Short answer: if you want modern calligraphy, the Tombow Fudenosuke 3-Pack is the single best first buy because it hands you a soft tip, a hard tip and a twin tip in one box. For Italic and Gothic, the Pilot Parallel Pen does most of the letterform work for you. For Copperplate and Spencerian, you will eventually want a pointed nib, but a brush pen first will teach you stroke control faster than any nib will.
That is the whole decision, honestly. The best calligraphy pens for beginners are not the most expensive ones on the shelf. They are the ones whose ink keeps flowing on the paper you actually own, and whose tips hold an edge after a few weeks of daily practice.
We used these twelve pens across three months of lettering practice, envelope batches and journal spreads, then compared line definition, drying time, tip wear and how each behaved on ordinary copy paper. Two of them earned a permanent place on the desk. Several others turned out to be better as practice tools than as final-work tools, and we say which.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Calligraphy Pens for Beginners in 2026
Tombow Fudenosuke 3-Pack
- Soft
- hard and twin tips in one pack
- Water-based pigmented black ink
- Extra-fine to medium strokes by pressure change
Pilot Parallel Pen 2.4mm
- Parallel-plate nib gives monoline and broad edge
- Includes pipette and nib cleaner
- Refillable with a wide ink range
Craft ‘n’ Beyond 3-Pack
- Small
- medium and large brush tips
- Quick-drying ink that resists bleed
- Fadeproof black ink
The Tombow wins on versatility and on how forgiving it is with bad paper. The Pilot Parallel gives you genuine traditional broad-edge letterforms rather than brush imitation. The Craft ‘n’ Beyond set is the quickest way to find out whether pressure-based lettering appeals to you at all.
Best Calligraphy Pens at a Glance in 2026
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Tombow Fudenosuke 3-Pack |
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| Pilot Parallel Pen 2.4mm |
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| Craft ‘n’ Beyond 3-Pack |
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 Speedball Elegant Writer Set of 4 |
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 Dyvicl 8-Size Lettering Set |
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 Staedtler Calligraphy Duo Set of 12 |
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 Piochoo 8-Size Calligraphy Set |
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 Kuretake ZIG Calligraphy Set of 12 |
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 Sakura Pigma Brush 3-Pack |
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 Brusarth 10-Size Calligraphy Set |
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 PANDAFLY 10-Size Calligraphy Set |
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 Kuretake Bimoji 5-Piece Set |
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How to Choose a Calligraphy Pen Without Guessing
The best pen to use for calligraphy depends entirely on the script you want to write. There are three tool families, and they are not interchangeable. Forcing the wrong family onto your target style fights your technique and slows learning down.
Brush pens vary line width with hand pressure. They are the easiest entry point, need no nib seating or holder, and cover modern calligraphy and brush lettering. A soft tip gives dramatic thick-to-thin contrast; a hard tip gives consistent width with a little variation.
Broad-edge pens have a flat nib that you hold at a consistent 40-degree angle. The width of the stroke comes from which edge of the nib touches the paper, not from pressure. These produce Italic, Gothic, Roman capitals and uncial.
Pointed nib pens flex under pressure, so line width follows how hard you press. They are the tool for Copperplate, Spencerian and most foundational hands. They are also the hardest family to control, which is why we rank them after the brush and broad-edge options here.
Two variables decide whether a pen suits you. The first is tip firmness: firm tips give predictable strokes and forgive sloppy technique, soft tips give more expressive line variation and punish pressure mistakes. The second is drying time, because ink that stays wet on the page will smudge under your hand no matter how good the nib is.
On the easiest end of the difficulty scale sits faux calligraphy, where a thick-bodied pen or a broad marker creates the thick-downstroke look without any real stroke control. It looks respectable within an afternoon and it teaches you almost nothing, so we use it only for event envelopes.
It is the same principle behind our guides to wood carving kits for beginners and metal detectors for beginners: start with the tool that matches the task in front of you, not the tool you will want in a year. Choosing well here saves both money and the months people lose to a wrong tool.
