WELCOME to the world of lettering supplies! There are so many different options out there and this girl has tried them all, so let me make things easy by giving you the low down on all of my favorite supplies!
W R I T I N G T O O L S
Let’s just say this is one of my favorite things to collect and that maybe I’ve spent a small fortune trying out so many varaties (don’t tell my husband wink wink) but I somehow always come back to the same few time and time again! Let’s take a look at our brush lettering allstars!
Tombow Fudenosuke Hard and Soft Tip
Oh this pen . . . it’s first for a reason . . . If i were stuck on an island and i could only have one pen, this would be it! It’s flexible but still has a stiffness to it that makes it easier to letter with than a lot of other popular pens. It’s a MUST have!
Faber – Castell Pitt Artist Pen The Brush Version
The pitt pen… my other favorite. I found this pen in the beginning of my lettering journey and oh baby do i love it! It comes in a wide variety of colors and can make beautiful thick downstrokes but still has the ability to get those tiny upstrokes!
These zig makers are one of my favorites because the tip has actual fibers which can give you both a smooth look or a natural textured look depending on how fast you write. The variety of colors is amazing as well!
A lettering essential. This refillable brush pen can hold water or ink and comes in a variety of sizes making it extremely versatile and just plain fun to use. Perfect for lettering with paint.
The nib on this pen is pretty small compared to other pens but is so incredibly flexible yet sturdy that it really makes lettering so easy and perfect for beginners!
Yep you read that right! Crayola makers are the perfect beginning tool for lettering for lots of reasons! You can find them anywhere, they’re inexpensive and the tip is perfect for beginners!
PAPER
The famous Rhodia paper pad! If you’ve been researching hand lettering on Pinterest or Instagram, you have probably seen this paper pad because a whole lot of letters use it. A lot of times you’ll see the pad with the dot grid and this is the same thing but without the dots. Well when digitizing artwork those pesky dots can make it really hard to get a nice smooth image. So I tend to stick with the blank paper pad which still has that silky smooth texture and doesn’t bleed or feather.
Bristol is a heavyweight paper with a smooth finish and is a great paper for finished pieces! It can be a little pricey so I usually save it for special pieces.
When I first started hand lettering I noticed that some of my pens seemed to fray and wear out pretty quickly and I just couldn’t figure out why. Then I bought my first paper pad made specifically for makers with really smooth paper and instantly my pens seemed to perform much better and last much longer. I finally realized that it was my paper pad! Even though the pages don’t seem that rough, the paper I had been using was too texturized for some of my softer makers. Buying the right paper makes so much of a difference!