Designing the Pen: Unlocking Your Creative Potential
As an experienced woodworker and craftsman, I’ve had the privilege of exploring the boundless possibilities of pen making. It’s a captivating art form that allows us to blend function and aesthetics, creating truly one-of-a-kind writing instruments. In this masterclass, I’ll guide you through the intricate process of designing and constructing pens, sharing the techniques and insights that have helped me push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Designing a pen is a multi-faceted endeavor, and I often find myself approaching it from two distinct angles: inside-out and outside-in. The inside-out method involves starting with the individual design elements, the “insides” if you will, and then assembling them into a cohesive final product. This approach allows me to really dive deep into the technical aspects, experimenting with various techniques and materials to achieve specific visual effects.
On the other hand, the outside-in method begins with a sketchpad and a blank canvas, where I let my imagination run wild. I start by drawing random ideas for the overall look and feel of the finished pen, and then work backwards to figure out how to bring those visions to life. This approach tends to yield more creative, “artsy” designs, as I’m not as constrained by the functional considerations.
Regardless of the method, the heart of any successful pen design lies in the theme or message you’re aiming to convey. You see, the goal in any “fine art” is to communicate something to the viewer, but not in a straightforward or obvious way. Rather, we want to leave a bit of ambiguity, forcing the viewer to think and engage with the work. This is what keeps a piece interesting and relevant, even after repeated viewings.
So, what kind of theme or message might you want to explore? Quite literally, anything is fair game – a person, place, thing, picture, event, or even an abstract concept. The key is to have a single, unifying idea that will serve as the guiding light for your design.
Let me share an example of how this might play out. My pen, “Twilight,” was inspired by a combination of Van Gogh’s iconic “Starry Night” and my own impressions of dusk in the California desert. By using techniques like scalloping, dyeing, and inlay, I was able to capture the effect of a desert skyscape just after the sun has dipped below the horizon. The design progresses from one end of the pen to the other, creating a sense of movement and depth.
Repetition is another powerful tool in pen design, as it helps to tie the various elements together into a balanced, cohesive whole. This doesn’t necessarily mean mirroring or directly copying a design – an echoing of the pattern can work just as well, or even a variation on a theme. The key is to find that delicate balance between unity and visual interest.
When it comes to choosing colors and materials, the possibilities are truly endless. While most woods tend to fall into the warm, brown spectrum of reds, oranges, and yellows, don’t feel limited to just those. Acrylics, stone, leather, snakeskin, and a host of other exotic materials can all bring unique textures, colors, and a sense of rarity to your pen designs.
As you explore these creative avenues, remember to keep the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid) in mind. It’s easy to get carried away and incorporate every color under the sun, but that often ends up clashing with the user’s personal style. Instead, focus on a few key thematic elements and colors to unify the overall design.
The hardware you choose – the color, shape, and feel – should also complement the rest of your design. Don’t be afraid to get creative and customize the kit, whether it’s for a tall desk pen or an outlandishly shaped writing instrument. Just be mindful of the practical considerations, like size, weight, and comfort, if the pen is meant for regular use.
Speaking of shape, the contour or profile of the pen can have a profound impact on the overall “feel” of the hardware. Smooth, curved lines tend to be more powerful and visually appealing than harsh, straight edges. Avoiding small grooves that can collect grime is also an important functional consideration.
As you can see, designing a pen is a delicate balance between artistic expression and practical functionality. It’s a constant dance, where you need to be willing to think outside the box while also knowing when to color within the lines. And you know what? Even the “accidents” can become a conscious choice, a serendipitous moment that adds character and depth to your work.
So, let’s dive deeper into the art of constructing the pen, shall we?
Constructing the Pen: Techniques and Innovations
In the world of pen making, there is a vast array of techniques and methods that woodworkers and craftsmen can employ to create truly unique and captivating designs. As an experienced practitioner, I’ve had the opportunity to experiment with a wide range of approaches, from the traditional to the truly innovative.
One of the techniques I’ve come to really appreciate is segmenting. This involves creating wedges of material, assembling them into rings, and then stacking those rings to form a brick-like pattern or a row of rectangles around the pen. The result is a pen that appears to be built from tiny, interlocking “bricks” – except these bricks can be different sizes, colors, or even have patterns built into them, allowing for endless geometrical possibilities.
To achieve this effect, I typically use a bandsaw for the initial rough cuts, and then refine the wedges with a disk sander equipped with a specialized table and angle fixture. I find that an 80-grit sanding disk provides the right balance of fast cutting and a reasonably smooth finish. A dental pick comes in handy for holding the delicate wedges in place during the sanding process.
