Best Calligraphy Pens For Beginners

If you’re reading this post on your smartphone or laptop, can you remember the last time you got off of either electronic to write a letter? We’re not talking about a text message or an email. We’re talking about an actual handwritten letter with a fountain pen. Does this sound like a dated thing to do? Here’s the thing. It’s not. And calligraphy, along with cursive handwriting, is making a comeback. The New Yorker even has a post on “Calligraphy Stars of Instagram.” Maybe you can choose one of these 12 options below for best calligraphy pens for beginners and become the next one.

But are you unsure of what would be considered the best calligraphy pens for your new writing adventure? Maybe. We highly recommend testing out the best fountain pens first just to get comfortable with your penmanship. Then dive in to enjoy these fun calligraphy facts and pick the best calligraphy pen set for you. Just as learning handwriting took time and patience, the same goes for calligraphy. Don’t give up on your pens immediately just because you don’t have the font down a.s.a.p.

Best Calligraphy Pens For Beginners

1. Hand Lettering Pens

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the term “calligraphy” may derive from the Greek words for “beauty” (kallos) and “to write” (graphein). And with this calligraphy set of extra fine, fine, medium and brush tips, get ready to learn the difference between these brush strokes and figure out which one suits you best.

Key Features

• Three pens (extra fine, fine, medium, brush), three brushes
• Pigmented black ink
• Contains hard and soft tips for calligraphy ink brush pens

These water-based, odorless pens work well for lettering and calligraphy. Get creative with wedding invitations, wall art, monthly planners, textile decor in your bathroom or kitchen, scrapbooks, calendars and more. Use the flexible brush tip to try different lettering and drawing with the same pen (or a combination of all four). Use refillable ink to help these pens last.

Pros

• Non-bleeding (assuming there is no ink overflow)
• Nontoxic and acid free

Cons

• Several users didn’t like the “marker” appearance
• One user reported the labels are in Chinese

This calligraphy pen set has a one-year warranty with the option of a full refund.

2. Jeeke Calligraphy Pen

Although words referring to “calligraphy” surfaced at the end of the 16th century in European languages, the word “calligraphy” did not appear in English until 1613.

Key Features

• Nibs: Extra fine, fine, medium, brush
• Pigment ink
• Water based

These long-lasting, water-based calligraphy pens come in as handy for hand lettering as it does for drawing and other artwork. A change in brush pressure can achieve the desired results.

Pros

• Refillable ink

Cons

• Amazon warranty/refund information unclear on site

With this calligraphy set of four in various textures and thickness, calligraphy beginners can test out which pen works the best for your penmanship. And with four options, you can also decide which pen looks best with which item.

3. Calligraphy Markers Set

One calligraphy blog recommends holding your pen at a 45-degree angle and making sure your nib is leading the line. This can feel awkward compared to a regular ink pen in which you have more control over where the ink goes and can hold your pen however you like.

Key Features

• Nib sizes: 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, extra fine, fine, medium, soft brush, brush
• Black pigment ink
• Waterproof

Use this set of nine pens for a variety of options, including journaling, signatures, sketching, drawing, calendars, planners and watercolor illustrations. The high-quality pigment will not bleed onto other pages. And with a flexible brush tip (soft and hard tips too), you can test out different lettering and drawing on the same page. Keep track of all pens with their coded pocket clip caps.

Pros

• Fadeproof
• Nontoxic

Cons

• If used with watercolors, the appearance may be more opaque.

This 3. Calligraphy Markers Set comes with a one-year warranty and a full-refund option.

4. AIVN Set

Have you ever heard of “art water”? This may come in handy if you decide to use your calligraphy pens for artwork. Once you’re done, clean the nibs off to avoid staining. All you need to do is fill up a cup with water. If you’re all about being eco-friendly, this is a perfect opportunity to make use of plastic containers you rarely need but may collect from takeout.

Key Features

• Luxury rosewood wooden pen
• 12 calligraphy nibs
• 1 bottle of ink

The 100 percent handcrafted pens were made with luxury rosewood and stainless steel nibs. These pens can be used for both drawing and handwriting, with an easy ink flow and smooth glide. The box it comes in is perfect for gift-giving.

Pros

• Nontoxic ink
• Lightweight wooden pen

Cons

• One Amazon reviewer reported the metal prongs holding the nib in place bent out of shape

If this isn’t the set you for, there is 100 percent money-back guarantee. Or, ask for a replacement.

5. Mont Marte Set

French fries. Salad. Skins for chips. There are many ways to use potatoes, but you probably didn’t know that they come in handy for cleaning off nibs. The manufacturer oil used on nibs is used with the intention to keep your nibs in good shape for long periods of time.

