Let's do something about the Billions of pens that are thrown away each year! Whilst having lots of inky fun in the process!
#pen #illustration #fountainpen #inkdrawing #fineliner #brushlettering
IT'S OFFICIAL!
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My lovely wife @gemmamilly has officially joined me in the studio. She's been helping a lot behind the scenes whilst juggling her previous business as a fine-art wedding stationer.
Gemma's basically brilliant at all the things that I'm not so good at, so I'm over the moon that she decided to take the plunge and join me in the business of making creative tools!
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You can read more about how we got here on my freshly updated about page too (link in profile).
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Gemma will primarily be working on the finishing touches of each order and answering any questions you might have.
We also have lots of exciting plans for how we can make the most of Gemma's creative talents so please watch this space.
📷@camillaarnholdphotography
✨ FOUNTAIN NIBS✒️
Choose between 6 glorious nibs. There are two categories, my bespoke fountain pen nibs and the Pro-Flex calligraphy nib. Here are some details for those who like to geek out.
Fountain Pen Nibs:
Made exclusively for my pens, all of my nibs are tipped with incredibly hard-wearing iridium for super smooth writing, and are plated in a 14k gold for a classically stunning look. As a bonus all nibs can be interchanged (including the Pro-Flex) so you can easily write in different styles whenever it suits you.
Extra Fine Semi-Flex - A beautiful extra fine fountain pen nib with flex! This is a great middle-ground between the Pro Flex and our classic fountain pen nib, with it's smooth writing experience and minimal maintenance. By applying a little pressure the nib will flex from 0.5mm to 1.5mm.
Fine - A springy and smooth nib perfect for delicate thin strokes, with a smidge of flex if you're feeling creative.
Medium - The go-to nib for the author, journaller or note-taker. This is a firm and consistent nib for everyday writing.
Italic - A classic italic nib which produces a thin cross stroke and broad down stroke. It's fun for general writing and gives you the opportunity to practice italic calligraphy anytime.
Architect - This is the opposite of the Italic nib, with a broad cross stroke and a thin down stroke. It's my personal favourite - the effortless big juicy lines make it my go-to for sketching and everyday use.
Pro-Flex - Calligraphy Nib - The Holy Grail - Just like a calligraphy pen, the thickness of the line can be varied with a little pressure, so you can create beautiful thick and thin strokes without the need to dip. It comes with a Zebra G nib installed in a Japanese ebonite (special vulcanised rubber) housing and feed which without going into too much geeky detail gives you consistently great ink flow.
Which would you choose?
If you have any questions please let me know. I'm putting together a big ol'FAQ page on my site too so you can make sure you choose the best nib for you.
Meet @foodillustration.studio , a food realism artist and Tom’s Studio ambassador, showing just how much you can create with the curated selection of brushes from our collaboration with Winsor & Newton.
Take it away, Thanh...
“Spring always makes me think of freshly cut rhubarb at a farmers’ market, so I painted my favourite pastry topped with rhubarb.
For the finer details, I use a size 0 Rigger brush. Its slender tip and longer bristles give me better control when capturing the delicate fibres of the rhubarb.
To highlight the pastry, I apply a soft light blue to the background using the ¼-inch One Stroke brush. This brush retains water beautifully and allows me to create smooth coverage over a large area, while also achieving clean, curved edges.
I love that the marble handles are made from recycled plastic, and that the synthetic fibres perform like professional brushes. They’re responsive, durable, and really comfortable to use.”
Discover the range via our link in bio.
#TomsStudio #WinsorAndNewton #Paint #Watercolour
Meet Sam, one of our fantastic studio assistants, and one of the people in charge of bottling our range of lovely mini inks.
Take it away, Sam...
“My background is in photography, so it’s really nice to be behind the scenes in a creative business, helping other creators make. I think without creativity, the world would be very dull and very boring.
My favourite inks are either Fluorescent Pink or Orange – they’re both really vibrant and colourful.”
What would you like to see next from the studio?
#TomsStudio #Ori #Stationery #MiniInks
By now, you may have seen a teaser for a brand new product I’m incredibly excited to share a bit more detail with you.
It writes like a dream, it’s state of the art… it’s the Pickle Pen.
