Brush lettering is only partly about technique, a big part of this form of hand lettering is having the right tools. And that starts with pens! It can be overwhelming when looking for brush lettering pens, so today I am going to do a quick review of 8 of my brush lettering pens, explain what I use them for, let you know my absolute “favorites, cannot live without”, how much they are, and where to buy them. Better than that though is that you get to see these pens in action! I put together a brush lettering video that will show you each of these 8 pens writing the same word. This will give you a MUCH better idea of the thickness, the control, and the look of these different pens! Don’t forget to snag your free brush lettering worksheets here if you missed them yesterday!
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Different Brush Lettering Pens for Different Purposes
When purchasing brush lettering pens, it is important to note that different pens serve different purposes. For example, I have some that are very relaxed at the tip and therefore give me dark, thick lines. However they take a bit more practise and they bleed through my pages TERRIBLY so I cannot use this in my everyday planning. Instead I use these pens for quotes or on paper that I glue in to my planner. I also have pens that give very thin lines, however that means more control plus I can use it in my planner for smaller brush lettering that won’t take over my whole page. I EVEN have a brush lettering pen that I fill with regular pen ink!!!!! So let’s talk about these 8 pens I have (note the list has 7 because I am blending the Tombow hard and soft tip pens in one).
1. Platinum MAKI-E Brush Pen (Fuji Mountain & Blossoms)
Where to buy it? CLICK HERE
How much is it? $41.60
Pros: It gives me thick lines, refill it with my own ink, incredibly light and easy to write with, flexible synthetic brush at the tip, darn right beautiful.
Cons: Bleeds through my bullet journal pages, takes a bit of practise as it is SO flexible, takes a bit longer to dry.
The final word: I don’t care that it bleeds through my pages, this is the most beautiful, useful brush pen I have, that is why it is first you guys. Worth every. single. penny. I love that I can change the colors up with whatever ink I put in, and it will last me forever, literally forever (as long as I don’t lose it that is).
2. Tombow Fudenosuke Soft/Hard Tip Pens
Where to buy it? CLICK HERE
How much are they? $3.49
Pros: They have a solid tip, which is a LOT easier to control. They are available in hard or soft tip (as shown in the video) and I can use them in my BUJO without bleeding, maybe a bit of ghosting on the soft tip. Also the hard tip allows me to brush letter very small. EXCELLENT control and fast drying.
Cons: They kind of fall short on that dramatic brush lettering look and don’t give as thick of lines, though holding your pen at a deeper angle makes a big difference.
The final word: These are my go to pens. I keep them in my Midori zipper pouch in the front of my Traveler’s Notebook and use them ALL THE TIME. They are perfect for beginners because they just give you so much more control. They are CHEAP and they last a long time.
3. Copic Gasenfude
Where to buy it: CLICK HERE.
How much is it? $7.49
Pros: This pen is a beauty. It is affordable and incredibly flexible. It has a nylon brush tip that goes VERY fine so that you can get those deep, dark, bold downstrokes with those thin upstrokes. The color is amazing and it is fast drying.
Cons: As with any brush lettering pen that gives you the bold lines, it bleeds! You need good paper to use this pen. It also takes some practise to get used to the flexibility.
The final word: I love this pen! I don’t use it often because most of my lettering is done in my bullet journal, but it is affordable and I would recommend for anyone who loves hand lettering. It will make the most BEAUTIFUL quotes and just shines in the video! It is definitely in my must-have list
4. Tombow Dual Brush Pen
Where to buy it? CLICK HERE
How much is it? $3.19
Pros: Two tips means more functionality! The brush tip is a solid one which gives you a bit more control again, but more flexible and longer than the fudenosuke which gives you the ability to get those deeper lines. It dries super fast and allows you to get a blended look, and NO bleeding!
Cons:I don’t know what to say here. This is a fantastic pen! Maybe that it isn’t refillable, but honestly, who the heck cares when it is 3 bucks!
