Pen-4u

Italic pens, which are also known as calligraphy pens, are fountain pens that are specially designed for italic writing. They allow the width of the line to be varied considerably depending on the angle and direction of the fountain pen and the pressure exerted. Calligraphy is a cursive version of italic writing, and has a particularly artistic flavour.

Italic pens can be equipped with a range of different nibs, and users commonly change nibs to facilitate different styles of writing. A fine or medium nib will give you a more delicate lettering style, while broad nibs produce script with a three-dimensional feel.

Most italic nibs do not end in a point the way a normal writing nib does. They are usually cut straight across, or at a 30 degree angle (oblique) to the left or right. You can also choose between sharp or rounded corners on the nib end. Sharp corners produce a very crisp, well-defined line but are not easy to use as they can catch on the paper. Rounded corners are more user-friendly and produce a smooth, clear line that is easy to vary according to requirements.

It is common for italic pens to use ink cartridges, although many of them can also use a converter to self-fill from an ink bottle. Most of the large fountain pen producers offer italic pens in a wide range of attractive styles.

Anyone can learn to write with an italic fountain pen, but it does take some practice. Using an italic pen will make anyone’s handwriting look more attractive. If you want to master more complex scripts, there are books you can buy on the subject, but you can start by following the script chart that comes with your italic pen, or search for one online.