For creating a beautiful script, it is not necessary to be an expert calligrapher. All you need to do is have control over calligraphy brush pens. There is a huge variety of brush pens available in the market. At times, it becomes a bit challenging and overwhelming to choose the right brush pen for lettering and calligraphy.
That is why I have curated this post just to let you know about the best brush pens for beginners, so read the post till the end as there is much more to discover!
What Characteristics should the Best Calligraphy Brush Pen Have?
The brush pens with a flexible or tapered tip that you may use in calligraphy for thin and thick strokes are known as calligraphy brush pens. There are various characteristics of a brush pen that you must consider while choosing the pen. The first characteristic is the type of pen tip. There are mainly three types of tips – felt tip, synthetic bristle tip, and natural hair tip.
If you are a beginner in calligraphy, felt tips are the best option for you. It is a firm tip that may provide you with more control over writing letters. Moreover, it produces predictable brushstrokes as well. The other two types of tips also work well, but they are softer than the felt tip.
They are good to be used for subtle hand movements. Hence, it needs much practice to use both natural hair and synthetic bristle brush tips.
The size and thickness of the tip are also important to determine at the time of choosing a brush pen. The size of the brush tip may vary from fine to medium and broad size. If you want to draw some bold brush strokes, go for a broad size tip.
However, if you are interested in adding a detailed look to your piece of art, you can choose a fine tip. Other essential characteristics of a brush pen include elasticity, ink flow, and pigmentation. With that being said, we can conclude that it is the characteristics that make each brush pen different and can change the entire look of calligraphy.
Today’s post is all about the best calligraphy brush pens. In my entire calligraphy career, I tried a lot of brush pens for brush lettering. Today, I am sharing a few of the best brush pens. Yeah, the following is a list of top brush pens that beginners can use for calligraphy or dramatic lettering.
So, if you are a beginner and want to know which brush pen may be the best for you, dive into this post and explore the best brush pens!
The Best Brush Pens Perfect for Beginners
If you are a newbie in the field of calligraphy, you must choose such brush pens that have a firm tip and may allow more control over your calligraphy artwork. The following points explain the best brush pens that are perfect for beginners.
1. Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pens
One of the best brush pens that beginners may use to step into the field of calligraphy is the Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pens. Available in a variety of rich and solid ink colors with a line size of 18 millimeters, the Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pens have a simple plastic body as a regular sign pen has. It is a thin pen, so if you want a pen for minor details or brush pen stroke, it is an ideal choice. In other words, it is a combination of an art pen and a marker.
The outer covering of the pen matches the color of the ink. So, it will be quite easy for you to check the color of the pen that you want for calligraphy.
Let me tell you another unique characteristic of these pens! The Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pens are so smooth in writing because of the soft tip. Hence they are perfect for long writing sessions. They really feel buttery in writing. I have never used a brush pen that feels so buttery and smooth like the Pentel Fude touch sign pens. This is something unique about these pens that makes them enjoyable to use.
Pros:
+ It has a solid plastic body
+ Suitable to write for long hours
+ These brush pens are available in 12 rich colors
+ Each pen has a secure cap
+ Comes with a soft tip
Cons:
-The ink of these pens does not dry quickly
2. Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
If you are a newbie to brush calligraphy, then Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen is also good to use. It comes with a small nib that can make writing letters quite easy for you. These brush pens are available in pigmented blue and black colors. They are flexible and can bounce back very fast, hence perfect for thin and thick strokes. With a smooth writing action, these pens are quite easy and enjoyable to use.
If you want to try different drawing and lettering techniques, the Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens are the best choice due to their flexible brush tips.
The tip of these pens comes with three options: soft tip, twin tip, and hard tip. It is better that you start with the soft and hard tip combo pack. In this way, by using both tips, you will get to know which pen you are comfortable with.
Pros:
+ Flexible soft and hard tips
+ It can create medium to fine strokes
+ Perfect for thick and thin strokes
+ The Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens are suitable for art drawings and calligraphy
+ These pens are easy to control, hence perfect for beginners
Cons:
-These pens are not refillable
-Most users claim that the colors of these pens are not saturated
3. Royal Talens Ecoline Brush Pens
The Royal Talens Ecoline Brush Pens are also excellent calligraphy pens for beginners. This set comes with 10 pens with a massive range of 60 watercolor-based inks – a perfect choice if you want bright and vibrant colors.
The pens are very flexible, soft, blendable with other colors, and come with a large nib. The ink flow of these pens is extremely wet, so if you want to make smudges or add some ombre effects out of these pens, it will be a great idea.
Another characteristic that can make Royal Talens Ecoline Brush Pens unique is that you can refill the ink of these pens. Hence you can use them repeatedly. Moreover, there is a secret tip that comes with each pen in case the first tip is damaged. In short, it is a great brush pen that is fun to be used due to its flexible brush tip.
