The long January is over ... that doesn’t mean I can’t still talk about intentions for the rest of 2026!
This year I said that I wanted to make / do more art! Fountain pens are a big part of that. Fountain pens have been a gateway for me back into journaling and it’s lead me to drawing / doodling / line drawing.
Inks have opened up another world, watercolor, traditional and with fountain pen ink, which I really enjoy. Making more art started with the idea that I wanted to make a point to sit down with the DI color book and explore my inks every week.
2025 was a difficult year personally and I wanted to start off 2026 in a positive mood. But I knew that wouldn’t quite happen. 2026 has hit hard. A week into the new year, I had to say good-bye to my sweet 20 year Lynx Point Siamese Yuki. I got him from the shelter when he was 6 years old in January 2012. He gave me 14 years of silliness, love and cuddles. I miss him dearly. The house isn’t the same without him and I’m not the same without him either. With his loss, that’s three of our furry babies lost over the past two years.
On the stationery front the hottest topic is the price increases from the major Japanese brands and other brands are following suit. As a new-ish fountain pen user, I do feel a little priced out. Really two grail pens have made their way to the top of my list from all of this. The Platinum Mountain Mist - which I wished that I had jumped on last year and Sailor Pro Gear Sunlight from the Ocean Floor. That one came out as I was getting into fountain pens in 2024 and has stuck in my mind all that time. Will those happen for me? Who knows?
Making Art
In the past I was heavily into photography, landscape photography specifically. In 2020 I really struggled with sharing beautiful photographs in a time when so many were struggling and isolating at home. What I didn’t realize at the time was that those pretty places might have been a release for people stuck at home in the early throws of Covid. With the current events, turning on the news is an exercise in a roller-coaster of feelings all at once. It’s very easy to feel upset, sad and at times hopeless. How is this a time to be giving into stationery? Well because stationery, fountain pens, washi, stickers, and of course art, bring joy and help me not feel as hopeless. Maybe some of you feel the same also?
Not only that but the connections that are made in-person and online through the hobby is a life-line. It’s something that I have to remember, is that sharing art, can put a smile on my face and maybe to someone else too.
So with that in mind. My intention is to sit down, once a week, if not more and create art. I’ve already been doing this off and on - now I want to be consistent. So every week I’m going to get out my DI Ink Archiving Book and paint. This is my way of creating and using inks.
Not only do I want to be more consistent in painting with inks, I’ve realized that for the better part of last year, I’ve had a sticky pad on my desk that I’ve used for doodling. When I realized this, it was an ah-ha moment.
Lastly, with all the ink swatching and loose leaf paper, I’m slowly taking an interest in book-binding. I made my first booklet with 52gsm Tomoe River paper recently and would like to explore more non-adhesive methods.
First attempt at bookbinding with non-adhesive materials.
Pens and Pen Shows
I acquired a lot of pens in 2025 and really did not mean too! I did however acquire an Opus 88, which was on my list from last year to pick up and very much enjoying it. Another brand I wanted to pick up last year was Franklin-Christoph, and I did - three to be exact. I also picked up a number of maker pens - one of which is really cool, in that I picked it up from a maker at pen club and his wife poured the material. So that one is special to me. I also picked up a number of TWSBI’s, with all those marble resins they put out, got me.
A pen in 2026 will really have to knock my socks off for an acquisition to happen. Again, with the price increases I’m waiting to see how things shake out. My suspicion is that these pens will have to go deep discount to counterbalance the price increases? We’ll see.
Last year I wanted to make it to a pen show. I figured there a a few that a close to my area, DC is out - on the account of the show being massive. It was either Baltimore or Philadelphia. Philadelphia was the winner. Check that off the list.
My wife and I went to the 2026 Philadelphia Pen Show. It was an awesome experience. I met a few of my favorite twitch streamers. Talked with and got to know some vendors. Took two classes. Got a grind, mini cutlass from AllintheNib which I absolutely love! And got try so many pens.
I did come home with two maker pens. One was a black ultum from Schon Dsgn that I’ve been scoping out for a year. The other pen is the CrazyFibre from River City Pens. I could not put this one down at the show, so that meant it was coming home with me. I’m happy with those choices and those could be the only pens I acquire this year.
Inks
I’m an inkofile, an inkhead, I love inks. I’m still going to look to acquire inks that catch my eye, however, I want to focus a bit more on certain brands. Kobe, Taccia, Tono&Lims, Lennon Toolbar and maybe Van Dieman’s are my top contenders. Of course small maker inks as well.
I did go ham while at the pen show on inks. Coming home with 15 total. I got to see and test inks that I don’t normally get to see. Like the limited Mizutama inks that Sailor did. Plus, I picked up some serial out of stock Colorverse inks like Coffee Break, and the mini Taccia box set that I’ve had my eye on forever.
Wrap-up
2026 will be an interesting year moving forward in the stationery realm. I suspect alot of folks will be going into ‘use what I own’ mode and waiting for deep discounts and sales. I also think 2026 will be the year of the maker pen, and why not? There are sooo many talented makers out there and frankly I’m all for supporting the small maker! I’m interested in how retailers will be handling the price increases.