Feather Pen Available Today is a Distant Imitations of the Authentic Item
The name "pen" is derived from the Latin word "penna", which means feather. This is a writing instrument that, manually through capillary action applies ink to a surface, usually paper. Pens can be used with inks of many colors but commonly make use of inks in shades varying between black, blue, red, and sometimes green. There are many different kinds of pens, some of which are listed here i.e. Reed pens, Quills, Metal nibs, Fountain pens, Ballpoints, Felt tips, Roller balls and the Porous Point. All the pens of the world are made around these different. Pens are also classified depending on the type of tip that accompanies the pen, there is the ballpoint pen, the rollerball pen, the fountain pen, the felt-tip pen and also the gel pen.
The first feather pen was used as a writing instrument around the year 500 BC; dried and well cleaned, feathers were great in combination with ink made of herbal extracts. Swan, goose or turkey feathers were the only ones reliable for writing since their thicker capillary system sucked more ink. The feather pen was made by sharpening the tip of the feather and splitting it in half so that the ink could spread evenly on the writing material. During the last millennium BC, the Egyptians had invented an alternative to the feather pen by using sharp sticks to apply soot to the papyrus.
Instead of a feather pen, the ancient Chinese used brushes made of camel and mouse fur that were passed through clay. In case the material that had to be written on was silk, very fine brushes were used, and they simply consisted of a few hairs added at the end of a rod. Little by little the feather pen and its variants inspired the invention of the modern fountain pens, since people had to find a system that would no longer rely on repetitive dipping of the feather pen in ink. The hardness level of the nibs we use today is definitely one hundred times higher than that of the initial feather pen.
Though tradition has made us believe that the feather pen preserved the real feather as such, history proves otherwise; apparently all the hairs were removed and the feather structure was cut at a comfortable size for the hand. Writing was definitely slower that we know it today, not just because of the many feather pen dippings in ink, but also because of the quality of the materials on which people were writing. The capillary structure of natural feathers was the one to have actually inspired the inventors of the first fountain pen.
Presently, there are plenty of feather pen models, but they are distant imitations of the authentic items that where used in parchment writing. Thus, you can find feather-shaped fountain pens and ballpoints that school-age children usually enjoy. They are pretty cheap and often show special distinctive features such as multicolor writing, and sparkling or even invisible ink use. Considered great gifts for the Christmas holidays or special family celebrations, a modern feather pen preserves only the simulated image of the real writing tool that was so widely used not more than two centuries ago.
About the Author
Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Pens for Years. For More Information on Feather Pen, Visit His Site at FEATHER PEN
 |
 JAPANESE whetstone av400g size Iyoto Plate Nagura knife chisel plane Higonokami $19.00 Time Remaining: 31m |
 4Black blade chefs Ceramic knives black ABS handle $10.60 Time Remaining: 32m Buy It Now for only: $10.60 |
 Pair of 16 42HRC Pro Knife Sharpening Steel Sharpener $8.98 Time Remaining: 38m Buy It Now for only: $9.98 |
 8 PC Stainless Steel STEAK Knife Set IN GIFT BOX $10.00 Time Remaining: 40m Buy It Now for only: $15.00 |
 Kom Kom Superior Carving Knife Set High Quality $8.99 Time Remaining: 45m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 |
 NEW Durable Kitchen Knives 5 PCS +Block Set Knife $15.77 Time Remaining: 45m |
 NEW Practical Kitchen Knives 6 PCS +Block Set Knife $21.77 Time Remaining: 46m |
 Black Ultra Light Weight 3 in 1 Ceramic Knives 3pc Set with Peeler $22.12 Time Remaining: 48m Buy It Now for only: $22.12 |
 NEW Kitchen Knives 7 PCS +Block Set Knife $26.89 Time Remaining: 49m |
 Durable Kitchen Knives 7 PCS +Block Set Knife $26.77 Time Remaining: 49m |
 New Golden Kitchen Knife Knives 7 PCS +Block Set $38.00 Time Remaining: 49m |
 Anolon Professional 2 piece Breakfast Set 81509 $79.99 Time Remaining: 56m Buy It Now for only: $100.00 |
 Anolon Advanced Bronze Collection 12 inch Shallow Round Grill Pan 82248 $34.99 Time Remaining: 56m Buy It Now for only: $45.00 |
 4Black blade chefs Ceramic knives color Wood Handle $10.90 Time Remaining: 57m Buy It Now for only: $10.90 |
 Japanese Damascus Blue steel 2 knife WA Gyutou 240mm $150.00 Time Remaining: 1h Buy It Now for only: $150.00 |
 JAPANESE Damascus blade small knife HIGONOKAMI 100mm $100.00 Time Remaining: 1h Buy It Now for only: $100.00 |
 New Round Kitchen Fix Knife Maintenance and Sharpener $3.95 Time Remaining: 1h Buy It Now for only: $3.95 |
