HOW TO: Choose the Right Calligraphy Nib

Today, I’m showing you FIVE of my favorite pointed, flexible nibs and WHAT PROJECTS I use each one for.

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEO, OR KEEP READING FOR WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS!

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1. NIKKO G

My FAVORITE overall, general-use nib.

Qualities:

• Great for beginners

• Sturdy - won’t break or warp under heavy pressure

• Re-dipping - Holds a lot of ink

• Medium tip - Not too sharp, so it won’t catch on the paper too much

• Very good contrast - Fine hairlines and medium flex for good downstrokes

Projects I Use It For:

1. This is the nib I reach for when I want to do a quote or spot calligraphy on nice, smooth paper with inks that flow easily, like sumi ink or gouache ink.

2. It gives me beautiful-looking hairlines and the medium flex and not-too-sharp point allows me to create really long, elegant flourishes.

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2. BRAUSE STENO

My SECOND FAVORITE overall nib.

Qualities:

• Great for beginners

• Sturdy - won’t break under heavy pressure

• Re-dipping - Holds a good amount of ink

• Rounder tip - so it works on rougher surfaces

• Good contrast - the hairlines are thicker, but you can get really fat downstrokes to add contrast

• Writes big - I can write much larger with this nib than with the Nikko G

Projects I Use It For:

1. Projects on difficult surfaces, like kraft paper, handmade paper, or shiny paper.

2. When I want to write really BIG calligraphy.

3. When I’m working with thicker inks like acrylic-based Dr Ph Martins Bleedproof White or Iridescent Inks.

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3. BRAUSE 66EF

A fun but finicky nib that writes LARGER than you would think for its tiny size

Qualities:

• Can be hard to get started - you may have to tap or create a tick mark in order to get your ink flowing

• Fragile - the tines misalign easily, so if you’re pushing really hard, or have the incorrect grip on your pen, you can damage this nib easily.

• Frequent re-dipping - the small size doesn’t hold very much ink

• Very flexible - so you can get fairly thin hairlines and super FAT downstrokes

• Finer control - because of its flexiblity, this is my favorite nib for writing on polished or slick surfaces

Projects I Use It For:

• Shiny, , slick surfaces, like agate slices, tile or polished wood

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4. LEONARDT HIRO 41

A low-contrast nib that can add a little funk to your usual calligraphy style

Qualities:

• Frequent re-dipping - the flat shape doesn’t hold very much ink

• Springy, but not flexible - The shape and thinness of the nib add some “springiness” to your calligraphy, but the tines don’t separate too far

• Low contrast - the hairlines aren’t super thin, and you don’t get very thick downstrokes

• Smaller calligraphy - not great for writing really BIG

Projects I Use It For:

• More modern, breezy, loose styles like the placecards below for Krug champagne

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5. HUNT IMPERIAL 101

A super flexible nib with a very sharp point best suited for advanced calligraphers

Qualities:

• Can be hard to get started - you may have to tap or create a tick mark in order to get your ink flowing

• Fragile - the tines misalign easily, so if you’re pushing really hard, or have the incorrect grip on your pen, you can damage this nib easily.

• Very flexible - so you can get really thin hairlines and super THICK downstrokes

• Sharp point - so it gets caught more easily in the paper during upstrokes

• Finer control - because of its flexibility and sharp point, this nib is great for delicate styles that require a lot of control and precision, like copperplate

Projects I Use It For:

• Honestly, not too many. But I occasionally like to play with it to shake up my calligraphy, try out new styles and freshen things up!

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6. LEONARDT 111 EF (2023 Update!)

I recently discovered the Leonardt 111 EF Nib and it’s become my new favorite for writing EXTRA SMALL with pointed pen.

Qualities:

• Very rigid - so you have to push extra hard to get thick downswells.

• Very fine - so it creates beautiful hairlines, but also shows any shakiness in your writing

• Sharp point - so it gets caught more easily in textured or fibrous papers

• Durable - Because it’s so rigid and does not flex easily, it’s very long-lasting.

Projects I Use It For:

• Any that require SMALL, fine letterforms with shorter X-heights. (Ex: a long handwritten note on a relatively small card)

And there you have it! My definitive guide to my favorite pointed nibs. Hope you found this useful!

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