Here are some quick links to products I use in my day-to-day to make lettering easier. There are higher-end, far more expensive versions of all of these products, but calligraphy doesn’t have to be expensive. Remember, HAVE FUN!
Tracing Paper: This is the paper I use in my classes. I like it because it’s consistent and it’s strong enough that the nibs don’t do a great deal of damage to the individual sheets.
Oblique Holders: I have this holder, and use it regularly. It’s super comfortable and great for long-term projects. The flange can be flipped on this one to make a right or left-handed pen, too!
Nibs: The Nikko-G is my most beloved nib of all time. This is the nib I learned with, and while there are literally hundreds of different options, this one remains my absolute favorite. I love the stability of the nib. It holds a surprising amount of ink, and the contrast between hairline upstrokes and nice, fat, juicy downstrokes are awesome. I still reach for this nib more than anything else at my desk.
Laser Level: I get asked all the time how I write so straight. This laser level is my go-to. If you don’t want to be erasing baseline pencil marks, grab one!
White Paper: Typically speaking, you want at least an 80# paper, but I have a work-around for one specific paper in particular that has never let me down. She’s still a good, heavy weight and my nib almost never picks up fibers when I write on this specific product. It’s excellent quality for both practice, and commissioned pieces and I always have a reem in my studio! I’ve tried other laser papers. None of them can hold a candle to this one. Promise!
Kneaded Eraser: You can spend money on a “jar holder” that will typically only work with one specific sized jar, or you can do yourself a favor and grab a kneaded eraser. This is dual purpose because they’re super gentle when erasing layout on a given piece, but I like to mold the eraser into a ball and push my ink jar into it at an angle to hold my ink. You can adjust as your ink level decreases.
Guache Paint: Guache is really cool to mix as “ink,” because your color opportunities are endless and unlike ink, guache dries on top of the paper. It doesn’t settle in and bleed out. You can spend a LOT of money on guache, or you can grab an inexpensive starter set like this! When you mix your “ink,” remember that you’re going for the consistency of whole milk, +/-. Add your water a couple of drops at a time, and mix until you get what you’re looking for!
White Ink: There’s no contest here. No question what I’m reaching for. This is without a doubt always going to be Dr. P.H. Martin’s Bleedproof White. You have to mix this yourself, but the payout is always perfect. I’ll never stray.
Metallic Ink (Full Set): She’s a little spendy. What you might call a “splurge,” but man, oh man is she worth it. Color payout is beautiful. They write really nicely. This set was gifted to me by my hubby when I very first fell in love with calligraphy. It’s the bee’s knees. 10/10 recommend.
Gold Ink: Chef’s kiss. That is all.
Copper Ink: Super rich. Beautiful Color. Big fan.
Nickel Ink: Beautiful on it’s own, but I also love to mix this with gold ink when using dark paper.
Silver Ink: I won’t lie - I almost never reach for this one. But I didn’t want to leave anyone out!
Bronze Ink: I actually prefer this to copper.
Water Dropper: I can’t find you less than three of them, but as I always say - anything worth doing is worth overdoing! I keep one of these on my tray at all times and use as needed.
Materials Tray: Now, listen. This specific one is not the be-all, end-all of trays. There are obviously a million options. Listen to me here though, do yourself a favor and get one. I keep all of my go-to ink jars on a shallow ceramic tray on my desk. This little tray houses a black ink, a white ink, a gold ink and a walnut ink (not sure why on that last one. I avoid walnut ink like the plaugue), as well as my rinse cup, a few nibs and my water dropper. Why do I keep it all on a tray? Because you WILL spill. I’d rather that spill be contained to the tray than all over a client piece, my desk, the rug, myself, the dog, etc. Don’t forget a tray!
Chamois: Lots of folks use a regular paper towel to dry their nib once it’s been through the rinse cup, and there’s nothing wrong with that if you do! Personally though, I prefer a chamois. Chamois is a thin piece of leather that has been sueded to some degree. Car guys use it to dry their hot rods (or you know, daily drivers) because it doesn’t leave any lint behind. I bought one at the auto parts store back in 2017, and I just rip a chunk off of it from time to time as needed. You do you though. I’m just sharing ideas :)
Ink Jars: There are roughly one million options here. Do you. I would just keep in mind that if you go too shallow, you won’t be able to get good coverage on the nib. These work pretty well. The more ink you hold in a jar, the more likely you are to have it dry out over time, so don’t go too crazy!
Light Pad: For stepping up your game when you’re using traceables, or trying to get your layout just right!
Each of these links sends you to my Amazon favorites. I do make a very small commission on these items (everything helps!). If you’re looking for something a bit more “mom & pop,” I would refer you to John Neal Booksellers. I’m not affiliated, and I don’t make anything for sending you there, but they’re a great little company that has a ton of calligraphy stuff. They ship fast and their customer service is top-notch! You can find their website, here. If you think of anything else you need a recommendation for, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’ll do my best to try to help you find something that works great for you! Thanks as always.
Happy lettering!
H