Meanwhile there are countless great lettering pens. There is a pen for every preference!
But if you are not in a shop and can try the pens directly, it is usually not clear how exactly the brushstroke of the brush pen looks like, how thick and thin it can paint and how the color will probably work on paper.
Therefore you will find on this page an overview of the best lettering pens for me – with matching photos and line width tests!
Contents
Brush pens for paper (small scaled)
Small brush pens allow particularly filigree fonts and are usually the easiest to master. The brush tips are usually not too soft and are also easy to master for beginners.
Tombow Fudenosuke
This is a really fantastic pen for the beginning, if you want a fine, small brush tip. It is particularly suitable for filigree hand climbing.
Due to the delicate but slightly firmer tip, the pen can be controlled very well. The colour application is very nice black, but meanwhile there is also a set with different colours.
Pentel Sign Pen (Touch)
Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen
Brushpens for paper (medium scaled)
Medium sized brushpens are an ideal compromise for the beginner. The brush tip is already relatively soft, but is often still easy to control.
If you are new to hand lettering, you should practice with a medium sized brush pen before you dare to use the large brush pens.
Edding Brush Pens
Crayola Supertips
Artline Stix
The Artline Stix definitely look the craziest. They have a great brush tip that offers a perfect compromise between flexibility and stability. For little money you get a really big set with partly extraordinary colours.
The look, on the other hand, is of a more decorative nature – but certainly suitable for children!
ONLINE Calli.Brush
Papermania Fluid Metallic Brush Marker
Die Metallic Brush Pens von Papermania haben einen ganz besonderen Farbauftrag. Die Farben glänzen leicht metallisch und erzielen so einen wunderbaren Effekt. Sie sind stark deckend, sodass du sie sogar auf farbiger Pappe benutzen kannst.
Besonders auf schwarzem Papier entsteht damit ein sehr edler Effekt.
Brushpens for paper (large scaled)
Large brush pens allow big letterings and ingenious line widths for contrasts. They are usually more difficult to control, as the entire range of movement is larger. You will be rewarded with fantastic hand climbing.
Tombow Abt Dual Brush Pen
The elegant classic among the Brushpens. A high-quality pen with a large brush tip that allows for a strong stroke contrast. On the back there is also a fineliner in the corresponding colour.
The tip of the brush is very sensitive and should only be used on smooth paper and with the necessary previous knowledge in order to enjoy the great pens for as long as possible. The Dual Brush Pens are available in 96+ beautiful colours!
Tombow Abt Pro
The counterpart of the Tombow Abt Dual Brush Pens – but with alcohol-based ink. Therefore the Abt Pro are one of the few alcohol-based brush pens.
The colour application is absolutely ingenious and allows completely new forms of gradients. However, the pens are expensive and therefore rather professional equipment.
Crayola Marker
Very special markers. They don’t really have a “brush tip”, but rather a paint pad. However, this is also pressure-sensitive and it is extremely fun to write with these pens.
They are also suitable for children and are almost indestructible. For left-handers, who are not very fond of “real” brushpens, the Crayola Markers are also worth a try!
ECOLINE 700 Brush Pens
Karin Brushmarker Pro
The Brushmarker Pro from Karin has a large brush tip, but it is not too soft. It allows wonderful strokes and has a very strong, juicy colour application.
Because of the strong color application you should use thick paper or even watercolor paper for these brushpens. Then you can create very special colour gradients and effects. The Megabox contains many beautiful colours.
Stationery Island Brush Pens
The brushpens from Stationery Island are extremely soft. It feels as if you have a brush with a paint tank in your hand. Every little tremor is immediately visible and the writing is really not easy!
But the pens allow for great line width contrasts and brush-like stroke widths. The pencils are also great for watercolour painting. The set also includes a water tank brush, which is extremely practical.
Stampin‘ Write Marker
Pens for special surfaces
If you don’t want to paint and type only on paper, the pen search starts all over again. There is a special pen for every surface. My overview helps you to find the right marker for your project.
POSCA Marker
The POSCA markers are available in countless colours and sizes. Most markers have a round tip and offer a great, opaque color application.
In the beginning they were always too expensive for me, but at some point I tried them out: And I am lastingly enthusiastic. Whether on stone, wood, porcelain or metal, the POSCA markers paint cleanly and evenly. No drips or spills.
MOLOTOW Liquid Chrome Marker
The Liquid Chrome Marker of MOLOTOW offers an incomparable chrome effect. Without additional aids an almost reflecting, metallic surface is created. Thereby the marker covers particularly strongly.
The Liquid Chrome Marker is available in different sizes. Unfortunately, the ingenious effect is difficult to see on photos – it’s worth trying!
Edding Porcelain Brushpen
The Edding porcelain markers are, as you can easily see, suitable for writing on porcelain. The paint is baked in the oven after painting and is then very resistant.
The great thing about this pen is that it is a real brush pen with a soft tip! So even without Faux Calligraphy you can create magical handletterings on smooth surfaces like porcelain and glass.
Edding Textile Marker
Fineliner & gel pens
Fineliners are the detail tools for your handletterings. You can use them to correct mistakes in line work, draw decorative elements and create fine fonts. A few fineliners belong in every lettering kit!
Staedtler Fineliner
I recommend the Staedtler Fineliner Set again and again. I have been using it for many years and I am always happy about the filigree pen tips. The finest tip has a diameter of only 0.05 mm!
The set then contains line widths of the mentioned 0.05 to 0.5 mm. So you have the right line width for every case.
Tombow TwinTone
The TwinTone Markers from Tombow offer you two tips at once. One very fine tip with 0.3mm diameter for very fine lines and one tip with 0.8mm diameter for typical finliner lines (almost like a felt-tip pen). They are available in different colors.
Especially the combination of two different pen tips in the same colour is always practical.
Stabilo Point 88
Uni-ball signo broad
The gel rollers from uni-ball are once again a completely unique class of pens. With gel rollers, particularly fine, opaque colour applications can be created.
In white, such a gel roller is also suitable for dark surfaces. It is important that the strokes are applied slowly so that the paint is applied evenly. A matter of practice!
Felt tip pens
Of course you can also use normal felt-tip pens for the hand lettering. With different colours you can paint great fonts with the same line widths or use the faux calligraphy.
Felt-tip pens are much less sensitive than brush pens and are therefore also suitable for use on rough paper or cardboard.
Stabilo Pen 68
Found your perfect pen?
So, did you find a matching hand lettering pen for you?
Tell me in the comments which pen you chose or which pens you personally like best! I would also be happy to test other hand lettering pens for you and add them to my collection.
Omg thanks so much this page is so verrry helpful! Ur a life saver
I’ve just encountered your website and I am truly delighted! What a wonderfully thorough review of writing tools. You’ve answered all the questions I was having trouble finding answers to as I decide what types of writing tools to invest in first. I look forward to reading everything you’ve posted. Thank you!
Thank you so much!