The final word: I only have this pen in purple, so I don’t use it that often, I like black and white personally, but I am going to be buying it in black. It is probably the best brush lettering pen for bullet journaling aside from the Fudenosuke in that it is affordable, offers the best of both control and still thicker lines. These pens are AMAZING!
5. Faber-Castelle PITT Artis Pen Black 199
Where to buy it? CLICK HERE
How much is it? $9.82 for a package of 4 different sizes.
Pros: It dries quickly and is available in a variety of sizes, even grayscale.
Cons: It is too stiff in my opinion, it can look kind of choppy, it just isn’t my favorite pen when I have better ones to choose from.
The final verdict: These are good pens if you are looking for a big set to get your started or randomly picked them up at your local stationary store. Give them a go and see what you think! I personally think there are better pens out there (any of my list above) and this isn’t on my must-have list.
6. Lyra Aqua Brush Duo
Where to buy it? CLICK HERE.
How much is it? It is sold in a set of 12 for only $11.
Pros: Solid tip but still flexible. Similar in length to the Tombow Dual Brush Pen. Dual tip.
Cons: It dries so fast that it doesn’t gave the same blended look of the Tombow. They are VERY similar pens, the Tombow is superior hands down as far as how smooth it writes.
The final verdict: When the Tombow is just a few dollars more and a superior pen, I would choose it hands down. This is a nice pen, one of my very first brush pens, but no longer on my must-have list.
7. Speedball Watercolor Pen
Where to buy it? CLICK HERE.
How much is it? $36.82 for a pack of 8 different colors plus a blending pen.
Pros: I feel like this is more authentic brush lettering. There is a LOT of potential with blending and you can get an amazing assortment of colors. It has the thickest lines and a bit more of that brushed look (not as solid).
Cons: You are blending learning about brush lettering with learning about water colors. It is not easy and while the sky is the limit, I find it a bit daunting. I also feel like I cannot use it in my Bullet Journal because of how dark it is.
The final verdict: Again, this was a set hubby bought me when I was just learning and it was a good starter pen. I think there is a lot more potential with this pen than some of the others BUT I am not there yet. At this point, it is not on my must-have list.
Brush Lettering Video: See them in action!
Now that you have a better idea of these pens and what sets them apart, let’s see what they look like in action!
Where to find more brush lettering inspiration
Come and follow me on Pinterest HERE where I post planning and bullet journaling and hand lettering posts on a regular basis! I have an entire board devoted to hand lettering and post to there often. I love pulling ideas from different quotes I see or different styles I want to try out.
Did you miss the giveaway? Until October 16, there is a giveaway for a beautiful fountain pen and Leuchtturm1917 bullet journal notebook on the blog! CLICK HERE if you haven’t entered yet!
Did you grab your free brush lettering worksheets? CLICK HERE to check them out! There are 12 pages in this printable pack. It goes over the entire alphabet in both upper and lower case and will help you build the muscle memory to start brush lettering with ease with your new pens!
Top Hand Lettering Blogs and People to Follow!
Tomorrow’s post is going to be all about some of my favorite people to follow for hand lettering inspiration. Come prepared with your notebook and pen, you’ll want to write these down!
Did you know this is part of a 31 day series? There will be a post each day this month showcasing how I use bullet journaling. We will talk about the tools you need and I’ll review some of my pen hoard (including my brand new flex fountain pens, eeeeek!). There will be videos, pictures, hand lettering practise pages, doodle challenges, journaling prompts, some amazing giveaways, and hopefully a TON of inspiration to get you writing in your planner, whatever that may look like for you! How can you get on board?
BOOKMARK THE LANDING PAGE (that is where all the posts will be added throughout the month)
FIND ME ON INSTAGRAM (I’ll be posting the daily posts there)
USE THE HASHTAG: #PlanWithRebecca and #planninginspiration4u on Instagram for a chance to be featured on my page!
Which pen is your favorite from the brush lettering video?
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