Modern Calligraphy and Hand Lettering

Chapter 1

Tools

Surfaces and Materials for Lettering

To Write With

So just what is a pen nib anyway? Nibs, sometimes called pen points, are the metal inserts that hold the ink (sometimes with a reservoir) and write the letters. There are literally hundreds of kinds of pen nibs, each offering a different style of line. The nibs pictured are my favorites; they’re also the ones that beginners in my classes find easiest to use. However, and I’ll reiterate this many times in this book, this is merely what works for me. Once you begin writing, you might find your experience to be different. Each has a different feel and reacts differently to the user, so try many to find the one that works for you. Following are descriptions of some nibs that you can ...