RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
When you start in the world of lettering it is easy to get lost in the sea of products that exist. In this section you will find the materials that I use the most and that can be easily found on the Internet.
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Markers
Karin Brushmarker Pro
Very juicy markers with large flexible and resistant tips. Brightly coloured, they are water-based and blend well with a little practice. The easiest sets to find are the Mega Box, with 60 colors and 3 blenders, and the Mini Box, with 26 colors and a blender.
Arteza TwiMarkers
Double tip markers, one medium and one thin. They are a good option especially for their wide range of bright and intense colors and their good value for money. The pack of 48 colors is very affordable compared to other brands and if you want all the colors, the pack of 100 is still not expensive. The colors are quite different from each other, there are even neons. They are water-based and blend very well. The thin tip is quite strong, so they can be used for fine lines or bullet journal as well. Also, since it is triangular in shape, it can be used as a normal fine point or to combine thin or thicker strokes depending on the angle you use it (just like the Super tips but very little).
Pentel Touch brush
With a small tip, quite flexible but very handy, these markers are really great to use for small-scale lettering. In spite of being a small tip, they allow you to get a lot of difference in the thickness of the line without fear of damaging the tip, which is quite resistant. Besides, they are water-based and blend very well with each other. As they are small they are also very suitable if you practice bullet journal. You can buy them separatedly, but the 12 colors set is quite affordable and has all the basic shades.
Tombow Dual Brush (or ABT)
Markers with two tips: one large flexible tip and one "normal" rigid tip (not fine tip). They are a great option and, I should say, a classic in brush calligraphy in medium or large size.
The color range is enormous: 107 colors (plus blender). They are water-based and the colours blend very well together, it's easy to get a good blending with them. The tip is resistant if you take care of it and has a good flow of quality ink. You can find them separatedly and in many sets, like the spectacular complete briefcase or in small sets, from pack of 6 primary colors, the one of 12 primary colors, 12 pastel colors, 10 bright colors and a long etcetera.
Tombow Fudenosuke
Small tip pen and quite rigid but flexible enough to be able to make thicker or thinner strokes depending on the pressure. It is ideal to start practicing because of its great resistance. It is available in black format, which you can buy separately or in a pack together with the fudenosuke soft (a very good option for beginners, too) and in a 12 colors set, great also for bullet journal.
Kuretake Fudebiyori
Medium to large tipped marker, very easy to control. Super recommendable when you are beginning but already want to make bigger letters, because with them it is very easy to control the thickness of the line. They are water-based and suitable for blendings. You can find them in a set of 6 basic colors or in pack of 12 colors.
PAPER
Canson Imagine Mix media
White Mix Media paper,acid free, 200 g/m. Smooth and affordable, ideal for blending markers and apt for Karin Markers with almost n bleedings. In 50 sheets pack.
Arteza Sketchbook A4
Hardcover sketchbook with elastic strap and inside flap. You can find it in A4 size and 100 pages. Sold in packs of two.
The paper is thick (175 grs) and acid-free. It has a very fine grain, pleasant to use with pencils and soft enough to work with markers without damaging the tips. It is designed for dry techniques, but it holds well several layers of marker and color dragging, suitable for soft blends.