The Lil' Dragon's Desk

Today I received a new custom pen from  Rockster Pens , crafted by  Ash Lawrence . While this is not my first pen from Rockster, it is one made specifically to my vision. I wanted a vintage-inspired design crafted from  Mazzucchelli  cellulose acetate, and the final result exceeded my expectations. The pen arrived in a thoughtfully designed cardboard tube that immediately reflected Ash's attention to detail. The packaging is versatile enough to accommodate a variety of pen sizes, and the Rockster logo is prominently displayed. I always appreciate makers who carefully consider every aspect of the experience—from branding and presentation to shipping—as it elevates the enjoyment of receiving a custom piece. Once I removed the pen from the tube, I was immediately struck by the beauty of the material. The material features a rich blend of browns, reds, and oranges, accented by subtle chatoyance that gives the pen remarkable depth and movement in the light. I chose rose g...

Here are my answers to the 21 questions started by The Well Appointed Desk 1: What is the pen they’ll have to pry out of your cold dead hands? This is an interesting question, since I’d be dead and probably wouldn’t care. But for the sake of argument, I’d say the Schon DSGN x Custom Nib Studio Sashiko. This pen was created by two amazing people, Ian Schon and Gena Salorino. It’s a black Delrin pen engraved with a tiny sashiko-inspired pattern across the entire barrel, based on the traditional Japanese stitching and embroidery technique. Ian programmed the machine to introduce subtle random inconsistencies into the pattern, making each pen unique. I later added a multicolored Monoc nib to complete the pen. Only 100 were made, and I was lucky enough to get one. 2. What is your guilty pleasure pen? My guilty pleasure pen would have to be my fountain pens from Rockster Pens. I just love what Ash Lawrence does with his pens. Of these, my Rascal in twice-dyed maple stands out. It's a...

Have you ever been scrolling through Instagram and come across an amazing looking ink swatch? So good in fact that you go a buy a bottle immediately? I have, but I’m a sucker for a good ink swatch. My ink collection certainly proves it. Six years ago, that collection consisted mostly of Lamy blue cartridges, and at the time, that was all I needed. Simpler times. Back then, fountain pen inks were fairly straightforward—mostly blue, black, brown, and red. You picked a color, filled a pen, and went on with your life like a normal person. Oh, how things have changed, and ink swatching has been a huge driving force behind it. The first ink that truly made me stop and stare was Organic Studios Nitrogen. I don’t remember exactly when it happened, but it definitely left an impression. Early in my fountain pen journey, blue inks were my go-to choice. They felt more vibrant than black or brown, and there was already a wide range of shades to explore. But Nitrogen was something different. The int...

 My interest in fountain pens began in the spring of 2020. At the time, I had been bullet journaling for a couple of years, but the pens I used were fairly standard and, honestly, uninspiring. What bothered me most was the constant clicking of the refill against the barrel every time I wrote. Once I noticed it, I couldn’t ignore it. The sound became unbearable, so I started searching for a pen that wouldn’t make that noise. One evening, I opened my browser and searched for “the best pens for journaling.” As I worked my way through the results, I came across an article about fountain pens. Up until then, I hadn’t really considered fountain pens as something people still used, let alone collected. Still, something about them immediately caught my attention, and my curiosity took over. One pen mentioned repeatedly was the Lamy Safari. The article praised its durability, modern design, and relatively affordable price. At the time, spending $28 on a pen felt extravagant, but after a few...

  Well who would have guessed that I would have the opportunity to do a sit down with Alexandra Richards. She was a delightful host and made this a fun time. And the questions were pretty easy. 

Hello, my name is Clark, and I’m an elementary school art teacher from  New Palestine, Indiana .  If you are reading this, you've obviously gotten lost and fallen down a rabbit hole of such. Thank you for reading and welcome.   I’ve often felt that writing about my stationery experiences could be helpful—not only for me, but also for others who share similar interests. Here, you’ll find thoughts and reflections on anything on my desk: fountain pens, fountain pen inks, paper, accessories, and whatever else happens to inspire me to write something.  One of my goals this year is to do this-write more. Although I’m not a professional writer, I’ve written a variety of things over the years, including equipment and accessory reviews for  PalmAddict —a now-defunct website dedicated to Palm handheld organizers—articles for art education magazines, and Teaching for Artistic Behavior. I’m still relatively new to the fountain pen hobby. Since buying my first fountain pen a...