How to Disassemble Your Favorite Fountain Pens

A friend on Facebook shared about a video series that shows us how to disassemble several of our favorite fountain pens (thank you Kate Powell).  Here are just a few videos along with the link to the video series itself:

How to Disassemble the Lamy Safari:

How to Disassemble the Namiki Falcon:

How to Disassemble the Pilot Prera:

The Disassembling Line Series

Making Your Own Hand Sewn Hard Cased Journals

My favorite videos (and a PDF) on how to make your own Hand Sewn Journal Books - Hard Cover

Of all the videos I have watched, those listed below are my #1 favorites!  All are by Sea Lemon on the YouTube Channel.  She has several other videos related to bookbinding as well......different variations.  For the complete playlist, follow this link:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2F704E01F80BA1E9

Click on images to take you to the videos/pdf

1)  Making a Text Block of signatures - shows how to sew signatures together using a Kettle Stitch

2)  Making Headbands (Optional)

3)  Creating the Book Casing

4)  Making Your Own Book Cloth

5)  Make Your Own Book Press

6)  Make Your Own Punch Cradle (pdf)

NOTE:  The book press and punch cradle are totally optional.  You can use a stack of books or anything heavy in place of the book press and an old telephone book opened up using the center to place your folded signatures for punching.  That's how I did it before my husband made me both.

Christmas Cactus in Pen and Ink - Pilot Prera

This little sketch was worked in my Moleskine Watercolor sketchbook.  I've included a video (not the best and may try that again) showing how I hold the pen and how I work my hatch marks so I can control the values with the ink as it goes down on the paper.

I'm sure a street sketcher would find this method too slow and monotonous but with me sitting at home, I find this method extremely relaxing.

Used the Pilot Prera with Lexington Ink.

Best to view video full screen (sorry for the poor quality but that comes from converting for internet viewing here.  Also used my phone camera because it was handy).  Normally I would have the paper weighed down while I sketch but this shows how lightly I touch the paper as you can see it doesn't move that much.  I will work back and forth and repeat until I get the values I want.....sometimes turning the page at an angle to cross hatch.  I also noticed the nib point is slightly tilted to one side.

Tennessee Barn in Watercolor

Last night I was in the mood to do some watercolor sketching so I grabbed my Stillman & Birn Beta journal and proceeded to sketch a barn that an extended family member owns.

Sketch following a photo leaving out a few elements like a large tree in front blocking part of the barn.

Daniel Smith pigments - Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Blue, Bt Sienna, Bt Umber, Indigo, Quin Burnt Orange, Quin Gold and a touch of Sap Green.

#8 Round and 3/8" Angular Flat

Pilot Prera pen with Lexington Gray ink

Note:  Was a bit disappointed in my scan.  My scanner doesn't like Cerulean Blue unless applied in heavy applications; and has trouble picking up the Bt Sienna properly (at least the Daniel Smith pigment).   I tried to fix in Photoshop Elements but was only able to get close..........not exact to the color.

Here is a video trying YouTube and MP4 format I hope shows on most platforms.  I have no idea who can or cannot view this video or what YouTube does with an upload and formatting.

The video shows how I first apply water to the area using an angular flat.  I use this brush as I can better control the amount of water.....plus for wood, I just like the use of a flat edge versus the round brush.

Using various combination mixes of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna, I make vertical strokes wet in wet.

First layer is more of a gray allowing the area to dry or almost dry before carefully adding brush strokes of plain water again (I don't want to lift the first layer of pigment).  Then brushing on another mix leaning more towards the Burnt Sienna taking care not to completely cover white paper I left in first layer or color first applied.

Video also shows how I place the shadow under the roof line softening some of the edges with the corner of the angular flat as well as some pen and ink work in a couple areas of the roof.

After all dries, I add additional brush strokes wet on dry (I do NOT pre-wet the paper with water at this point) working quickly so I can rinse brush, dab on paper towel and then soften edges to help blend paint strokes with previous layers.  In this case I brushed on a mix of Burnt Sienna allowing it to dry or "set" and then a little Quin Gold to brighten an area.  I could have gone a bit stronger with the Quin Gold but I didn't want to overwork the example.  Best be safe than sorry :-))

Rest of this clip just shows where I added a few grassy clumps at the base of the barn and added a few more lines to the wood area.

NOTE:  The video appears I went from one step to the next without stopping.  I allow to dry or near dry between steps or layers as explained above.  I need to learn how to add captions and will work on that for possible future videos.

Dogwood - Watercolor Pencils

Thought I would try my hand at taking a video clip producing this dogwood flower using Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils.

Done in the Stillman & Birn Beta journal book.

Photo illustration of finished flower is scanned.  All petals as well as the leaves were done in the same manner as shown in the video.

Video created using a webcam.

Personal Note - Being this is the first time I've ever tried creating a video using a webcam and converting to a format blogger allows, I'm hoping the majority can view this and it be of decent quality.  I know not all platforms will be able to view and I apologize for that.

Alt video file (MP4) - Best viewed if computer window is down sized.  Browser (at least Firefox does) opens movie stretched to window size that may not be the best quality.  If you downsize the browser window, the results look better.  I tested on my iphone and it opened nicely:  MP4 format



** After using the color pencil dry on paper, I am using a wet brush (not dripping wet) to spread the color.

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