The Evolution of Two Pens
My two latest pens, both inspired by ancient Egypt, are the result of nearly two years of contemplation, investigation, and creative exploration. The project began with a casual conversation with a pen friend who—much to my delight—turned out to be a devoted enthusiast of ancient Egyptian culture. They encouraged me to design a pen with an Egyptian theme and supported me with explanations of hieroglyphics, tomb paintings, architecture, and all things related to the Nile and its history.
At the same time, I began researching Egyptian-themed pens already on the market. There were many, and I soon wondered how I could create something truly new. I experimented with the obvious approaches: wrapping images of gods and hieroglyphics around the barrel or adding ornate crowns to the cap. Nothing felt distinctive. Then, one of those fortunate creative accidents occurred…
As some of my earlier pen designs (Moonwalk, Mars Rover) suggest, I’m also a space enthusiast. One day, while browsing photos from the International Space Station, I discovered a nighttime image of the Nile River. The towns and villages along its path glowed against the deep darkness of the surrounding desert. Instantly, I thought, “That image belongs on a pen.”
I printed the photo, wrapped it around a test pen, and began exploring ways to translate the concept into a finished piece.
Using my established flat-top pen with its leather-like texture as a foundation, my digital-sculpting expert imprinted the river along the barrel and up onto the cap. The river’s many-branched delta took several iterations to design, but we eventually captured the transition where it meets the Mediterranean Sea and crowned it with a colorful band inspired by Nefertiri’s headdress. Still captivated by hieroglyphics, I added the cartouche of the river god Hapi to the back of the cap. Gold inlay fills both the river and the cartouche, bringing the glowing night-view of the Nile to life.
Just when I thought the design was complete, an artist friend suggested extending the river onto the gripping section so that, when uncapped, it would appear to flow directly from the nib onto the page. The idea was perfect—and that feature is now one of my favorite elements of the pen. I’m confident this design stands apart from all other Egyptian-themed pens available today.
As with all my pens, the exterior is coated with a clear layer of Cerakote ceramic for durability and protection. A gold-filled JoWo #6 nib ensures a superb writing experience. And because I’m a huge fan of Rickshaw Bagworks, Mark Dwight created a matching sleeve for the pen.
Throughout my research, I became fascinated by the iconic columns supporting the great temples that line the Nile. Their forms range from simple and elegant to richly detailed with hieroglyphics and images of gods and pharaohs. Columns, of course, are shaped very much like pens—so I decided to explore that idea as well.
In this design, simplicity felt like the best path. I selected a gently curved prototype pen, added subtle longitudinal accent lines to suggest fluting, and placed the cartouche of Thoth—the Egyptian god credited with inventing writing—on the cap. It still needed something more, so my modeling expert created a removable capital that can be set aside if it interferes with writing.
The pen’s body is finished in black, with the cartouche and capital rendered in gold. A glossy Cerakote clear coat protects the exterior. Inside, a gold-filled Schmidt #5 nib ensures a smooth and satisfying writing experience.
Artcraft Pen Company 