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In 2015, I first released this printable Free Brush Pen Worksheet. Several years and 130K+ downloads later, I think the worksheet deserves another feature on the TPK site! If you’re interested in brush pens, give this engaging set of exercises a try. 🙂
I first released this simple brush pen worksheet in 2015. Little did I know that it would become one of the most popular printables on TPK! With 131,500 downloads and counting, many a brush pen enthusiast has worked through the exercises in this worksheet. Today, I want to talk about what you can learn from filling out the Free Brush Pen worksheet, as well as other brush pen resources that you can take advantage of on the TPK site!
Brush pens are a delightfully efficient, mess-free cousin of dip pen calligraphy. Just like with the dip pen, you can vary your pressure on a brush pen in order to create a combination of thick and thin strokes. Unlike the dip pen, however, the brush pen is a bit thicker. It allows you to write very quickly!
Many people consider brush pens to be easier to use than dip pens are. That’s probably because everyone has used a marker before at some point in their lives, so when you pick up a brush pen, you’re handling a writing instrument that’s (mostly) familiar! I can attest to the fact that they’re family-friendly, so they offer an easy way to get in some creative time when you’re hanging out with your kids.
When I designed the Free Brush Pen Worksheet, I had the brush pen semi-beginner in mind. The worksheet doesn’t include copious instructions as far as how to use a brush pen, but it does have plenty of exercises for people who understand the gist of it! It’s four pages long and covers the very basics: stroke practice, curves, and a whimsical alphabet.
If you’re a beginner, I encourage you to watch the video below! In the video, you’ll get a closer look at brush pen upstrokes and downstrokes, learn about the grip to maintain on your pen, and see how to make the curlicues featured in the worksheet.
Note that the Free Brush Pen Worksheet is very basic. If you feel that you could benefit from comprehensive instruction and practice, then the premium version of this worksheet (pictured below) will really help! It includes 100+ pages of practice and several videos.
I think that the number one secret to success with a brush pen is remembering to pick the brush pen up as you write! There are strategic junctures in each letter where you can lift your pen from the page momentarily to give yourself the chance to make stroke contrast. Those junctures may not be intuitive at first, which is why the premium version of the worksheet includes specific letter formation instructions.
There are many brush pens to choose from. While I often use Tombow brush pens, I would recommend starting with the Pigma MB brush pen, which I find is easier to manage. You can also begin learning brush pen calligraphy with ordinary (Crayola) markers, which are budget-friendly and widely available!
While worksheets will help to learn brush pen calligraphy, nothing helps you to improve like making projects! For example, you can try creating artwork like the piece shown below for a friend or family member.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with making other paper projects like cards, envelopes, and gift tags as well! You can learn how to make the birthday card pictured below in this tutorial.
For additional information about brush pen calligraphy, you may be interested in these other posts:
I hope you enjoy learning with the brush pen calligraphy worksheet! Remember to be patient with yourself as you fill it out: it’s okay if your strokes aren’t perfect or your letters look wonky. Every time you pick up that pen, you pave the way for improvement — you can do it! Stay tuned for another brush pen calligraphy worksheet either later this month or early next month. For the next TPK worksheet set, I’m brush pen-ifying Janet Style dip pen calligraphy!
Warmly,
*This post contains affiliate links to Amazon
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