What Is The Difference Between Pointed Pen and Brush Pen And Which One Should You Use
Pointed pen or brush pen calligraphy? This is a question that confuses most people and is often asked in different forms. Is it better to start learning calligraphy with nibs or felt-tip pens? Which is the easiest? The most beautiful? What are the differences?
I will try to answer you as best as I can in this article! If you are still missing some answers, feel free to post your questions as a comment, I will be happy to add details.
1 – Pointed pen or brush pen, which is the best for writing calligraphy?
The first thing to specify that seems very important to me, whether it’s with a pointed or a brush one, we’re writing calligraphy in both cases. As I detailed in my article, “Calligraphy, what exactly is calligraphy? “, it is the art of “beautiful writing” as opposed to lettering, which is the art of drawing letters.
So even if we speak of “Brush Lettering” to evoke calligraphy with felt-tip pens, we are of course writing in both cases. Only the tool, pen holder or brush pen, changes for the same technique: calligraphy.
2 – Pointed pen or brush pen, which one should I start with?
The thing is… there’s no real answer to this question. Calligraphy with felt-tip pen, or brush lettering, can be more accessible due to the simplicity of the material used: a sheet of paper and a brush pen and you’re done!
Nib (pointed) calligraphy implies you have to be equipped with a pen holder, a calligraphy nib, ink… Thus, the advantage of the brush marker is in terms of the material needed to get started!
However, in terms of technique, the two are really equal! The nib being more rigid, it will be more accessible to people who tend to put a lot of pressure on their tool.
On the other hand, the brush felt pen is more flexible and can therefore sometimes be confusing for some people. In short, there is not one technique simpler than the other, each one has its characteristics and with patience and regular practice, they are quite accessible to everyone!
3 – Nib or felt-tip pen, which one is good for my project?
The choice between nibs and felt-tip pens can be made according to the constraints you have. In which format would you like to write (small labels or poster for example…)? Which style do you want to use (more elegant or more dynamic)? Does the result have to be waterproof (adding watercolor on it for example…)?
I usually use the nib for wedding calligraphy services when I make envelopes or place-marks. The use of ink allows me to stick to the colors of the wedding very precisely and the nib gives an elegant effect while remaining modern, which corresponds well to this type of event.
On the other hand, when I create a poster with a quotation/mantra, I generally use brush felt-tips because they offer good visibility and allow me to have fun with colors and the creation of effects (gradient, shadow…).
Final Word
I hope that this article may have answered some of your questions about calligraphy with nibs or felt-tip pens. Feel free to leave me your questions in comments if you have any so that I can enrich the article!