Carrot - Calligraphy Pen
No More Calligrapher's Claw!
Having had a lot of enquiries about making a carrot from customers I finally decided it was time to put my head down and design the best version I could. Introducing, the new 'Carrot', designed for those who like a compact pen holder and a lovely curved body for improved grip and stability. It takes all the best features from my much loved curved Flourish and sprinkles in some new elements:
- Firstly, the weight, it will surprise you (in a good way :) ). Once you put pen to paper you'll notice how the weight increases stability and your nib, in turn, will glide across the page.
- This reassuring weight paired with the body shape of the carrot will mean you barely have to hold the pen when you write (it will do a lot of the work for you) helping you to avoid the dreaded 'calligrapher claw' and improve your technique in the long run.
The oblique pen is also fitted with my unique universal flange design which holds almost every kind of nib (big and small) and allows you to adjust the angle of the nib, further increasing the 'glide factor' of your writing.
Once you have the pen in your hand I am confident that you'll appreciate the true quality and craftsmanship that has gone into each design decision. Made from precision machined aluminium and brass, it's my hope that it will be something your grandchildren will happily be using in years to come.
I'm really proud of the Carrot and hope that you truly experience the joy of writing with this lovely little pen.
What is a Flourish pen you may ask? Read on if you like the details...
You can now park the pliers and say sayonara to screws. Instead all you need to do is twist the beautifully machined brass nut to the width of your nib and you'll be flourishing in a flash.
My unique design fits nibs as large as a Nikko G, all the way down to smaller nibs like the Brause 66EF, as well as our 3.5mm pencil lead, so you can draft your creations before committing to ink. The Flourish is designed with ultimate comfort and reliability in mind. It's a refined writing instrument built to last a lifetime.
As no two calligraphers are the same, I designed the pen so that you can easily customise the angle of the nib to suit your calligraphy style. I’ve also refined the balance of the pen so that the centre of gravity sits between your forefinger and your thumb joint, making it feel neither top nor bottom heavy.
Good to know & FAQs:
- Both the oblique pens are perfect for left or right handed calligraphers. The brass flange of the oblique version can be easily flipped around, enabling the pen to be used by both left- and right-handers.
- Every pen is machined from solid metals on a lathe used for making fine watch and aerospace grade components, so you can be sure your pen will write perfectly for years and years to come.
- Measures 125mm x 10mm-20mm (at the grip section) and weighs 36g.
- Designed with the planet in mind. I’ve made sure that this pen is made from infinitely recyclable materials, such as brass and aluminium, which are easily separated (no glue or un-recyclable plastics here).
- Comes in a beautifully crafted gift box.
- Nibs are sold separately and you can find them here
- Pencil Leads are sold separately and you can find them here.
- I have a superb range of inks to compliment your pen and you can find them here
- Shipping times are calculated from dispatch.
- We offer a complimentary repair service, so should your Flourish pen need a little TLC please contact us .
Standard Shipping Costs:
UK: £4.95
EU: Our shipping costs vary by country and are calculated at checkout.
USA: from $10.50 (charged in local currency)
Rest of the world:
We Ship Internationally. We take care of VAT and customs duty for EU customers. Your order will be shipped within 48 hours when in stock, please refer to lead times of the product you are buying, as some handmade / hand dipped products may take longer until we send them. Delivery is calculated from dispatch. All UK orders are shipped using Royal Mail Tracked 48. If you need your order by a specific date there is a next-day Special Delivery option.
PREORDER ITEMS
If your order contains a pre-order item, your whole order will be shipped together in order to minimise our carbon footprint. So please refer to pre-order delivery times in this instance. Alternatively, you can ask us to split the order. In this case additional delivery costs will apply. Please contact hello@tomsstudio.co.uk for further information.
This is a very common question and one that at Tom's Studio as it can make a big difference to the pen you decide to buy. Fortunately we have lovely designs for both straight calligraphy pens and oblique pen holders so whatever you decide you'll know you have the perfect tool for the job.
