The Best Calligraphy Markers for 2023

Are you thinking of trying your hand at calligraphy? If you are, then you will need the best calligraphy markers to make the hobby a bit easier to get into. However, you should not invest in the most expensive pens just yet. You should try using the more affordable pens first so you can get a feel for them.

There are many brands of calligraphy markers in the market today but not all of them work well. You need to know what to look for in a calligraphy pen. This way, you can find a product that writes quite well but does not cost an arm and a leg.

This article will teach you how to shop for the best brush pens for calligraphy. You will learn about the features that you need to look out for and the qualities that make them great. You will also get a couple of product recommendations and reviews to help you make up your mind.

Best Calligraphy Marker Reviews

1. MISULOVE Lettering Calligraphy Pens

It is important to keep in mind that even though you will be getting 6 markers in this set, you will only receive 4 tip sizes. You will be getting one extra-fine, one fine, one medium, and three brush tips. A lot of people complained about not getting six tip sizes, but they did not understand the product details.

These markers are refillable, making them the ideal choice for beginners at calligraphy. Another nice feature of these markers is that you can use any brand ink to refill them. You only need to unscrew the cap at the bottom and while holding the pen vertically, you should put a couple of drops of ink into the barrel.

The original ink that came with the markers is water-based and non-toxic. This makes these calligraphy markers the ideal gift for kids who have an artistic inclination. Being water-based also means the ink does not have any noxious fumes. This makes it great for those long practice sessions.

Another thing that I liked about this product is that the manufacturer backs it with a one-year satisfaction guarantee. Misulove is so confident with this product that they are willing to give such a great warranty. In all fairness, though, I have been using these pens for a couple of months and I am not compelled to return them.

I do not have much to complain about with these pens. However, I did have a bit of a problem figuring out what tips the pens have without popping off the caps first. It took me a while to figure out the diagrams printed on the pens since they are in Chinese.

2. Kuretake ZIG Clean Calligraphy Brush Markers

These markers are not just great for calligraphy. Because these pens come in 48 colors, you can also use this for just about any art project that you have. You can use this for watercolor painting and drawings and illustrations. You will also find it useful in adult coloring books.

These pens use highly pigmented inks but they are all water-based and non-toxic. I like using these markers too because they do not emit noxious fumes, like how alcohol-based inks do. I tend to get dizzy from the fumes when I need to work on larger art pieces, so using non-toxic markers is a must.

Unlike other brush tip markers, these come with real brush tips, not just flexible nylon tips. This means when you are doing brushstroke calligraphy, you are using actual brushes, adding to its authenticity. With that said, you will need to practice a lot to master the use of these markers.

Although it will take some time before you can effectively use a calligraphy permanent marker, once you figure it out, you will discover how versatile these markers are. One of the things that I liked about these markers is that their inks behave just like watercolors in the sense that they are easy to blend and fade.

Now, here’s the problem: Kuretake markers, being among the best options for brush tip marker calligraphy, are quite expensive. This might not be a problem if you have a sizable budget, but for beginners at brushstroke calligraphy, starting with them may be hard on the wallet. Practice with cheaper markers before using expensive ones.

3. Dainayw Calligraphy Brush Pens

What I liked the most about this set of pens is that you are getting all the calligraphy pens that you will ever need. Of the eight pens that come in the set, three have bullet-point tips, three have chisel-point, and two have soft brush tips. With the variation of pens, you can practice using different styles.

As mentioned earlier, this set comes with three fine bullet-point tips. These pens are not just great for calligraphy. I also use them for drawings and illustrations. I specifically like using ultra-fine tips for drawing small details and labeling small parts of illustrations.

I also like the three different chisel-point pens. They work great for creating gothic-style lettering and drawing thicker line weights. I also use the chisel-points quite a lot for shading and drawing textures. However, I do use them mainly for lettering purposes.

Unlike other calligraphy pen sets, this one has two sizes of brush tips. The other sets that I have tested so far only came with one-size brush tips, which is understandable since you can vary the line weight anyway. However, having a smaller brush opens up an entirely new world of possibilities.

Now, I would have given these pens perfect marks as I do love how they write. However, the problem is that they do not have as much ink as most of the other pens that I have tried. The larger brush-tipped pen ran out of ink after just a week or so.

4. Reaeon Calligraphy Markers Pens

You are essentially getting twice the number of markers mentioned on the label because every pen has dual tips. This means that one end of the pen has a fine-point nib and the other end has a flexible brush tip. This gives the brushes a lot of versatility.

I also like that the set of best brush pens for modern calligraphy contains 34 different colors. Aside from practicing calligraphy, I also use these markers for adult coloring books. The fine tips are great for getting into the tight spaces while the brush tips are good for coloring in the larger spaces. Having a lot of colors to choose from is also nice.

Few companies offer the same kind of customer service that Reaeon provides in my experience. When I got this set, I noticed that three pens were already dried out. I sent the company an email about my unfortunate purchase and they sent me an entirely new set – this time, with all the colors working. I did not even need to return the old set.

