I have a friend who wishes to sign some photo's he has taken, which are on display at our local football club,"Heart of Midlothian", Edinburgh.

The problem being that when he has tried to the ink "feathers". I have tried various inks in pens and dipped, Parker Quink, Penman, Waterman, Diamine, Omas, with negative results, the exception being Montg Blanc ink, from a cartridge, which "holds" quite well, not as much "feathering" but a definate "spread in the writing. I have used the same paper as the photographs, pretty obviously.........

I have a feeling the way to go may be calligraphy pens and inks, has any one any views or guidance, all help much appreciated.

et

I use a permanent felt tip of the type used for overhead projectors etc.

Been doing that for 25 years plus without a hitch.

There is a reason the Sharpie is the official pen of celebrities everywhere. It's the best option for signing the glossy finish of a photograph.

Fountain pen ink wouldn't "feather" on Glossy photo paper, it would be like water on a waxed car, this paper is not Glossy. The wish is for the signature to be done with a fountain pen or ink pen, not biro or felt tip.

Thanks for comments , at present best results are with Mont Blanc ink, acceptable, but I was looking to know, if this would be improved upon, with others experiance of ink, not biro or felt tip, which I assume Sharpie is a genre of.
et

Noodler's X-Feather?

Are the photos traditionally printed, or digital photos printed on an inkjet printer?

Inkjet photo paper (whether it's glossy, satin or matte) will feather very badly, turning an EF nib into an Extra Broad.

Pigmented based calligraphy inks may be the answer because the shellac in the ink will keep the ink together and stop it from spreading. That means, of course, that the signatures will have to be done with a nice dip pen, but that would give the event even more character...

Traditionally printed, they are quite big about A2 size, you are confirming my thoughts about calligraphy ink
Noodler's X-Feather?
Thanks, I'll look into this one also, would I be correct in believing that Noodler's is a saturated ink ?

Eric

Pigma Micron 05 felt tip marker. Archival, waterproof, fadeproof. Available from art supply stores.

As far as I know, Noodler's is one of the most saturated inks out there. I *think* that X-Feather is similar in colour to regular black. There may be a review on it somewhere on the ink section, not sure, though.

Most photographs are done on Resin Coated paper these days.

In that case I would go with the Sharpie.