Tools, Materials & Reference Works
A curated collection of the instruments, inks, papers, and books that support serious calligraphy study — selected for durability, availability, and pedagogical value rather than novelty.
Choosing the Right Broad-Edge Nib
The broad-edge nib is the primary tool of Western calligraphy. Unlike pointed nibs used in Copperplate or Spencerian scripts, a broad-edge nib has a flat, chisel-shaped writing edge that produces thick-and-thin variation solely through the angle at which the nib meets the paper. The choice of nib width determines the x-height relationship of your letters — typically measured in nib-widths rather than millimetres.
For beginners working through the Deltranik foundational modules, we suggest starting with a 2mm or 2.5mm nib. This size is wide enough to clearly reveal pen-angle errors but narrow enough to produce legible letter-scale work on standard A4 practice sheets. The Brause 2mm and Mitchell No. 3 are both reliable choices that hold ink well and produce a clean edge without excessive pressure.
Holders come in two varieties: straight and oblique. For the scripts covered in our curriculum — Roman capitals, Uncial, Carolingian, Gothic, Humanist, and italic — a simple straight holder is sufficient. Oblique holders are designed for pointed-pen scripts and introduce an unnecessary complication at this stage. Look for a holder with a comfortable barrel diameter (roughly 8–10mm) and a friction-fit nib insert rather than a screw mechanism, which can loosen during extended practice.
Recommended Nibs by Script
These widths are guidelines for practice at a comfortable scale. Experienced calligraphers often work smaller, but learners benefit from starting larger.
| Script | Suggested Nib Width | X-Height (Nib Widths) | Recommended Nib |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Capitals | 3mm – 3.5mm | 7 – 10 | Mitchell No. 2½ |
| Uncial | 2.5mm – 3mm | 4 – 5 | Brause 2.5mm |
| Carolingian Minuscule | 2mm – 2.5mm | 3 – 4 | Brause 2mm |
| Gothic Textura | 2mm – 3mm | 5 | Mitchell No. 3 |
| Humanist Minuscule | 1.5mm – 2mm | 5 | Mitchell No. 4 |
| Italic | 1.5mm – 2.5mm | 5 | Brause 2mm |
X-height is the height of the letter body (e.g. the letter 'o'), measured in multiples of the nib's flat edge. Ascenders and descenders extend beyond this.
Selecting Ink for Dip-Pen Work
Not every ink works with a dip pen. Fountain-pen inks are typically too thin, and India ink can clog nibs if it dries on the metal. Here are the categories that matter.
Iron-Gall Ink
The historical ink of medieval scriptoria. Iron-gall flows beautifully from a broad-edge nib and produces a line that darkens over the first 24 hours as the iron oxidises. It requires careful nib cleaning — the tannic acid is mildly corrosive to steel if left sitting. Ideal for practice and finished work on good-quality paper.
Walnut Ink
A warm brown ink made from walnut husks that has been used since antiquity. Walnut ink is gentler on nibs than iron-gall and has a pleasant, woody fragrance. It is somewhat fugitive — not fully lightfast — so it is best used for practice, studies, and work that will not be displayed in direct sunlight.
Sumi & Stick Ink
Japanese sumi ink — especially the bottled variety from brands like Kuretake or Yasutomo — works well with broad-edge nibs when diluted to the right consistency. Stick ink, ground on an inkstone with water, offers even more control over viscosity. Both produce a deep, velvety black that photographs clearly for portfolio documentation.
A Note on Consistency
The single most common frustration among new calligraphers is ink that is too thin or too thick. Thin ink bleeds along the fibres of the paper, producing fuzzy edges. Thick ink clogs the nib reservoir and forces excessive pressure. Before blaming your technique, test your ink on a spare sheet. A well-prepared ink should flow smoothly when the nib touches paper under its own weight — no pressing required. If it doesn't, add a few drops of water (thick ink) or let it evaporate uncovered for 15 minutes (thin ink).
Paper Grain, Sizing, and Why It Matters
Paper for calligraphy needs two properties that ordinary printer paper lacks: a smooth surface that does not catch the nib edge, and internal sizing (a chemical treatment) that prevents ink from bleeding along the fibres. Without sizing, even the best iron-gall ink produces feathered, unreadable lines.
For daily practice, layout paper (sometimes called marker paper) is a practical choice. It is semi-translucent, inexpensive, and smooth enough for broad-edge work. Its translucency is actually an advantage — you can place a guideline sheet underneath and see the ruling through the paper, avoiding the need to rule up every sheet individually.
For finished pieces, hot-pressed watercolour paper (140gsm or heavier) provides a surface that accepts ink cleanly and withstands minor corrections with a scalpel or eraser. Cold-pressed paper has a textured surface that catches the nib and is generally unsuitable for fine lettering. Vellum and prepared calfskin remain the historical gold standard, but they are expensive and require additional preparation — gum sandarac dusted on the surface to improve ink adhesion.
