Brush calligraphy tips: How to improve your thin upstrokes

[@Brooque613]

My bigger issue is going from a thick downstroke into a thin upstroke than creating a thin upstroke by itself or a thin upstroke into a thick downstroke. I feel like I'm probably not holding the pen correctly, but I haven't found anyone that discusses how to properly hold the pen. Even my tails are too thick and I can't figure out how to fix that.

[@rein0123]

Brooque613 there isn't a correct way to hold the pen,just hold close to the tip and at an angle

[@a7xmaNga]

Brooque613 the amount of pressure you apply refers to the thickness of your line

[@SistahRev]

Brooque613 I had the same issue!! Our wonderful teacher here HAS released a video (perhaps after you posted this comment, I don’t know) about how the position of the pen in your hand supports proper formation of thin & thick lines! That video alone has improved my (VERY new) beginner brush lettering by at LEAST 70%!!! If I can find the exact title of that video (& remember to come back to this spot), I’ll come back here and point you to it. Happy lettering! 😃

[@SistahRev]

Brooque613 Ok, the name of the “Pieces Calligraphy” video that I referred to in my other reply to you, that may address your concern is “Quick Tip: Holding the Brush Pen” and it was Day 5 of her “YouTober” series. Hope this helps! Enjoy!

[@teresajohnson7727]

Same problem...

[@SarahTypes]

the color of the pen is so nice!

[@urthex]

Thank you for the tips! Yes! I am obsessed to get that hairline thin strokes. It is frustrating when I can't get it done right. I feel so much better after watching your video.

[@TiffyyTran]

This helps so much! Thanks! My problem is connecting the thin upstroke I want to see your alphabet video soon pls!!

[@piecescalligraphy]

+Tiffany Tran Happy to help, Tiffany! Ah - my goal this week is to create my updated alphabet guide that you can print out for free. Then I'll create a few videos and blog posts to go over the letters! Thanks for your patience!

[@suzanneartist1026]

Tiffany Tran i

[@layanthh]

It's funny how if I go slow I'll get more shaky

[@lynnly2406]

L Th Ikr

[@gillypen2698]

I agree!

[@jewelcruz41]

Agree😂

[@MilkteamochiUwU]

IKR 😂

[@michellewelch6013]

You helped me see that it's more the pens I have selected than my own hand that causes the frustration I've had. Thanks for your clear instructions.

[@DanaJoy]

Thanks so much for explaining this. Now I don't feel so overwhelmed with the process.

[@piecescalligraphy]

+Dana Joy So happy to hear, Dana! It sometimes will be overwhelming, but the key is to take a deep breath and try to slow down. Let me know if you have any questions!

[@cristinacobrador2863]

Your tutorial really helps! I'ma newbie and I struggle with my thin upstrokes but your advice and technique helped me a lot. Will keep practicing🙂

[@imageekygeek]

this was so helpful! i just now got my Tombow dual pens and have been practicing as i'm watching lol

[@sowieporzellan]

Thanks, your videos are amazing! For me, it's so hard to do the transition from thick to thin :(

[@grandma.p]

I'm trying to achieve this with a Faber-Castel B big brush, which is pretty thick. Thanks for your tips.

[@ParadoxGeek]

Thank you so much for all your tips! I especially liked what you said about not aiming for the perfect hairline. Lots of greetings from Finland - I will keep on practicing!

[@jivstoysandlearningworld]

thank you for this video! I'm planning on trying my hand at brush lettering and really glad I came across your channel!

[@TheTogaParty22]

I have been practicing with paintbrushes and watercolors, and I recently got some Tombow brush pens. They're so much harder to use! I am so bad at the transitions and I am really demotivated because I feel like all my progress has disappeared :(

[@MariaNyceDesigns]

Thank you so much for this tutorial, practice is definitely key! Loved hearing your sweet little one in the background, so adorable!

[@anthonye.2553]

Loved this video. Good to know even after a year, the shakiness is still there, but it gets better :)

[@MohamedKbaich]

Thanks a lot, your videos come in very useful to me, i got more control on pressure over my brush pen (Pentel pocket brush pen) ... you tips helped a lot, thanks a again.

[@piecescalligraphy]

+Mohamed Kbaich Happy to hear, Mohamed!

[@MoPoppins]

Great camerawork! I love the panning and closeups...makes the lesson so cinematic. :)

[@piecescalligraphy]

+Mo Poppins Thanks! Considering that I don't actually do much editing myself and instead I attribute it to the "Stabilize" feature on KZbin. =)

[@joyalinerajamani678]

Thank you so much, my upstrokes are more controlled when I hold the pen from it’s tip, than trying to hold from the barrel.

[@fioki]

thank you so much. the tips were extremely helpful! ...now i just need practice

[@tlhm465law]

Thanks so much for your videos! They are very helpful.

[@teresajohnson7727]

I'm just starting, and I'm having a very difficult time with this! My upstrokes look shakey, too thick, or stuttering. I'm doing something wrong, just not sure what. I'd love to take professional lessons, but I can't afford that.

[@Vstil]

so much fun! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and lessons! I have subscribed!

[@mickeysingh4702]

thank you so much for such a helpful video.

[@rawrpandamonium]

What would you suggest is the best pen to use for beginners?

[@piecescalligraphy]

+Krystle Espiritu Hi Krystle! Try the Tombow Fudenosuke or Tombow dual brush pens. My other favorites are the Pentel sign pen or Koi coloring brushes. Take a look at my other videos where I compare the brush pens. You can also find links to my favorite pens here: piecescalligraphy.com/supplies. Hope that helps!

