1Rhodia No.16 dot pad
Smooth paper makes a real difference to brush pens and nibs, because rough paper frays the tips and lets ink bleed. Rhodia's A5 pad has 80 sheets of smooth 80gsm paper with faint 5mm dots that help keep letters straight and the slant consistent. The sheets tear off cleanly along the top.
Pros
- Smooth paper is kind to brush pen tips.
- Faint dots help with spacing and slant.
Cons
- A small gift, so pair it with pens or ink.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Rhodia product details on Amazon UK ↗
2Pilot Parallel calligraphy pen set
The Pilot Parallel is a favourite with calligraphers who want broad-edge lettering without dipping. Instead of a normal nib it has two parallel plates, so the full edge gives crisp thick strokes and the corner draws fine lines. This set has four nib widths from 1.5mm to 6mm, with black and red cartridges. Touch two pens together and the inks blend for ombré letters.
Pros
- Four nib widths in one set.
- No ink bottles needed.
- Inks can be blended.
Cons
- Broad-edge only, not the bouncy pointed style.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Pilot product details on Amazon UK ↗
3Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens
Fudenosuke pens are the favourite for modern brush lettering. The small, springy tips make it easy to switch from hairline upstrokes to thicker downstrokes, and this pack has one hard tip and one soft so they can find their style.
Pros
- Easy thick and thin strokes.
- Hard and soft tip in the pack.
- Great for beginners.
Cons
- Works best on smooth paper.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Tombow product page ↗
4Winsor & Newton calligraphy ink
Good ink makes cleaner lines, and Winsor & Newton's calligraphy ink is made for dip pens and brushes. The black is pigment-based for rich, solid letters, in a 30ml bottle that lasts a long while.
Pros
- Rich, solid black.
- Made for dip pens.
- Lasts a long time.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Winsor & Newton product page ↗
5Modern Calligraphy by Molly Suber Thorpe
Molly Suber Thorpe's book teaches the loose, modern pointed-pen style seen on wedding invitations and shop signs. It breaks the process down from single letters to words and phrases, with practice templates and 20 projects for weddings, parties and personal stationery.
Pros
- Step-by-step from letters to phrases.
- Practice templates.
- 20 projects.
Cons
- Focuses on pointed pen rather than brush pens.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
St. Martin's Griffin product page ↗
What to buy someone who loves calligraphy
Calligraphers use particular tools, so find out whether they prefer dip pens, fountain pens or brush pens. The best gifts for calligraphers are quality nibs, pens and ink, plus a book for new styles. A kit suits a beginner. Brush pens suit anyone who letters cards and journals.
How we picked these gifts for calligraphers
We picked each product for what calligraphers enjoy and because it makes sense as a present. The order is our own choice. The pros and cons come from published product details, not customer reviews.
Amazon shows the current price and delivery. Where we've checked that the US listing is the same product, the US link goes there. Otherwise you'll get the UK listing, labelled as such. More about our research.