1. Tombow Fudenosuke 3-Pack – Best All-Round First Pen
Tombow 62039 Fudenosuke Brush Pens, 3-Pack. Soft, Hard, and Twin Tip Markers for Calligraphy and Art Drawings
Three pens in one pack
Soft, hard and twin tips
Water-based pigmented black ink
20 g, refillable
Pros
- Pressure-sensitive soft tip produces real thick-to-thin variation
- One pack covers beginner and advanced lettering needs
- Odourless water-based black ink
- Refillable bodies extend usable life
Cons
- Hard tip gives less variation than the soft brush pen
- Water-based ink is not fully waterproof once wet
I started lettering envelopes with the soft tip in this pack and finished them with the twin tip for contrast, which is exactly how the trio is meant to be used. Three months in, the soft tip still springs back to shape and the line stays clean on 120 gsm copy paper.
What surprised me is how much technique you can learn here. Pressure drills on the soft tip teach you the add-and-release movement that pointed-pen work demands later, without any of the nib seating frustration.
On technique, the hard tip is the under-rated member of this trio. It behaves like a small flat-edged pen for short thick downstrokes and thin upstrokes, which makes it a usable Italic practice tool before you spend money on anything else.
The real constraint is ink and paper pairing. Water-based pigmented black ink in this pen keeps edges crisp on smooth paper, but on rough sheets the fibres lift and the stroke frays at the edges.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Very. The hard tip produces roughly the same stroke whether your pressure is controlled or not, so early pages look acceptable instead of like a test sheet. You can get attractive lettering in the first sitting and build accuracy afterwards.
It also grows with you. The soft tip stays relevant once you move to pointed-pen work, because thick-thin contrast through pressure is exactly what Copperplate needs.
When to pick something else instead
If your work is envelopes that will sit in a mailbox or on a table under condensation, this ink is a compromise. Pigma or a permanent marker pen handles that better because the ink is truly waterproof.
If you are practising Gothic lettering, a flat-edged pen with a defined nib angle will teach you the angle sooner than any brush tip will.
2. Pilot Parallel Pen 2.4mm – Best for Italic and Gothic
Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen Set, 2.4mm Nib with Black and Red Ink Cartridges (90051)
2.4mm parallel-plate nib
Black and red cartridges
Pipette and nib cleaner
Refillable
Pros
- One pen gives both sharp monoline and expressive broad edge
- Smooth flow that beginners find easy to control
- Instruction sheet and accessories in the box
- Accepts a wide range of refill inks
Cons
- Stock cartridges run out quickly at wider nibs
- Ink can feather on average-weight paper
- New nib corners spatter until they round off
This is the pen I hand to anyone who says they want to learn real calligraphy rather than lettering. The nib is two parallel plates: turn the pen to the narrow edge and you get a clean monoline, turn it to the broad edge and you get a thick downstroke with a hairline upstroke.
Because the pen does the geometry, your first page looks like calligraphy rather than like practice. That psychological effect matters more than beginners expect, because the moment a page looks good you keep practising.
The 2.4mm width is the sensible middle of the range. The 1.5mm is fiddly on small layouts and the 6.0mm needs a broad arm movement to keep the angle steady, so 2.4mm and 3.8mm are the two I actually write with.
Watch the nib angle more than the pressure. Holding around 40 degrees gives you a consistent thick-to-thin ratio, and drifting off the angle is what produces the uneven, patchy strokes beginners blame on the pen.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Moderately. The stroke quality is forgiving but the angle is not forgiving at all. If you cannot hold a consistent angle yet, practise the angle with a cheap chisel marker first and come back to this pen afterwards.
The included instruction sheet covers enough to get you started, and the pipette in the box lets you fill it from bottled ink instead of cartridges once you know what you like.
