My Tool of Choice

This week we’ve been writing about our favorite tools. For me it’s pens. I love all types, but I particularly favor fine line felt tips and roller balls.

My real appreciation of working with a pen started when I was an art student in college. When I drew with a pencil, the drawings were vague, tentative and basically wishy-washy. But as one of my teachers pointed out, my work in pen was much bolder and better. There was something about going for broke with the black pen that gave me courage. Even if the drawing was off and I drew over it to try to repair the mistake, there was much more vitality than in my efforts with a pencil. The pressure that it is unerasable seems to work for me.

When I’m playing around with a crochet idea, I take notes as a go. If I do it in pencil, I tend to erase the directions I tried, but that didn’t work. I keep erasing and writing in the latest attempt until I find the one that turns out. But if I work in pen, I’ll just draw a line through the bad directions and write in the next try. I hadn’t thought about it, but the pen way is really better. Then I have a road map that shows how I got to the final pattern that works.

There are some pens that I like the best. I’m not fond of the clicky kind of ball points or gel pens that have thick points. I found Staedtler triple ball M pens at an art store. I swear those pens make my handwriting more legible. I also like Staedtler sketch pens and the hard to find Sanford Expresso pens.

When Hooked on Murder was coming out, I splurged and bought a Mont Blanc pen thinking I would use it for signing. But I was too worried I’d lose it, so it’s never made it out of my workroom. I think the Sharpie fine line is much better for signing anyway. And they are cheap enough that losing them isn’t a concern.

I like fountain pens, too and have a bunch of them, but they are too messy to carry with. Then there are my pens with the different points that stick onto a handle. Those are to be dipped in india ink for drawing. I have some Italian glass pens I got at the Tuesday Morning store that are still in their boxes. I think they are mostly to look at anyway.

Oh, I forgot about Le Pens. They are trim little felt tips that are good for writing or drawing. I found the Le Pen in the bag of different kinds of pens from my last trip to an art store in Chicago. I’m just a fool for pens. Like art supplies and yarn, pens of all types feel full of possibilities to me. I am writing this under duress. I have a cat on my lap fighting for attention by hitting the keyboard. I think he’s trying to tell me I’ve said enough about pens. He’s probably right.