Another reason why I believe these are among the best felt tip calligraphy pens is that it provides a huge set of color markers without requiring you to pay quite as much as you would a branded set of pens with only a fraction of the number. Of course, you will be compromising a bit for the lower price, but you will not be sacrificing that much.

Speaking of compromises, one of the things that you need to put up with in exchange for the lower price is that the brush tips are not as flexible as in other brands. However, the tip still flexes and goes back to its original shape.

5. Zenacolor Calligraphy Drawing Markers

The thing I liked the most about this set of markers is that it contains 100 different colors. There are different shades of the different colors, making blending and creating gradients a lot easier. It would have been much easier if there were color codes, but as it is now, they are still great.

You are getting two sets of markers in one because each marker has dual tips. I usually use the fine tips for drawing fine details and outlines while the brush tips are for shading and calligraphy work. I like that I only have to buy this one set for all my needs.

Another neat feature of this modern calligraphy brush pen set is the quick-drying ink used. This is ideal if you will be using these markers for journaling. I like them because I tend to take my time when doing calligraphy work, so even the smallest smudge ruins the piece.

The nice thing about the manufacturer is that they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with the set, the manufacturer will refund your payment. I have been using this set of markers for a month or so, and I am still quite happy with them and not even remotely close to asking for a refund.

One very simple and minor complaint I have, though, is that some of the colors indicated in the pens are not as accurate as the inks’ colors.

6. Craft Beyond Calligraphy Brush Pens

This set of calligraphy brush pens is ideal for beginners because you are getting three different sizes of brush pens. This means you can practice several different types of brush calligraphy. The fine point tips are great for faux brush calligraphy while the bigger ones are for actual brush lettering.

Just like real brushes, you can vary the thickness of the lines depending on the amount of pressure you are placing on the tips of the calligraphy markers for beginners. The more pressure, the thicker the lines. Although the tips are not as flexible as I would have wanted them to be, they still provide a degree of control.

I also like the deep black and fade-proof ink that these brush pens for calligraphy use. The inks also flow almost effortlessly down the nibs, and they always lay an even layer of ink on the paper. In addition, it seems like the pens have an incredible amount of ink each, I have been using these pens for weeks and they are still going.

Now, a marker having a lot of ink will not be that impressive if their nibs were to fray easily. This is not an issue with these markers. I have been low-key abusing these pens during the past couple of weeks and they are still working as if they are new. You can bend the brush tips and they will spring back.

As mentioned earlier, the brush tips are not as flexible as I thought they would be, but you can break them in after a couple of days of use. However, if you are like most newbies at brush calligraphy, then you might be too scared to bend the tips. It would have been much better if the tips were flexible.

7. JUJUBEAN SALES Calligraphy Pens

I was quite surprised when I first got this set of calligraphy pens. I got 8 colored dual-tipped markers – meaning one end has a fine-point tip and the other has brush tips. The set also contains four black markers that have different tips and a water blending brush.

As mentioned above, this set contains dual-tipped colored markers. The fine-point tips are great for coloring smaller details or for outlining while the brush tips are great for shading and certain types of calligraphy. The black pens are for more general calligraphy works.

A nice touch about these markers is that they use water-soluble inks. This means that the color and black inks behave just like watercolors. This is where the water blending brush pen comes in. If you want to blend colors, just use the water pen.

A note about the water blending brush – it is one of the easiest I have ever had the pleasure to use. You just use the brush tip to saturate the two colors with water and they will blend seamlessly. Another nice thing about the blending pen is that it cleans itself. Just use it on a clean sheet of paper until the water runs clear.

I cannot find anything serious to complain about, but some people said that they did not like how the black brush pen is too flexible. I like the brush tip but I do understand why some people would have trouble using it.

8. STAEDTLER Calligraphy Markers

This set of calligraphy pens contains 12 different colored markers. Who said calligraphy should be plain and boring? The 12 colors in this set allow the user to unleash their creativity. I have been using these markers to create posters as well as to write in my journal.

As mentioned in the name, each marker comes with two chisel point tips – one is 2.0mm and the other is 3.5mm. You can already do so much calligraphy work with the thinner nib and adding the 3.5mm wide one just makes the hobby a lot more fun and interesting. Aside from calligraphy, I also found they are great for shading illustrations.

These pens are also comfortable to use. The barrels are just the right thickness to hold in the hand. I have spent hours just practicing my calligraphy, and not once did my hand cramp up during those sessions.

Staedtler is famous for making quality writing instruments and these markers are not an exception. The thing that I liked the most about them is the durable nib. I sometimes put too much pressure on the tips of my markers, thus causing them to fray. I haven’t had that problem with these pens.

Now, there is something that is quite disappointing about these markers. They dry out rather quickly. This is such a shame as these calligraphy markers are such a joy to use. I have only been using my markers for around two weeks and a couple of the pens are already dry.

