Gottfried Pott – A Look into the World of Calligraphy

In researching the development of writing, one will find that new tools always gave rise to new changes in lettering forms. This has continued to this day. The experimental focus in my own work is very much shaped by the search for an appropriate tool. The tool has a bearing on the form and thereby on the expressive quality of the lettering. To use a tool according to the rules but also against the rules, when necessary, means to embark on an experimental journey.

Special Pens
Take, for instance, the “Five-Line-Pen”: it produces a five-fold line of writing. The outer lines show a broader stroke than the inner lines which results in an over-all, richly modulated effect. There is also a steel pen, called a music pen, which has a particularly valuable property: it is very flexible. This is possible because the pen has two slits and therefore reacts well to pressure and also ensures a good flow of ink.

There are metal pens of different widths which allow for stroke variations. They are manufactured in England under the name of ‘Automatic Pen’ and are superbly suited for lettering work. The product name ‘Automatic Pen’ is misleading because, naturally, these pens do not write ‘automatically’ at all. What is characteristic of this pen is its sharp metallic stroke. It also holds a lot of color and is flexible.