Blog: Calligraphy Supplies
A curated guide to the tools, materials and supplies I personally use and recommend for calligraphy.
Whether you're just beginning or refining your script, choosing the right tools can make all the difference. Below you'll find my trusted recommendations for nibs, inks, holders and paper.
Some links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Nibs
The nib you choose can dramatically affect pressure, flexibility, and control.
G nibs are one of my personal favourites. They're suitable for both beginners and advanced calligraphers, making them incredibly versatile.
- Durable and forgiving
- Excellent for learning pressure control
- Easy to source and highly accessible
Some other nibs I love using include
- Hunt 101 & 22
- Leonardt EF Principal (More advanced)
- Gillot 303 (extremely fine & delicate)
Pen Holders
I highly recommend using oblique pen holders (or 2-in-1 holders with an oblique option) for pointed pen calligraphy.
They angle the nib to help achieve the natural slant needed for Copperplate, Spencerian and modern scripts.
- Creates proper writing angle
- Improves consistency
- Makes slanted scripts much easier
I especially love Luis Creations Moblique holders — which are 2-in-1 oblique pen holders that come in many beautiful colors, and they also allow you to store your nib inside the pen. You can use CHARLOTTESCRIPT for 15% off.
Ink
For me, there are 3 non-negotiables when choosing calligraphy ink:
- Flow - It should run through the nib consistently
- Bleed resistance - the last thing you want is for your beautiful hairlines to bleed into a chonky stroke.
- Opacity - Opaque inks for the win!
Even the most beautiful colour isn’t worth using if it catches, feathers, or disrupts smooth hairlines. Below are my most trusted inks for both practice and finished work.
Sumi Ink
Hands down my favourite black ink. Rich black, bleedproof with beautiful flow.
Walnut Ink
A beautiful brown water-based ink. It can fade so more suitable for practice.
Bleed Proof White
The king of white inks. Bleedproof, opaque and it's never failed me.
Finetec Pearl Colors
My favourite gold inks. This is technically a watercolor, but it's opaque, shiny and writes so well.
Winsor & Newton Gouache
For various colored inks, I like to use W&N Designer Gouache, which is opaque and creates beautiful hairlines
Paper
Paper quality makes a huge difference in pointed pen calligraphy. However, this does not mean you need to drop a $$ just for practicing. There are several printing paper that is suitable for practicing calligraphy and allows you to even print your own guidelines and worksheets.
The wrong paper causes catching, feathering and inconsistent hairlines, while the right paper allows the nib to glide smoothly with minimal bleeding.
These are the papers I consistently recommend for everyday practice and for printing your worksheets.
More to come...