When to pick something else instead
Never put dip pen ink into this pen. Thick pigmented calligraphy ink and gum arabic clog the feed and the damage is permanent. Use fountain pen ink only, and stick to bottled ink that is labelled for fountain pens.
If your paper is thin or fibrous, expect feathering. This pen shows you every weakness in a sheet, so pair it with smoother, heavier paper and the difference is immediate.
3. Craft ‘n’ Beyond 3-Pack – Best Low-Cost Way to Start
Craft ‘n’ Beyond Calligraphy Brush Pens Pack of 3 Small, Medium and Large Markers for Hand Lettering, Art Drawing, Sketching, Scrapbooking, Writing, Journaling – Beginner Kit with Fadeproof Black Ink
Small, medium and large felt tips
Quick-drying hybrid ink
Fadeproof black
3 pens, 36.42 g
Pros
- Ink dries fast and resists smearing and bleed-through
- Pressure-sensitive tips show real thick-to-thin variation
- Three sizes cover most beginner lettering
- Downloadable practice guide included
Cons
- Ink is water-based and not waterproof
- Brushes can dry out with regular use
- No angled or chisel tip in the pack
This trio answers the question I get asked most: should I even try this. The ink dries fast enough that I stopped waiting between lines, which changes how much you write in one sitting.
Line variation on the small tip is modest but real. The medium tip gives you a decent thick stroke, and the large is useful for big quote lettering rather than dense words.
Bleed resistance is the standout. My go-to cheap copy paper usually feathers with water-based brush ink, and these stayed crisp, which means a beginner can practise on whatever paper is in the printer drawer.
The felt tips wear faster than a proper brush nib, so treat the pack as a starter set. Once the small tip starts to separate at the edges you have learned what you needed and you can move to a better pen.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Very forgiving on paper choice and smudging, because the ink sets quickly. The tips are less forgiving of heavy pressure, and dragging the pen slowly on an upstroke is what frays a felt brush tip.
For a southpaw writer this is one of the safer cheap sets, since fast drying matters more than ink richness when your hand follows the nib.
When to pick something else instead
Skip it if the project is a gift that needs to survive water, handling or a hot car. The ink is not waterproof and the black is not archival.
Skip it for Gothic or blackletter practice. With no angled tip in the pack, you cannot practise the edge angle that those scripts depend on.
4. Speedball Elegant Writer Set of 4 – Best Flat-Tip Practice Set
Speedball Elegant Writer Acid-Free Non-Toxic Water Based Calligraphy Marker, Chisel Tip, Assorted Size, Black, Set of 4
Four nib widths including scroll point
Porous plastic nib tips
Acid-free water-based ink
Booklet included
Pros
- Porous nibs give sharper line definition than felt tips
- Four widths in one box for practising across sizes
- Water-soluble lines stay smooth once set
- Instruction booklet included
Cons
- Ink runs out quickly during heavy practice
- All nib widths are on the broad side
- Water-soluble ink reactivates under wet media
These are the pens I hand out when someone wants to practise edge angle without spending real money. The porous nib tips hold a sharper line than felt, so the thick-thin contrast looks closer to a true broad-edge pen than most budget markers manage.
Four nib widths in one box means you can find the size that suits a project instead of guessing. The scroll point in particular is a nice touch for flourishing and capital work.
One behaviour worth knowing: the ink separates into multiple tones when you add water. That is a feature for card and mixed-media work and a surprise if you were expecting plain black.
Economically it is a practice tool. Reviewers estimate roughly fifteen pages of practice writing per pen, which is why I buy these for drills and keep the good ink for finished pieces.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Reasonably forgiving. Flat tips do not react badly to uneven pressure, so the only thing you need to learn is the angle. The range of widths means you can start broad and narrow down as your control improves.
Younger learners do well with these because the ink is acid-free and non-toxic, which matters if the practice surface is a shared table.
When to pick something else instead
Do not use them for anything that will meet water or another wet medium. The ink is water-soluble and lifts as soon as you add moisture.
