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In this post I will share with you the pens I used to get started with hand lettering.
When I first started hand lettering, I’d been thinking about trying it for a while. Then one day I was browsing in Target, and I found a pack of Crayola hand lettering brush pens. I grabbed them and away I went!
When I got home and started to write, I was beyond frustrated. I had very nice handwriting after all. And now I had the correct pens, so why wasn’t my lettering just beautiful and flowing?
Ok, well, that’s not really how it works. I mean, first, you need to learn the basic rules for hand lettering. Once you do that, the pen isn’t quite as important. And if you haven’t done that yet, check out my post here.
Now let me just tell you that brush pens are really a matter of personal preference. But I am happy to tell you a bit about my favorites and point you in the right direction! Let me tell you about the 5 best pens for hand lettering!
What is a Brush Pen?
A brush pen is pretty much what it sounds like: a pen with a tip (called a nib) that resembles a paintbrush. There are many types of brush pens, with varying sizes and flexibility. The flexible tip allows you to create the thin and thick strokes that make up most hand lettering and calligraphy. They are not necessary to get started with hand lettering, but they are super fun!!
Best Pens for Beginners
Crayola Broad Tip Markers or Supertips
You don’t have to break the bank to find great pens for hand lettering. Starting with regular old markers will do it, and if you have kids you can shop in their supplies for free!
These two markers basically write in the same way. The firm tip of the marker allows for easier manipulation of the pen. The way to get line variation is to shift your grip of the marker from using the point to the thicker side of the marker, unlike a brush pen, where you get variation in line size based on the pressure you apply to the pen.
Where you can find them
Just about any store (Target, Walmart, etc.) or
If you don’t want to leave the house you can find these on Amazon!
Pentel Touch Brush Pens
(these can sometimes be called Pentel Sign Brush Pens, but do not confuse them with Pentel Sign Pens, which are regular felt-tipped markers).
I fell in love with these pens right away. They have that nice flexible nib (tip) without being too soft, giving the artist a lot of control, which is important when you are just beginning and still have a bit of a shaky hand. They are great for small lettering or longer passages. Bonus- these pens are long lasting. I am STILL using the set I bought two years ago. Some of the tips are slightly frayed, but that is likely because I didn’t use the correct paper in the beginning (I will cover this in a later post).
Where you can find them
Likely you can find them at your local art store such as Michael’s. But if, like me, you don’t live near any are stores, you can find them here:
Tombow Fudenosuke
The Tombow Fudenosuke is another great pen for beginning hand lettering. This is another fine-tipped brush pen and is very similar to the Pentel Touch. I did not use these as a beginner, but the nib is slightly more firm than the Touch, again giving the artist more control. I love this pen now, but it’s great for practicing as a newbie!
Where you can find them
Art stores
Online: Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
Best Pens for More Advanced Artistry
Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens
I come back to these pens again and again and again! Admittedly, I have not tried every pen out there. But I’ve tried a few, and these are my favorite. These are what you use to get those nice big, chunky letters. The ink flow is perfect and smooth. And with the right paper, I’ve not seen a lot of fray on these pens. My first set is just starting to fray a little, but I’ve had them for about a year and half.
It is worth noting that these pens are water-based and so can double as watercolor paints (again, with the right paper).
Where you can find them
I have found limited varieties at Walmart in the arts and crafts section.
Tombow Dual Brush Markers Primary This set is a pack with ten colors, though there are tons of different varieties of colors. I think this pack would be good to start. If you want to spend a little less and need fewer pens you can also try the Tombow Dual Brush Celebration Pack. This pack has six colors.
Karin Brushmarker Pro
My first set of these was the neon set and they were gorgeous!! They are very juicy pens and the ink flows fairly quickly. My pink ran out of ink, which is weird because blue is my favorite color!! They are also big and flowy and water-based.
Find them here: Karin Brushmarker Pro Basic Colors or Karin Brushmarker Pro Bright Colors.
Bonus: The Best Paper
When we talk about which pens to use, I feel it’s important to mention paper as well. I go more in-depth in this post here, but if you are just getting started and practicing a lot, I recommend HP 32 Premium Paper. This paper is smooth and your pens will last longer.
Find it here: HP32 Premium Printer Paper
Now, I will admit, when I first began, I just grabbed paper out of my printer. This is fine, especially if you are using regular Crayola markers or Supertips or if you are practicing faux calligraphy (read about this here). I even used notebook paper. I just used whatever paper I could get my hands on, and this is totally okay! The biggest thing to note here is that if you are using brush pens, eventually they will begin to fray.
One more quick thing about paper. I really have a tough time writing in straight lines, so especially when I am just practicing, I like to use dotted paper (found here) or lined paper (found here). Click the links for some free templates you can print.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up, the best pens for hand lettering, in my opinion, are Crayola Markers, Pentel Touch brush pens, Tombow Dual Brush Pens, Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens, and Karin Brushmarker Pros. As I experiment with more pens, I will update this post, but in two years of lettering, these have become my absolute favorites!
So tell me, what do I need to try next? The options are endless! What are your favorites?
Need more information on how to get started in hand lettering? Check out my post 5 Steps to Getting Started in Hand Lettering.