Independent buying guides for calligraphy

Best Water Brush Pens

Updated How we research

Our top pick

Creativepeak Watercolor Brush Pens, 72 Vibrant Soft Tip Markers with 4 Blending Brushes

Creativepeak's 72 watercolour brush pens with soft tips and 4 blending brushes for large colour collections.

Our score8.3/10

Best budget

SAYEEC Watercolor Brush Pens 20 Colors Flexible Brush Tip Watercolor Markers with 1 Refillable Blending Water Brush Pens Water Color Paint Brushes for Adult Coloring Books Artists Beginner Calligraphy

SAYEEC watercolor brush pens, 20 colors with flexible nylon tips and one refillable blending water brush. Closest match to the old 20-color set with water brush.

Our score8.0/10

A water brush pen stores water in a squeezable barrel that feeds a synthetic brush tip, giving you a self-contained tool for watercolor lettering, ink blending, and painting without a water cup. Squeeze lightly and the tip stays damp for smooth gradients; squeeze more and you can dilute pigment straight on the page. Water brushes are invaluable for hand letterers creating blended brush calligraphy, calligraphers softening ink edges, and artists working outdoors or traveling light. When comparing water brush pens, look at tip size and shape, from fine points for lettering to flat tips for washes, how precisely the barrel controls flow, whether the tip keeps a sharp point when wet, and seal quality so the pen never leaks in a pencil case.

The short version

We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 7.2 to 8.3 out of 10.

Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score

  1. 1.Creativepeak Watercolor Brush Pens, 72 Vibrant Soft Tip Markers with 4 Blending Brushes
    8.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
  2. 2.SAYEEC Watercolor Brush Pens 20 Colors Flexible Brush Tip Watercolor Markers with 1 Refillable Blending Water Brush Pens Water Color Paint Brushes for Adult Coloring Books Artists Beginner Calligraphy
    8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
  3. 3.ARTEZA Dual Tip Brush Pens, 12 Earth Tones, Watercolor Calligraphy Markers
    8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
  4. 4.CHROMATEK 22 Watercolor Pens Set | 2 Aquapens & 20 Unique Colors | Brush Pens | Easily Blendable, Vivid, Smooth | Professional Art Supplies
    7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
  5. 5.UPINS 12 Piece Water Color Brush Pen Set for Watercolor Paint Markers | Splatter-Free Shape-Retaining Nylon Tips, Artists and Hobbyists,Self-Moistening Controlled Flow,6 Assorted Varied Tip Pens
    7.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
  6. 6.Alycoco Watercolor Brush Pens Set - Premium Soft Flexible Dual Tips Coloring Brush Pen & Fineliner Color Marker Pens for Adult Coloring Sketching Books, Manga, Comic, Calligraphy (20 colors)
    7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
  7. 7.JusArt Water Brush Pens 6-Pack Leak-Proof Refillable Watercolor Pens | Pointed & Flat Tip Styles for Acrylic Gouache Watercolor Painting - Portable Water Brush for Artists Beginners Adults
    7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
Tick up to 3 picks to compare them side by side.
Creativepeak Watercolor Brush Pens, 72 Vibrant Soft Tip Markers with 4 Blending Brushes#1
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Creativepeak's 72 watercolour brush pens with soft tips and 4 blending brushes for large colour collections.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10

  • + 72 colours offer a very large palette for lettering and art
  • + 4 blending brushes help create watercolour gradients
  • + Soft tips support expressive brush strokes
  • - Large set may include many similar shades
  • - Soft tips can wear quickly on textured paper
SAYEEC Watercolor Brush Pens 20 Colors Flexible Brush Tip Watercolor Markers with 1 Refillable Blending Water Brush Pens Water Color Paint Brushes for Adult Coloring Books Artists Beginner Calligraphy#2
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SAYEEC watercolor brush pens, 20 colors with flexible nylon tips and one refillable blending water brush. Closest match to the old 20-color set with water brush.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10

  • + Twenty water-based pigment colors plus a refillable water brush for gradients and blending.
  • + Flexible nylon brush tips are described as keeping a fine point and snapping back for broad and detailed lines.
  • + Low price for a 20-color set, and the listing names calligraphy and hand lettering among its uses.
  • - Lesser-known brand, so the listing is the only source for ink quality and lightfastness.
  • - Only one water brush is included, which gets used for every color you blend.
ARTEZA Dual Tip Brush Pens, 12 Earth Tones, Watercolor Calligraphy Markers#3
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ARTEZA dual tip brush pens in 12 earth tones, a muted palette for rustic and natural lettering styles.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10

