Calligraphy for beginners: pointed pen, broad-edge or brush pen and what you need

TUREFF• •0

Calligraphy covers several quite different tools and styles, and the first question most beginners face is which one to start with. This guide explains the three main families, what you need for each, and the basic strokes that every style is built from.

The three main tools

Pointed pen. A flexible, pointed metal nib in a holder, dipped in ink. Pressing harder spreads the two halves of the nib and makes a thicker line; lighter pressure gives a hairline. It is used for scripts such as Copperplate (also called English Roundhand), Spencerian and much modern calligraphy. Beautiful, but the least forgiving to begin with: the nib catches on rough paper and too much pressure on an upstroke snags. Broad-edge pen. A nib with a flat, chisel-shaped tip, held at a fairly constant angle. The thick and thin lines come from the direction you move, not from pressure. It is used for Italic, Foundational, Gothic (blackletter) and Uncial hands. Many teachers recommend it as a first tool because the pen does much of the work, and it teaches letter structure well. Felt-tip chisel markers are a cheap way to try it. Brush pen. A felt or bristle tip that bends under pressure, giving thick downstrokes and thin upstrokes like a pointed pen. It is the usual tool for brush lettering. No ink to dip, little mess, and easy to carry, which makes it a popular first choice, though small hard-tipped brush pens are easier to control than large soft ones.

Which should you start with?

If you want to write classic formal scripts, start with a broad-edge pen or a pointed pen.
If you want modern, bouncy lettering for cards and signs, start with a small brush pen.
If you are not sure, a chisel marker and a small brush pen together cost little and let you try both principles.

Basic supplies

Smooth paper. This matters more than anything else. Rough or absorbent paper frays brush pen tips and makes dip ink bleed. Laser printer paper and pads sold for marker or layout work are common choices for practice.
Guide sheets. Printed lines under your practice paper to keep letters a consistent height and slant.
Pencil and ruler for drawing your own guidelines.
For dip pens: a nib, a holder (straight for broad-edge; an oblique holder is common for pointed pen scripts), ink, a jar of water and a lint-free cloth for cleaning.

Start with one tool and one style rather than buying a little of everything.

Basic strokes

Almost every letter is built from a few shapes. Practise them before letters:

Downstroke: a straight line pulled towards you. With a pointed or brush pen, press for a thick line.
Upstroke: a light, thin line pushed away from you.
Underturn: a thin-to-thick curve shaped like a U, as in the letter u.
Overturn: the reverse, an upside-down U, as in n and m.
Compound curve: an overturn and underturn joined, as in the hump of n followed by an exit.
Oval: the basis of a, d, g, o and q.
Ascending and descending loops: the tall loops of l, h, b and the low loops of g, y.

Fill a page with each stroke, keeping the same slant and spacing, before you write a single word.

Posture and grip

Sit upright with both feet on the floor and your forearm resting on the table.
Move from the arm and shoulder for longer strokes, not just the fingers.
Write slowly. Calligraphy is drawing letters, not handwriting fast.
Turn the paper so that downstrokes feel natural, rather than twisting your wrist.

Left-handed?

Left-handed calligraphers write every style. Common approaches include turning the paper, writing with the hand below the line, or using holders and nibs suited to left-handed writers. It is worth trying several positions. Which tool are you starting with, and what made you choose it? Ask any beginner questions in the comments.