David Milan is a graphic designer hailing from Mexico and, as his porfolio and instagram illustrate, he’s got love when it comes to lettering.
Hand lettering and modern calligraphy are all the rage these days and it takes more skill to pull off than it’s given credit for. I’m certainly guilty of thinking that if I buy a few nice brush pens I could get a handle on it relatively quickly… “but tools do not a craftsman make” is the only adage I can offer to describe the period shortly thereafter.
While David does use the mighty brush pen and its ilk for a large amount of his work, the gallery below showcases something a little different. Using Crayola brand markers (some are a little fancier than average, but still that tip really doesn’t look suitable for calligraphy) and fine liners for texture work, David successfully proves that it is indeed the talent, not the tools, that are king when it comes to calligraphy.
I think this counts to me as another lesson learned. So, without further ado… I’m just off to buy some Crayola markers.
Get started with calligraphy
You can find all the tools you’ll need from our range of pens and pencils to start making incredible cursive creations of your own. Check out our recommendations of products to help get you started below.
GEL CRAYONS
This pack of 9 OMY gel crayons are perfect for adding a bit of texture to your calligraphy and a bit of colour to your desk.
£11.95
TROPICAL PENS
Whether you're a serial note taker, doodler, or aspiring calligrapher, you'll need this pen set to help you do the job. Now at a reduced price.
̶£̶7̶.̶9̶5̶ £5.95
MILAN CONE TIPPED FIBRE PENS
The best element about these pens is they have a two stroke fibre tip, meaning they can create lines as thin as 0.75mm or as thick as 3mm - perfect for calligraphy.
£8.50