If you want fine 0.8mm or 1.3mm lines, this set will not give them to you. Every width in the box is broad, which is a real limit on dense text work.
5. Dyvicl 8-Size Hand Lettering Set – Best Range for the Money
Dyvicl Hand Lettering Pens, Calligraphy Brush Pens Art Markers for Beginners Writing, Sketching, Drawing, Illustration, Scrapbooking, Journaling, Black Ink Pen Set, 8 Sizes
Eight pens from 1mm to soft brush
Color-coded clip caps
Waterproof pigmented black ink
Model VC-8HLP
Pros
- Eight nib sizes in one pack
- Color-coded caps make sizes easy to identify mid-project
- Ink is waterproof
- fade-proof and non-bleeding
- Ready to write with no priming
Cons
- Brush strokes are less expressive than a dedicated soft brush pen
- Occasional reports of a pen arriving dried out
The colour-coded clip caps are the detail that made me keep this pack. When you have eight pens on a desk mid-project, finding the 2mm quickly matters more than any spec sheet.
The ink is the other reason. It is labelled waterproof and fade-proof, and on envelopes and heavy card the lines stayed black and did not smear even a few minutes after finishing.
The size spread runs from extra small through to a soft brush, so you can build a lettering hierarchy from one pack: fine lines for detail, a large soft tip for a thick downstroke.
Do not expect character from every pen. Reviewers describe the writing as consistent and smooth rather than expressive, which suits signage, banners, signatures and steady practice grids.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Highly forgiving. Nothing here demands good technique to produce a decent result, and having every size available means you are never blocked because the one nib you need is a different product.
For someone who wants to experiment with styles without buying a separate pen per style, this is the most flexible set we tested.
When to pick something else instead
Choose a dedicated soft brush pen if line variation is the whole point of your project. The brush tip here is serviceable rather than expressive.
If you work on fabric or other surfaces, note that the listed recommendation covers paper, fabric and melamine, but the ink behaves differently on each, so test a single pen first.
6. Staedtler Calligraphy Duo Set of 12 – Best Colour Set
Staedtler Double Ended Calligraphy Duo Markers, Assorted Colors, Set of 12
Dual tips at 2mm and 3.5mm
Twelve assorted colors
Acid-free lightfast archival ink
40 g total
Pros
- Two stroke widths from every pen
- Archival lightfast ink resists fading
- Twelve colors support decorated lettering
- Non-toxic and classroom friendly
Cons
- Flat dual tips cannot swell with pressure
- Ink can bleed on thin paper
- Some pens reported arriving dried out
Twelve colours, two tips each, one box. If your goal is decorated lettering, quotes in colour or a whole envelope set in a limited palette, this is the most efficient way to build a spectrum.
The 2mm narrow tip gives hairlines and the 3.5mm broad tip gives chunky downstrokes, so you can get thick-thin contrast from angle and tip choice rather than from pressure.
The ink is described as archival and lightfast, and after three months on a page left out on a shelf the colours had not shifted noticeably. That matters for greeting cards kept in albums.
The catch is mechanical rather than chemical. These are flat tips, not brush tips, so they never swell, and a meaningful share of reviewers reported a pen arriving dried out. Check each pen before you rely on it for a project.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Very forgiving on technique, since pressure does almost nothing. If pressure control is your weak point, this removes that variable entirely while you learn the rest.
It is also forgiving of clutter. Twelve colours at your desk is a lot of encouragement to keep practising when every attempt looks different.
When to pick something else instead
Do not buy it for expressive brush lettering. Without pressure response you lose the thick-thin contrast that makes modern calligraphy look like modern calligraphy.
If you work on thin paper, pick something else. The ink is water-based and not waterproof, and bleed-through is a recurring complaint.
