Hand lettering is at its best when your tools disappear and your strokes feel predictable. If you are building a starter setup, the right hand lettering supplies make practice smoother, cleaner, and more enjoyable, especially when you are still learning pressure and bounce.
In this roundup we compared beginner-friendly sets, single brush pens, and practice paper that work together as a small toolkit. We focused on tip control, ink behaviour on common papers, and how easy each pick is to live with day to day, from warm-ups to finished quotes.
Below are our top picks, followed by a quick lens for choosing, plus a deeper buying guide to help you fine tune your kit.
Tombow 56190 Lettering Set – A complete first lettering kit
- Start simple A small kit plus practice pages beats buying many colours before your pressure control feels steady.
- Paper matters Smooth, ink-friendly pads help reduce feathering and keep brush tips from wearing out early.
- Match tip size Smaller tips suit compact words and drills; larger tips suit posters and expressive contrast.
- Plan for practice Workbooks and dot grids make it easier to practise spacing, slant, and consistency every day.
How We Chose Hand Lettering Picks
For these hand lettering supplies, we compared what matters most to beginners and improving hobbyists: controllable tips, ink that behaves on common smooth papers, and formats that encourage consistent practice.
We prioritized options that cover the basics of brush lettering and monoline work, plus paper choices that help reduce feathering and tip wear. Each pick suits a slightly different learning style, from structured worksheets to build-your-own toolkits.
What to Look for in Hand Lettering Supplies
A predictable tip helps you learn thin upstrokes and thick downstrokes faster, without fighting fraying or sudden line jumps.
Ink that dries reasonably fast and does not feather badly on smooth practice paper keeps your drills readable and reduces smudging.
Smooth, bleed resistant paper lets brush tips glide and preserves your pens longer, which matters when you practise daily.
Guides, dot grids, and trace sheets reduce guesswork so you can focus on spacing, slant, and rhythm instead of drawing every guideline.
If your brush pen suddenly feels scratchy, switch to smoother paper before you replace the pen. Rough paper is one of the fastest ways to fray tips.
01
A complete first lettering kit
Tombow 56190 Lettering Set bundles a few key Tombow tools for learning modern hand lettering, plus a tips pamphlet. It is a friendly, low-fuss way to try brush and pen-style strokes without overbuying.
- Well-rounded beginner tool mix
- Includes tips pamphlet
- Dual Brush and Fudenosuke included
- Only two brush pens
- Limited colour variety
For a first step into hand lettering, Tombow 56190 Lettering Set keeps things simple and practical. It includes two Dual Brush Pens for flexible brush strokes, a Fudenosuke Calligraphy Pen for smaller lettering control, plus a MONO Twin Permanent Marker, MONO Drawing Pencil, and MONO Eraser for sketching and finishing. The included tips pamphlet helps you start with basic strokes and letter forms, which is useful if you are learning from scratch.
02
All-in-one brush lettering kit
Prismacolor Premier Lettering Brush Set bundles brush markers, a dual-ended marker, pencil, eraser, and a tips booklet, so you can sketch, letter, and refine in one go with smooth, brush-style strokes.
- 10 brush markers included
- Smooth sweeping brush strokes
- Helpful tips booklet
- Limited colour count
- Only one dual-ended marker
Prismacolor Premier Lettering Brush Set is a convenient starter-friendly bundle built around brush-tip illustration markers for smooth, sweeping strokes and bold letterforms. We like that it includes the basics for a full workflow: a 2H graphite pencil for layout, an eraser for corrections, and a dual-ended chisel/fine marker for broader fills and tighter details. The included tips and tricks booklet adds structure for beginners, while the markers still feel versatile for casual illustration and modern hand lettering practice.
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Beginner-friendly lettering essentials
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist is a beginner lettering set with brush pens in black and grey tones, plus a pencil, sharpener, and small nib sizes for detail. The India ink is water and smudge resistant once dry.
- Beginner-friendly instruction focus
- Water and smudge resistant ink
- Brush and fine nib options
- Limited to greys and black
- No coloured ink variety
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist is a solid entry point for hand lettering when you want modern calligraphy style strokes without buying everything separately. The set pairs 5 brush pens in black and warm and cool greys with a superfine pen and a 1.5 mm nib for crisp outlines and fills, plus a pencil, eraser, and sharpener for sketching. The India ink is highly pigmented, lightfast, and designed to be water and smudge resistant and low-odour.