Books Worth Having on Your Desk
These are not light reading — they are working references that calligraphers return to repeatedly. Each one influenced how we structured our curriculum.
Edward Johnston — Writing & Illuminating, & Lettering
First published in 1906, this is the foundational text of the calligraphic revival. Johnston's systematic approach to pen-angle, letter proportion, and spacing remains the bedrock of serious calligraphy instruction. The prose is Edwardian and dense, but the diagrams are unmatched for clarity. Our modules on Roman capitals and Foundational hand draw directly on his proportional analysis.
Stan Knight — Historical Scripts
A compact but rigorous survey of Western scripts from the Roman period to the Renaissance. Each chapter includes photographic reproductions of historical manuscripts alongside Knight's own interpretive exemplars, with ductus diagrams showing stroke order and direction. It is the single most useful companion to our Script Library modules.
Michelle P. Brown — A Guide to Western Historical Scripts
Written by a curator at the British Library, this volume provides exceptional photographic plates of actual manuscript pages with detailed palaeographic commentary. It is less of a how-to and more of a what-was — invaluable for understanding the context in which scripts evolved and for training your eye to read unfamiliar letter constructions.
Sheila Waters — Foundations of Calligraphy
A meticulously structured workbook that walks learners through italic, Roman capitals, and Foundational hand with graded exercises. Waters was a student of the Johnston tradition, and her approach emphasises spacing and rhythm as much as individual letter construction. The practice sheets in her book inspired the format of our own downloadable exercises.
Setting Up Your Workspace
Calligraphy requires surprisingly few accessories beyond the pen itself, but the ones that matter have a disproportionate effect on the quality of your practice.
-
01
Writing Surface Angle
Work on a sloped surface — ideally 30 to 45 degrees from horizontal. A purpose-built drawing board is ideal, but a large cutting mat propped against a stack of books works adequately for practice sessions. The angle prevents ink from pooling at the nib tip, which causes blotting on flat surfaces. It also reduces neck and shoulder strain during longer sessions, which is unglamorous but genuinely important if you practise for more than 20 minutes at a stretch.
-
02
Guard Sheet
Always place a guard sheet — a clean piece of paper — beneath your writing hand and above the area you have already written. The oils and moisture from your skin affect how ink sits on paper, creating unpredictable bleed in areas you have touched. Moving the guard sheet down the page as you write is a small discipline that prevents hours of frustration with inconsistent ink behaviour.
-
03
Guideline Sheets
Each script has specific proportional relationships between x-height, ascender height, and descender depth. Our downloadable practice sheets include pre-ruled guidelines for every script in the curriculum, calibrated for common nib widths. Print these on standard paper and place your layout paper on top — the guidelines show through clearly enough to work without ruling up each fresh sheet.
-
04
Nib Care
New nibs arrive with a thin coating of machine oil or lacquer that repels ink. Before first use, pass the nib briefly through a flame (2–3 seconds) or wipe it with saliva — the enzymes break down the coating. After each session, rinse the nib in water and dry it thoroughly. Never leave a nib soaking. Steel corrodes overnight, and a corroded nib produces ragged edges that no amount of pen-angle correction can fix.
Supplementary Tools for Advanced Study
T-Square & Set Square
For ruling up finished pieces, a T-square with a metal edge and a 30/60-degree set square produce accurate, consistent guidelines more quickly than a standard ruler. Essential once you move beyond practice sheets to planned text compositions.
Loupe or Magnifier
A 5× or 10× loupe lets you examine your nib edge for damage and study the micro-details of historical manuscript reproductions. You will notice things at magnification — hairline serifs, subtle pen lifts — that are invisible to the naked eye.
Craft Knife & Erasing Shield
On heavy paper or vellum, small errors can be scraped away with a sharp blade. An erasing shield — a thin metal plate with cut-out shapes — protects adjacent lettering during corrections. Medieval scribes used a pumice stone for the same purpose.
Beginner Starter Checklist
You do not need to invest heavily to begin. The following list covers everything required for the first three months of study through our foundational modules. Total cost is typically under €30.
-
Broad-edge dip nib — 2mm or 2.5mm
Brause or Mitchell. Buy two so you have a spare when one wears or gets damaged.
-
Straight pen holder
Any wooden or plastic holder with a friction-fit insert that accepts your nib brand.
-
Dip-pen ink — iron-gall, walnut, or bottled sumi
A 30ml bottle will last several months of regular practice.
-
Layout paper pad — A4 or letter size
Semi-transparent, smooth surface. Also called marker paper in some markets.
-
Small water jar & lint-free cloth
For rinsing and drying the nib between ink loads and after practice.
-
Sloped surface
A drawing board, a ring binder propped open, or a cutting mat leaned against books — anything stable at 30–45 degrees.
Deltranik does not sell materials or receive commissions from suppliers. These recommendations are based solely on pedagogical suitability and ease of availability in the Canadian market.
Ready to Put These Tools to Work?
Explore the curriculum to see how each tool connects to a specific study module, or get in touch if you have questions about materials for your particular situation.