Stepping into the world of calligraphy is an exciting journey, but choosing your first pen can feel overwhelming. With so many types available, from brush pens to dip pens, it’s hard to know where to begin. The right tools can make all the difference in learning pressure control and stroke variation, turning practice into a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
This roundup is designed to cut through the confusion and present a curated selection of the best calligraphy pens for those just starting out. We have considered factors like ease of use, ink quality, and versatility to help you find the perfect set to begin your hand-lettering adventure. Whether you prefer bold brush strokes or fine, detailed lines, there is an ideal option here for you.
The Best Calligraphy Pens for New Artists
- PANDAFLY Calligraphy Pen, 10 Size Set
- Brusarth Calligraphy Pens, 8 Size Set
- Craft ‘n’ Beyond Calligraphy Brush Pens Pack
- Tombow 62038 Fudenosuke Brush Pen, 2-Pack
- Ooly Calligraphy Duo – 12 Double Ended Pens
- MARTCOLOR Calligraphy Pens, 9 Size Set
- Faber-Castell Calligraphy Pitt Artist Pen Set
- Plotube Calligraphy Pen Set with Dip Pen
- Zebra Disposable Brush Pen Sign Pen, 5-Pack
PANDAFLY Calligraphy Pen, 10 Size Set
For the beginner who wants to experiment with every possible stroke, the PANDAFLY set is an excellent starting point. It includes ten distinct pens, offering a wide spectrum of nib sizes from a fine 0.5mm tip to a large soft brush. This variety allows you to practice and understand how different tools affect your lettering style, all without needing to purchase multiple individual sets.
The pens are filled with archival quality pigment black ink that is waterproof, fadeproof, and non-bleeding. This ensures your creations will stand the test of time. The combination of both soft and hard tips provides maximum flexibility, letting you create everything from extra-fine hairlines to bold, expressive strokes simply by adjusting the pressure you apply.
Brusarth Calligraphy Pens, 8 Size Set
If a smooth, reliable writing experience is your priority, the Brusarth calligraphy set delivers. These pens are designed to provide a consistent flow of ink without any smearing, making your practice sessions much cleaner and more enjoyable. The water-based ink is also odorless, acid-free, and non-toxic, which is a great feature for artists of all ages.
The set includes a practical range of tips, moving from extra-fine liners to soft brush tips. This flexibility is perfect for learning how to create the varying line widths that are fundamental to beautiful calligraphy and hand lettering. Their versatility extends beyond calligraphy, making them suitable for drawing, sketching, journaling, and adding artistic flair to cards and invitations.
Craft ‘n’ Beyond Calligraphy Brush Pens Pack
This three-pack from Craft ‘n’ Beyond offers a simple and focused introduction to brush pen calligraphy. With small, medium, and large sizes, you get the core tools needed to practice different lettering styles and sizes. It’s a minimalistic kit that prevents choice overload and allows you to concentrate on mastering brush control.
The fadeproof black ink is quick-drying and waterproof, ensuring your work stays crisp and clean. The pens are designed to resist bleeding through paper, which is a common frustration for beginners. Featuring both brush and chisel tips, this small set encourages maximum creativity and is an affordable way to start your artistic journey.
Tombow 62038 Fudenosuke Brush Pen, 2-Pack
Tombow is a highly respected name in the calligraphy world, and this two-pack is a favorite among beginners and professionals alike. The set includes one pen with a soft, flexible tip and another with a hard tip, giving you two distinct learning experiences in one package. The soft tip is great for expressive strokes, while the hard tip offers more control and is easier to manage for those just starting.
These pens are renowned for their responsive brush tips that react beautifully to changes in pressure. By pressing down lightly, you can create extra-fine upstrokes, and with more pressure, you achieve thick, graceful downstrokes. This fundamental practice is key to developing proper calligraphy technique, making these pens an invaluable learning tool.
Ooly Calligraphy Duo – 12 Double Ended Pens
Add a splash of color to your calligraphy with the Ooly Calligraphy Duo set. This collection includes twelve double-ended pens, each featuring a 3.0mm felt brush tip on one end and a 2.0mm chisel tip on the other. This dual-tip design provides two tools in one, offering fantastic value and creative flexibility for beginners and kids.