  • + 12 earth tones suit rustic invitations and nature-themed projects
  • + Dual brush and fine tips for lettering and details
  • + Watercolour-style ink blends softly with water
  • - Muted palette lacks bright accent colours
  • - Brush tips are less springy than premium Japanese pens
CHROMATEK 22 Watercolor Pens Set | 2 Aquapens & 20 Unique Colors | Brush Pens | Easily Blendable, Vivid, Smooth | Professional Art Supplies#4
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CHROMATEK 22-piece watercolor pen set: 20 numbered colors with flexible brush tips plus 2 refillable aqua brushes, with online video lessons.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10

  • + Twenty named and numbered colors with flexible brush tips, handy for keeping swatches in order.
  • + Two aqua brushes in the set, listed as 4 portable pens, blend colors without a palette.
  • + Water-based paint described as blendable and transparent for glazing and layering, with video tutorials.
  • - Priced above basic 20-color brush pen sets, so the value depends on whether you use the tutorials.
  • - The listing makes general watercolor claims and says little about lettering use specifically.
UPINS 12 Piece Water Color Brush Pen Set for Watercolor Paint Markers | Splatter-Free Shape-Retaining Nylon Tips, Artists and Hobbyists,Self-Moistening Controlled Flow,6 Assorted Varied Tip Pens#5
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UPINS set of 12 refillable water brush pens: 6 flat and 6 pointed in three sizes, with nylon tips, for blending ink or watercolor in lettering.

Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10

  • + Six flat and six pointed brushes in small, medium and large cover both fine lines and washes.
  • + Unscrew the barrel to fill with water or ink, then squeeze the barrel to control flow.
  • + Works with watercolor, gouache, water-soluble pencils and inks, at a low price for 12 pieces.
  • - Brushes only, so you supply the paint or ink, unlike the pre-filled sets in the guide.
  • - Marketed to kids and students as well as artists, with little detail on barrel leak resistance.
Alycoco Watercolor Brush Pens Set - Premium Soft Flexible Dual Tips Coloring Brush Pen & Fineliner Color Marker Pens for Adult Coloring Sketching Books, Manga, Comic, Calligraphy (20 colors)#6
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Alycoco watercolor brush pen set, 20 colors with soft flexible dual tips (brush plus fineliner), a low-priced alternative for lettering and journaling.

Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10

  • + Twenty colors with a soft flexible brush tip for broad and fine strokes plus a fineliner end.
  • + Listed uses include calligraphy, journaling, sketching, manga and architectural drawing.
  • + Non-toxic, odorless and low priced for a 20-color set.
  • - Unknown brand with no water brush in the set, so blending relies on the pens themselves.
  • - The listing is general and gives no ink lightfastness or paper guidance.
JusArt Water Brush Pens 6-Pack Leak-Proof Refillable Watercolor Pens | Pointed & Flat Tip Styles for Acrylic Gouache Watercolor Painting - Portable Water Brush for Artists Beginners Adults#7
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JusArt 6-pack of leak-proof refillable water brush pens with pointed and flat nylon tips in three sizes, for moving color around in watercolor lettering.

Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10

  • + Three pointed and three flat brushes in small, medium and large sizes give both detail and wash options.
  • + Refillable and listed as leak-proof, each weighing less than 1 oz, easy to carry for travel sketching.
  • + Nylon bristles and an ergonomic grip, listed for use with watercolor, gouache, acrylic and inks.
  • - Empty brushes only: paint, ink and water are not included.
  • - Six pens means fewer tip variants than the 12-piece sets, and the listing says little about barrel material.

Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged

No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.

Frequently asked questions

›What is the best choice among water brush pens?

Creativepeak Watercolor Brush Pens, 72 Vibrant Soft Tip Markers with 4 Blending Brushes is our top overall pick. Creativepeak's 72 watercolour brush pens with soft tips and 4 blending brushes for large colour collections. It earns our score of 8.3/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.

›What is a good budget option?

SAYEEC Watercolor Brush Pens 20 Colors Flexible Brush Tip Watercolor Markers with 1 Refillable Blending Water Brush Pens Water Color Paint Brushes for Adult Coloring Books Artists Beginner Calligraphy is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. SAYEEC watercolor brush pens, 20 colors with flexible nylon tips and one refillable blending water brush. Closest match to the old 20-color set with water brush.

›How much should I expect to spend?

Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.

›How were these products chosen?

We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.

Calligraphy Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.

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