Pros:
+ Soft and flexible nib
+ Suitable for large-sized brush calligraphy
+ A huge selection of bright colors
+ Extremely wet ink flow
+ Suitable for beginners
Cons:
– As it has a very soft wand flexible tip, at times, it becomes difficult to control the pen in the hands
– This set of pens is a little bit pricey
4. Tombow Dual Brush Pen
One of the best calligraphy brush pens for newbies is the Tombow Dual Brush Pen. With a large medium to firm brush nib, this pen is perfect to be used for thick and thin transitions. Available in 108 different colors, the Tombow Dual Brush Pen has a medium wet ink flow, which makes it blendable with other colors.
Not only this, but it is a great beginner-friendly pen excellent for adding details to your calligraphy piece of art. It may also allow you to create smooth gradient effects.
Most artists prefer to use the Tombow Dual Brush Pen due to its flexible nib, a wide range of colors, and its non-toxic ability; hence it is safe for the children.
Pros:
+ This is an amazing palette of 10 art markers
+ All pens come with a flexible as well as self-cleaning tip
+ It may allow you to add a variety of strokes in your drawing
+ The marker set comes in a wide range of colors
+ Water-based inks and blendable colors
Cons:
– The Tombow Dual Brush Pen is an expensive option
5. The Pigma Professional Brush Pen
Here comes another pen in my list of the best calligraphy brush pens for beginners. It is an amazing pen I highly recommend for beginners. Why? Because it comes with a nice, short, and flexible tip, hence it is quite easy to hold the pen. It is a great permanent and waterproof pen if you are in the learning stage of calligraphy.
Moreover, if you are not fond of using colors in your calligraphy artwork, the Pigma Professional Brush Pen is the best choice for you because it comes in only black color. So, if the color of your choice is black, black, and just black, this pen is the best fit for you!
The Pigma Professional Brush Pen comes in three sizes: fine, medium, and bold. So, whether you want to add details in lettering or you want large and thick stokes, you must use this calligraphy brush pen. This brush pen is also good to be used if you are okay with using permanent archival markers. It is available at an affordable rate, hence suitable for budget-friendly artists.
Pros:
+ It is a beginner-friendly pen
+ Comes with a flexible nib
+ This pen comes in three sizes, bold, medium, and fine
+ Suitable for those who do not mind writing in only black color
+ This pen is good for a variety of calligraphy projects
Cons:
– As it comes in only black color, so it is not suitable for the artists who want to add a variety of colors in their calligraphy
6. Artline ETX Stix Brush Connecting Pens
Do you want to be creative in calligraphy by letting your imaginations draw what you see? Try using the Artline ETX Stix Brush Connecting Pens!
Another great option to consider for calligraphy is the Artline ETX Stix Brush Connecting Pens. A pack of 16 pens with different colors, including black, these brush pens are odorless, non-toxic, and easy to hold as well.
A large number of calligraphy artists, whether they are beginners or experts in the field, highly recommend Artline ETX Stix Brush Connecting Pens. Each pen of this set comes with a flexible brush tip by which you can create thick and thin strokes. Moreover, it is suitable for both upstrokes and downstrokes.
Pros:
+ These pens are not only beginner-friendly but children-friendly as well (non-toxic and odorless)
+ Good to be used for calligraphy, illustration, and doodling
+ Suitable for both upstrokes and downstrokes
Cons:
– The price of this pen is slightly higher
7. Sakura Koi Assorted Coloring Brush Pen Set
If you want to create bold brush strokes with an ombre effect in your calligraphy artwork, then Sakura Koi Assorted Coloring Brush Pen Set is the best fit for you. Available in 48 bright and vivid colors, these pens come with a fantastic flexible nib that may allow you to create thick and thin strokes very easily and quickly.
What makes these pens better than other brush pens is the water-based ink solution that is accompanied by the brush set. This ink solution makes Sakura Koi Assorted Coloring Brush Pen Set blendable with a wide variety of colors.
Each pen comes with a large nib with firm elasticity, hence makes the pen easy to handle, especially for beginners. The ink flow of these pens is wet.
And one more thing: these brush pens are quite durable, so you can use them for a long period of time. All these characteristics make Sakura Koi Assorted Coloring Brush Pens one of the best calligraphy brush pens for beginners.
Pros:
+ Long-lasting pens
+ Each pen has a mid-firm tip, which makes it beginner-friendly
+ The pen set comes with a water-based ink solution that is fully blendable
+ Suitable for creating bold yet colorful brush strokes
+ These pens comes in a huge variety of color options
Cons:
– These pens are a bit more expensive than other calligraphy brush pens
8. Kuretake ZIG FUDEBIYORI Brush Pens
Another set of brush pens that you may use for calligraphy, if you are a beginner, is Kuretake ZIG FUDEBIYORI Brush Pens. These pens come with a flexible hard tip that makes them quite easy to control, especially for beginners.
