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Something I wish I had learned sooner in my hand lettering journey? Having the right tools makes everything so much easier.

If you’re new to hand lettering and can’t stop thinking about how you don’t have the perfect lines or don’t love the way your art looks, let me tell ya…it’s not you! It’s just that you’re not using the right tools.

Using the proper beginner hand lettering supplies makes all the difference  — and helps build confidence from the very beginning. So in this guide, I’m going to show you a detailed hand lettering supplies list to get you started (without having to buy every pen at Hobby Lobby!).

H2: The Building Blocks: Basic Lettering Supplies

When you’re just getting started with creative hand lettering, the key is not to overwhelm yourself with ALL the pens and markers out there. Trust me, I know how tempting it is to toss everything into your shopping cart! But sticking with simple is the best move right now. 

H3: Lettering Pencils

Lettering pencils are your absolute best friend when it comes to sketching out your designs. They let you plan and refine before you commit with ink and take some of the pressure off to get it juuuust right.

My recommendation:

The Tombow 4B Mono Drafting Pencil is the one I always reach for. It’s part of my go-to Hand Lettering Starter Pen Pack, and it helps me map out designs before moving to ink.

H3: Erasers

Where there are pencils, there must be erasers! They’ll help clean up those initial sketches and make your final lines pop. Any good eraser will do — just be gentle, especially if you’re working on thin paper or a wood door hanger or sign.

H3: Quality Paper

Yes, paper matters! The right paper makes your pens glide, prevents bleeding, and supports various techniques, especially when you’re using brush pens for beginners or experimenting with blending markers.

My recommendation:

For easy practice, grab some tracing paper. It’s budget-friendly and great for learning. I also share my full list of the best paper for hand lettering practice right here.

H2: Adding Some Flair: Lettering Pens and Markers

This is where things get fun! Choosing the right lettering pens and markers brings your projects to life — and lets you develop a lettering style that feels all your own.

H3: Fineliner Pens

Fineliner pens are perfect for clean outlines, tiny details, and smaller-scale designs. They’re a must-have in your hand lettering supply kit for beginners.

My recommendations:

The Tombow Mono Drawing Pen is perfect for outlining or drawing over watercolors.

H3: Brush Pens

Brush pens are one of the best tools for exploring modern calligraphy for beginners. You can control your stroke width by adjusting pressure, which makes it perfect for learning hand-lettered script styles.

My recommendations:

The Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen is a beginner-friendly favorite. It’s part of my hand lettering starter kit and offers precision for learning strokes.

The Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen is fantastic for both paper and hand lettering on wood signs.

Tombow Dual Brush Pens (especially with the colorless blender) are great for practicing watercolor lettering effects on smooth paper.

H2: Hand Lettering Traceable Templates

Practice is the key to creating hand lettering you’re proud to show off, and the right tools make it less intimidating to do so. That’s why I can’t write this guide for you without mentioning traceable hand lettering templates!

Tracing is a total game-changer — especially if you’re struggling with letterforms or consistency. You can trace over hand lettering practice sheets, templates, or even your own designs to refine your style.

For transferring your work to other surfaces, like wood signs or metal like pizza pans (yep!), graphite paper is essential.

My recommendation:

My go-to graphite paper pick is linked here.

And for hand lettering templates for beginners, check out the shop! Everything is beginner-friendly and made to build your confidence.

H2: Progress, Not Perfection

You don’t need “good” handwriting to start hand lettering. It’s a skill, and one you can learn. It just takes practice, patience, and the right hand lettering tools for beginners to set you up for success.

If you’re craving a little structure and support as you go, grab the Creative Lettering for Beginners Digital Workbook. It has over 40 pages of tutorials, worksheets, and hand-lettering practice guides to help you grow.

It’s easy to use, beginner-approved, and full of encouragement. Purchase your copy here!