Calligraphy Tips: Traveling With Ink

Okay, so today's post is a rather bland subject; but if you're a calligraphy buff you may want to pick up this awesome little tip. Chances are you take a few supplies with you when you travel, aaaannnddd you probably despise the hassle of encasing your bottles of ink in a bajillion layers of Ziploc bags just to keep your clothes clean.

Enter, the Nalgene jar. YES! Nalgene.

The same company that makes those ubiquitous water bottles (well, they were everywhere back in college) makes high-quality plastic jars with a laboratory grade, patented thread that prevents leaks! What’s even more perfect is that they come in 1oz and 2oz sizes with a wide mouth that accommodates an oblique holder—it’s like they were made just for traveling calligraphers!

Yes, I know I sound like an infomercial but these little babies are an essential part of my calligraphy life!

In the past I'd wrap my bottles in bag after bag after bag to ensure the safety of my belongings, but these Nalgene jars are so reliable I just put them in a single plastic pouch and don’t have to worry. I usually bring a jar each of black ink, vermillion sumi and walnut ink with me when I travel, plus a couple empty jars in case I buy anything. Honestly I have yet to have a leak. I highly recommend these for your peace of mind. They go with me on vacations, to conferences, to workshops. While I can’t promise 100% that these will never leak for you, they are by far the best individual ink jars I’ve found for travel.

You can buy them here on Amazon, but, if you're in the US I recommend getting them from the Container Store, because surprisingly, they're WAY cheaper there. Make sure you get the exact ones in my photos, because there are some other styles and larger sizes that aren't guaranteed leak-proof. Stick to the two in the Container Store and you'll be all set!