Buying guide
The Traveling Letterer
Updated How we research
A portable kit that fits in any bag. The page is split into four sections (Water brush pens for the road; Compact brush pens; Notebooks that travel well; Cases and organizers), followed by every pick ranked by our score so you can compare them in one place.
The short version
We compared 16 picks. Our scores range from 7.0 to 9.2 out of 10.
- Best overall:Tombow 62039 Fudenosuke Brush Pens, 3-Pack - Soft, Hard, and Twin Tip Markers for Calligraphy. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.2/10.
- Also great value:Tombow 62038 Fudenosuke Brush Pen, 2-Pack - Soft and Hard Tip for Calligraphy and Art Drawings. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.7/10.
- Solid build:RHODIA cf16559 Notepad, Dot Pad, No. 16 (A5), 80 Sheets, Dot Ruled, Water Repellent Cover, Perforated, Black. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.2/10.
- Feature-rich:LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Hardcover Medium A5 - 251 Numbered Pages for Writing and Journaling (Black, Dotted). Features score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
Water brush pens for the road
- 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 CalligraphyOur score8.0/10
- CHROMATEK 22 Watercolor Pens Set | 2 Aquapens & 20 Unique Colors | Brush Pens | Easily Blendable, Vivid, Smooth | Professional Art SuppliesOur score7.8/10
- 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 PensOur score7.4/10
- 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)Our score7.2/10
Compact brush pens
- Tombow 62039 Fudenosuke Brush Pens, 3-Pack - Soft, Hard, and Twin Tip Markers for CalligraphyOur score9.2/10
- Tombow 62038 Fudenosuke Brush Pen, 2-Pack - Soft and Hard Tip for Calligraphy and Art DrawingsOur score8.7/10
- Pentel Brush Touch Sign Pen, Set of 6 Colors (SES15C-6STC)Our score8.3/10
- Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen, Black, Felt Pen Like Brush Stroke (SES15C-A)Our score8.1/10
Notebooks that travel well
- LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Hardcover Medium A5 - 251 Numbered Pages for Writing and Journaling (Black, Dotted)Our score8.4/10
- RHODIA cf16559 Notepad, Dot Pad, No. 16 (A5), 80 Sheets, Dot Ruled, Water Repellent Cover, Perforated, BlackOur score8.2/10
- Dingbats Wildlife Dotted Writing Journal Notebook A5 - Vegan Leather Hardcover with Pocket, Elastic Closure & BookmarkOur score7.6/10
- Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted, Black, Hard Cover (5 x 8.25)Our score7.0/10
Cases and organizers
- Lbxgap Portable Colored Pencil Case 360 Slots with Handle Strap for Watercolor Pencils & Gel PensOur score7.8/10
- Global Art Genuine Leather Pencil Case, 48 Pencil Capacity, BlackOur score7.8/10
- XQXA Large Capacity Pencil Case Organizer, Multifunctional Extra Big Pencil Pouch with CompartmentsOur score7.6/10
- EASTHILL Big Capacity Pencil Pen Case, Large Storage Bag Pouch Holder Box Organizer, BlueOur score7.0/10
All 16 picks, ranked by our score
Every product from the sections above, listed once. Sort by the criterion you care about most, or tick up to three to compare.
