The materials to get you started
Here are our favorite tools and supplies for hand lettering! 👇
Find the hand lettering tools that make your heart sing
Before we hop into the materials and supplies, here’s something important to remember: the tools do not make the artist.
However—if you find the supplies that work best for you and your lettering style, you’ll have more success. You’ll be more likely to practice and improve your skill with the right materials. You’ll learn and grow faster.
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Overwhelmed by all the choices? We made this just for you ⬇️
Hand Lettering Starter Kits
Minimalist
This is essentially what I started with when I began brush lettering. These tools are higher grade, which will give you a good experience without overwhelming you with products.
Budget-Friendly
This budget-friendly starter kit will get you up and running for a few dollars. Even better? These materials are available at almost any store with an office supply section!
Medium-Tier
Want a little more color in your life, but want higher quality pens and paper? This kit builds off of the Minimalist Kit with a seemingly-unlimited pool of colors from Tombow.
Watercolor + Ink
We love the watercolor and ink look! We recommend purchasing two sets of the Pentel Water Brushes, so you can use one set for watercolor and the other set for ink.
Pens, Markers, and Brushes
Here are the tools that give you a true brush calligraphy experience. These supplies provide the beautiful thick and thin strokes that are so regaled in the brush lettering community. These supplies include brush pens, markers, and paint brushes.
Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Popular water-based, felt-tip blendable markers with a flexible brush tip in tons of colors.
Tombow Dual – Black
Your favorite Tombow Dual Brush Pen in black x6 for the letterer who loves monochrome.
Tombow Fudenosuke
Fine felt-tip brush pens with odorless and waterproof pigment-based ink.
Pentel Fude Sign Pens
Saturated, blendable, and rich colors in this fine, flexible felt-tip 12 pack.
Aquash Waterbrush Pens
Easy-to-squeeze barrels that are perfect for watercolor brush lettering and art.
Crayola Super Tips
A perfect budget-friendly option that works surprisingly well for brush lettering.
Zebra Fude Brush Pen
Felt tip with a lush black color that is perfect for brush letterers and calligraphers on the go.
Sharpe Brush Tip
An alcohol-based, quick-drying permanent marker for unusual surfaces.
Ink and Watercolor
Watercolor calligraphy is so popular—because it’s so beautiful! Here are our favorite watercolor and ink supplies for hand lettering.
Leakproof Watercolor Palette
This palette travels well, and is air-tight. Fill it with your favorite colors.
Winsor & Newton Watercolor Set
Our absolute favorite brand of watercolors in an affordable set of half pans.
Artist’s Loft Watercolor Pan Set
The perfect affordable alternative for a watercolor newbie.
Speedball Super Black India Ink
The blackest black liquid ink we can find. A must-have for ink lovers.
Higgins’ Eternal Black Ink
A black ink that isn’t so saturated so it can be blended with watercolor.
Washable and Reusable Paint Rags
Avoid using disposable paper towels. Invest in some paint rags.
Ceramic Mixing Palette
A high quality mixing palette, great for if you want to avoid plastic.
Round Watercolor Brushes
Round brushes for watercolor or gouache in multiple sizes.
Paper and Notebooks
Yes, you can literally use any paper you have in your house already—but here are some notebooks and specialty paper that will help you with special pens and such.
Rhodia Dot Grid Pad
Super smooth paper in various sizes, perfect for brush lettering newbies.
Rhodia Graph Paper
Our favorite paper in graph form, which provides more guidance for brush lettering practice.
Tracing Paper
Perfect for practicing over a slanted calligraphy guide or to trace other work.
Watercolor Paper
Great for watercolor brush lettering and lettering with ink. Doubles as greeting card paper!
Quad Rule Composition
Practice doesn’t have to be done on expensive paper! Perfect budget-friendly option.
Copy Paper
Do your brush lettering work on basic paper—it goes a long way! No need to be super fancy.
Marker Paper
Semi-transparent and super-smooth, this will give you a buttery lettering experience.
Black Cardstock
Beautiful black cardstock perfect for metallic pens for a unique and vibrant look.
Accessories and Organization
These items will take your lettering to the next level, especially if you’re working with multiple tools or multiple sheets of paper.
Lightpad
Create multiple iterations of your work or use it for practice with multiple layers of paper.
Acrylic Triangle
A 30/60 inking-edge triangle helps you create consistent angled calligraphy guides
Washi Tape
Working with multiple sheets of paper? Use washi tape to hold your work without damage.
Pen Roll
Keep your pens and markers organized and stored in this travel-friendly pouch.
iPad Lettering and Bullet Journaling
Procreate all day, every day. We love iPad stuff SO much. Whether you’re hand lettering in Procreate, or taking notes in GoodNotes or Notability in a digital bullet journal, here are the things you’ll need.
Apple iPad Pro 11”
The 4th generation iPad Pro loved by so many letterers across the world.
Apple Pencil 2nd Gen
The pencil charges when snapped to the iPad Pro and has a lovely texture.
Matte Screen Protector
Anti-glare and easy to install, perfect for a paper-like feel for writing and lettering.
iPad Pro Case
A slim fitting, magnetized case to protect your investment. Fits iPad 11″ 2020 version.
Procreate
The number 1 recommended app for digital brush lettering. Brushes galore!
Notability
Our favorite app for digital bullet journaling—it has great note organization.
Goodnotes 5
A popular note taking app for digital bullet journaling and digital planning.