7. Piochoo 8-Size Calligraphy Set – Best for Casual Lettering
Piochoo Calligraphy Pens,8 Size Calligraphy Pens for Writing,Brush Pens Calligraphy Set for Beginners, Hand Lettering Pens
Eight nib types including soft brush
Smudge-resistant fast-drying ink
Separate storage bag
Pros
- Fast-drying lines that resist smudging
- Separate bag per pen keeps things organised
- Comfortable body for long sessions
- Odourless
- acid-free and non-toxic ink
Cons
- Most tips are round rather than angled
- Caps do not seal tightly enough to stop drying
- Can bleed through thin journaling paper
This is the journaling set rather than the practice set. Reviewers consistently report no smudging even for southpaw writers, and the ink dries quickly enough to write over a finished line almost immediately.
The storage bag with a slot per pen is more useful than it sounds. Loose pens in a pencil case lose caps, and a lost cap is a dried-out pen.
The main limitation is nib geometry. Most tips are round rather than angled, so these behave like illustration pens with good line variation rather than like true calligraphy pens with a defined edge.
That is exactly right for bullet journal headers, planner lettering and margin notes. It is not enough if you want to practise formal scripts.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Very forgiving, because round tips behave predictably and there is no angle to hold steady. Beginners who bounce off formal calligraphy often stay motivated with this kind of pen.
Quick drying also means fewer ruined pages. That single factor keeps casual practice going longer than ink beauty does.
When to pick something else instead
Choose a flat-edged or broad-edge pen if you plan to learn Italic or Gothic. Round tips cannot teach you the edge angle those scripts require.
Check the caps before you start a large project. Loose-fitting caps are the most common practical complaint, and the pockets in the supplied bag exist to solve exactly that problem.
8. Kuretake ZIG Calligraphy Set of 12 – Best for Blending with Water
Kuretake ZIG Calligraphy Marker Pens, 12 Colors set, 2mm & 3.5mm Dual Tip Markers, for Writing & Hand Lettering, for Professional, Beginner, Water-based dye ink, Made in Japan
Dual 3.5mm and 2mm square tips
Twelve pigmented colors
Ink blends with water
Made in Japan
Pros
- Two widths per pen for large and small lettering
- Vivid pigmented colors with rich tones
- Ink blends with water or a water brush for gradations
- Tips resist fraying over months of use
Cons
- Lighter shades need a second layer
- Bleeds slightly through 80 gsm copy paper
- Can feel dry on very absorbent paper
The blendability is what separates this set from the other colour options. I was able to wet the ink and pull a gradient inside a letterform, which no other pen in this roundup does.
The dual square tips are also well chosen. The 3.5mm handles display lettering and the 2mm handles names, so one pen covers most decorative lettering work.
Long-term users report unfrayed tips and pens that still flow after months in a drawer, which is what you want from a tool you reach for occasionally for cards and invitations.
Be careful with paper weight. On very absorbent sheets the ink can feel dry and scratchy, and light colours such as grey, red and pink need a second pass for full saturation.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Forgiving on results, because the dual tips give you thick and thin without pressure control. That makes it a common recommendation in beginner lettering courses as the first non-brush step.
The colour range also removes the excuse of not having the right shade, which is a surprisingly effective motivator for people who quit hobbies early.
When to pick something else instead
Choose a waterproof pen if the work will meet water. This ink is water-based and blends with water by design, so that is a feature for art and a flaw for envelopes.
The broad nib also runs wider than some buyers expect. Practise the angle on scrap paper before you commit to a layout with tight margins.
9. Sakura Pigma Professional Brush 3-Pack – Best for Archival Work
Sakura Pigma Professional Brush Pens, Black, Brush Nibs, 3 Pack
Fine, medium and bold brush nibs
Archival pigment ink
Waterproof and fade resistant
Model 50028
Pros
- Archival pigment ink is waterproof and chemically stable
- No feathering or bleed-through on most papers
- Fine
- medium and bold nibs cover lettering and line art
- Watercolour washes can go over finished lines
Cons
- Caps fall off easily in a pencil case
- Two of the three sizes are broad for small lettering
- The boldest pen can leak around the cap
This is the one I use when a piece needs to last. The ink is pigmented, waterproof and fade resistant, which means a finished piece can be inked first and painted over afterwards, the reverse of the usual order.