Available in 12 different colors, it is a perfect option whether you want to add details in lettering or you want to add some larger spaces. Each pen in this set has a water-based dry ink, which makes the pens great not only for calligraphy but for illustrations, sketching, and watercolor paintings as well.
Moreover, you can easily create upstroke and downstroke transitions with the help of these amazing brush pens. Trust me; you will fall in love with Kuretake ZIG FUDEBIYORI Brush Pens!
Pros:
+ Professional quality
+ It comes with a durable and flexible brush tip
+ All brush pens are made in Japan
+ A rich selection of 12 colors
+ Suitable for calligraphy, watercolor paintings, and sketching
Cons:
– Several users claim that it is out of stock most of the times
9. Pentel Pigment & Standard Brush Pens
Do you want to create strong and dry brush strokes in your piece of art? Are you fond of creating crisp lines into your calligraphy artwork? It is time to use Pentel Pigment & Standard Brush Pens. Available in several tip sizes and bristle densities, these brush pens use a water-based ink that is extremely wet and dark.
But once you write anything with these brush pens, the ink will dry up very fast. If you want to lower the amount of ink from the brush bristles for creating light effects, you can wipe the tip of the pen with a paper towel.
Another best thing about Pentel Pigment & Standard Brush Pens? If the ink of these calligraphy pens is finished, no worries, as you can refill the pens. In this way, you can use the Pentel Pigment & Standard Brush Pens for an extended period of time without worrying about running out of ink.
Pros:
+ Each pen comes with diverse tip sizes
+ Dark and wet tips
+ Great for creating dark and dry brush strokes
+ You can use the pens for calligraphy as well as other drawings
+ There is an option to refill the pens
Cons:
– Limited color options
10. Crayola Washable Markers
Here comes another amazing calligraphy pen, and it is Crayola Washable Markers. The most important characteristics of these brush pens are: they come with both a small and large nib with a medium to wet ink flow. Each set comes with 12 colorful and bright colors, hence suitable for creating colorful calligraphy.
Pros:
+ Available in 12 different colors
+ Durable
+ The quality of these markers is quite high
Cons:
– These pens are not much flexible as compared to other brush pens
11. Karin Brush Marker Pro Colors Set
Karin Brush Marker Pro Colors is one of the best beginner-friendly calligraphy brush pens. A large nib, medium nib elasticity, heavy and wet ink flow, and the availability in 60 bright and vibrant colors – all these characteristics make Karin Brush Marker Pro Colors Set unique from other brush pens.
As the ink flow of these brush pens is wet and heavy, so if you want to create a beautiful juicy mark on your calligraphy lettering, these brush pens Karin are the best option. If we talk about the nib elasticity, these brush pens have medium elasticity, hence perfect for creating bold strokes. Moreover, the Karin Brush Marker Pro Colors are also suitable for adding thick and thin strokes to your writing.
The biggest plus point of Karin Brush Marker Pro Colors Set? It is a liquid ink technology! With liquid ink technology, you can get the same level of color intensity until the last drop. The Karin Brush Marker Pro Colors are one of the best brush pens for calligraphy!
Pros:
+ The ink of these pens is non-toxic, which makes them suitable for children as well
+ The Karin brush markers are available in a diverse range of colors
+ Liquid ink technology
+ Suitable for thick and thin strokes
+ Each pen has medium nib elasticity, which makes it perfect for bold lettering
+ You can create colorful calligraphy projects using Karin Brush Marker Pro Colors Set
Cons:
– These brush pens are non-refillable
– For blending of colors, you need to use thick paper
That’s all about it!
Conclusion
So, these are the best brush pens that you may use for calligraphy as well as lettering. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to art. It is difficult to select one single brush pen for calligraphy. That is why, to make a better choice, it is essential to understand the characteristics of a pen.
If you want your calligraphy artwork to be bold as well as noticeable, you must consider the pigmentation of the brush that you are going to choose. Other characteristics or factors that must be considered while choosing a calligraphy brush pen is the ink flow (dry, medium, and heavy), elasticity (soft, mid firm, and firm), size of the nib (small, medium, and large), type of tip, firmness, and color choice.
I hope that by reading this post, you have come to know which brush pen may be the best fit for your artistic needs and what characteristics of a brush pen must be kept in view.
Have you used the brush pens mentioned in the above list? If yes, how was your experience? If there is another brush pen that you want me to test, please let me in the comment section. Happy Calligraphy!