Tombow 56190 Beginner Lettering Set - Includes Essential Tools to Start Hand Lettering Review (2026)

Who should reach for this set

This is aimed at someone starting hand lettering from zero who wants a small, curated toolkit rather than a large assortment of unfamiliar pens. Tombow selected each piece for a specific role in the learning process instead of just bundling whatever was on hand, which matters if you do not yet know which pen does what in a lettering practice. It suits people who already know Tombow's dual brush pens by reputation and want to try the brand's own starter lineup before committing to a full palette. Anyone who already owns dual brush pens in multiple colors will find less new value here, since the core pens overlap with Tombow's standalone dual brush line.

What is inside and how the pieces work together

The set includes two dual brush pens, a Fudenosuke calligraphy pen with a firm brush tip suited to smaller lettering, a MONO twin permanent marker, a MONO drawing pencil, a MONO eraser, and a step-by-step pamphlet with usage tips. The dual brush pens combine a flexible brush nib on one end with a fine fiber tip on the other, so a single pen can rough in bold downstrokes and then switch ends for fine details or word connections. The Fudenosuke's stiffer tip is the better tool for smaller, controlled lettering where a full dual brush pen feels too loose. The pencil and eraser exist so you can sketch guides before inking, and the pamphlet ties the whole sequence together for a first project.

Learning with the set

A sensible first session uses the pencil to lay out guidelines, the Fudenosuke or dual brush pen to trace over them, and the eraser to clean up pencil marks once ink has dried. The dual brush pens are water based, so practicing basic strokes before committing to full words helps you learn how much pressure creates a thick downstroke versus a thin upstroke. Because this is a small, focused kit rather than a wide color range, expect to add more dual brush pens separately once you want to move past monochrome practice. The pamphlet's step by step tips are aimed at total beginners, so more experienced letterers may find its guidance too basic to be useful.

How it compares with other starter kits

Against the ARTEZA Hand Lettering Pens Set of 12, which includes a full guidebook and twelve pens across a wider stroke and color range for a similar or lower cost per pen, this Tombow set leans on brand trust and pen quality rather than sheer volume. The PILOT Parallel Pen based sets take a different approach entirely, using fountain style parallel nibs for broad edge calligraphy instead of brush pens, so the two are not direct substitutes if you specifically want the brush lettering look this set teaches. Buyers who want more pens and colors for the money should look at the larger sets, while those who want fewer, well matched Tombow tools should stick with this one.

Verdict

This set earns its score of 8.4 out of 10 because every piece has a clear, tested role in learning brush lettering, and Tombow's dual brush pens hold up to the kind of repeated practice a beginner needs. It costs more per pen than a generic multi-pack, and the product title does not spell out every included item, so know before buying that you are getting six curated tools rather than a dozen loose pens. Choose this if you want a focused, brand-name introduction to hand lettering, and choose a larger bundled set instead if color variety and pen count matter more to you than curation.

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