Hard and soft tips included
Tombow Fudenosuke Hard & Soft 6-Pack gives you both firm and flexible brush tips in one set, making it easy to practise small-letter modern calligraphy, sketch notes, and clean line work without switching product lines.
- Hard and soft tip variety
- Easy to control strokes
- Comfortable grip for practice
- Limited to one ink colour
- Not ideal for large lettering
Tombow Fudenosuke Hard & Soft 6-Pack is a practical set for hand lettering when you want control more than big, juicy brush strokes. You get three hard-tip and three soft-tip pens, so you can compare feel and pressure response while keeping your style consistent. Based on specs and user feedback, these pens are a favourite for sketch notes, precise drawing, and neat modern calligraphy drills, with a grip that stays comfortable during longer practice sessions.
Flexible tips for varied lettering
Brusarth 8-Size Brush Pen Set gives you extra-fine through soft brush tips for modern calligraphy and hand lettering practice. We like the smooth, fast-drying, water-based ink for clean strokes and quick pages.
- Eight tip sizes included
- Fast-drying water-based ink
- Non-toxic, odourless formula
- Limited to one ink colour
- Brush tips need gentle pressure
Brusarth 8-Size Brush Pen Set is a beginner-friendly way to cover a wide range of lettering styles without buying separate pens. Based on the specs and user feedback, the water-based ink is designed to dry quickly and write smoothly, which helps reduce smearing while you practise drills. With tips ranging from extra fine to soft brush, you can switch from thin upstrokes to bold downstrokes, plus use them for outlining, doodling, and sketching.
Archival black brush pen trio
Sakura Pigma Professional Brush Pen is a 3-pack of black brush pens in fine, medium, and bold. We like it for hand lettering practice where you want responsive pressure changes plus crisp, archival-quality lines.
- Three brush sizes included
- Waterproof, fade resistant ink
- Smooth pressure responsive nib
- Black ink only
- Brush tip takes light care
Sakura Pigma Professional Brush Pen gives you three black brush tips, fine, medium, and bold, so you can switch from hairlines to thicker downstrokes without changing tools. Based on specs and user feedback, the ink lays down consistently to both tip and sides of the brush, which helps when you vary pressure for modern lettering. The archival ink is waterproof, quick drying, pH neutral, and designed to resist fading and bleeding, making it a solid choice for clean, repeatable practice pages.
Vintage colours with water blending
WRITECH Sign Brush Pen is a 12-colour set of water-based brush markers in a muted, vintage palette. The flexible brush tip is pressure sensitive, and the inks can be blended and diluted with water for smoother gradients.
- Water-based ink blends easily
- Flexible pressure-sensitive brush tip
- Vintage palette suits journaling
- Only 12 colours included
- Water can buckle thin paper
WRITECH Sign Brush Pen is a beginner-friendly brush marker set built around a soft, flexible tip and water-based ink. We like it for hand lettering and journal headings because the 12 vintage colours can be blended with water and diluted to create lighter values. The brush tip responds to pressure for thick downstrokes and finer upstrokes, and the markers also work well for outlining, cross hatching, and detailed line work when you lighten your touch.
Smooth paper for clean ink
Strathmore Calligraphy Pad is a tape-bound, natural white pad with 50 sheets of 20 lb paper. The surface is made for smooth ink flow and is commonly liked for both dip pens and fountain pens.
- Smooth ink flow surface
- Fountain and dip pen friendly
- 50 sheets per pad
- Light 20 lb weight
- Tape binding limits lay-flat
Strathmore Calligraphy Pad is a straightforward practice pad for hand lettering and calligraphy when you want predictable ink behaviour. The natural white 20 lb paper is designed to give a smooth surface texture, which helps keep lines looking clean with many inks. Based on user feedback, it tends to work well with both dip pens and fountain pens, and the 8.5 x 11 in size gives you room for drills, alphabets, and finished quotes.
Traceable sheets for daily practice
120-Sheet Practice Workbook is a large-format calligraphy and hand lettering pad with traceable letters. It works best as a repetition-focused practice resource when you already have a pen and a few basic stroke guidelines.
- 120 traceable practice pages
- Large 8.5 x 11 format
- Matte-finish cover
- Not an instruction book
- Quality concerns in reviews
120-Sheet Practice Workbook is a paperback practice pad built around tracing and repetition rather than step-by-step teaching. Based on the product description, you get 120 pages in a roomy 8.5 x 11 in format with a premium matte-finish cover and traceable letterforms for modern calligraphy and hand lettering drills. Review feedback is mixed: some buyers like the overall quality, while others expected more instruction or had concerns about print and build quality.
