If you are picking up calligraphy for the first time, a calligraphy starter kit can make the first week of practice feel calm instead of chaotic. The right set gives you tools that behave predictably, plus enough variety to learn basic strokes without overbuying.
We compared eight beginner-friendly kits by looking at tip variety, how approachable the tools are for new hands, and whether the set helps you practise in a structured way. We also weighed what you get for the money, since many kits include extras that do not actually help you improve.
Below are our top picks, followed by a quick breakdown of how we chose and how to pick the right kit for your style.
- Start simple A small, consistent set you will actually practise with beats a big kit that feels overwhelming.
- Tip variety Broad, pointed, and brush tips teach different strokes, so pick the mix that matches the script styles you want.
- Ink control Look for pens that flow reliably and do not flood the page, especially on everyday notebook paper.
- Learning support Beginner kits with guides or structured prompts reduce frustration and help you improve faster.
How We Chose Calligraphy Starter Kits
For this calligraphy starter kit roundup, we compared what each set includes, how beginner-friendly the tools are, and whether the kit supports consistent practice. We prioritized clear value: useful tip sizes, sensible accessories, and instructions that help you start making letterforms sooner.
We also considered who each kit suits best, like absolute beginners who want guidance versus hobbyists who want more tip variety. Our goal is to help you choose a set you will use often, not just one that looks impressive on the list.
What to Look for in a Calligraphy Starter Kit
If you are not sure which style you will enjoy, choose a kit with both broad and pointed options, not just brush tips, so you can learn what feels natural.
01
Refillable pens for starter practice
AKARUED Beginner Brush Set is an affordable starter kit with refillable black pens in multiple tip sizes. The pigment ink is quick-drying and water-based, and the storage bag helps keep everything organized for practice sessions.
- Refillable loop ink system
- Quick-drying waterproof black ink
- Includes multiple tip sizes
- Pens run on the small side
- Black ink only
AKARUED Beginner Brush Set is built for learning modern calligraphy and tidy everyday lettering without a big tool investment. It includes multiple black pens with different tip sizes, so you can practise thin upstrokes, heavier downstrokes, and small details. The pigment black ink is designed to dry quickly and resist water, fading, and bleeding on many papers. We also like the included storage bag with separate slots, which makes it easier to keep tips protected between sessions.
02
Everything to start lettering
Mont Marte 33-Piece Set is a friendly starter kit with refillable pens, multiple nibs, and lots of cartridges. The included intro and exercise booklets help you practise classic scripts and get steady results faster.
- Complete beginner-friendly kit
- Includes practice and intro booklets
- Multiple nibs for scripts
- Cartridge colours are limited
- Traditional nibs need practice
Mont Marte 33-Piece Set is a well-rounded calligraphy starter kit built around traditional nib lettering. We like that you get four refillable pens, five nibs, and a generous pack of cartridges, so you can practise without hunting for extras. The introduction and exercise booklets make it easier to learn common hands like Italic and Gothic with a more structured approach. Based on user feedback, it feels best suited to beginners doing cards, notes, and everyday projects.
03
Starter set with nib options
Staedtler Pen 33-Piece is a beginner-friendly calligraphy kit with four pens, five interchangeable nib sizes, and a metal tin. You also get a practice pad, instructions, and a variety of water-based ink cartridges.
- Five nib sizes included
- Cartridges in multiple colours
- Metal tin storage case
- Mixed reports on pen quality
- Bottled ink not included
Staedtler Pen 33-Piece is a practical calligraphy starter kit built around four cartridge pens, five nib sizes from extra fine to extra broad, and a sturdy metal case. We like that it includes a practice pad and an instruction book, so you can start learning letterforms right away. The set also comes with 20 water-based dye ink cartridges in black, blue, and several accent colours, plus a pump for using bottled ink (sold separately).
Guided calligraphy learning kit
Artworx Pens Introductory bundles four calligraphy pens, five nib sizes, and 16 ink cartridges with an instruction guide and practice booklet. It is a friendly way to start learning letterforms with consistent ink flow.
