. The Alvin brand has rubber rollers that keep it from slipping. I’m not sure about other brands.

Youtube has several videos on how to use the glider. I love the video done by Lindsey from www.thepostmansknock.com. She shows how to use the glider for parallel lines and slant lines. The glider can also be used to make circles and arcs. It is usually available through John Neal. 

My Favorite Tip:

Early in my calligraphy journey, I had trouble with brand new pointed pen nibs that just would not cooperate with the ink. At that time, I didn’t realize that manufacturers coat the nibs with a light oil. Luckily, I took a class in Boulder and one of the tips for beginners was about how to prepare a brand new nibs.

The instructor suggested sticking the new nib into a potato for about 15 minutes — sounds strange but it works. Of course, afterwards, clean it with water and a non-fibrous cloth. Another method that I now use is to lightly scrub the nib with an old toothbrush and some toothpaste to clean it.

Nib manufacturers don’t seem to provide instructions regarding prepping the nibs. It was very frustrating for me in the beginning and having this small bit of information has made a huge difference in my journey.