In two hours
What you'll learn
- Sketch everyday scenes using simple shapes and lines.
- Use fountain pens for loose, expressive drawing.
- Add personality with lettering and handwritten details.
- Create pages that feel meaningful, not perfect.
A creative journaling workshop
put ink on paperSimple sketching and lettering with fountain pens, with Quynh Vu.
The invitation
What if your fountain pens could do more than write?
In this relaxed, beginner friendly workshop you'll turn everyday moments into expressive journal pages using simple sketching and playful lettering. No art experience required. Think of it as a creative pause, a chance to slow down, unplug, and enjoy your pens in a more personal way. Just bring your favorite pen and start inking your world.
In two hours
A latte before it gets cold. The plant on your desk. We start with simple shapes and build up, so an ordinary scene becomes a page you'll want to keep.
Ink is the fun part
Fountain pens do things a ballpoint can't. Line that swells and tapers, ink that shades and pools. We'll mix colors, lay down swatches, and let the ink carry some of the work.
A title, a date, a few honest words about your day. We'll play with simple lettering styles that give plain handwriting personality, no calligraphy background needed.
Pay with PayPal, Venmo, or card. Tickets are non refundable.
The Westin San Francisco Airport, 1 Old Bayshore Hwy, Millbrae. Room to be announced.
Your favorite fountain pen and a journal or notebook. No drawing skills needed.
Anyone who loves fountain pens, whether you're brand new to sketching or already journal.
Show pass required. The workshop is held at the SF Pen Show. A separate show admission pass is required to enter the venue and is not included in your ticket. Get your SF Pen Show pass.
Your host
Quynh Vu (@itsquynhvu) is a fountain pen artist and journaler who helps people use their pens for more than writing, turning ink into a way to slow down and capture everyday life.
“Getting back into this brought me so much joy. I love documenting my travels and my day-to-day life, sketching the small moments I never used to slow down and appreciate. It was the first time in years I felt really excited about something, and I’d completely lose track of time.”
“It’s so common to feel like you can’t draw, that’s exactly how I felt when I started, and it’s easy to compare yourself to everyone else. But it’s actually really fun to look back on the pages you made. There’s no wrong way to document your day. My advice? Just start.”
“What finally helped me stop being so precious about a nice journal is simple: I just love buying stationery and notebooks. The more I use my stuff, the easier it is to justify buying more. So if you mess up a page, congratulations, that’s your excuse to go shopping for the next one.”
No. This is built for total beginners. We work with simple shapes and lines, no pressure and no perfection.
Your favorite fountain pen and a journal or notebook. We'll guide you through the techniques from there.
The two dates cover the same material, so one is plenty. You're welcome to book both if you'd like the extra practice.
Yes. The workshop is held at the SF Pen Show, so a separate show admission pass is required to enter the venue. It is not included in your $65 ticket. Get your SF Pen Show pass here.
Tickets are non refundable. If your plans change, reach out and we'll do our best to help.