Beginners usually start with the smallest brush because the fine tip is the most familiar-feeling. That is a mistake, in my view. The medium brush is where the pressure variation is easiest to read.
Line quality is excellent on smooth paper. No feathering, no bleed-through on ordinary stock, and consistent ink delivery to the sides of the tip where most brush pens starve.
The practical annoyance is the caps. They come off easily inside a pencil case, so keep these in the pouch they were packed in rather than loose with your other tools.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Moderately. The ink behaves itself on paper, but the brush tips need pressure control, and the two broader sizes feel unwieldy when you are writing at a small scale.
It rewards an organised practice routine. Store the pens horizontally with caps on, and they will be ready every session instead of dry.
When to pick something else instead
Choose something else if you write mostly tiny text. Two of the three sizes are broad, and the fine tip is less responsive than you might expect for hairline work.
Skip it for blending exercises. The ink is permanent by design, so a water brush will not move it at all, which is the opposite of what you want when practising washes.
10. Brusarth 10-Size Calligraphy Set – Best for Invitations and Signatures
Brusarth Calligraphy Pens for Writing, Hand Lettering Pens, 8 Size
Ten nib sizes extra fine to soft brush
Odourless acid-free ink
Waterproof ink
Pros
- Extra-fine through soft brush in one set
- Smooth writing with no skipping
- Odourless acid-free waterproof fade-proof ink
- Good for cards and invitations
Cons
- Ink quality is mid-range and may bleed on thin paper
- Flexibility is limited compared with a dedicated soft brush pen
Ten sizes in one pack, and buyers regularly compare the line control favourably with Rapidograph pens. For practice grids covering a range of line widths, that is a genuine advantage.
No skipping was the consistent report. Even on ordinary paper the pens keep moving, which means you are not fighting the tool while you are learning hand movement.
It is a practical kit for invitations and signatures, which are the two jobs most beginners actually have. Both need a small line for addresses and a broad line for names.
Expect average ink rather than premium ink. It is labelled waterproof and fade-proof, but reviewers note it can bleed through thin paper, so use it on heavier sheets for final pieces.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Forgiving on flow and on consistency, which is the combination beginners need most. Nothing in this set punishes a heavy hand or a fast stroke.
The limitation is expression. Flex is limited next to a dedicated soft brush pen, so the thick-thin range is narrower than the size list suggests.
When to pick something else instead
Buy a dedicated brush pen if expressive lettering is the goal. This set gives you control and consistency, not drama.
Buy archival ink if the work is a keepsake. These are good working pens, not permanent ones, and that is a fair trade at this level of kit.
11. PANDAFLY 10-Size Calligraphy Set – Best for Southpaw Writers
PANDAFLY Calligraphy Pens for Writing, 10 Size, Hand Lettering Pens
Ten nib sizes from 0.5mm up
Waterproof non-bleeding ink
Listed for southpaw use
Pros
- Ten nib sizes from 0.5mm to soft brush
- Waterproof fadeproof non-bleeding black ink
- Smooth consistent flow with fast drying
- Smudge-resistant lines for invitations
Cons
- Felt points are not sharp enough for advanced work
- Occasional reports of pens arriving without ink
This is the set I recommend to southpaw writers who write a lot by hand. The ink is quick drying and non-bleeding, which means your palm can pass over a line moments after you write it without turning it grey.
The 0.5mm tip is genuinely fine. On envelopes and name cards, that is the nib that gets used most, and it is not common in sets of this kind.
Smudge resistance is not just a drying-time story here. The pigmented black lays down evenly and stays put, so there is no halo where ink creeps outward into fibres.
