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DESIGN

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Be inspired by the timeless designs Laura has been creating since 2002 and begin your own paper experience with our calligraphy and color visual. Find out today how we can be of service— no matter where you are in the wedding planning process. 

DESIGN

HOUSE

Learn how Laura and Alyssa continue to foster the cornerstone of their company with calligraphy tools and teaching for beginners, hobbyists and beyond— as well as in-person services to enhance events and take the stress out of stationery.   

Discover how Laura’s beloved landscape contributes to her creativity and be inspired to make every day artful with curated calligraphy solutions, fine art influenced by Foxhill, and sought-after garden goods.

DESIGN

HOUSE

Discover how Laura’s beloved landscape contributes to her creativity and be inspired to make every day artful with curated calligraphy solutions, fine art influenced by Foxhill, and sought-after garden goods.

DESIGN

HOUSE

DESIGN

HOUSE

Meet Laura Hooper and Alyssa Law, the practiced pair behind the Design House, and discover how Laura’s beloved landscape in Foxhill Garden contributes to her creativity.

How to prep your Nikko G Nib

An often-missed step with beginners getting started without a calligraphy kit that details out how to get started with the tools of pointed pen is prepping your nibs.
When nibs come fresh from the manufacturer, they have a protective coating on them that must be removed before you get started with a new nib. So while you don’t have to prep a nib every time you use it, you do need to prep a new nib before the first time you use it.
There are a variety of ways to prep your nibs:
1 // Some people lick their nibs {kinda gross, but feel free to give this one a try!}, some wipe them down with rubbing alcohol
2 // Some people stick them into a potato {but what about when you don’t happen to have a potato handy?}
3 // Some use toothpaste and a Q-tip.
My recommended method?
4 // I like to simply wipe my nib off with some ink that is already easily accessible at my desk.
When you don’t prep your nib, the ink doesn’t sit in the reservoir like we need it to, but instead sort of bubbles up and dissipates out on the nib.
The Nikko G is a particularly large, slick nib, so you can see the effects pretty well in the video below: 



Check out our other posts all about NIBS:  

4 OF MY FAVORITE POINTED PEN NIBS AND THEIR COMMON USES
MY FAVORITE NIBS TO USE FOR ADDRESSING ENVELOPES



To find out what other steps you might be missing that are hindering your ability to really thrive with the art of modern calligraphy, check out our
starter kit + video tutorial for beginner learning at home or come visit us in person at a workshop near you!
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Thank you for your interest in Laura Hooper Design House. All images are copyright 2022 by Laura Hooper Design House unless we have otherwise credited them. We invite you to link to the LHC blog or use the photos in your own blog as long as it is accompanied by a credit & link back to the initial blog post. Please do not take any of my work for commercial OR personal use without getting permission from us first.

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