An Alphabet for Stationery, Calligraphy, and Lettering Lovers
There’s something magical about the world of letters—the rhythm of a well-formed script, the scratch of a nib against paper, and the joy of discovering the perfect ink or pen (that’s why I started a podcast to explore just this).
Whether you're a calligraphy enthusiast, a lettering artist, or simply someone who loves beautiful stationery, this A to Z guide is for you. From historic scripts to modern tools, this list celebrates the art, craft, and tools that bring letters to life.
A
Ascenders - loops and strokes for letters that go up (like: b, d, h, k, l, t)
Arnold & Son – An historic nib manufacturer.
Acrylic Ink – A vibrant, waterproof ink used in calligraphy and lettering.
Alphabets – The foundation of all lettering and calligraphy, of course!
Arteza - For all your lettering and calligraphy art supplies.
B
Bristol Paper – A smooth, heavyweight paper ideal for calligraphy.
Blackwing – A beloved brand of high-quality pencils.
Brush Pen – A flexible-tipped pen for modern calligraphy.
Baseline – Where all your letters like to sit for standard scripts.
C
Copperplate – A classic, elegant script style.
Calligraphy – The art of beautiful writing.
Canson – A popular brand of paper for lettering and calligraphy.
Coliro Pearlcolors – Shimmery metallic watercolour paints used in calligraphy.
D
Dip Pen – A traditional tool for calligraphy.
Dr. Ph. Martin’s – A well-known brand of calligraphy and lettering inks.
Drafting Table – An essential workspace for letterers.
Ductus – The sequence and direction of strokes in letterforms.
Descenders - loops and strokes for letters that go down (like: f, g, I, p, q, y, z)
E
Ecoline – A brand of liquid watercolour ink.
Embossing – A technique that raises letters on paper.
Exemplar – A guide sheet for learning calligraphy styles.
Engrosser’s Script – A variation of Copperplate calligraphy.
F
Feather Quill – An historic calligraphy tool.
Finetec – A brand of shimmering metallic calligraphy paints (you can find them at CassArt).
Flourishing – Decorative embellishments in calligraphy (check out The Flourish Club).
Fudenosuke – A brush pen by Tombow with a small flexible tip.
G
Gouache – An opaque water-based paint used for calligraphy.
Gillot Nibs – A well-known brand of calligraphy nibs.
Guidelines / grid Paper – A helpful tool for practice and precision.
Gothic Script – A historical, angular calligraphy style.
Graffiti - Street art that incorporates and expresses messages through letters.
H
Handwriting – The personal and unique style of writing (check out our episode with Graphologist, Tracey Trussell).
Higgins Ink – A famous brand of calligraphy ink.
Hoefler & Co. – A renowned type foundry.
Hunt 101 – A flexible, popular calligraphy nib (Penman direct).
I
IAMPETH - An association dedicated to the preservation and promotion of handwriting arts.
Ink Stone – A traditional tool for grinding ink.
Italic Script – A slanted, elegant calligraphy style.
India Ink – A deep black ink used in lettering and calligraphy.
Illustrated Lettering – Combining drawings with text for artistic effects.
Ink Me This - An online shop and resource for all things engraving and calligraphy (coming on series 2).
J
J. Herbin – A historic ink brand from France.
Journaling – A popular way to incorporate lettering into everyday life.
Jakar Ruler – A precision tool for calligraphy layouts.
Johann Neudörffer – A famous calligrapher from the Renaissance.
K
Kuretake – A Japanese brand known for high-quality brush pens.
Kaweco – A stylish German fountain pen brand.
Kraft Paper – A textured brown paper, great for lettering.
Kerning – The spacing between letters in typography.
L
Letterpress – A traditional printing technique.
Letter Carving - A timeless tradition blending design and carving skills (check out The Lettering Arts Trust)
Lamy – A well-known brand of fountain pens.
Ligature – The connection between two or more letters in calligraphy.