- Includes guide and practice books
- Five nib sizes included
- 16 ink cartridges included
- Cartridge colours are limited
- May miss some accessories
Artworx Pens Introductory is a beginner-focused calligraphy starter kit that pairs hardware and learning materials in one box. You get four classic-style calligraphy pens, five nib grades from extra fine to extra broad, and 16 ink cartridges in multiple colours. For learning fundamentals, the included introduction booklet and exercise booklet give a letter-by-letter starting point, while the mix of nib widths helps you explore different stroke weights and styles without swapping to a totally different tool.
All-in-one broad and pointed setup
Speedball Art Products is a ready-to-go starter bundle with broad-edge and flexible pointed nibs, two penholders, black ink, cleaner, practice paper, a marker, and an included textbook for guided learning.
- Includes broad and pointed nibs
- Comes with ink and cleaner
- Textbook and practice pad
- Quality can feel inconsistent
- Not ideal for advanced users
Speedball Art Products is a practical calligraphy starter kit built around learning the basics without hunting for separate parts. You get a C2 broad-edge nib for italic styles and a 512 flexible pointed nib, plus both a classic and an oblique penholder to explore different angles. The kit also includes black ink, pen cleaner, an extra-fine marker, a 50-sheet pad, and a Speedball textbook. Reviews often frame it as a decent beginner experiment set, with some concerns about overall quality.
Eight tips for varied lettering
Brusarth Pens,8 Size is a beginner-friendly calligraphy pen set with extra-fine through soft brush tips. The water-based ink is fast-drying, waterproof, and non-toxic, making it handy for practice, doodles, and lettering drills.
- Eight tip sizes included
- Water-based, fast-drying ink
- Non-toxic and odourless
- Ink colour options unclear
- No accessories included
Brusarth Pens,8 Size is a straightforward starter option when you want to explore lettering styles without committing to a full kit. The set spans extra-fine tips to soft brush tips, so you can practise thin upstrokes, thicker downstrokes, and mixed-width lettering. The water-based ink is described as smooth-flowing, fast-drying, waterproof, and fade-proof, and it is also non-toxic and odourless, which is reassuring for home crafting and classroom-style practice.
All-in-one modern calligraphy start
Modern Beginners A bundles a spiral-bound Hand Lettering 101 book with core tools, including a brush pen and two fineliner-style pens. It is a tidy starting point when you want one box to cover basics.
- Includes spiral-bound instruction book
- Mix of brush and pens
- Pencil and eraser included
- Limited pen size options
- No ink bottles included
Modern Beginners A is a practical calligraphy starter kit built around the spiral-bound Hand Lettering 101 book, plus a small set of essentials to get you practising quickly. You get two pens (05 and 08), a brush pen, and the basics for sketching and corrections: pencil, sharpener, and eraser. We like this format for beginners who prefer guided drills and a curated tool list, without having to figure out compatibility across brands and formats.
Simple brush and tip practice
Rilanmit Pens Beginners is a small, budget-friendly set with a fine tip, a medium tip, and multiple soft brush-style pens. Water-based pigment ink and labelled caps make it approachable for basic lettering drills.
- Includes fine and medium tips
- Multiple brush tips for drills
- Water-based, non-toxic ink
- Not everyone loves the tip feel
- Not a complete starter kit
Rilanmit Pens Beginners is an entry-level calligraphy pen set built around quick practice and easy handling. You get a fine tip, a medium tip, and several soft brush-style pens, with sizes labelled on the caps to reduce mix-ups. The water-based pigment ink is described as acid-free and non-toxic, and the pen body is meant to seal well to help prevent dry-out between sessions. Based on user feedback, it works for learning basics, though experienced writers may want a higher-end feel.
