Moblique penholder and Shimmertastic inks

I love it when new calligraphy products are brought to my attention!

I’ve been experimenting recently with the latest addition to my stash of penholders and a range of inks that add a touch of sparkle to your lettering.

So I thought I’d share with your my experiences of the Moblique two-in-one penholder, which launched in May, and the Diamine Shimmertastic range.

 

Moblique Penholder 

Penman Direct is one of my go-to calligraphy suppliers and I follow them on social media, which is where I heard about the new Moblique holder.

Made by Luis Creations of Australia, it can be used as either a straight or oblique penholder and there’s also space inside to store two Nikko G-sized nibs.

I immediately signed up for a pre-order – as did many of my calligraphy friends! (You can read a fab review from Kate Watson of Olive & Reid Studio here).

There are six colours to choose from – three pastel and three chrome-plated – and if you buy more than one you can mix and match the colours.

I opted for the Mint Leaf and Dead Sea Clay from the pastel range, which also includes English Rose.

Golden Sunshine, Copper Sunrise and Moonlight Shadow make up the chrome-plated range.

Penman Direct is one of only two UK stocksts, along with The Creative Nib.

The two-in-one Moblique holder is a great buy for calligraphers on a budget.

It’s a lot lighter than I was expecting and comfortable to use – I have no idea what material the holder is made from, but it has a soft feel.

I’ve used it as both a straight and oblique holder with Nikko G nibs so far, but I’m looking forward to testing out with some different nibs.

I used some drill sheets from The Postman’s Knock – available as free downloads here – to help get a feel for the holder.

 

Diamine Shimmertastic Inks

While I was testing the Moblique I thought it was a great opportunity to try some inks I’d been sent by The Pen Company.

The Diamine Shimmertastic range includes gold or silver metallic particles to complement the ink colour and add a satisfying shimmer to your handwriting.

I love metallic inks, so I couldn’t resist the chance to put them to calligraphy use!

They’re designed for fountain pens, so I added the ink to one of Manuscript Pen Company fountain pens using the ink converter.

The bottle needs a good shake beforehand, as the metallic particles natural settle at the bottom.

There are 22 colours available and I was sent Lilac Satin and Blue Flame.

The bottles themselves are gorgeous, with a beautiful label and packaging designed by Inky Mole.

The inks are said to work best with broad-edged pens, but I actually found they worked just as well with a dip pen, or at least one with a pointed nib.

The mouth of the bottle is a little narrow for an oblique holder, but a straight one was fine – I was just concerned about getting ink on my lovely new Moblique holder!

The ink flows nicely and there is a definite shimmer, not as pronounced as I was expecting, but more visible depending on the light.

Like most metallic inks, regular shaking/stirring is required, although I’ve noticed Luis Creations also produces the Soap calligraphy ink stirrer. My next purchase, perhaps?