FAQs

Q?

How do I book Heather Victoria Held for a workshop?

A.

Heather's workshops sell out quickly and she is booked one to two years in advance. If you want her to teach at your guild or private group, please contact her at heather@heathervictoriaheld.com.

Q?

What type of dip pen should I use?

A.

Each artist should choose a pen that is comfortable in their own hands. Heather Victoria Held works almost exclusively with a straight holder. A straight holder can be used by a left or right handed person with ease. All pointed scripts as well as offhand flourishing can be done with a straight holder. Some stude
nts may prefer using an oblique if they want heavier shades on their letterforms. Ultitmately, the holder should feel comfortable in your hand, it should not feel cumbersome or too heavy and should be a pleasure to use.

Q?

What nib should I use?

A.

A chrome nib is a great starting point for beginners. Heather recommends the Tachickawa G or the Zebra G for beginners. They are long lasting, smooth and have excellent quality control. The drawback of these chrome nibs is that they are somewhat stiff. In time, the student should begin to switch over to more flexible nibs. A great starting place for a more flexible nib is the Hunt 22 B, The Brause 66 EF or the Gillott 404. Remember that these more flexible nibs require a much lighter touch than the chrome nibs.

Q?

What paper should I use?

A.

Heather recommends a very smooth practice paper. Her paper of choice is Maruman Imagination Series or Rhodia blank paper. These papers are both excellent quality for practice work. Her favourite paper for watercolour is Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. Hot Press Paper. Offhand flourishing designs can be done on cardstock or on Canson MiTientes Paper.

Q?

What ink should I use?

A.

McCaffery's Penman's Black, McCaffery's Brown, McCaffery's Indigo, Ziller Buffalo Brown and Old World Iron Gall Ink are among Heather' s most used inks. She uses Dr. Ph Martin's Bleedproof White exclusively if a white ink is needed.

Q?

How do I order a Held Pen?

A.

Contact heather@heathervictoriaheld.com to inquire about current stock or to be placed on a waiting list.

Q?

Can I customize my Held Pen?

A.

Some customization is possible. We do colour requests for the dyed pens. Most of our pens are 6 to 7 inches in length. Longer lenghts are possible. We can also do carrot holders for those who prefer a shorter, thicker pen. The offhand flourished designs are the creation of Heather Victoria Held. Customers can request, butterflies, bunnies, hummingbirds and a a variety of flowers to be added to their design. Other requests are considered individually.

Q?

How long is the waiting list for a Held Pen?

A.

Expect to wait at least 3 months for your pen order. Longer waits happen from time to time and we do close our waiting list for periods of time when we have excessive orders to process. Don't hestitate to email heather@heathervictoriaheld.com to see if there is any current stock available.