Re-Decorating A Fountain Pen

[SkylarKnight]

Hello everyone I am sitting here looking at my pens, and I find it disturbing that the Sheaffer school pen looks so plain. All my other pens hav some texture to them - glossy finish, oretty colour, pretty design, so on, and then comes the Sheaffer - dark green, pretty much matte, silver cap... Looks very boring and ordinary.

I, as a person who values the looks of my pens quite a bit, do not like to use this pen simply because it doesn't look good, and I like to show off.

I decided I want to give it new life and a personal touch, something that will make me want to use it more, and since I am a nail technician, I have some materials I could use for this.

 

How would everyone go about redesigning a pen? I would like your input - feelings on meddling wih the looks of a pen, or ideas on how to make it a bit more exciting.

 

Have a nice day

[FarmBoy]

Air brushing is all the rage elsewhere. Give that a try, we will tomorrow at a gathering of pens in Millbrae...

[SkylarKnight]

Air brushing is all the rage elsewhere. Give that a try, we will tomorrow at a gathering of pens in Millbrae...

Gotta get an air brush, then!

Show me a picture of the outcome afer the gathering? I would appreciate seeing what you guys make

[stonezebra]

I've often thought engraving/carving would be interesting - understated until you got a good look ... and then wonder at the detail involved. WatchArt/Shaun of Newton Pens has shown a few of his engraved pens here,

[balson]

stencils would be the cheapest and easiest way to add an interesting pattern to the pen. stencils work on the principle that anywhere that is not blocked by the stencil gets coated in the paint/ink. you can use painters tape cut into the shapes you want to mask applied directly to the pen.

 

not the best video but this will give you an idea of how simple it can be.

http://youtu.be/s-iPXruUHcg?t=4m50s

 

you can even draw a design you like with a sharpie directly on the roll of tape, place the tape you drew on a piece of glass or a mirror, and cut out the designs you drew. you can then place the remaining part of the tape directly on the pen and paint it.

[vossad01]

As a nail technician, do you do nail art?

 

If so, I would consider leveraging those skills at small, detailed work to make a pen special. You could do it even as a small flourish such as a personal signature mark/logo after going a quicker modification with a stencil/air brush/etc.

[SkylarKnight]

Thanks, everyone! I'll probably do what you suggest

 

 

vossad01, yes I do nail art, but since I was only qualified a year ago and didn't practic much, my skills aren't the greatest I will try to practice something on some paper before I apply it to the pen.

 

I was thinking of engraving some designs onto the pen body with a nail drill, and filling those spaces with acrylic (coloured, ofcorse). would that be a good idea?

 

Also, what should I use to coat the designs? I can do UV gel (and cure in a uv lamp) and it'll be shiny and never wear off but might be a td slippery (on the other hand I can do a matte one that will not be as slippery)

[stonezebra]

Perhaps you could do the slippery gel up on the cap or at the top of the pen body.