A straight calligraphy pen is a more simple design that holds a nib at a straight angle to the paper. This type of 'pen holder' (another name for a calligraphy pen) is well suited for upright scripts, such as Roman, Modern, and Gothic scripts, where the strokes are primarily vertical or horizontal. If you're a leftie with an underwriter grip you will most likely prefer a straight pen for slanted styles of calligraphy (below) as the angle you'll naturally hold the pen is suited to these.
An oblique pen holder, on the other hand, holds the nib at an angle, usually between 15 to 30 degrees, relative to the writing surface. This angle allows for more comfortable and efficient writing of scripts that have slanted strokes, such as Copperplate or Spencerian. In other words, you don't have to strain your wrist to achieve the perfect writing angle. The slant of the nib also helps to create variations in line thickness and is used to produce a more expressive and decorative style when writing on an angle. If you're a left-handed calligrapher who writes overhand, my oblique pen holders also work perfectly as the brass nib holder can be flipped so that it sits on the right hand side of the pen. This allows you to write at the correct angle for slanted-style calligraphy. Win!
Buy it with
The most versatile calligraphy pen ever made...
My unique design fits nibs as large as a Nikko G, all the way down to smaller nibs like the Brause 66EF, as well as our 3.5mm pencil lead (available here), so you can draft your creations before committing to ink.
with the flourish
Make changing nibs a breeze
You can now park the pliers and say sayonara to screws. Instead all you need to do is place your favourite nib in the holder, twist and you’ll be back to flourishing in a flash!
Introducing
The Flourish
A handy how to guide
more from the studio
Which pen is right for me?
Your calligraphy style is unique to you, so why shouldn’t your pen be too?
As no two calligraphers are the same, I designed The Flourish so that you can easily customise the angle of the nib to suit your calligraphy style (and stop that annoying snag on paper on an upstroke).
I’ve also refined the balance of the pen so that the centre of gravity sits between your forefinger and your thumb joint, making it feel neither top nor bottom heavy.
Everything you need to
Get Started With Calligraphy
Our calligraphy range has been curated by Gemma Milly and contains everything you need to get started with modern calligraphy.
Calligraphy kits
Inky goodness
That Goes On and On
This magic calligraphy ink reservoir means you spend less time dipping and more time creating beautiful work!
Customer Reviews
Really beautiful build quality. A joy as an object. Can't wait to use it!
This little beauty is all things right. 2 things make her stand out, besides the gorgeous deep dark purple, and that is her weight and balance. Of which both is perfect. I did get the Flourish first, and though I like her.. I LOVE Carrot! She just feels (and sits) right in the hand, and because there is a bit more to her, I feel I’m gripping less which allows more freedom (and less tension) and makes the conversation between pen and paper smoother. She is my go to pen.
I have both a carrot and a flourish oblique and, I'm afraid, in the long term the screw type flange is not for me. Initially, everything was fine with both, but after a while the only way I can ensure consistent grip is by placing a rubber 'O' ring between the nut and nib. Otherwise, the nib keeps slipping - at best - or falling into the ink pot - at worst.
I am pretty new to calligraphy and I have a tendency to get a lot of supplies first and then sort of work my way through them deciding which I like best. This pen is absolutely amazing. Not only is it beautiful but I can write for at least twice as long comfortably as I can with another pen. The weight balances so nicely in the hand but I have no trouble making thin entrance or upstrokes. I have stopped buying other calligraphy pens since every time I go to practice I grab this one. I am going to order another just because I love it so much! Highly HIGHLY recommend!
I have been eyeing this pen for some time and decided to treat myself. My goodness, it is exceptional and an absolute joy to write with. I wasn't sure how I would like a shorter pen, but the weight and the balance while writing creates beautiful swells and incredibly thin upstrokes. It's very well made and my absolute go to. This will not be my last purchase from Tom's Studio and I can't wait to treat myself again.