Supply Recommendations

Supply Recommendations

So you’ve seen a post or heard about the trends and you’re wondering how to get started with bullet journaling or brush calligraphy? Let me share with you some of my favorite supply recommendations.

I’ve been experimenting and playing with a lot of different mediums since 2015, so let me share some of my experiences with you!

Please note: Some of these are affiliate links; if you happen to purchase something (at no additional cost to you), I make a small commission that helps me keep this website going. Thank you for your support!

Favorite Supplies For Brush Calligraphy

Small Brush Pens:

• Marvy Le Pen Flex
• Tombow Fudenosuke
• Pentel Sign Brush Pen
• I love these pens because they give you a lot of control, color options, and as long as you have the right grip (that I talk about in my course), help you get the thin and thick strokes

Large Brush Pens:

• Zig Brushables
• Le Plume II
• Crayola Broad Tips – these are great affordable beginner options

Paper:

• HP Premium 32# paper 
• Rhodia Paper Pad
• But really anything smooth! (Tracing paper, marker paper, etc)

Get started with your brush calligraphy in my online course!

Watercolor:

• Pretty Prints & Paper Liquid Watercolor
• My favorite homemade watercolors are from Cloverset Lettering
• Ecoline Liquid Watercolor 
• Round 0 or 1 paintbrush – my favorite paintbrush is by The Pigeon Letters Round #2
• Watercolor paper, cold pressed

Favorite Supplies For Bullet Journaling

Notebooks:

• Archer & Olive Notebooks (especially for those who like to use paints and juicy markers)
• Official Bullet Journal Edition 2 notebook (restocked in early 2021)
• Clever Fox  (more affordable, can handle some light watercolor, minimal ghosting)
• Rhodia Goalbook (slightly off-white, coated Clairfontaine paper, great for fountain pens and some ink)

Stamps: 

• Pretty Prints & Paper Calligraphy stamps (includes days of the week, months, calendar cubes, individual letters)

Pens:

• Pilot G2 (affordable, accessible; saves on plastic by selling refills)
• Sarasa Dry gel pens
• Muji retractable pens (specifically the retractable ones! I feel like the capped ones skip)

Highlighters:

• Crayola Supertips
• Zebra Mildliners
• Passion Planner Markers (dual tipped with a fine liner!)

Favorite Supplies For Alcohol Ink Art

• Blow dryer – low wattage, low air flow, cool setting – or a Straw
• Craft Mat 
• Optional: Primers for canvas to make the surface less porous. Clear (for colored surfaces) and white.
• Alcohol Inks: Ranger & Jacquard Metallic brass or gold, Jacquard Piñata, Brea Reese (you don’t need a ton, just a few to get started!)
  • If you are painting on black surfaces, you will need to get white, or it will not show up!
• Isopropyl Alcohol 91% or higher (in short supply due to COVID-19)
• I also use a few different blending solutions like Jacquard or Ranger
• Nonporous surfaces (for example, Yupo paper, tiles, glass, even canvas)
  • I’ve been enjoying black canvas from Arteza (US link)
• Optional: Krylon Kamar Spray Varnish (to seal the paint, available near you – should be in the ballpark of $8)
• Optional: Krylon UV Resistant Spray (to keep finished works from fading, in the ballpark of $12)

Want More?

Check out more of my favorites on Amazon.

What else?

I’ve done and played with a LOT of other supplies – if you are wondering about other stuff, feel free to email me at jessica@prettyprintsandpaper.com