Libb

The topic everyone was impatiently waiting for, we can all agree.

Ballpoint pens and fountain pens

If you did not knew it already the Cristal Bic, the world most used ballpoint pen, is French and even though the brand is now global and have factories in many countries (including the US, among other brands they own the US Waterman), they still made part of their production in the EU, in France and Spain.

(For those like me who worries about plastic/throw away pens, you may not know that Bic has recently started selling an aluminum body that's shaped like the cristal Bic that you can insert a refill in. Also, and for much longer, they make it possible to buy refills for the cheap plastic cristal Bic by packs of 50—so, you can keep using the same single clear plastic body for much longer only replacing the ink. Alas, those refills are not as readily available as the Bic itself.)

If you're interested in Bic history, and want to know more about what they do, they have this PDF available for download.

I'm not affiliated with them, I just have been chewing on one or another of their Bic pens for well over 50 years now and I quite like them. And that is coming from a lifelong fountain pen user...

Fountain pens? One may want to consider the excellent German brand Lamy which offers both cheap and expensive models of fountain pens (and ballpoint pens too, but not as cheap as Bic). Their cheap ‘Lamy Safari’ pictured here was designed in the 80s/90s to help kids proper handwriting and is still, imho, one of the best cheap/beginner-friendly fountain pen one could buy here in Europe. Its also real sturdy while still being easy to fix if anythign was to happen to it ;)

Also, I think they look gorgeous with their bright flashy colors :p

(colored) Pencils

If you're more into pencils, may I suggest you check the German FaberCastell or the Swiss Caran d'Ache? They're very different kind of pencils but they're also both amazingly good, be it their 'cheaper' lines (say, for kids) as well as, obviously, their artist lines (much more expensive too).

Watercolors

For watercolors, I would suggest the Dutch Royal Talens. Their student-grade paint 'Van Gogh' is unbelievably good for its price, as well as their artist-grade 'Rembrandt'. Heck, even their cheapest 'ArtCreation' line is nice (and it also offers truly excellent and cheap sketchbooks)

Obviously, the English Winsor & Newton whose artist grade paints are now made in France if I'm not mistaken, as well as their Cotman student-grade—but if you go the student grade road, I would strongly suggest you give Royal Talens 'Van Gogh' a try, like really, as you may be surprised.

The French Sennelier, they have a honey-based artist-grade watercolors that are so bright <3. They also have a student grade called 'La Petite Aquarelle'.

Last but certainly not least, I would not want to forget the Ukrainian's Rosa. A recent discovery for me (a little over a year ago) which I quite like.

One should also talk about paint brushes for watercolors, and about inks for fountain pens as in both cases there are excellent EU brands, but this is already way too long ;)

Your turn! Do you know any other European brand of pens, pencils or watercolors?

Edit: updated the title from 'in the EU' to 'in Europe'

I've recently started trying to revitalize a niche community (!journaling@sh.itjust.works) that had been silent for a year or so, simply by posting more content. I have been made a moderator by the instance owners (so I could do any cleaning/maintenance if that was needed).

I have been posting for almost a month and got my very first new post, by another user than me I mean, in the last 24h. That was so effing cool! And it also was real good content for our niche.

That said, I still want to post more stuff.

And I would like to also renew the old banner and icon which I think is meh. I even made a mock-up I wanted to put online and then see if members liked it. That's when I started worrying it might be a very stupid idea.

I don't want members to feel like I'm taking hold of anything. My sole objective is to encourage more people to post more, and to help make the community as welcoming and alive as I can. But by doing too much I'm afraid I would only make members feel I'm making it 'mine'.

Instead of doing that, I considered asking all members their opinion about renewing the banner, and invite them to submit their own propositions. But, here again, I'm worrying:

1. They could feel bombarded by my too many posts and/or intimidated by my invitation to participate.
2. And then, if we were to organize some friendly competition, how would I (and why me?) pick the winning proposition? By a vote? Sure, but then I'm afraid people would encourage their friends to vote for them which would not be fair to people with fewer friends.

So, here I am. A bit naive and afraid I could do more arm than good.

What do you think? Do I worry too much?

Do you have any practical suggestion? Should I post less? Should I give up on that banner idea? (I really think a new and less serious banner could help but it's also not an obsession, so...)