The Difference Between Calligraphy Pen and Brush Pen

As a beginner into brush lettering, you are always wondering about all of the different materials that you are going to need to get started.

But sometimes we can also get confused between our calligraphy pens and our brush pens.

In this post I am going to be going over is a calligraphy pen the same as a brush pen.

A calligraphy pen is just a category of writing utensils that you can use for hand lettering and modern calligraphy (which includes brush pen). While a brush pen is a specific type of pen that can be used for a lot of things, not only calligraphy.

This was just a short explanation but I will be going more in-depth later.

Here is a quick summary explaining the tutorial for today:

• What is a Brush Pen
• What is a Calligraphy Pen
• The Different Types of Calligraphy Pens
• Final Thoughts

What is A Brush Pen

Lest us first talk about the brush pen. You might know that a brush pen is used for brush lettering.

A brush pen is a pen with a long felt tip that is shaped like a brush, hence its name. This brush pen can be used for a lot of things, not only brush lettering.

Brush pens can be used for watercolor, illustrating, drawing, brush lettering, bullet journaling, and so much more.

When comparing a brush pen to a calligraphy pen, a brush pen is just a type of calligraphy pen that you are able to do calligraphy with.

A brush pen isn’t exactly the same as a calligraphy pen, since there is a lot of different writing utensils that you can use for modern calligraphy.

What is A Calligraphy Pen

Instead of saying “what is a calligraphy pen” we should instead be saying “what are the different types of calligraphy pens”.;

Calligraphy pens are just a category of writing utensils that you are able to use for hand lettering and modern calligraphy, there is no specific type of pen unless you are doing a form of traditional calligraphy.

In my opinion, you can do lettering with almost any writing utensil that you have at home. For example:

• Pencil
• Mechanical Pencil
• Brush Pen 
• Crayola Marker
• Acrylic Paint
• Watercolor
• Dip Pen
• Ballpoint Pen
• Sharpie
• Whiteboard marker
• Chisel Tipped Marker
• Highlighter
• Etc

As you can see the brush pen is part of this list. Most of these tools are flexible types of pens like a brush pen, regular brush, and dip pen.

While others are stiff like a pencil and ballpoint pen.

As you can tell Calligraphy Pens are just a category in different writing utensils. While a brush pen is just a subcategory in the calligraphy pen world.

All of the writing utensils listed above all have there own characteristics and don’t always have to be used for calligraphy. A dip pen is mostly used for pointed pen calligraphy but it can be also used for regular drawings and illustrations.

Like I talked about above the brush pen is the same. You don’t only have to do brush lettering with it.

Different Types of Calligraphy Pens Compared To Brush Pen

Right now I am going to be going over some types fo calligraphy pens and how they are different from a brush pen how they are similar, so that you won’t get confused anymore with the different writing utensils.

Dip Pen vs Brush pen

If you don’t know…

A dip pen is used for pointed pen calligraphy, while a brush pen is for brush lettering. 

These are quite similar because they are both flexible tools. What I am trying to say is that you can both use these to get line variation with the amount of pressure that you put on the tool.

So the more pressure that you put onto the brush pen or a dip pen the thicker the line is going to be. If you don’t put any pressure at all it is just going to be a thin stroke.

This means that you can use both tools for thin and thick strokes, because it is flexible.

But they are different because to gain this line variation you have to hold these pens differently. 

A dip pen you have to hold it towards you while you have to hold the brush pen at the same angle but away from you towards the right or left, depending on which hand you write with.

Another thing is a brush pen can be used for watercolor while a dip pen uses ink that is mostly used for illustrating or calligraphy.

As you can tell these pens are quite different but also very similar at the same time.

Crayola Marker vs Brush Pen

I actually think that a Crayola marker is very much similar to a brush pen. First off a lot of people don’t know that you can do calligraphy with a Crayola marker.

If you are interested in learning this you can check out my full tutorial all about it here.

Crayola markers and brush pens are usually used for the same artform which is brush lettering. 

A brush pen is a flexible tool but a Crayola marker technically is not. A Crayola marker has a stiff felt tip and a brush pen as a flexible felt tip. 

But they both have the same concept. The more pressure that you put on the pen the thicker the stroke is going to be for your calligraphy.

A Crayola marker is usually used by young children or for simply drawing or coloring. While with a brush pen is more likely to be used for brush lettering and watercolor.

Final Thoughts

Now I have given you the differences between a brush pen and the different types of calligraphy pens.

Hopefully, this was able to help you out if you are trying to decide what pens you should use for starting out hand lettering.

With any new skill, you are going to be learning a lot of new things soooo…

If you are having any concerns or questions feel free to comment.