 NEW Kitchen Knives 7 PCS +Block Set NEW $38.77 Time Remaining: 1h 7m |
 4White blade chefs Ceramic knives color wood handle $10.27 Time Remaining: 1h 8m Buy It Now for only: $10.27 |
 BRAND NEW PINZON 8 PIECE PAKKA Wood Knife SET w GLASS BLOCK $69.99 Time Remaining: 1h 12m Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 |
Victorinox 40520 Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife List Price: Sale Price: $24.72 You save: $15.28 (38%)  |
 |
Totally Bamboo 20-7930 3-Piece Cutting Board Set Sale Price: $14.95 |
 |
Ginsu 04817 International Traditions 14-Piece Knife Set with Block, Natural List Price: Sale Price: $27.60 You save: $22.39 (45%) |
 |
Presto 08800 EverSharp electric knife sharpener List Price: Sale Price: $27.54 You save: $12.45 (31%) |
 |
Simply Calphalon Nonstick 6-Piece Bakeware Set List Price: Sale Price: $24.99 You save: $5.00 (17%) |
 |
Victorinox 47508 3-1/4-Inch Paring Knife List Price: Sale Price: $4.38 You save: $3.42 (44%) |
 |
Cuisinart DLC-2009CHB Prep 9 9-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless List Price: Sale Price: $131.41 You save: $158.59 (55%) |
 |
John Boos Mystery Oil Butcher Block Oil List Price: Sale Price: $6.95 You save: $8.00 (54%) |
 |
ChicagoCutlery Fusion 18-Piece Set including Honey Maple Wood Block List Price: Sale Price: $84.99 You save: $95.00 (53%) |
 |
J.A. Henckels International Eversharp 8-Piece Steak Knife Set List Price: Sale Price: $24.99 You save: $35.01 (58%) |
Sharpener Nib
Thank You. We hope you found the
Sharpener Nib
you were looking for.
What Do You Require For Drawing Landscapes?... by Anna Meenaghan
You might think to start painting that you need many expensive items. This is not really so. Actually it is possible to purchase your basic needs fairly cheaply. Obviously not everybody uses the same items, therefore it depends what you choose. So this is a general guide to basic needs which of course you can add to.
Usually it is fairly important where you choose to paint in the first place. It really helps if you place yourself somewhere where, in fact, the light is good. It helps if you have space around you too for your tools. Natural daylight is good, if not, you need fairly good lighting. Then you need something that can be used as a palette. Old china serves well.
Now you need a selection of basic colour shades, your canvas, different brushes, some medium plus of course some place to stand your work on. It certainly is an asset if you have a roomy container for your paints so you can pick them easily.
So what are you now going to use to put your canvas on. Some people would use an old desk, others a cupboard, shelf or window sill. You need to find somewhere to hand. Then you need some good pencils. Go from HB through to 6B.
You also need to have a pencil sharpener to hand, but make sure that it is a serviceable one. Some people use a razor blade, or even a penknife. As for pencils I find a Venus 6B is good for my work as I like a soft pencil as I like to draw soft grey, but also much darker tones.
As for choice of drawing pads it is much easier to buy one with a hard back. Sometimes things go wrong and you do not want to use a rubber. Just take a fresh sheet and begin anew.
Personally I often prefer the small hardback pads which come ready perforated. These I find so handy to carry around in my handbag. Usually the paper is nice and smooth and I like the fact that you can then tear the finished work off the pad.
We all like our own pens to work with. However, I would not recommend using an ordinary biro as it is hard to achieve good thick or thin lines. Therefore this being difficult to obtain light and dark in your drawing.
You may find an ordinary fountain pen works pretty well. However you can obtain pens with nibs that you can use with inks, other pens too, including ones with felt tip.
As landscapes are often drawn in the open air you need to wrap up well. Dig out some thick socks, boots probably, your old comfy clothes, as you not only need to be warm, but comfortable also. A flask of coffee might help.
It is to be advisable too, to have your own portable seat or stool as usually you only have a fence, bank, or wall to sit on leaving you with a frozen derrière! So maybe take a visit to your local camping shop. To get the broad picture you can always make a cardboard frame to put over your painting to give you the overall effect you are obtaining.
This "Guide" has been offered to you by Anna Meenaghan, a contemporary artist, who has been participating in the arts all of her life. As a contemporary painter she has experienced a lot of "mishaps" herself and is now freely giving advice to newcomers to the world of art by writing articles on various subjects. Comment by Michael Bruckner.
About the Author
Originally I hail from the midlands shoe factory town of Northampton. One way or another my life has always revolved around art in different forms. Whilst living in London I enrolled at St. Martins college of art and studied fashion drawing and dress design...