My internet-friend and inky colleague Brad Dowdy of The Pen Addictblog and podcast just announced something really, really exciting — In September, he’s launching a Kickstarter for a pen case!
Nock Co. prototype. Image from the Nock Co. blog. Click the image to visit Nock Co.’s website.
Teaming up with Jeffrey Bruckwi, a tailor who specialized in sewing bags, they’re creating Nock Co., a company specializing in little pen/notebook holders that fold up into a bag! This is great for those who — like me — travel with several different writing instruments to use in case the situation or my mood changes.
One request, Brad: any chance there might be one for wooden pencils in the future? The sleeves would have to be slightly taller and skinnier, and the bottom might need to be a bit stiffer to prevent bending and breaking of the pencil tip.
In any case, this is very exciting, and I can’t wait to pledge once the Kickstarter launches! Everyone congratulate Brad and Jeffrey over at The Pen Addict!
[C]hances are, you use a fountain pen as a tribute to days and technologies gone by. Like those who drive with a manual transmission or shave with a straight razor, fountain pens are a simpler, purer, more beautiful way to accomplish your task. There are no springs or roller balls. You just use a reserve of ink, an irrigation duct, and gravity to get ink to paper. Pencils are participating in that grand tradition, and in fact, is an even simpler, purer way to accomplish that goal. While the craft of pencil production has been honed over the decades, it’s fundamentally the same concept of writing as ancient cave drawings by human ancestors — you pick up a piece of carbon, rub it on a surface in a certain pattern, and flecks of that carbon stick to the surface in that pattern. [Link]
I’m very excited — I won a limited edition green Lamy Safari fountain pen in a giveaway over at the Tiger Pens blog! I had a Lamy a long time ago, and ran it through the washing machine and broke it. And best yet, this one is green, my favorite pen color! Although it isn’t a pencil, I am looking forward to giving it a try and reviewing it on this here blog.
While you’re reading about scribomechanica and pencilnalia, check out Contrapuntalism — it’s a new blog by the author of Blackwing Pages about music theory, philosophy, and wooden pencils.
Disclosure: As I try to do whenever I talk about CalCedar and any of their products, I want to mention that I am a former employee. So take what I say with a grain of salt.
California Cedar, the makers of the California Republic brand of wooden pencils and the Palomino Blackwing, their modern interpretation of the Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602, is throwing a party they’re calling called the Blackwing Experience, in New York City on April 17, to celebrate the opening of a week-long exhibit running until April 20 at the Art Director’s Club.
I think this is a cool concept — as their tagline says, it’s “the party for the pencil”, and from what I understand, it’s not just the Palomino Blackwing or the EF Blackwing that’s being celebrated, it’s the usage and history of all wooden pencils.
I had a conversation with Charles Berolzheimer, president and CEO of California Cedar, who told me about the origins of this idea:
“We began to get serious about such an event when we started thinking about how to build upon influencer relationships we had established over prior years as well as to support building with the 602 new influencers who participated in our Klout Campaign (I wrote about it here -AW) launched last December. In working with our creative team in New York during the early planning stages we had a ton of great ideas and were looking for the right venues and the final partnership we created with the Art Directors Club we came up with seemed like a natural fit.”
Justin Oberman is an independent creative director who is working with CalCedar to organize this event. You may remember him from my post about his concept ad campaign for the Dixon Ticonderoga.
“We have a 64-foot tall 60-foot wide infographic timeline of the pencil — entirely drawn with (Palomino) Blackwing pencils”, Justin told me. He also talked about creating “Ode to a Blackwing” a video produced for the show. He mentioned that it’s all done with Palomino Blackwings and original Eberhard Faber Blackwings, “except when drawing the logos of other pencil companies. Those are done with pencil brands represented by those logos.”
Some other interesting things going on at this event:
A panel discussion about creativity with Chuck Jones’ grandson who runs the Chuck Jones Experience.
A blank space where attendees can draw themselves in (with pencil, of course) using a camera lucida.
Several performances and demonstrations by up-and-coming artists, musicians and writers.
I really wish I could make it to the Big Apple on Monday to check this out! Unfortunately, I’m not in a position where I can do this unless I plan months ahead.
There’s been some supplemental media created for it:
Please note that there is a bit of controversy surrounding that event and CalCedar, which I’ll let you check out for yourself. I’m staying away from that dialog: not only because I formerly worked at CalCedar (but briefly), but also because of my tremendous respect for both Sean at Blackwing Pages and Charles at CalCedar. If you’re interested, you can read further and make your own determination (I won’t be hosting dialog about that in my comments here):
Every once in a while, a comedian comes along who isn’t quite completely joking. John Hodgman is one of them — his trilogy of COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE ephemera has real facts mixed in with complete bullshit. But interesting bullshit.
I’m delighted to say that this book is in the same vein. Continue reading →
Woodclinched 