Brush Calligraphy: Gradients and Blending
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September 11, 2017I've long been enamored by the many artists I follow on Instagram that seem to effortlessly blend their brush calligraphy pens, but struggled to get that effect myself. Sometimes, inspiration strikes and you discover something that works best for you and your style, and I've created some fun pieces. Want to recreate it for yourself? Keep reading and I'll share how I've been using my Tombow dual brush pens to get a gradient and blended look.
I’ve long been enamored by the many artists I follow on Instagram that seem to effortlessly blend their brush calligraphy pens, but struggled to get that effect myself. Sometimes, inspiration strikes and you discover something that works best for you and your style, and I’ve created some fun pieces like these!
Want to recreate it for yourself? Keep reading and I’ll share how I’ve been using my Tombow dual brush pens to get a gradient and blended look.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which simply means if you happen to purchase something, I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
BLENDING BRUSH CALLIGRAPHY
SUPPLIES:
- Brush pens of your choice, one lighter color, one darker. (I happen to be using Tombow dual brush pens but have also used Zig Brushables)
- Tombow colorless blender brush
- Blending palette (or some plastic sheet like a Ziplock bag)
- Black pen of your choice (I’m using Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen)
- White Uniball Signo Gel pen
- Faber Castell Soft Brush pen
Watch the video to follow along in more detail but I mainly follow a few key steps:
- Using the lighter color, brush letter your word or phrase. (Want to learn how to do brush calligraphy? Head over here for an intro, here for another breakdown, or to my YouTube Channel)
- Scribble with the darker color on a plastic palette to get some ink down.
- Using the colorless blender, dab at the darker color to pick it up on the brush. Start with less – you can always get darker.
- “Paint” the darker color onto the lighter one starting at the top (or bottom!), letting the ink gradually lighten as you continue down the stroke.
- Options to add more to the lettering include: adding a black etched shadow to the edge, gray shadows, galaxy stars, etc.
What do you think? Will you try it? Have more questions or ideas? Let me know in the comments!
Jessica
5 Comments
[…] I’ve long been enamored by the many artists I follow on Instagram that seem to effortlessly blend their brush calligraphy pens, but struggled to get that effect myself. Sometimes, inspiration strikes and you discover something that works best for you and your style, and I’ve created some fun pieces. Want to recreate it for yourself? Keep reading and I’ll share how I’ve been using my Tombow dual brush pens to get a gradient and blended look. … More Brush Calligraphy: Gradients and Blending […]
Hello! First of all, I want to say that I also love using Tombow ABT. But it’s so disappointing that the brush tip is frayed already when the reality is that I’ve only used it a couple of times. Any tips on how to prevent the same thing happens to my other Tombow brushpens? :”” Anyway, I like your letterings! <3
Hello! I would like to learn hand lettering and I hope so do you help me 🙂 . Your movie was great inpiration for me. Maybe I will be write so perfectly like you and another girls on internet. I don’t have many time, because I become a mother, but if I can learn still English language, I would learn caligraphy too.
[…] You won’t be able to smush the brush tips together to get a blended effect, but you can still use a blending pallette and pick up other colors […]
Good One, I like it