If you're into handwriting, drawing, keeping diaries the old fashioned way and sipping wine, you may soon be able to merge all those activities into one. A new device created by Portland-based designer Jessica Chan adds a bohemian touch to the old fountain pen, by allowing it to be charged with any type of raw liquid with a staining property, including – you guessed it – wine. Called WINKpen, it also uses tea, beer, and anything else that tickles the user's fancy.
The inspiration for the pen was sustainability, and the designer's desire to go against our throwaway culture which plastic, single-use pens are part of.
The design was conceived with practicality in mind. Jessica adopted a modular structure where all the components fit together with the use of rubber O-rings. The unit can be easily dismantled to make cleaning easier.
Unlike other fountain pens, where the ink usually comes out of a metal nib, WINKpen’s nib is made of glass. Spiraled grooves in the glass nib feed "ink" to the paper, producing a more pleasant aesthetic effect. Additionally, using glass offers the advantage of avoiding corrosion, plus it's easier to clean.
Inside, the elastomer lining in the coupler holds the glass nib securely in place and, in combination with the feeding tube, aids the steady flow of liquid.
Jessica got the piston component of the pen from Dutch manufacturer of writing instruments Diplomat, whose design allows for a simple twist refill and ink release system. She chose it because of its user-friendliness and quality, plus the loading and unloading of different liquids is easier with it. She tells us that it serves the purpose of the pen perfectly.
WINKpen is currently fundraising on Kickstarter. Jessica offers several funding options, plus gifts attached to some pricing options such as a framed drawing done with wine, a wine glass and T-shirt. Funding packages to get WINKpen start at US$60.
Source: Kickstarter
