What is a ruling pen?

A ruling pen is a drawing instrument for drawing with ink or with other drawing fluids. The pen contains ink in a slot between two flexible metal jaws, which are tapered to a point. It enables precise rendering of the thinnest lines. This pen was originally used for technical drawings in engineering and cartography but you’ll see it a lot today all over instagram. I hope this blog post gives you a little peak into the world of ruling pens, if you’re interested, I have a skillshare course on the Ruling Pen! In my class I show you how to make your own pen, all the different types of pens and the styles they create and how to implement all the methods I use.

This is a list of my favourite artists that practice this style of calligraphy:

• Friedrich Poppl
• Werner Schneider
• Rachel Yallop (example shown below ‘gesture’)
• Brody Neuenschwander
• Denise Lach
• Massimo Polello

Types of Ruling Pens:

1. No22 Ruling Pen: This calligraphy ruling pen is designed specifically for lettering. You vary the line width by tilting the pen. Wood handle with brass collar & writing unit. Example of pen in use.

2. Folded Ruling Pen: The folded pen made its debut into the international calligraphy world in 1995, at the Letterforum conference.  The original model by Matthew Coffin is still produced today: a folded metal nib affixed into a straight penholder.  The calligrapher can create thick and thin lines by simply adjusting the angle of the pen. It’s easy to create your own folded pen, I also sell them pre-made on etsy.   Example of pen in use.

3. Traditional German (Haff) Ruling Pen: I believe this is the ‘OG’ ruling pen used for more technical things like architecture etc. It creates the thinnest lines but can also vary in thickness.

4. Little Lie Ruling Pen: Little Lie is a distinct model, appropriate for delicate calligraphy in smaller sizes with stroke precision. Its writing surface is slightly curved and narrow, allowing regularity in stroke width. Example of pen in use.

5. Automatic Pen: This pen is meant to be similar to the parallel pen and create more gothic style calligraphy. However, if you use it on it’s side and just use the point, you get a lot of splats and a similar feel to a folded pen. Example of pen in use (traditional way)

Ruling Pen Technique:

By varying the speed of writing, the tilt of the pen and the smoothness/roughness of the surface you can  create a lot of varied effects. These are a few other methods to try out:

1. Using different inks: Dip the ink GENEROUSLY, sumi ink is best – but watercolour or thinned down gouache. I also love the ecoline ink for these pens. For white ink, thin it out with some water and test out the opacity.
2. Using different surfaces, speed:  Splatters will occur quite naturally but they can also be induced by quick strokes from bottom to top (pushing instead of pulling the pen) or by writing on rough paper.
3. How to hold a ruling pen: Don’t be afraid to create up strokes when it’s normally a down stroke. Try holding the pen by placing your index finger on top of the pen close to the nib.
4. Get Creative: Trying splashing one colour on the page and go over with another colour in your pen.

Where to buy Ruling Pens:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/sarahtypes/?section_id=22543319

http://art-design-glossary.musabi.ac.jp/ruling-pen/

https://rolfpens.bigcartel.com/products

http://www.handwritmic.com/photos

https://calligrafun.com/en_US/c/Ruling-Pens/132

Ruling Pen Inspiration

http://www.societyofscribes.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/04_Portfolio_Werner_Schneider_by_Paul_Shaw.pdf

http://www.brodyneuenschwander.com/let-the-sparks-fly/

https://vimeo.com/11989235