| Rating | Type | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AKARUED Refillable Brush Pen Set
Best Starter Kit
|
8.8/10 | Brush pens | C $11.72 | BUY NOW |
|
Mont Marte 33-Piece Calligraphy Set
Top Pick for Practice
|
8.7/10 | – | C $34.97 | BUY NOW |
|
Staedtler 33-Piece Calligraphy Set
Solid Starter Set
|
8.2/10 | Cartridge set | C $23.41 | BUY NOW |
|
Artworx Beginner Calligraphy Set
Also Great
|
8.1/10 | – | C $35.07 | BUY NOW |
|
Speedball Complete Calligraphy Kit
Starter Kit Pick
|
8.1/10 | – | C $83.99 | BUY NOW |
|
Brusarth 8 Tip Calligraphy Pens
Strong Runner-Up
|
8.0/10 | Brush pens | C $27.95 | BUY NOW |
|
Chalkfulloflove Spiral Calligraphy Kit
Worth Considering
|
7.9/10 | – | C $55.95 | BUY NOW |
|
Rilanmit Beginner Calligraphy Pens
Editor's Pick
|
7.8/10 | Brush, tip | C $13.99 | BUY NOW |
How to Choose the Right Calligraphy Starter Kit
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Pen tip types
The tip style decides what you can practise comfortably, and how steep the learning curve feels. Brush tips: Great for modern calligraphy and pressure strokes, but they reward steady practice and light touch. · Broad tips: Best for italic and foundational styles, and they make angle and spacing easier to see. · Pointed tips: Useful for fine hairlines and expressive contrast, but can feel harder to control at first. · Multiple sizes: More sizes let you scale letters up or down without fighting the tool.
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Ink flow and refillability
Beginners need predictable ink that starts cleanly and does not overwhelm the page. Consistent starts: Look for pens that do not require scribbling to get going after a short pause. · Not overly wet: A drier, controlled flow helps on everyday paper and makes edges look sharper. · Refills included: Refills or cartridges keep the kit usable after the first week of practice. · Cap seal: A snug cap reduces dry-out between sessions.
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Beginner learning support
A kit that teaches is often a better first buy than a kit with lots of parts. Clear instructions: A simple stroke order and letter examples prevent guessing. · Practice prompts: Short exercises help you build muscle memory before full words. · Tool identification: Labels or a guide to nib sizes keeps the set approachable. · Progression: Look for a path from basic strokes to letters to layouts.
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Paper compatibility
Your paper choice affects feathering, bleed-through, and how smooth the pen feels. Smooth surface: Smoother paper makes thick-to-thin transitions cleaner and reduces snagging. · Heavier sheets: Thicker paper reduces ghosting and bleed when you practise repeatedly. · Marker-friendly: If you will use brush pens, avoid fibrous paper that frays tips faster. · Try a sample: Test on your usual notebook paper before committing to long drills.
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Comfort and grip
If the pen feels awkward, you will practise less, even if the ink is great. Balanced barrel: A stable feel helps you maintain angle and pressure without fatigue. · Section shape: A slightly contoured grip can help beginners place fingers consistently. · Left-handed use: Look for quick-drying ink and a grip that does not force a cramped hand position. · Cap posting: Posting can improve balance for some hands, but only if it stays secure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a calligraphy starter kit include?
A solid calligraphy starter kit should include at least one reliable pen, multiple tip sizes or styles, and clear guidance on how to use them. For beginners, a mix of broad tips (for italic styles) and a brush or pointed option (for modern styles) covers the most learning. Extra items are only helpful if they support practice, like refills or worksheets.
Is a brush-pen kit easier than a nib-based kit?
Brush-pen kits are often easier to start because there is no nib swapping and the ink flow is built in. You can focus on pressure control and basic strokes right away. Nib-based kits can teach traditional technique, but they may feel scratchier and require more attention to angle and paper choice. If you want the fastest start, brush pens usually win.
What is the difference between broad-edge and pointed calligraphy?
Broad-edge calligraphy uses a flat tip to create thick and thin strokes based on pen angle, common in italic and foundational hands. Pointed calligraphy creates thick and thin strokes from pressure changes, often used in modern scripts. Broad-edge is usually more predictable for spacing and slant, while pointed styles are more sensitive to pressure and paper.
Do I need special paper for a calligraphy starter kit?
You do not need specialty paper to begin, but smoother paper helps a lot. Rough or fibrous sheets can fray brush tips and cause broad tips to catch, making your strokes look shaky. For everyday practice, choose a smooth notebook or printer paper first, then upgrade to heavier, smoother sheets if you see feathering or bleed-through.