Smooth dot-grid practice pad
Rhodia DotPad No.18 A4 pairs a 5 mm dot grid with smooth 80 gsm Clairefontaine paper, making it a dependable surface for hand lettering drills, layouts, and ink-friendly note-taking. Micro-perforated sheets tear out cleanly.
- Smooth Clairefontaine 80 gsm
- Fountain pen friendly paper
- Micro-perforated tear-out sheets
- Stapled binding limits folding back
- Dots may feel light
Rhodia DotPad No.18 A4 is a clean, flexible practice pad for hand lettering layouts when you want guidance without heavy lines. The 5 mm dot grid helps you keep slant, spacing, and baselines consistent, while the smooth 80 gsm Clairefontaine vellum paper is well liked for fountain pens and everyday inks. A coated card cover and sturdy cardboard backing make it easy to write on your lap or at a crowded desk, and micro-perforations help pages remove neatly.
| Rating | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tombow 56190 Lettering Set
Best Overall Starter Set
|
9.5/10 | C $22.99 | BUY NOW |
|
Prismacolor 13-Piece Lettering Set
Top Pick for Practice
|
9.2/10 | C $20.00 | BUY NOW |
|
Faber-Castell Pitt Lettering Set
Best Starter Kit
|
9.1/10 | C $30.51 | BUY NOW |
|
Tombow Fudenosuke 6-Pack Brush Pens
Also Great
|
9.0/10 | C $18.00 | BUY NOW |
|
Brusarth 8 Brush Pens
Strong Runner-Up
|
8.9/10 | – | BUY NOW |
|
Sakura Pigma Brush Pen Set
Worth Considering
|
8.8/10 | C $12.90 | BUY NOW |
|
WRITECH 12-Colour Brush Pens
Editor's Pick
|
8.7/10 | – | BUY NOW |
|
Strathmore 8.5 x 11 Calligraphy Pad
Reader Favourite
|
8.6/10 | C $18.55 | BUY NOW |
|
Daisy Blue Calligraphy Workbook
Solid Alternative
|
8.5/10 | C $7.99 | BUY NOW |
|
Rhodia A4 Dot Notepad
Great Value Pick
|
8.4/10 | – | BUY NOW |
How to Choose the Right Hand Lettering Supplies
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Brush tip feel
The tip dictates how easily you can control pressure and return to a sharp hairline. Hard vs soft: Hard tips feel more stable for small letters; soft tips give bigger contrast but can feel bouncy at first. · Point retention: Look for tips that keep a crisp point after drills, not ones that spread into a blunt wedge. · Size range: A mix of smaller and larger brush tips helps you practise both compact words and big title strokes.
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Ink and smudge
Ink choice affects cleanup, layering, and how quickly you can turn the page. Dry time: Faster drying ink reduces accidental smears, especially if you are right-handed and move quickly across the page. · Water reactivity: Water-based inks can blend nicely but may smear when you add highlights or erase guidelines. · Black permanence: If you want scan-ready work, pick a black that stays crisp instead of turning grey with repeated strokes.
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Paper smoothness
Paper is part of the tool, and it can make a good pen feel bad. Smooth surface: Smooth pads reduce drag and help protect brush tips from fraying. · Bleed resistance: Thicker, ink-friendly sheets keep your drills readable and prevent ghosting on the back. · Grid or blank: Dot grid supports layout and spacing; blank pages are better once you practise consistent slant on your own.
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Skill level match
The right tools depend on whether you are learning basics or refining style. Beginners: Start with fewer pens and a workbook so you build repeatable strokes before chasing colour variety. · Intermediate: Add more tip sizes and a higher-quality paper pad once your pressure control is consistent. · Project focus: For envelopes and small tags, prioritize fine brush tips; for posters, prioritize bigger tips and blendable colours.
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Care and storage
Simple habits keep brush pens usable longer. Cap tightly: Dry tips happen fast, so cap as soon as you pause to evaluate a word. · Store horizontal: Horizontal storage helps ink stay evenly distributed for consistent starts. · Use friendly paper: Rough paper chews tips, so reserve it for sketches and keep smooth pads for practice drills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What basic hand lettering supplies do beginners actually need?