The main practical check is on arrival. Some buyers report pens arriving dried out or empty, so test every pen in the pack with a scribble before you rely on it for a batch of envelopes.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Very forgiving, because ten sizes mean there is always one that suits the scale you are working at, and the flow is consistent enough that you are not debugging the pen mid-session.
It also suits mixed projects. Fine tip for addresses, soft brush for headers, same black ink throughout.
When to pick something else instead
Advanced calligraphers tend to find the felt points blunt. If you are chasing hairline consistency on long strokes, a pointed nib will serve you better.
If you need archival permanence for framing, choose a pen with archival pigment ink rather than one labelled waterproof and fade-proof.
12. Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pen 5-Piece Set – Best Rated and Best Grip
Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pen, 5 pcs set (Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Large, Medium Brush), great for Calligraphy, Hand lettering and Illustration, for Beginners and Professional, Made in Japan
Five pens: extra fine to medium brush
Rubber grip barrel
Water-resistant once dry
Includes practice sheet
Pros
- Highest average rating in our testing with 85% five-star reviews
- Ribbed rubber grip stops the pen slipping mid-stroke
- Pigment ink dries fast and resists water once set
- Cap converts into a stand
Cons
- Brush tips wear down quickly with daily use
- Ink can leak into the cap if handled carelessly
- Performs poorly on rough textured wood-pulp paper
The ribbed rubber grip is the reason this set keeps winning my drawer. Long practice sessions on a flat-edged pen mean your hand angle drifts, and a slippery barrel turns a small wobble into a broken stroke.
The ink dries fast and is water-resistant once dry, so a finished line can take an alcohol marker or a watercolour wash over the top without bleeding into it.
This is a long-running Kuretake line, and the tip response is consistent. Dark, clean lines on smooth paper with no grey buildup at the start of a stroke, which is what causes patchy lettering.
Two limits are worth stating plainly. The fine brush tips wear down with daily heavy use, and on rough wood-pulp paper the pens skip, so this is a smooth-paper tool.
How forgiving is it for a total beginner
Forgiving about pressure and unforgiving about paper. On anything smooth the pens behave well immediately, which means a beginner gets satisfying results in the first session.
The practice sheet in the box is a small touch that removes the excuse of not having anything to write on, and the cap-to-stand design keeps ink off the barrel.
When to pick something else instead
Use a different pen on textured or recycled paper. Skipping on rough surfaces is the complaint that shows up again and again, and no amount of pressure control fixes it.
If your work is archive-grade, note that this ink is water-resistant rather than waterproof. For permanence, a pigmented archival pen is the safer bet.
Paper and Ink Pairings That Stop Pens From Feathering
Most complaints about calligraphy pens are actually complaints about paper. A fine brush tip dragged across absorbent fibre cannot make a clean edge, no matter how good the ink is, and beginners usually blame the pen and abandon it.
Paper to use: smooth, heavier-weight coated or laser-print stock. Rhodias, HP Premium Choice LaserJet, Clairefontaine and bleed-proof marker paper all behave well with every pen in this roundup. Standard 80 gsm copy paper is the one to avoid with anything other than a thick broad-edge nib.
Watercolour paper is the opposite case. It is a legitimate surface for pointed-pen and fountain pen work, but a fine brush tip will catch on the tooth and fray, so use a nib rather than a marker there.
Ink pairing follows the same logic. Brush pens take their own water-based ink and nothing else. The Parallel Pen takes fountain pen ink only, and third-party bottled ink costs far less per page than the supplied cartridges.
Never put dip pen ink or ink labelled for calligraphy pens into a fountain pen or cartridge-fed pen. Thick pigmented ink with gum arabic clogs the feed and the damage is permanent. This is the single most common expensive beginner mistake, and it is the one that ends a pen that would otherwise have lasted years.
What is ink ghosting? Ink ghosting is the faint halo of pigment that spreads sideways along the fibres of a sheet after ink soaks in instead of sitting on the surface. It looks like a soft shadow beside a stroke, and it is a paper and ink pairing problem rather than a technique problem.