Unfortunately, this results in irregular printing and odd, blotchy spots. If you’ve returned a perfectly good calligraphy pen because the writing is spotty, you may want to try sticking the nib in a russet potato for a maximum of 15 minutes. Then you’ll know if it’s worth its weight or not.

Key Features

• Four calligraphy pens
• Exercise workbook
• Ink cartridges (included)

This 33-piece calligraphy set is a good start for beginners and children, with two pieces for each pen. You have the option of writing with five nib grades: extra fine, fine, medium, broad and extra broad nibs. Choose between seven colors: brown, green, pink, orange, yellow, black and blue.

Pros

• Refillable
• Introduction and exercise booklet for practice writing

Cons

• Calligraphy paper workbook is sold separately
• Amazon warranty/refund information unclear on site

The workbooks for this one, even without the calligraphy workbook, will be helpful in starting your calligraphy writing practice. Ask the Amazon seller beforehand if writing in this workbook hinders or lowers the return policy price.

6. Speedball Elegant

If you want to avoid splotchy writing or irregular handwriting texture, the tip above to clean the manufacturer’s oil off the nibs should work. However, as suggested avoid doing so for more than 15 minutes or you may cause your nib to rust.

Key Features

• Broad nib (3.0) for sharp definition
• Instructions included
• Six-piece color set (black, red, green, blue, brown)

These broad point 6. Speedball Elegant are great for experienced calligraphy writers and beginners who want a colorful, sharp definition for writing out a variety of projects.

Pros

• Acid free
• Nontoxic

Cons

• Amazon warranty/refund information unclear on site
• Few reviewers reported ink drying out

If you are purchasing these pens for Christmas cards, be aware of the final ink color. One reviewer reported the red ink may dry in a maroon color. The green is not as bright as other kinds of pens. Test out color ink on test surfaces beforehand.

7. Calligraphy Brush Pens for Lettering

If you’re concerned about the return policy when writing on the calligraphy worksheets, here is a list of free versions that you can print out on your own to practice. Some are numbers. Others are letters. Take advantage of all of the above not only to get comfortable with how the letters should look but also help your hands get familiar with how to hold the pens.

Key Features

• Four calligraphy pens (brush, fine, medium, extra fine)
• One refill ink included
• Water-based, pigmented black ink

This set of four nontoxic pens will do no harm to your body. They are reusable and last for longer periods of time, with the refillable option included.

Pros

• One-year replacement
• Nontoxic

Cons

• PVC tube may need to be wiped to avoid ink spills after refills

Pay special attention to the instructions for refilling ink through the pen cap. Avoid overfilling ink. Test out a small surface to see if there is potential for ink spillage.

8. Selizo Hand Lettering

If you have the pens but aren’t sure where to start, you could always take a paid online calligraphy writing class. Or, check out all these freebies on YouTube with a variety of instructions for calligraphy writing for beginners.

Key Features

• Five-piece refill brushes
• Four different nibs (extra fine, fine, medium, brush)
• Five-piece refillable ink

As long as you pay attention to the correct steps to refill ink into these pens, they should be leak-free and last you quite some time. Use for illustrations, hand writing, signatures, business card designs, greeting/thank you cards and more.

Pros

• 48-day money-back guarantee, two-year warranty
• Safe from ink leakage

Cons

• Instructions are not in English

Considering the instructions are not in English, this may initially seem like a tough sell for beginner calligraphy writers. However, the graphics to go along with the writing should be able to help clear it up. And again, with videos and classes, regardless of what the instructions say, it’s not difficult to find English-speaking instructions to guide you writing along the way.

9. Wordsworth Luxury Fountain Pen

Do you have handwriting that (stereotypically) makes people wonder if you have a medical degree? No worries. With calligraphy, quite a bit of the handwriting tips involves memorization, angle, and technique. You don’t have to already have stunning handwriting to make this work. You do, however, have to be willing to learn to trace and mimic calligraphy writing though. How-to videos may give you deja vu from your second- and third-grade cursive handwriting days.

Key Features

• Deluxe gift case/pouch
• Free six ink cartridges included
• Pen manual included

With a free converter, this 100 percent fountain pen mechanism tested pen could challenge all its competitors. Handcrafted to avoid those strange skips and spills found in other calligraphy (and fountain) pens, it’s ergonomically designed for weight-to-comfort ratio.

Pros

• 100 percent handcrafted
• Free ebook

Cons

• Ink cartridges not included in pens already; must add from kit
• Some reviewers debate it’s more of a fountain pen, not a calligraphy pen (as listed)

If you are not satisfied with your 9. Luxury Fountain Pen by Wordsworth purchase, the seller offers 100 percent money back guarantee. Either get a replacement or a refund.