#1A 3-pack of Tombow Fudenosuke pens with soft, hard and twin tip versions for complete small brush practice.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Soft, hard and twin tips let you compare feel and add grey shading
- + Small brush tips are ideal for planners, envelopes and cards
- + Tombow Fudenosuke pens are a lettering class staple
- - Mostly black and grey, so there is no bright colour in the pack
- - Soft tip needs a light hand that takes beginners time to learn
#2A 2-pack of Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens with one soft and one hard tip for small brush lettering.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Soft and hard tip pair lets beginners compare feel easily
- + Small tips suit envelopes, planners and cards
- + Tombow is a trusted lettering brand
- - Black ink only in this pack, with no colour options
- - Small brush size is not ideal for large lettering
#3LEUCHTTURM1917 hardcover medium A5 notebook with 251 numbered dotted pages, a classic journal for lettering and planning.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 251 numbered pages with an index make practice easy to organize
- + Dot grid lets you rule custom baselines for lettering headers
- + Durable hardcover survives daily carrying in a bag
- - Thinner paper than bleedproof journals shows ghosting with markers
- - Wet brush pens can bleed through, so test in the back first
#4A 6-colour Pentel Brush Touch Sign Pen set in an alternative colour mix to Pentel's other six-pen pack.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Flexible fude tip gives smooth thick and thin strokes
- + Alternative colour mix pairs well with other Pentel Touch sets
- + Compact, affordable pens for journaling and card lettering
- - Water-based ink can feather on cheap copy paper
- - Six colours limit blending and shading options
#5RHODIA No. 16 A5 dot pad with 80 perforated Sheets, dot ruled with a water repellent cover for pen and ink practice.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Rhodia paper is ultra smooth, so fountain pens and nibs glide
- + Perforated sheets tear out neatly for sharing or scanning
- + Water repellent cover protects the pad on a messy ink desk
- - Smooth paper slows drying, so lefties can smear fresh ink
- - Pad format lacks the structure of a bound journal
#6A single black Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen with a flexible felt tip that mimics brush strokes.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Flexible felt tip creates brush-like strokes with little effort
- + Low cost for trying small brush lettering
- + Easy to carry for everyday practice
- - Single pen offers no colour variety
- - Felt tip can fray with heavy pressure
#7SAYEEC 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.
#8CHROMATEK 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.
#9Lbxgap portable colored pencil case with 360 Slots and a handle strap for watercolor pencils and gel pens.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + 360 Slots display a huge brush pen or gel pen collection at a glance
- + Handle strap makes carrying a big collection to classes simple
- + Elastic slots keep each pen upright and separated
- - Slots suit slim pens, so chunky markers may not fit well
- - Very large case is overkill for a small lettering kit
#10Global Art genuine leather pencil case in black with 48 Pencil Capacity, a classic roll-style holder for pens.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + Genuine leather ages well and looks smart on a studio desk
- + 48 Pencil Capacity fits brush pens, fineliners and nib holders
- + Individual slots protect pens from rubbing against each other
- - Leather needs occasional care and can mark with ink spills
- - Costs more than fabric cases with similar capacity
#11Dingbats Wildlife A5 dotted writing journal with vegan leather hardcover, pocket, elastic closure and bookmark.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Vegan leather cover with wildlife designs makes a thoughtful gift
- + Back pocket stores guide sheets or loose lettering scraps
- + Dotted A5 pages suit lettered headers and journal spreads
- - Test marker bleed on a spare page before committing to layouts
- - Decorative cover adds cost over plain dot grid notebooks
#12XQXA large capacity pencil case organizer, an extra big multifunctional pouch with compartments for pens and supplies.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Multiple compartments separate brush pens, nibs and erasers
- + Extra big capacity holds a full lettering kit for classes
- + Soft pouch design packs easily into a tote or backpack
- - Large pouch can feel bulky if you only carry a few pens
- - No elastic slots, so pens may shift and rub inside
#13UPINS 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.
#14Alycoco 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.
#15Moleskine Classic large dotted notebook in black hard cover, 5 x 8.25 in size for journaling and lettering sketches.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 6/10
- + Iconic Moleskine design is a classic gift for writers and letterers
- + Dotted pages guide spacing without the clutter of full lines
- + Large size gives decent room for headers and short quotes
- - Paper is known to ghost and bleed with juicy brush markers
- - Premium brand price is high for the page quality you get
#16EASTHILL big capacity pencil and pen case in blue, a large storage pouch and organizer box for art supplies.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Box-like shape stands open for easy access while lettering
- + Big capacity fits markers, rulers and a small ink bottle
- + Blue color is easy to spot in a cluttered craft bag
- - Internal layout is not detailed in the listing
- - Fabric case offers limited crush protection for glass dip pens
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Based on the last 28 days of search and visitor data.
Calligraphy Nest curates picks for US shoppers. Scores are our editorial assessment. We may earn a commission from links on this page.