How long does it take to get decent-looking letters?
With a beginner kit and focused practice, many people see noticeable improvement in a few sessions, especially in stroke consistency. Aim for 10 to 15 minutes a day on basic strokes and a small set of letters, rather than long sessions once a week. Clean results come from repeatable pressure, steady speed, and consistent spacing, not fancy tools.
Which kit is best for gifting to an absolute beginner?
For gifting, choose a kit that feels complete and does not require extra purchases to start practising. Sets like Mont Marte 33-Piece Set or Speedball Art Products tend to work well as gifts because they include multiple tools and give the recipient room to explore. If your gift recipient prefers a simpler setup, a refillable brush-focused kit can feel less intimidating.
Where do Canadians buy calligraphy starter kits locally?
In Canada, you can often find calligraphy starter kits at art stores and big-box retailers, and the selection varies by city. People commonly check places like Wonder Pens, Blesket, Opus Art Supplies, Michaels Canada, Curry’s Art Supplies, DeSerres, Above Ground Art Supplies, Indigo, Staples Canada, and Walmart Canada. If you shop in person, bring a paper sample to test how the ink behaves.
How do I store and maintain the pens in my kit?
Store pens capped tightly and horizontally if possible to help the ink stay evenly distributed. For brush pens, avoid pressing hard when capping so you do not bend or fray the tip. If a pen starts skipping, gently scribble on scrap paper to restart flow rather than pressing harder. Keep your practice paper smooth, since rough sheets shorten tip life quickly.
- Want the simplest on-ramp with less fuss? Start with AKARUED Beginner Brush Set and practise one alphabet style for a week.
- Prefer a traditional toolkit with more range? Choose Speedball Art Products to explore broad and pointed basics in one box.
- Buying for someone who likes structured learning? Pick Artworx Pens Introductory for a more guided, workbook-style start.
- Want lots of pieces for variety and experimenting? Go with Mont Marte 33-Piece Set and focus on just two tools at a time.
- Not sure what tips you will like? Choose a mixed-tip set, then narrow down to one style before upgrading.
If you want a straightforward, low-friction start, the AKARUED Beginner Brush Set is our favourite because refillable pens make daily practice easier to stick with. If you prefer a bigger, more traditional all-in-one approach with more breadth, Speedball Art Products is a strong alternative for exploring both broad and pointed calligraphy. Whichever kit you choose, commit to short, consistent sessions and you will see cleaner strokes faster than chasing more supplies.
Recommended Reading
If you want to go beyond product picks, these books are worth shelf space. Each link goes to the current Amazon.ca listing.
- Calligraphy, A Course in Hand Lettering by Maryanne Grebenstein. A structured beginner course that builds confident strokes through clear, progressive lessons.
- Just My Type, A Book About Fonts by Simon Garfield. An entertaining look at typefaces and the stories behind them, perfect for budding letterform enthusiasts.
Not trying to be a downer, but I’m surprised there’s no Pilot Parallel or even something like a Sakura Pigma calligraphy option mentioned. How did you decide what made the cut here – availability in Canada, or more of a “most stuff in one box” kind of thing?
Circling back after a few weeks with the Speedball Art Products kit: it’s actually held up better than I expected. The nibs still feel consistent, and the holder hasn’t loosened. I did have to wipe things down right away or the ink residue got annoying, but no weird rusting so far.
Okay super basic… with the AKARUED Beginner Brush Set, do you practise on regular printer paper or do you need nicer paper right away? Mine keeps looking streaky and I can’t tell if it’s me or the paper. 🙂
Quick question on the Mont Marte 33-Piece Set – would the pen holder fit smaller hands? I’m shopping for my niece and she’s 10, so I’m worried it’ll be chunky and she’ll hate practising with it.
Yep, it generally works for smaller hands. The Mont Marte holder is a pretty standard, lightweight size, so most kids/teens can grip it fine (especially if they already use regular pencils comfortably). If you want to make it easier, have her choke up a bit closer to the nib and keep sessions short at first – it reduces hand fatigue a lot.