Ink on Paper

I love writing; the physical act of writing that is. I must have been 7 or 8 years old when I got my first fountain pen with along with blotting paper , a dropper and an ink pot. Prior to that writing was limited to using a pencil and following the multitude of writing books that we as students had to fill in. We followed the curves and the dotted lines in those work books and for a few years used a 4 line notebook (for those that have no clue - it’s a ruled notebook with four lines instead of two; it’s supposed to help keep the size of the letters etc etc..). Using a fountain pen was essentially a mark of graduation from baby/junior school to middle school.  At first I hated using a fountain pen. It leaked, I had ink over my hands and on my white uniform. Mum used to get mad when she saw ink stains on the tie or on the shirts; but as with everything else in life practice makes one adept. I went through “Beena” and “Hero” pens every other month - either the nib broke or I lost them. (Mum and Dad weren’t to happy with that outcome). And aging with practice I stoped breaking nibs or loosing the pen’s all together. By the time I was 13 my basic handwriting was fixed; I till date have the same style as in high school. Cursive with a slant to the right. 

Cursive is by far the most beautiful of writing styles in my opinion. It’s a simile to the flow of a river. It appears like sheer poetry in motion. I obviously don’t like the printed style of writing that a lot of folks and youngsters use nowadays. Gave my high school exams using a “Waterman’s” and then my engineering exams using a “Schneider”. Over time I have learned that both the nib and the ink make a huge impact to the quality of writing. 

One can assume I might use the smart phone or something else to make notes, given that I am in the IT industry. That assumption would also hold true  as I rarely see anyone use Ink on paper, much less a fountain pen.  I on the other hand make my notes in a notebook or a notepad (have to be very selective about the paper) and have 3 fountain pens with three different inks that I use on a daily basis. Why 3 ? Simple the three inks help me identify priorities and things that need my attention. My notes don’t get thrown away for at least 8 or 9 years as I love going back and reflecting/remembering what I had written. My current daily instruments are a Waterman’s, a Pilot and  a Pelican. (I have a small modest collection of fountain pens that also includes Parker, Cross, Hero, Lamy, a couple of Chinese pens and Sheaffer along with the ones mentioned earlier) My all time favourite though has to be a fountain pen from an Indian company called Click with what is known as a flex nib. Cursive writing with a flex nib is something that is art in my eyes. 

I could explain what I don’t enjoy writing with a ball pen in detail, however the greatest reasons are simply that ball pens leak (yes they do, carry one in your pocket on a flight or in 40 degree temperatures), and the ink smells. Cursive writing as an art is almost extinct and I can understand why. Cursive writing written at speed is almost intelligible at times. Come to think of it writing with an ink pen is almost extinct but for a few Luddites like me. 

What is your story of ink on paper ? 

C