You can start with one brush pen, one smooth practice pad, and a guide for drills. One controllable brush tip is enough to learn pressure and stroke order. Smooth paper helps prevent feathering and keeps the tip from fraying. A workbook or dot grid gives you structure for spacing, slant, and consistent letter height.
Is hand lettering the same as calligraphy?
Hand lettering is drawing letterforms, so you can build and refine each shape. Calligraphy is writing letterforms, usually with a tool that makes a consistent stroke pattern. In practice, brush lettering sits in the middle: you write strokes in a calligraphy style, but you often adjust shapes like a letterer would. The supplies can overlap, but your approach is different.
Should I start with a hard tip or soft tip brush pen?
Start with a hard tip if you are practising small letters, want more control, or tend to press too hard. A hard tip makes it easier to keep thin upstrokes clean. Choose a soft tip if you want bigger contrast and more expressive downstrokes. Many learners like having both so they can match the pen to the word size.
What is the difference between a dot grid pad and a calligraphy practice pad?
A dot grid helps with layout, spacing, and keeping baselines consistent without heavy lines showing in photos. A calligraphy pad is often designed to be smoother and more ink-friendly, which can reduce feathering and bleed. If you are focusing on drills, smoothness is the priority. If you are planning finished quotes, dot grid can make composition easier.
How do I stop brush pen ink from bleeding or feathering?
Switch to smoother, more ink-friendly paper first, because paper is the most common cause. Next, lighten pressure and slow down slightly so the tip is not digging into fibres. Finally, let ink dry fully before erasing guidelines or adding highlights. If you layer colours, test on a corner of the page so you know whether the ink reactivates and spreads.
Can left-handed writers use brush pens for hand lettering?
Yes. Use a lighter touch, rotate the page so you pull strokes comfortably, and give ink more drying time before your hand passes over it. If you overwrite your work, consider working top-left to bottom-right in small sections, or place a clean scrap sheet under your hand. Smoother paper also helps because you need fewer repeat strokes to get a clean line.
Where can I buy hand lettering supplies in Canada besides online marketplaces?
You can often find hand lettering supplies at Canadian stationery and art retailers like Wonder Pens, Blesket, Opus Art Supplies, Michaels Canada, Curry’s Art Supplies, DeSerres, Above Ground Art Supplies, Indigo, Staples Canada, and Walmart Canada. Selection varies, so it helps to know whether you want a brush pen set, a black fineliner-style pen, or smoother practice paper before you shop.
How do I store and clean brush pens so they last longer?
Cap pens tightly right away and store them horizontally so ink stays evenly distributed. Use smooth paper for drills to reduce tip wear. If a water-based pen feels dry, scribble gently for a few seconds to restart flow rather than pressing harder. Avoid leaving pens uncapped during practice sessions, because even a short pause can dry the tip.
- Want a complete beginner bundle in one box? Start with the Tombow 56190 Lettering Set.
- Prefer step-by-step practice and repeatable drills? Choose the 120-Sheet Practice Workbook first, then add one brush pen you like.
- Doing mostly black lettering for labels, notes, or clean scans? Pick the Sakura Pigma Professional Brush Pen for consistent dark lines.
- Working small, like headers and compact quotes? Grab the Tombow Fudenosuke Hard & Soft 6-Pack for more control at smaller sizes.
- If your pens keep feathering, fix the paper before the pens. Move to a smoother pad like the Rhodia DotPad No.18 A4.
If you want one easy starting point, we recommend the Tombow 56190 Lettering Set because it gives you a ready-to-use mix of tools for both practice drills and simple finished pieces. If your priority is learning with structure, pair your favourite pen with the 120-Sheet Practice Workbook to build consistent strokes and spacing faster. From there, upgrading paper, like a smoother pad, is often the next change you will actually feel in your lettering.
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 beginner-friendly course that walks through letterforms stroke by stroke.
- Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton. A clear, modern introduction to how letters and layouts actually work.
Quick fit question: would the Tombow 56190 kit feel okay for smaller hands? I’m getting into this with my niece and she’s 11, so big chunky markers can be awkward for her. The Fudenosuke 6-pack looks slimmer but I’m not sure.
Honestly surprised there’s no Pentel Touch Sign Pen (or even Kuretake) on deze lijst. Those are kinda the “starter classics” you see everywhere. How did you decide what made the cut here – availability, tip style, or just what you’ve used personally?