The vibrant, acid-free ink is perfect for a wide range of projects, from hand lettering and journaling to sketching and illustration. Having multiple colors at your disposal allows you to create dynamic and eye-catching artwork. The variety of tips and colors in one set makes it an ideal all-in-one kit for anyone looking to add a colorful dimension to their calligraphy practice.
MARTCOLOR Calligraphy Pens, 9 Size Set
The MARTCOLOR set provides a comprehensive nine-pen collection that covers all the essentials for a beginner. With nib sizes ranging from 0.8mm to a soft brush, this set equips you with the tools to practice various calligraphy styles and techniques. It’s a well-rounded kit designed to meet all your foundational lettering requirements.
You can practice with confidence knowing the high-quality pigment black ink is safe, non-toxic, and designed to be waterproof and fadeproof. Like other top sets, it includes both soft and hard tips, allowing you to create a full range of strokes. This makes it a reliable and versatile choice for art drawing, sketching, and scrapbooking in addition to calligraphy.
Faber-Castell Calligraphy Pitt Artist Pen Set
For those interested in exploring color from the start, the Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen set is a premium option. This set includes six multi-colored pens, each featuring a 2.5mm chisel-edge nib that is perfect for both classic calligraphy and modern hand lettering. Faber-Castell is known for its high-quality art supplies, and these pens are no exception.
The pens are filled with high-quality, lightfast India ink that is highly pigmented, water-resistant, and smudge-proof. This ensures your colorful creations remain vibrant and permanent. These versatile pens are a fantastic choice for a variety of art projects, including mixed media, card making, and detailed lettering work, offering a professional feel for a beginner’s toolkit.
Plotube Calligraphy Pen Set with Dip Pen
If you’re drawn to the traditional elegance of dip pen calligraphy, the Plotube set provides a complete and beginner-friendly introduction. This exquisite set includes a wooden pen, an antique brass holder, eleven different nibs, and seven colored ink bottles. Presented in a luxury gift box, it feels special and inspires a connection to the historical art form.
The variety of nibs allows for superior control, enabling you to dispense ink smoothly and create lines of different thicknesses. With seven vibrant ink colors to choose from, you have everything needed to create beautiful, traditional calligraphy pieces. This set is perfect for the beginner who wants to learn the foundational techniques of dip pen calligraphy from the ground up.
Zebra Disposable Brush Pen Sign Pen, 5-Pack
The Zebra Disposable Brush Pen is a classic, reliable tool that is beloved by calligraphers for its consistent performance. This five-pack offers great value and is perfect for dedicated practice. The pen features a fine, flexible brush tip that responds well to pressure, allowing you to create the characteristic thick and thin strokes of brush lettering with precision.
These pens are known for their durable tips and waterproof ink, making them a workhorse for daily practice. Their simplicity and effectiveness make them an excellent choice for beginners who want to focus on mastering a single, high-quality tool without any distractions. They are a staple in many artists’ kits for good reason.
Buying Guide: How to Choose Your First Calligraphy Pen
When I first started my calligraphy journey, the sheer number of pen options was overwhelming. I made a few mistakes, buying pens that were too advanced or not suited to the style I wanted to learn. To save you from that same confusion, here’s a straightforward guide on what to look for in your first set of tools. The right pen can make the learning process much smoother and a lot more fun.
First, consider the type of calligraphy that interests you. The three main styles are pointed pen, broad edge, and brush calligraphy. Pointed pen scripts, like Copperplate or Spencerian, require a flexible nib that responds to pressure. Broad edge scripts, such as Italic or Gothic, use a nib with a flat, chiseled tip. Brush calligraphy is often done with a flexible brush tip on a pen or an actual brush pen. For a beginner, I often recommend starting with a broad edge pen or a brush pen, as they are more forgiving and help you build confidence with basic strokes.
Next, think about the pen mechanism itself. There are three common types you’ll encounter:
- Dip Pens: These consist of a holder and a separate, interchangeable nib. You dip the nib into an inkwell. They offer the most flexibility and authentic experience but can be messy and have a steeper learning curve.
