F.A.Q.s

Do I need to have experience with calligraphy to use the pens?
Anyone can use the Dreaming Dogs ruling pens. It can be used for calligraphy as well as for drawing and illustration. The ruling pens are expressive tools designed for professional use, but they are very easy to use and to handle. You can start by experimenting and little by little, improving your knowledge by practicing regularly and studying the tools.

Where can I find more information about the pens?
On our website, you can find demonstrative videos of each model of our ruling pens. Our manual is also available online, you can download it here.
You can find further information about ruling pens on online materials and books about expressive calligraphy. Online courses or workshops with professionals are also a great way of improving your technique and knowledge of ruling pens.

Can I choose my ruling pens’ handle colors?
The wood used in the manufacture of the pen handles has high-quality and it comes from the surplus of the furniture industry, aiming to make less damage to the environment. Since we use different kinds of wood (based on the disponibility of raw material) the pen handles may present some variations in color and texture, which makes each piece unique. This way, the sets contain woods of similar colors and you’ll be able to choose between three categories: light, medium, and dark.

Which ink do you recommend?
Water-based inks. You can use inks with different viscosity such as India ink, watercolor, or diluted gouache, just adjusting the screw and the nib opening. For liquid inks, use the nib opening tighter; for viscous inks use the nib opening looser. Be careful using inks of acrylic composition, they tend to adhere to the pens and nibs easily, making it hard to remove and leaving some residues on the ruling pens.