Leonardt Nibs – A respected calligraphy nib manufacturer (Manuscript).
London Graphic Centre - a vast selection of art supplies and stationery for all types of artists.
M
Modern Calligraphy – A free-flowing, contemporary calligraphy style.
Manuscript – A UK-based calligraphy brand.
Moleskine – A premium notebook brand.
Monoline – Lettering with consistent stroke widths.
Meticulous Ink - A fine stationery shop in Bath, England (coming on series ?)
N
Noodler’s Ink – A brand known for fountain pen inks.
Nikko G – A popular nib for beginners.
Nib Holder – A tool that holds a calligraphy nib.
Neuland Script – A bold and expressive lettering style.
O
Oblique Holder – A slanted nib holder for script styles like Copperplate.
Ornamental Script – A decorative and flourished style of calligraphy.
Onyx Black Ink – A deep, rich ink colour.
Optima – A classic calligraphic typeface.
P
Pilot Parallel Pen – A favourite tool for broad-edge calligraphy (Cult Pens).
Pergamenata Paper – A parchment-like calligraphy paper.
Pointed Pen – A flexible nib used for scripts like Copperplate.
Pentel Sign Pen – A popular brush pen for hand lettering.
Q
Quill – A feather pen used historically for writing.
Quartz Ink – A shimmering ink variation.
Quotation Marks – Important punctuation in typography.
R
Rhodia – A high-quality paper brand loved by calligraphers.
Roman Capitals – A classic, elegant letterform.
Ruling Pen – A unique tool for expressive calligraphy.
Resist Technique – A method using masking fluid for layered lettering effects.
S
Spencerian Script – A beautiful, flowing handwriting style.
Speedball Arts - A household brand serving ranges for calligraphers and lettering artists (coming on series 2).
Sumi Ink – A deep black ink used in calligraphy.
Script – A general term for cursive-style lettering.
Signwriting – The art of hand-painted signs (check out Barker Signs, coming on series 2).
Society of Scribes and Illuminators - the oldest Calligraphy Society in the world
T
Tombow Dual Brush Pen – A must-have for modern calligraphy.
Typography – The art of arranging type.
T-square – A ruler for precise calligraphy layouts.
Talon Nibs – A specialist, custom nib.
U
Uncial Script – A historic, rounded script style.
Underturn – A basic stroke in calligraphy.
Ultramarine Ink – A vibrant blue ink shade.
Uppercase – Capital letters in typography.
V
Vellum – A smooth writing surface.
Vintage Nibs – Sought-after calligraphy tools.
Versals – Large decorative capital letters.
Vine Charcoal – Sometimes used in calligraphy sketching.
W
Walnut Ink – A natural brown ink used in calligraphy.
Water Brush – A brush with a refillable water reservoir.
Wasabi Tape – (Play on Washi Tape!) Decorative tape for journals.
William Morris – A designer famous for decorative lettering.
X
X-height – The height of lowercase letters.
Xerographic Paper – A smooth paper often used for practice.
Xuan Paper – A type of Chinese calligraphy paper.
Y
Yellow Ochre Ink – A warm, earthy ink colour.
Yupo Paper – A synthetic, non-absorbent paper used for lettering.
Yatate – A traditional Japanese portable writing set.
Z
Zebra G Nib – A favourite nib for pointed pen calligraphy.
Zebra Brush Pens - A brand of brush pens used for calligraphy and art.
Ziller Ink – A waterproof calligraphy ink brand.
Zentangle – A meditative drawing technique incorporating letters.
This alphabet is just a glimpse into the rich world of calligraphy, handwriting, and lettering. Submit more words by commenting below!
If you love exploring the artistry and history behind letters, I invite you to listen to my podcast, The Life of Letters. Each episode dives into the past, present, and future of writing—through conversations with historians, artists, poets, and stationery experts. Subscribe and join me on this journey into the world of letters!