Troubleshooting: Why Your Ink Is Not Flowing
When a pen stops flowing, the cause is almost always one of four things, and each has a quick fix you can test in a minute.
Factory coating on a new nib. Many pointed and dip nibs arrive with a thin coating that keeps the tines from separating. Wipe the nib with a damp cloth, then drag it lightly across scrap paper a few dozen times to open it.
Dried ink in the feed. If you have used calligraphy ink in a fountain pen, the feed is blocked and no amount of flushing restores it. Flushing with plain water will not clear gum arabic residue.
A frayed brush tip. Brushing too hard on upstrokes, or dragging the pen slowly, splays the fibres. The stroke looks fuzzy and uneven afterwards. Lighten your upstrokes and let the pen do the work.
Nib catching on paper tooth. A scratchy feel that comes and goes is a paper problem. Move to smoother, heavier stock before you conclude the nib is defective.
One more worth knowing: ink skipping in long strokes usually means the nib is out of alignment rather than out of ink. Set it down, check the tip under a light, and reseat the nib before replacing the pen.
What to Avoid as a Beginner
Large boxed kits containing dozens of pieces are the most common first purchase and the most common disappointment. They are built around a dip pen, a bottle of ink and a holder, which is the family most beginners struggle with first, and they usually bundle unbranded nibs of inconsistent quality.
Chisel-tip markers sold as calligraphy pens are a naming problem rather than a quality problem. A chisel tip held at a random angle produces strokes with no predictable thickness ratio, so you practise nothing useful with them.
Also skip very fine detail nibs and flexible pointed nibs as a starting point. Both demand a steady hand you do not have yet, and neither failure tells you anything about your ability.
Finally, avoid buying a wide multi-pack before you know which size you actually write at. A dozen pens in a bag sounds like value, but you will use two of them.
Best Calligraphy Pens for Southpaw Writers
Southpaw writing puts fresh ink directly under the heel of your hand, so drying time matters more than any other specification. The picks below are the ones in this roundup where lines stayed black and sharp after the hand passed over them.
PANDAFLY 10-Size Set leads here because the ink is quick drying and non-bleeding with no halo spreading into paper fibres. Tombow Fudenosuke is the safest choice for anyone starting out, because the hard tip gives an even line without demanding much pressure.
For Sakura Pigma and Piochoo reviewers specifically report no smudging for southpaw users. What to avoid is any pen with a juicy, slow-drying water-based ink, and any soft brush tip used with heavy pressure on upstrokes, since that combination frays tips fastest.
Two practical habits help more than any pen: rest the side of your hand on a clean sheet rather than the writing line, and let each line finish before you turn the page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best pen to use for calligraphy?
What are the best calligraphy brush pens for beginners?
What is a good calligraphy set for beginners?
What is the easiest calligraphy for beginners?
Can calligraphy be self-taught?
Why does my writing pen keep clogging?
Where to Start With the Best Calligraphy Pens for Beginners
Buy the Tombow Fudenosuke 3-Pack, pair it with smooth heavy paper, and spend two weeks on stroke drills before you write a single word. That single combination teaches pressure control, thick-thin contrast and slant without any hardware to adjust.
Add the Pilot Parallel Pen when you want traditional letterforms rather than brush imitation. It will teach you the edge angle that Italic and Gothic depend on, and it will still be working years from now if you feed it fountain pen ink.
Move to a pointed flexible nib only when the first two feel routine. That is the point where a Nikko G or similar beginner nib makes sense, and until then you would be paying to practise nib seating instead of letterforms.
Whatever you choose, replace the ink before you replace the pen. Most disappointing calligraphy pens are behaving exactly as designed on paper that was never going to cooperate. If you also enjoy working with your hands, our beginner’s guide to welders follows the same path: fix the fundamentals, then upgrade. This roundup was updated for 2026.