Handlettering Supplies for Beginners
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me “what pen is that?” I’d be able to buy all the pens I want 😛
If you’re just getting started with handlettering or modern calligraphy, here are some pens I recommend:
- Tombow Fudenosuke Hard Nib: This is the #1 brush pen I recommend for beginners because the nib, or tip, is harder than most. It makes it easier to control and achieve the different thin and thick lines characteristic of handlettering.
- Pentel Sign Touch Fude: If you follow me on Instagram, these are usually the pens I use in my morning lettering videos. They come in a pack of 12 bright colors.
- Tombow Fudenosuke Soft Nib: This pen features a small tip but is slightly more flexible than the Tombow fude hard tip. These also come in a colored pack.
- Micron Pens (monoline, assorted sizes): These are a great option for a monoline pen. They are good for detail work or writing in something like a quote reference.
- Crayola Broad Tip Markers: Standard Crayola markers that you probably already have at home are a great place to start if you’re not quite ready to invest in brush pens just yet.
- Crayola Super Tips Markers: These are a great budget friendly option as well. I love crayolas because you don’t have to worry about what kind of paper you’re writing on with them.
The other important supply you need to begin handlettering is paper. I know what you’re thinking- I have a ton of paper already lying around my house. But if you use your pens on the wrong kind of paper, you can ruin them. For brush pens, you want to use extremely smooth paper.
- Rhodia Dot Pad: This is my paper of choice because the dots serve as great guidelines without distracting from your lettering.
- Tracing Paper: This is especially useful if you’re working on perfecting a piece.
- Smooth Finish Cardstock: This is my go-to for final pieces.
Remember that no pen or paper will magically make your handlettering better. At the end of the day, you’ll have to play around with different things and see what works for you, but don’t forget to practice, practice, practice. Happy lettering 🙂