- Fountain Pens: These have an internal reservoir, so you don’t need to constantly dip for ink. They are cleaner and more convenient, making them a great choice for practice and on-the-go writing. Some have interchangeable nibs.
- Marker/Brush Pens: These are disposable or refillable pens with a felt, nylon, or brush tip. They are incredibly user-friendly, portable, and perfect for beginners just getting a feel for letter forms and pressure.
For your very first foray, a marker-style calligraphy pen or a fountain pen with a built-in italic nib is a fantastic, low-fuss option. They allow you to focus on your hand movements and letter shapes without worrying about ink flow or nib preparation. As you get more comfortable, you can then progress to a dip pen set for more advanced techniques and a wider range of ink colors.
Finally, don’t forget about the ink and paper. Using the wrong paper can lead to bleeding and feathering, which is frustrating. Look for smooth, high-quality paper specifically designed for calligraphy or ink work. As for ink, if you choose a dip pen, start with a beginner-friendly, free-flowing ink like India ink. For fountain pens, you must use fountain pen ink to avoid clogging the mechanism. Starting with the right combination of pen, ink, and paper is a huge step toward success. Finding the 9 best calligraphy pens for beginners is easier when you know what to look for based on your goals.
FAQ
What is the easiest calligraphy pen for a beginner to use?
In my experience, the easiest pens to start with are marker-style calligraphy pens, like those with a chisel tip, or a fountain pen with a stub nib. They are self-contained, meaning no messy ink dipping, and they provide a consistent line width with minimal pressure. This lets you concentrate entirely on learning the basic strokes and letterforms without the added variables of ink flow and nib flexibility. They are portable, affordable, and ready to use right out of the package.
What is the difference between a calligraphy pen and a regular pen?
The main difference lies in the nib or tip. A regular ballpoint or rollerball pen has a rounded tip that produces a uniform line. A calligraphy pen, however, has a specialized nib designed to create thick and thin lines within a single stroke. This is achieved either through a broad, flat nib (for broad edge calligraphy) or a flexible, pointed nib (for pointed pen styles) that spreads when you apply pressure. This variation in line width is the fundamental characteristic of calligraphic writing.
Do I need special paper for calligraphy?
Yes, I highly recommend it. Using regular printer or notebook paper can lead to several problems. The ink may “feather,” spreading out in tiny fibers, or “bleed” through to the other side. Smooth, high-quality paper prevents this and allows the ink to sit neatly on the surface, giving you crisp, clean lines. Look for paper labeled as “marker paper,” “layout bond,” or specifically “calligraphy practice paper.” A Rhodia or Clairefontaine pad is a popular and reliable choice for beginners.
How long does it take to learn calligraphy?
This depends on your practice consistency and goals. You can learn the fundamental strokes and basic alphabet of a simple style like Italic in a few weeks of regular practice. However, achieving proficiency and developing your own consistent, elegant hand takes much longer—often months or even years of dedicated practice. The key is to be patient and practice a little bit every day rather than in long, infrequent sessions. The journey is part of the joy.
Can I use any ink with a calligraphy pen?
Absolutely not, and this is a crucial point. The type of ink must match the type of pen. Dip pens can handle a wide variety of inks, including India ink and acrylic inks. Fountain pens, however, must only use fountain pen ink. Other inks are too thick and will clog the delicate internal mechanism permanently. Using the correct ink is non-negotiable for the health of your pen and the quality of your writing. When searching for the 9 best calligraphy pens for beginners, always check what kind of ink the pen requires.
What is the best way to practice as a beginner?
Start with the basics, not with full letters. I began by practicing fundamental strokes—upstrokes (thin lines) and downstrokes (thick lines), along with ovals and curves. Use guide sheets with slanted lines and x-heights to keep your writing consistent. Focus on slow, deliberate movements and muscle memory rather than speed. There are many free practice sheets available online that you can print on your good-quality paper. Building a strong foundation with these basic elements will make forming beautiful letters much easier later on.