Which pen do I need for a traditional calligraphy course?

You need a pen with a calligraphy (italic) nib, or a chisel nib. If you don’t already have a pen, you need to get one before you can start this course..

For your zoom course you will need to supply your own pen, but it is not necessary to spend a lot of money on a fancy calligraphy fountain pen (tempting as it may be).. you can use a calligraphy marker (koki to all you South Africans). I’ve broken down the options for you below, but also watch this video where I explain it all!

Calligraphy Markers

A calligraphy marker would be the same as a felt tip pen, but with a flat chisel nib. They are cheap to buy, easy to find and are fairly durable. The size that I prefer for beginners is a size 2 nib (2mm). Examples of good affordable calligraphy markers are: Artline (size 2 nib), Faber Castell (C on the lid), Centropen (size 2 nib), Pilot (size 2 nib), Pigma Graphic 2, Speedball Elegant Writer (pics are shown in this order)

Old Pens (usually lying forgotten in backs of drawers!)

If you happen to have an old calligraphy fountain pen lying around at home, try and find it and see if you can revive it.. It usually just means taking it apart (unscrew the two halves), remove the empty ink cartridge, and soak the entire pen (incl. nib) in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 20 - 30 min. Once that’s done, remove the parts, dry off with roller towel, add a new ink cartridge and your pen should be as good as new! If not, then whatsapp me and I’ll try and help you out (Robyn 0762356563)

Fountain Pens

If you are very keen to get yourself a fountain pen, then there are all sorts of things to consider, incl. budget, what you’ll use it for, etc.. I’d prefer that you contact me directly to discuss if you are unsure of where to start so that you don’t buy a pen that will make you unhappy and be difficult to use. My personal recommendation for a calligraphy fountain pen would be a Lamy with an italic nib (Lamy Joy, Safari or AL-Star) - this is because Lamy’s are perfect for beginners, are durable, completely hassle free, easy to use and really attractive. If you have bought a Lamy fountain pen for calligraphy and aren’t 100% sure how to set it up or change the ink, etc. then scroll down for some short tutorials to help you get going.. If you want to order any Lamy products from my online shop please message me for a 10% discount code (valid for all my traditional calligraphy students)

VERY N.B. When buying your fountain pent, you MUST get a calligraphy/italic nib of at least 1.5mm size. Buying a fountain pen with a normal pointed nib (for everyday writing) will not give you the thick and thin strokes required for calligraphy.