What started as an April Fools idea quickly became a studio favourite – so we doubled down and made a proper batch of these dill-ightful pens.
This special edition Ori is packed with pickle-y details, including a unique lid and printed body, and comes with an exclusive Pickle-green Mini Ink, plus our Fluoro Pink highlighter ink.
It’s become my daily pen – I love it. It just makes me happy every time I write.
Can’t wait to share it with you very soon.
#TomsStudio #PicklePen #Stationery #Pickle
We won an Award! 🏆
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Really happy to say that we won an award for Sustainable Product of the year at this year's @stationeryshowsuk
For the Wren - Write Off!!
It's a product thats extremely close to mine and the TS team's heart. Schools across the country have to bin thousands of disposable pens each year because there is no appropriate recycling scheme that makes use of the precious plastic these product are made from.
We wanted to change this. So we have now partnered with 62 (and counting) schools around the country who collect their disposable pens for us repurpose and make new and beautiful products.
Special thanks go to the awesome @brothersmake for helping us bring this project into existence!
And the fantastic Tom's Studio team who make these (mostly) bonkers projects possible! Shout out to Alice H who has done an incredible job bringing so many fantastic schools into the fold (amongst many other things!) Couldn't have done it without you all!
Our bullet journalling expert and ambassador @mark.your.pages has put together five ideas for using the Ori – the infinitely refillable highlighter.
Take it away, Mark...
“Time boxing – If you’re setting up a schedule, highlighting the areas in your time-blocked plan is a great visual way to see how your time is allocated.
Drop shadows – Bullet journals don’t have to be overly creative, but a little colour goes a long way, and highlighters are a simple way to achieve that.
Colour coding – I like to use two colours and a key for tasks that are urgent or important.
Highlight title – Simply highlighting the title of your page is an easy way to call out a collection or section.
Project progression – Filling in a progress bar as you go is a great visual indicator of how far along a project is.
Let me know in the comments how you plan on using your Ori highlighters in your bullet journal or planners.”
#TomsStudio #Highlighter #Stationery #Pens
10 years of Tom’s Studio!
How time flies when you’re making pens!
To mark the occasion, we’re having our one and only sitewide sale of the year, running from today until 7th May!
I will always remember my father-in-law saying – on whose lathe I made my very first pen – “In ten years’ time, you’ll be an overnight success.” Those words have stayed with me ever since: through the difficult times when money was tight, through learning to appreciate the small wins that steadily stacked up, and ultimately to watching the business arrive at a wonderful place, serving a fantastic community of creative, inspirational, and just plain lovely people.
To me, success means being able to carry on doing what I love. Ten years on, I still count my lucky stars that I get to do exactly that every single day.
And of course, this business wouldn’t be anything without you, so thank you to everyone who’s supported me along the way – friends, family, and the amazing community. You know who you are!
Here’s to another 10 years!
There’s more to the Ori than just highlighting. Let our ambassador @blinklettering take you through a typical creative day and how she uses her new favourite pen.
Take it away, Milly…
“The Ori fits perfectly into every part of my life. It helps me stay organised while also giving me new ideas to get creative.
With the bullet tip, I can make simple tasks like creating a shopping list more fun, and the highlighter tip is perfect for prioritising my to-do list.
For my creative sessions, the brush tip is ideal for statement brush lettering, and the fluoro inks make everything pop.
I’m obsessed with how bright these colours are.
The Ori just makes everything feel easier and more fun, no matter what I’m using it for.”
Discover the Ori via our link in bio.
#TomsStudio #Ori #Stationery
Our manga artist ambassador @hasanrazaart tested out the Winsor & Newton x Tom’s Studio brushes for his character design work.
Take it away, Hasan…
“As I unbox them, I’m genuinely thrilled by these high-quality synthetic sable brushes, known among artists for their ability to hold water and paint for longer while maintaining a sharp, precise tip.
What’s even more exciting is the handle. It’s made from recycled plastic and has a unique grip, giving it a comfortable, balanced feel in your hand.
The brush and the watercolour flow effortlessly as I create my characters. This is a beautifully crafted, long-lasting tool, perfect for your entire art journey.”
Discover the collaboration via our link in bio.
#TomsStudio #WinsorAndNewton #Paint #Watercolour #Manga Design