Layering veneers between the rings can also be a helpful technique, as it helps to hold the blank together when it’s time to drill the brass tube. This approach works particularly well when you’re creating miniature “feature rings” where each wedge is glued up with a geometric pattern inside.
Another way to approach segmentation is to make long wedges that are longer than the final blank. You glue these together, drill down the center for the brass tube, and then cut the rings off the drilled blank and reassemble them around the tube with some CA glue. This allows the rings to be stacked without the need for veneers between each level, and it can also work better when incorporating metal “veneers” into the design.
While we’re on the topic of segmentation, I’ve even experimented with cutting the rings on a slight diagonal for a truly unique effect once they’re reassembled. The possibilities are truly endless!
Another captivating technique I’ve explored is called scalloping, which I learned from the renowned pen turners Mark and Brian Gisi. At its core, scalloping involves cutting the blank on a diagonal and gluing in a wedge of a different material. This clever use of geometry – the principle that a plane passing through a cylinder at an angle will intersect the surface to produce an ellipse – creates a variety of mesmerizing patterns, from dragon scales and fish scales to tulip petals and beyond.
The keys to successful scalloping are concentration, meticulous layout, and a good, non-stick gluing surface (I prefer using a block of UHMW polyethylene). Since the design is built up through the repetition of cutting and gluing steps, a single variation in the process can produce an entirely different look. The result is a pen that appears to have intricate scallops or scales, with endless possibilities for creative expression.
Laminating is another immensely versatile technique in the world of pen making. You can keep it simple, with a racing stripe or a curved lamination cut on the bandsaw or scrollsaw, or you can get more ambitious with a classic “double cross” pattern achieved on a modified miter saw or table saw. The variety of effects that can be produced through lamination is truly breathtaking, from rectilinear geometric patterns to sinuous ribbons and even the iconic 1950s “nuclear atom” design.
If you cut the blank in a curved fashion and then glue in a contrasting veneer, you can achieve ribbon-like or wrought iron fence-type patterns, akin to the work of Steve Schweitzer. Another captivating technique is the 360 Herringbone, which produces a herringbone pattern that wraps all the way around the pen – a spectacular effect showcased by the talented Neil Pabia.
Casting is yet another hugely versatile technique in the pen maker’s arsenal. This approach can be used to form the blank around the brass tube, or to “fill in the blanks” (pun intended) when dealing with more unconventional materials, like “moonscape” burl faces, pinecones, or banksia pods. You can wrap the tube in just about anything and cast the blank around it using polyester resin, or even build up Mod Podge decoupage material or epoxy over the covered tube.
I haven’t yet tried my hand at casting, but I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the work of others in this realm. The team at Turn Tex Woodworks, for instance, has some truly captivating examples of using casting to make use of otherwise unusable materials, like bark inclusions, cactus skeletons, and pinecones. Another innovative approach involves using casting as an infill around a scrollsawn design, as showcased in the work of Jeff Powell.
Adding inlay is another technique that can elevate the visual interest of a pen design. This can range from traditional wood inlay or inlay bandings to the incorporation of metal, ivory, plastic, or even cast-in-place inlays like Inlace. The process of creating the recess for the inlay can be as simple as drilling a hole for a sterling silver wire “star,” or it can involve painstaking hours of careful cutting with an X-Acto knife and a small chisel.
If you’re not quite up for that level of detail, you can always “cheat” and have a laser cutter do the work for you. Regardless of the method, it’s generally a good idea to start with a light and dark wood combination for the inlay, as any gaps will disappear against the darker material.
Dyeing is another tool in the pen maker’s arsenal, allowing you to add completely transparent color to the blank. This can be a great way to make the desired wood grain pattern and texture fit seamlessly into your overall color scheme. The key is to apply the dye (aniline dye, as most woodworkers call it) to the turned and sanded wood, before adding any inlay, paint, or gilding – this helps to protect against bleeding or cutting through the color.
Sanding with fine paper between coats of different dyes can also produce captivating iridescent effects, akin to the work of the legendary Jimmy Clewes. It’s a technique that adds another layer of depth and visual interest to your pen designs.
Speaking of adding visual interest, the judicious application of paint and tinted finishes can be a powerful technique, though it may seem like a more “brute force” approach. Used subtly, paint can help highlight texture like a stain, pop out engraved lettering, or add fine detail to a built-up design. I’ve even experimented with using a fine-point Sharpie to “paint” traditional Indian henna tattoo patterns on pen blanks – the results can be truly mesmerizing.
