creativity / THE ART OF GIVING
Calligraphy gifts for beautiful handwritten notes
Calligraphy books, pen sets and a starter kit for a partner who enjoys lettering, handwritten notes and making cards.
Explore the editFor someone who enjoys the thought behind a handwritten note, lettering offers another way to make it personal. This selection includes books to work through, ready-filled pens and a cartridge kit with paper. Choose around the style she wants to try and the supplies she already enjoys using.
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CHOSEN WITH HER IN MIND
The gift edit
05 thoughtful finds
01for learning from a lettering book
Ultimate Guide to Modern Calligraphy for Beginners
Someone looking for a beginner-focused book to accompany an interest in modern calligraphy and hand lettering.
This beginner-focused guide has large 8.5 by 11-inch pages, 90gsm paper and a matte-finish cover. It is an option to pair with lettering tools she already owns or a separately chosen pen set.
Check sample pages and the exact edition to see whether its lettering styles and practice format suit the way she wants to learn.
02for working through at a writing desk
Hand Lettering 101 Gold Spiral-Bound Workbook
Someone who learns best by following structured, step-by-step projects they can work through at their own pace.
Covers 8 lettering styles including cursive, block and hand-printed forms, with uppercase, lowercase and numbers addressed. Includes 9 hand-lettered projects and brush pen recommendations. Gold spiral binding and corner protectors make it practical to lay flat while working.
Choose accompanying pens for the paper and test them on a spare area first; bleed-through depends on the pen and ink used.
03for addressing envelopes and writing gift tags
Edding 1255 Calligraphy Fibre Pen Set Black
Someone who wants to try calligraphy on varied surfaces including paper, wood, canvas and terracotta without dealing with ink bottles.
Three black fibre pens offer calligraphy nib widths of 2mm, 3.5mm and 5mm. The set uses water-based pigment ink and is described for lettering on paper, card, wood, canvas and terracotta.
The chisel tips create a different style of stroke from flexible brush pens; check that this matches the lettering she wants to practise.
04for a first session with no prior supplies
Calligraphy Kit Complete Beginner Set with Pen and Nibs
Someone who would like a cartridge pen, paper and a short instruction booklet together for her first calligraphy sessions.
Includes a cartridge calligraphy pen, 3 interchangeable nibs, 12 ink cartridges across 7 colours, a felt-tip calligraphy pen, calligraphy paper and a guideline sheet, along with a 32-page bilingual instruction booklet in English and Spanish.
The instruction booklet is 32 pages, so the gift giver should check whether the recipient would want a more detailed guide as a companion purchase.
05for brush lettering practice and illustrated cards
GETHPEN Calligraphy Brush Pen Set Black Archival Ink
Someone interested in brush lettering and illustration who wants a range of tip sizes in a single set.
Eight listed tip types span 1mm, 2mm and 3mm nibs, extra-fine, fine and medium tips, plus brush and soft brush options. The pens use black pigmented, water-based ink for lettering and drawing.
The set offers only black ink, so the gift giver should check whether the recipient would want colour options alongside it.
How to choose
Choose a lettering style
Chisel nibs, cartridge pens and flexible brush tips make different strokes. Look at the examples she likes before choosing tools. The edding set offers three chisel widths; GETHPEN combines several hard and flexible tips, while the Calligraphy Kit uses interchangeable cartridge-pen nibs.
A book, tools or both
Two options here are books, two are pen sets and one combines tools with a short guide and paper. Check the exact contents and any supplies she already has. For a new interest, a suitable pen and paper alongside a book makes a considered pairing.
Paper and ink
The cartridge kit lists seven ink colours, while both pen sets are black. Match additional paper to the intended pen and test it before starting a finished card. Paper weight alone does not establish that a particular ink will resist bleeding or show-through.
Make it personal
Slip a handwritten note inside the wrapping that suggests a phrase or quote she might like to practise first. It gives her a gentle starting point and makes the gift feel considered rather than simply chosen.
A few useful details
Which option includes paper and instructions?
The Calligraphy Kit lists calligraphy paper, a guideline sheet and a 32-page English-and-Spanish booklet alongside its cartridge pen, three nibs, twelve cartridges in seven colours and a felt-tip calligraphy pen.
Are brush pens and calligraphy nibs interchangeable?
They create different kinds of strokes. Flexible brush tips respond to pressure, while chisel tips offer different line widths as their angle changes. Choose tools that match her intended style and the instructions she plans to follow.
Would a book make a useful gift on its own?
Yes, particularly if she already has lettering supplies. Hand Lettering 101 describes eight styles and nine projects. For The Ultimate Guide, check the edition and sample pages to confirm the practice format and any materials she will need.
