A calligrapher is nothing without her proper tools! Okay, not true – I love writing on dirty car windows and whatever else I can get my hands on. But for a pen and paper lover, I wanted to put together a comprehensive list of my favorite tools that I could never live without. I call this my calligrapher survival kit – these are essential tools that I bring to every brand activation, live event, and calligraphy class!
Disclaimer – I do receive a small commission if you use my affiliate links, at no higher cost to you, and it helps me continue to pursue my creative calligrapher dreams, so thank you!
RESOURCES
Wander Crafter Basic Strokes Guide – FREE!
Wander Crafter Lettering Guide – coming soon
Wander Crafter Flourishing guide – coming soon
BRUSH PENS
I own so many of these brush pens, I should be admitted to brush pen rehab! I bring these with me EVERYWHERE, even when I’m on a 50 mile backpacking trip, because there is nothing more therapeutic than writing calligraphy in nature.
Oh – and they have COLORED Tombow Fudenosuke Pens too! You’re welcome.
I love these smaller brush pens, they make it easy to letter on handmade cards and notes. Although these aren’t permanent, they’re beautiful and blend beautifully!
A fan favorite! I learned brush calligraphy with these pens so they’ll always have a special place in my heart! I love these brush pens for bigger projects like cards, posters, and banners! These fray very easily and are fairly pricey, so make sure you use smooth paper and take good care of them!
MONOLINE PENS
Marvy Uchida DecoColor Fine Pen
These are my favorite metallic pens EVER. I bring them to all my brand activations or live events, and calligraphy classes to write last minute place cards. They are perfect for wine bottles, ornaments, slate charcuterie boards, and all my acrylic signs! Once you get your hands on them, you’ll notice that they are basically LIQUID GOLD.
Beware though – They are practically permanent. I was successful in removing it from acrylic after a deep alcohol soak and scraping with a paper towel wrapped around a spatula, so make sure you’ve spelled everything correctly.
These slate charcuterie boards were engraved by hand and filled with the gold fine liner. Order yours from Wander Crafter!
Sharpie Water Based and Oil Based Fine Tip Marker
These are second in command to the Marvy fine tip pens, just because they aren’t as metallic. They still write nicely on smooth surfaces like these calligraphy rosè champagne bottles for a brand activation. Make sure you purchase the oil based marker if you are using it for a live event!
MONOLINE PAINT PENS
Sharpie Water Based and Oil Based Broad Tip Marker
These are my favorite white markers for smooth surfaces like mirrors, ornaments, and glass murals! I highly recommend purchasing the Sharpie Large chisel tip for larger murals to save your sanity! You can remove them with alcohol, Windex, or a razor depending on how much you want to scrub! Outline these bad boys with a simple chalk marker like Marvy Uchida Bistro Marker.
Marvy Uchida DecoColor Medium Paint Pens
These pens are perfect for long lasting menus or decor, as they are super juicy and beautiful. They dry with a shiny coat and looks like it was printed on the acrylic. However – it is impossible to remove without some labor, so make sure you’re confident in what you’re writing! If you want an easier to remove option, use the Sharpie paint markers as listed above.
And thus concludes my calligrapher survival kit. I hope this helps you in your lettering journey! Please feel free to send me questions, I’d love to connect with you!!
Email: hello@wandercrafter.com
Instagram: @wandercrafter
Mailing list: FREE Beginner Brush Calligraphy Guide
