Quill Pen Writing

Quill pen writing offers an exciting and fulfilling calligraphic experience. To do it right, a sturdy feather from waterfowl such as geese or crow is needed as well as gall ink or another liquid ink solution.

Students should begin practicing on thicker paper such as stationery or construction paper and taking note of their grip, pressure (quill should be held lightly and gently pressed down), angle and grip strength.

History

Quill pens were widely used for writing from Ancient Antiquity through to the 19th century, and continue to be employed by calligraphers and scribes today.

The quill pen operates using capillary action, much like how water bottles do. A feather absorbs ink into its soft part of the quill and stores it there; similar to how modern ballpoint pens use nibs as reservoirs of ink.

Historically, the strongest quills have come from primary flight feathers discarded during bird moulting season. Geese, turkeys, swans and even crow feathers have all been used in writing; Thomas Jefferson famously kept geese at Monticello specifically to meet his enormous need for quills.

Burned down organic material was mixed with water and tree gum to prevent clumping together, as ink. Carbon black ink was the preferred writing implement until iron gall ink, made from iron salts combined with gallotannic acid from organic materials, was mass produced during the 19th century. Prior to that point quills were still widely used.

Materials

Quill pens use feather nibs that sit in an inkwell, necessitating frequent dips into an inkwell to write; unlike fountain pens which utilize reservoirs and feeds that provide ink continuously.

Traditional quill pens were constructed with moulted flight feathers from birds such as geese, swans, or turkeys that had been treated to become nibs. After this treatment process was complete, the feather would be carefully pared and trimmed into an almost point-like tip before dutching – where hot sand was used – was employed.

An aged feather nib is far more durable than one which has not been properly treated, lasting several pages before needing reshaped or retipped. Rinsing with water after each use helps prevent ink clogging up the feather, as well as faster drying times for clean, draining nibs. When using quill pens with quality paper and ink bottles.

Techniques

Quill pens have an intriguing and complex history, having once served as the primary writing instrument before metal pens became widely used. Quills require steady hands for use as they are highly pressure-sensitive writing implements.

Step one of creating a quill pen involves hardening the feather’s shaft using heat from a furnace or alternative methods such as wetting with hot water or sand.

Once cured, feathers can be formed into nibs by cutting a thin slit in their ends and using capillary action to bring ink to its tip via capillary action.

Here lies the true test of a scribe’s skill. If the nib is improperly formed, ink can flow too rapidly towards its tip and pool in large blobs on paper pages – an irreparable catastrophe! Likewise, its shape must adapt itself according to your writing style.

Tips

Writing with a quill pen requires some practice. Begin on thicker paper such as stationery or construction paper until you have an understanding of how the quill responds to your hand and writing style; once comfortable, switch over to conventional notebook paper.

Choose an appropriate feather type nib and position it at an optimal angle (recommendations range from 45 degrees downward for right-handed people and perpendicular for left-handed). When drawing thin lines, make sure the tip points down so as to not make your lines unstable and allow ink to leak off the page or onto the table.

Keep natural quills sharp by regularly re-tipping the nib with a penknife. Additionally, rinse after every use to rid any dried ink from corroding metal nibs over time and to protect the paper or feather from constant pressure from being applied against its surface. Also make sure that a felt cushion under your penknife prevents it from damaging either surface.