Pojok Selatan #6 Comes to Bogor: A Day of Writing, Colour, and Creative Exploration

For the first time, Pojok Selatan by Tinta Nusantara made its way to Bogor, at Kopi Juno—and what a lovely first visit it was.

Across two full workshop sessions, people of different ages and backgrounds came together with one thing in common: a curiosity for creativity and a willingness to try something new. The sessions were divided into two creative experiences: watercolor using fountain pen ink and handwriting with fountain pens.

But beyond the materials and techniques, the workshop became a space to slow down, learn, talk, and simply enjoy making something with our own hands.

Exploring Watercolor with Fountain Pen Ink

The first session introduced participants to a different way of looking at fountain pen ink. Instead of using it solely for writing, they learned how ink can become a watercolor medium.

Participants experimented with brushes, learned how to dilute fountain pen ink to create different shades and intensities, and explored how the same color could produce very different results depending on the amount of water used.

They also had the opportunity to learn about the history and development of painting, giving the creative activity a little more context before putting brush to paper.

For many, it was their first time discovering that something as simple as fountain pen ink could become a medium for painting and adult coloring.

From Quill to Fountain Pen

The second session took participants into the world of handwriting and writing instruments.

Before picking up a fountain pen, they explored the history of writing instruments—from the traditional quill pen to the modern fountain pen. They learned how writing tools have evolved over time and how each instrument has influenced the way people write.

The practical session then moved into the fundamentals of handwriting, including proper posture and writing techniques.

One of the fun parts of the workshop was getting to try a variety of entry-level fountain pens from around the world, including brands from Japan, Taiwan, Germany, France, China, and India. Each pen had its own character, giving participants the chance to discover which writing experience suited them best.

And, of course, there was plenty of time to write with Tinta Nusantara. Many participants enjoyed exploring the colors, with one of the recurring reactions being simply how wonderful the colors looked on paper.

“Learning Has No Age”

Perhaps the most meaningful part of the day was hearing directly from the people who joined us.

One of our attendees, who recently entered retirement, shared her experience:

Life after retirement - Mengisi masa pensiun dengan mencoba dan belajar hal-hal baru ternyata seru juga! Bulan lalu saya berkesempatan mengikuti workshop by Tinta Nusantara. Pengalaman pertama saya menulis menggunakan fountain pen. Tidak hanya handwriting, kami juga mencoba adult colouring menggunakan tinta dari produk lokal Indonesia dengan pilihan warna yang cantik-cantik. Workshop-nya juga terasa senior-friendly, jadi belajar terasa santai dan menyenangkan. Yang paling saya nikmati, bisa belajar sambil bercanda dan ngobrol dengan peserta lainnya. Tak terasa, dari siang sampai sore waktu berlalu begitu cepat. Ternyata setelah pensiun, masih banyak hal baru yang bisa dipelajari, dicoba, dan dinikmati. Because learning has no age.

Her words captured something we hoped Pojok Selatan could become: a welcoming place where you don't need to be an experienced artist, calligrapher, or fountain pen enthusiast to participate. You simply need to be curious.

We also had one of our youngest attendees join us all the way from New York, who was in Indonesia for a volunteering program. After experiencing the writing session, she shared:

“I never thought that writing would be this complex, but the whole session was total fun.”

And then there was another wonderful observation from one of our participants:

“I never thought that Bogor would be this artsy. Will join the next one for sure!”

Perhaps that's one of the joys of bringing Pojok Selatan to a new city. We don't just discover new participants—we discover new creative communities, too.

More Than Just a Workshop

Looking back at our first Pojok Selatan session in Bogor, what stayed with us wasn't only the beautiful postcards, colorful ink, or pages filled with handwriting.

It was the conversations between participants. The laughter during practice. The curiosity when trying a new fountain pen. The surprise of discovering that ink could be used as a watercolor medium. And the quiet satisfaction of seeing your own handwriting slowly take shape on paper.

Creativity doesn't really belong to a particular age group or skill level.

Sometimes, it simply starts with a willingness to say, “I've never tried this before. Let me give it a go.”

And perhaps that's what Pojok Selatan is really about: creating a space where people can learn something new, meet one another, and rediscover the joy of making things by hand.

Our first visit to Bogor was only the beginning.