Stationery & Writing

Discover the joy of writing. We don’t expect you to throw out your tablet or stop streaming music. We just want to help you slow down a bit. We think you’ll feel better because of it.

Making putting pen or pencil to paper part of your daily routine can not only help you get organized, it can also provide a boost to your mental and emotional health.

If you plan on using a fountain pen, there are a few important details to note. 

Nib size guide

Do you typically write very small, or are you more comfortable with big broad strokes? Are you a cursive writer or like block letters? The size of your handwriting typically indicates what nib size would best suit you.

Extra-Fine :

Extra fine is the finest and most delicate of them all. The benefits of the extra fine is it gives you very clean and precise lines, and quicker drying ink.

Fine :

Fine is one of the most common and versatile nibs available. A fine nib will give you a line between 0.5mm to 0.7mm, depending on the brand.

Medium :

The medium is a good ‘middle of the road’ nib, where you are starting to get more ink flow out of the nib that allows more colour on the page, but not so much where things start to bleed together. 

Broad : 

The broad nib is where you get a lot of ink flow, that will keep up with quick, gestural handwriting.

Stub (1.1mm, 1.5mm, 1.9mm) : 

The stub or calligraphy style of nib has a distinctly different shape that gives it it’s flair. Instead of a round ball tip, it is a rectangular shape.

Cartridges or Converter?

Ink cartridges can more convenient than other filling methods. Once a cartridge is completely used up, you can insert another fresh one. To do this, simply unscrew the top and bottom portions of the pen, simply insert another cartridge and keep writing.

What is a converter? If you’ve used nothing but cartridges, your new best friend. Different types of converters come in different shapes and sizes, but the most common type will often be in the form of a piston mechanism. Twisting the knob at the end of the converter moves a piston inside the converter up and down, creating a vacuum that draws ink up into the pen.

If you're planning on purchasing cartridges or converters, please make sure to check if your pen is compatible with international short/standard cartridge or it might need brand specific proprietary sizes.

Inks

Fountain pen ink has two main ingredients: water and colorants. They can also have some other minor ingredients like preservatives or surfactants. Any ink that has other stuff in it--if it’s alcohol or oil based, or if it has insoluble binders like gum arabic or shellac--should never go in a fountain pen. At best, it won’t work well. At worst, it could ruin the pen for good.

Bottled inks are ideal for intermediate users and intrepid beginners who don’t want to limit their choice of colours. They come in an order of magnitude more colours than cartridges, and they include specialized options like waterproof, shimmering and colour shifting properties.

Flow—or “wetness”—refers to how quickly an ink flows through a pen. The wetter an ink is, the more quickly it flows and the more ink is put onto the paper as you write. In general, wet inks feel smoother than dry inks, but dry inks are less likely to feather or bleed through average-quality paper.

Discover some brands we love at the Art Shack 

Ballpoint pen: your perfect tool for everyday use

Clutch Pencils & Multi Tool

The E+M ballpoint converter for 5.6mm clutch pencil has a very quick and convenient clamp mechanism that allow swapping from graphite lead to ballpoint pens in seconds!

Mechanical Pencils for writers and artists

The main benefit of mechanical pencils is they don't need sharpening. This saves you a lot of hassle and mess. More importantly, it means mechanical pencils provide more consistent lines, enabling you to create more precise and accurate drawings, and neater handwriting.

Blackwing - Pencil to paper

Pencil enthusiasts rejoice, Blackwing pencils readily available both in standard series and limited edition volumes. With a rich, balanced graphite composition, it makes them the perfect pencil for art & writing.

Notebooks & Writing Paper

Lined, dotted and plain notebooks to help you record your thoughts. Some types of paper don’t mesh well with certain inks. When this occurs, it’s typically in the form of feathering, which is when your writing comes out fuzzy and blurry, as the paper has absorbed the ink like a paper towel instead of allowing the ink to dry on top of it. A

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All the other little things we have to offer ....

Index clips, blotting paper and other things to help you get organized along the way. Surround yourself with office supplies that reflect your personality from cute animal paper clips to classy brass accessories and rulers.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.