[@kkfinch84]

Love your nail polish! Do you know what color it is?!

[@piecescalligraphy]

+Kristin Finch Thanks, Kristin! I don't actually - I got them done at a local nail shop :) They are pretty much a light gray though. Hope you can find it, too!

[@matterment]

really good at explaining

[@chethankrishna5287]

Hai Madam this is chethan Krishna from india I working for schools in india as a calligraphy teacher I love the way writing it's so beautiful

[@yasmeenbegum3013]

Hii..wr u working in india may i knw plzz

[@EmmaProductions627]

This was helpful! I just got a tombow dual tip brush pen to practice handlettering for the first time, and my brush pen looks like it is frayed when I write? I barely put any force on the pen for the down strokes, and my letters still don't have smooth edges. How can I deal with this?

[@medievalknight9519]

Thank you very much for your help it helped me a lot !!!

[@Scrappingjenny]

I would love to teach myself this type of lettering. is it best to practise letter form or thin and thick strokes first?

[@piecescalligraphy]

+Scrappingjenny Strokes first!!! Always strokes first. Check out my basic stroke series here on KZbin and/or on my blog (piecescalligraphy.com/learn). Learning the basic strokes builds your foundation before you tackle actual letters. Hope that helps!

[@shannasm612]

I'm glad I found this video, I thought I'm somewhat stupid because I can't do a simple thin line :D

[@Baileybooandecho]

One of the pens I use drives me crazy. It is a Prismacolor dual brushtip in black (pb98). No matter what the speed I write with, it causes ink blots at the slighted pause. I love the feel of the pen, but I just don't get what the problem is. I've tried a few different types of paper, too. Any suggestions?

[@veronicareyflores396]

Thank you for your videos they are helping me so Much! I hope I can get better at calligraphy soon lol

[@piecescalligraphy]

That is amazing, Veronica! You will! Keep on practicing... xoxo

[@neveratinygoldilocks]

I'm left handed and this helped but I am still struggling. Any tips for lefties?

[@luuvpjm]

What kinds of paper to use? I mean like for just practicing

[@gillypen2698]

Very useful, thank you.

[@ДанаСарсенбаева-ч6р]

Good video, m'kay

[@whooislauren]

_Thank_ *you* -for- *the* _help_

[@qienn23]

this really helped !! thank you !! :-) also,, do u know any ways to prevent the tombow dual brush pen from being frayed ?? this is one of my concerns and since i just got tombow brush pens yesterday, i want to know more about how to maintain it and use it properly :) thank you !!

[@yuannemilan8804]

Hi! You should use a smooth paper and position your pen on a 45° angle

[@NiteOwlCrafter]

Sharisse, I'm a new subscriber and "very" new to lettering, which brush pen do you think is the most difficult to learn with?

[@piecescalligraphy]

Tammie McDaniels Hi Tammie! Thank you so much for hanging out with me here. I’d say the most difficult pen is a very flexible one. Those are always the most difficult to control and give you so much variation in each stroke. I’ve been meaning to revamp some of my older videos, but I realize now that pens like the Pigma Brush and anything with actual bristles can be very challenging. Hope that helps!

[@NiteOwlCrafter]

Thank you for a quick response. I have been experimenting with brushes (Tombow fude hard and soft, Sakura Pigma Brush, Faber-Castell B & SB, Kuretake hard & soft, and the Tombow Brush marker) and think for me the Tombow brush marker is the most challenging out of the ones I have purchased. I was thinking that if I could master it then all of the rest would be easy. What're your thoughts on that? I have not purchased the Pigma Brush pen, I'm pretty sure that one is for seasoned calligraphers lol.

[@purrfectworld7060]

Hi, do you recommend Koi coloring brush pens for beginners? :)

[@daysofserendipity]

Hello, I have a question: how do you setup your camera to film your brushlettering in a nice angle? Can you share a picture or a quick video? I try to film my brushlettering but when I watch it it looks ugly to watch because of the way I placed the camera.

[@piecescalligraphy]

+The Curious Kat CR Of course! I will work on more photography/videography tips. I also got a few more questions on that topic. I honestly kept playing around with the angle that I placed my camera. It took a while to find a good one, but keep on experimenting! Maybe even have a friend watch you and see where he/she would naturally prefer to place the camera.

[@gabbiecatral]

Hi could u do an alphabet video of you writing. I luv how you write

[@gabbiecatral]

Really helpful!

[@laura1less]

my calligraphy with brushes and markers is like, fine (they end up gorgeous) but only because I can only do them at home or else I lose a lot of time. I can't connect them and I use a lot pressure to get a thick stroke even with an crayola marker 😭

[@TheCbrown146]

I don't really get the pigma brush pen. I might switch to this pen.

[@andpjmm]

TheCbrown146 it's so hard to write with Sakura Pigma Brush ;-; I Just bought one of these tomorrow and I just can't write with this ;-;

[@viverlynavida3573]

What paper are you using?

[@AdrianBigyes]

I became dizzy.. Looks like the video is warping ever so slightly..

[@mikelesterantimano5871]

how much is this?

[@Meini6]

You are expert

[@Kimo0tJJ]

My problem is usually that when I do the upstroke, it has gaps in it... Like... The brush pen stops working for a moment.... Why is this? Is it me? Or the brush pen? O_O I've experienced this with old AND new brush pens. ps: You say "Mkay" ALOT O_O

[@angelstarfire]

Thank you

[@griotrott3790]

Ninongow.

[@devinwilliady9684]

cool

[@o0mew0o]

Fude is pronounced foo-day meaning brush in Japanese :)

[@jazgamin7]

혱 챙제!