Gilding with real metal leaf is another technique that can create a stunning contrast against the surrounding wood, making it perfect for highlighting incised lettering. The only catch is that the leaf can be quite delicate, often tearing before it can be properly applied into very deep recesses. Achieving super-crisp edges on fine details can also be a bit of a challenge.
Controlled application of heat is yet another way to add visual character and texture to your pen designs. One well-known technique is to simply hold a wire to the spinning blank, creating a burned-in line. Careful use of a propane torch can also produce effects like deepening the color of the wood or creating a crackled pattern on certain plastics. Of course, you’ll want to be mindful of the potentially hazardous fumes, especially when working with exotic materials.
As you can see, the world of pen making is filled with an endless array of techniques and innovations, each offering a unique path to creative expression. And the best part? Many of these approaches can be combined and layered, allowing you to push the boundaries of what’s possible even further.
Finishing the Pen: Mastering the Art of Perfection
With the myriad of techniques we’ve explored for constructing the pen, it’s important to pay close attention to the final finishing touches. After all, the right finishing process can make all the difference in elevating your creation to a true work of art.
One key consideration when it comes to finishing is the potential for uneven material removal on laminated or infill-cast blanks. If you’re not careful, the softer areas can wear down faster during sanding, leaving an undesirable “lumpy” surface. It’s also crucial to avoid using worn-out sandpaper, as this can actually burnish the wood and lead to delamination of the final finish.
For some materials, no finish at all may be the way to go. Woods and certain plastics can simply be polished to a lovely natural sheen, allowing the inherent beauty of the material to shine. In these cases, a light application of wax can serve as a protective coating during the assembly process, particularly if you’re using a dab of CA glue to hold the cap or clip in place.
For a more durable finish, I often turn to woodturners’ polish or friction polish. These finishes are incredibly quick and easy to apply, but they tend to have a relatively short lifespan, eventually leaving the pen with a natural, raw look (although enough of the finish will remain in the pores to provide a reasonable seal).
Lacquer can be a step up in terms of durability, though the finish will still eventually come off over time. I find lacquer to be particularly useful on textured or contoured surfaces that would be too rough for a CA finish.
Speaking of CA (cyanoacrylate, or superglue), this is a finishing technique that I’ve come to rely on quite heavily. When cured, the acrylic coating it creates is completely impervious to skin oils and holds up remarkably well over the years. As an added bonus, CA finish can fill in small voids and provide a super-high-gloss “wet look” shine – or, if buffed with the right abrasive pad, it can be knocked down to a satin sheen.
If you’re after the ultimate in durability, however, then epoxy is the way to go. This finish will outlast most hardware platings and is totally proof against water, skin oils, and all but the harshest of solvents. Epoxy can also achieve a gloss level nearly as high as CA, while providing even better protection against everyday scratches and scuffs.
The downside? Epoxy is a rather slow and messy process, and it’s not nearly as forgiving of mistakes as CA finish. But for those who are willing to put in the extra effort, the results can be truly spectacular.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of finishing techniques to explore in the world of pen making. Each one offers its own unique set of advantages and challenges, and it’s up to you to experiment and find the approach (or combination of approaches) that best suits your particular design sensibilities and project needs.
Resources and Further Exploration
Now that you’ve joined me on this in-depth journey through the world of pen design and construction, I’d like to point you toward some invaluable resources to help further your woodworking and crafting expertise.
One of my go-to sources for free, how-to articles on just about any pen-related topic imaginable is www.woodturningonline.com. It’s a veritable treasure trove of information, covering everything from applying a CA finish to the various casting techniques we discussed earlier.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive, illustrated guide to my personal “high-build” CA finish method, you can find it on my own online gallery. I’ve poured my heart and soul into creating a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough to help fellow pen makers achieve that perfect, glassy sheen.
When it comes to video resources, I highly recommend checking out the “Turning Pens with Kip and Rex” DVD series. While Barry Gross has some great instructional materials as well, I find that these guys’ videos resonate with me a bit more. And if you’re looking for expert opinions, just ask Mike Mahoney – he seems to agree!
For those of you who prefer the written word, Barry Gross’s “Pen Turner’s Workbook” is a fantastic, in-depth guide that’s well worth the investment. It’s not free, but it’s certainly not too pricey either, and the wealth of information it contains makes it a worthwhile addition to any pen maker’s library.
If you really want to take your woodworking design skills to the next level, though, I cannot recommend Mike Darlow’s “Woodturning Design” (Fox Chapel, 2003) highly enough. It’s the single best book I’ve ever read on the subject, with a focus on the fundamental principles of design rather than specific projects or elements. While it may be a bit difficult to track down, it