9. PANDAFLY Hand Lettering Pens

If you are a beginner at calligraphy or even if you have a couple of years of experience under your belt, you will appreciate all the pens that come with this set. You will be getting 9 markers with different nib sizes and shapes. This is more than enough for all kinds of calligraphy styles.

Another great thing about these pens is that they use archival quality inks. This means that the inks will not easily fade even after years have passed, making the pens great for making journals, scrapbooks, and other things that you want to last virtually forever.

I am particularly impressed with the brush tip marker. The nylon tip is so flexible that it behaves just like a calligraphy brush. However, what I like is that unlike brushes, the tip of this marker goes back to its original shape. In addition, the brush tip does not fray easily.

All the pens also contained quite a lot of ink. I have been using these pens for a couple of weeks to practice my calligraphy, and they are still going. If you are thinking of making your greeting cards this coming holiday season, then you will only need one set for all your writing needs.

There is nothing much to complain about these markers, but if I must, I would probably say that the consistency of some of the markers needs some work. There were a couple of times when the fine-point markers skipped while writing straight lines, but nothing too serious.

10. Hethrone Calligraphy Lettering Brush Pens

For the price, you are getting quite a lot of different colors. This set of markers contains 120 non-repeating colors. You are getting at least 10 different shades of the basic colors, so making gradients and blending colors are easier compared to other color markers.

You will be getting two sets of markers as each pen comes with dual tips. There are fine bullet-point felt tips on one end of the pens, and the other end comes with flexible nylon brush tips. Having dual tips gives these pens more versatility and uses. Aside from calligraphy, I also use them for drawings and illustrations.

I also like the convenient carrying case that these pens come in. This is quite helpful especially since the set comes with 120 different pens. The case helps keep the pens organized, which can be quite difficult without the case since there are no color codes printed on the pens.

The pens also use water-based inks, which means they are odorless and non-toxic. Another nice thing about the water-based inks is that they behave just like watercolors. You can use a blending brush to mix or fade the colors.

I do not have anything serious that I can complain about these markers. However, if I must give a negative, it would be that the fine points are not quite as small as I wanted them to be. This is not that big of a problem as I could use the brush tips (with the lightest of touches) to draw fine lines.

What to Look For When Buying a Calligraphy Marker

Beginners may have a bit of trouble shopping for calligraphy pens, especially since there are many different brands and types to choose from. Here is a quick buying guide that can hopefully make the task of choosing markers for calligraphy easy:

Tip Sizes and Shapes

What calligraphy styles are you interested in doing? The calligraphy style you will be doing will be the deciding factor in choosing the pen tips. For instance, if you will be doing brush-style calligraphy, you will need brush-tipped markers.

On the other hand, if you are interested in doing gothic-style calligraphy, then you will need chisel-point nibs to get the desired effects.

Ink Colors

If you are strictly doing calligraphy, then you should just get calligraphy felt tip pens that have black inks. However, not all black inks are the same. Some have deeper blacks and do not fade quite as fast as the others.

On the other hand, if you want your calligraphy projects to have a bit more pizazz and whimsy, then you can get a set of colored markers. The nice thing about colored markers is that you can also use them for other projects. Note, though, that they are not specialized in calligraphy, so you will need to compromise a bit.

Ink Quality

This pertains to the vibrancy of the inks. If you will be getting colored markers, check if the colors are true to what is indicated on the pen body. Also, the inks should not change values once dried.

If you will be getting black markers, make sure that the inks are deep black. If possible, get ones that use archival quality inks. They are the ones that are sure to not fade over time.

Ergonomics

If you will be doing calligraphy, you must use markers that are comfortable to use. The pen body should not be too thin nor too thick. You will want to use pens that sit perfectly in your hand so that you will have absolute control over them.

Cost

If you are a beginner, it does not make too much sense to invest in professional-grade markers just yet. You should get markers that are affordable but are still somewhat good in quality. This way, you can buy as many sets as you want, making it possible for you to practice your hobby as often as you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Marker is Used for Calligraphy?

It will depend on what kind of calligraphy you are doing. If you are making brushstroke calligraphy, then you will need markers with brush tips. Are you doing gothic-style lettering? Then you are better off using calligraphy pens chisel tip.

Where to Buy Calligraphy Markers?

You can find good quality calligraphy markers in arts and crafts supplies shops. The nice thing about buying calligraphy equipment in brick-and-mortar shops is you can test them out before buying. On the other hand, if you will be shopping online, you will find cheaper choices.

Conclusion

Calligraphy can be a fun and relaxing hobby, and it could be better if you use the best calligraphy pens. In this case, for beginners like you, the best markers for calligraphy are those that are not expensive and yet deliver exceptional results.

They need to be inexpensive as you will still be practicing calligraphy, and it will be such a waste to practice using expensive professional-grade markers. Now, finding the best calligraphy markers for you can be somewhat confusing as there are many choices in the market.

However, since you reached the end of this article, you already learned what to keep an eye out for so you can purchase markers that will be worth your money.