10. Arteza

If you’re someone who jots down notes quickly, it may take a little more patience to get used to writing in calligraphy. Some pens come with ink cartridges; others have refills. Almost all require you to write at a 45-degree angle, which changes the way you may usually write in print or cursive. And considering these nib pens are intended to be used with care and slowly, using it to quickly jot down a grocery list just won’t work. Take your time learning how to use the pen and ink.

Key Features

• 48 colors
• 48 real brush pens, including water brush pen
• Water-based ink

This multi-color caligraphy set is not only an opportunity to create your prettiest thank you card. It’s also an opportunity to create the entire card from a blank sheet of paper. Dry-brush painting, sketching, and coloring are also options to enjoy, besides calligraphy writing. Use the soft, supple tips from nylon brush hair to draw thinner (tapered point) and thicker (brush point) lines as needed. Best of all, they’re nontoxic and guaranteed to last.

Pros

• Mess-free watercolors
• Precision control

Cons

• Online reviewer reports the tips were splitting

From light pastels to darker shading and gradients, you have all the color options you need to design your own business cards, greeting cards and more. If any of them don’t work for what you need, reach out to the seller for a free replacement.

11. Sheaffer Calligraphy Gift Set

If you think back to your days of learning cursive handwriting, how did your teacher respond to the way you held your hand? If you write like you’re a bear getting ready to attack, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll put too much pressure on the pen and paper when writing in cursive. Click here to find out the correct way to hold a calligraphy pen.

Key Features

• Three interchangeable nib grades on calligraphy pens (fine, medium, broad)
• Yellow, red, orange pens (sold individually)
• 14 assorted Sheaffer Skrip ink cartridges

If you’re intending to buy this 11. Sheaffer Calligraphy Gift Set recipient, you can either buy these calligraphy ink pens individually or get the entire gift box set.

Pros

• Calligraphy instruction booklet included
• Gift box

Cons

• Several users reported ink spills all over their hands
• One user reported nibs being so thin that they could bend too easily while writing

In the U.K., the manufacturer warranty may not apply. And while the warranty may work in the U.S., if you’re unsure of whether your recipient can effectively use these pens, try one pen first. If that works, then proceed with the whole gift set.

12. Pilot Parallel

If you’re interested in creating calligraphy and/or drawing designs but don’t want to commit to an entire kit full of multi-colors, consider purchasing different colors for two or three pens. Mix as needed to create your own colors.

Key Features

• Four pen nibs (1.5 mm, 2.4 mm, 3.8 mm, 6.0 mm)
• Parallel pen in each box
• Two ink cartridges included

The ink cartridges for these, reportedly, only come in black and red regardless of the outside of the pen design. This doesn’t mean you cannot order various colors on your own; just don’t expect four brightly colored pens with matching ink. These pens will come in handy for practice though. Make sure that you are comfortable using red and black ink before choosing fancier colors.

Pros

• Converter for cleaning pen unit
• Care and instruction guide included

Cons

• Amazon warranty/refund information unclear on site
• Ink cartridges only in red and black

Because these calligraphy pens are made in Japan, you may want to verify ahead of time what the return policy is. It’s unclear on the site, and accessories may or may not be an issue later.

Bottom Line

As with fountain pens, there may be a learning curve to getting these pens to write correctly. Of course with any product, there are bad apples in the bunch. But with calligraphy pens (and fountain pens), some of the techniques above should be able to help you decipher between quality pens and writing.

Always hold the pens between 30 degrees to 45 degrees, horizontal to the line. If this feels weird compared to how you are used to writing in print or cursive, practice your calligraphy letters on scrap paper first before writing on official documents. Once you’ve got it down, the ink should be thick, clear and easily readable.

In addition to using potatoes to clean off manufacturer oil (mentioned above), make sure to keep your calligraphy pen nibs clean. Lukewarm water after extended use and carefully drying to avoid bleeding should do the trick. You don’t need any luxury soap to keep your calligraphy pens in good shape. Just make sure that the ink does not dry and/or cake up on the tips.

Once the nib is dry, add the (optional) cap after each use and store as needed. Make sure to keep your pens in an upright position to avoid them leaking into your pen and pencil holders, purse, etc. Before purchasing multiple colors, make sure you are comfortable with whatever ink color is included.

While many calligraphy pens use standard ink cartridges that you can easily use with another type of pen, avoid doing so just in case you end up liking the one calligraphy pen set that has a unique cartridge set.