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How To Transition From Small to Big Brush Pens

The Happy Ever Crafter

14,927 views

In this video, I’m walking you through the 3 biggest mistakes people make when switching from small brush pens to a big brush pen.

Want more practice? Check out my workbooks (sized specifically for small AND big brush pens): https://www.thehappyevercrafter.com/p...

You’ll learn:

✔️ Why the scale of your writing matters
✔️ How to hold a big brush pen
✔️ How to make smooth upstrokes with a big pen
✔️ AND SO MUCH MORE!

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👉🏻 Get my 50-page guide of ALL the supplies I use in my calligraphy work: https://www.thehappyevercrafter.com/s...

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The links below may be affiliate links where appropriate. This means that your purchase through these links may result in a few cents in payment to me, to support creating further resources like this one! That being said, I will never suggest supplies that I do not personally use and fully recommend.

Tools mentioned in this video:

✔️ Rhodia Paper: https://amzn.to/30PRZmI
✔️ Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen: https://amzn.to/2CT752W
✔️ Tombow Dual Brush Pen: https://amzn.to/2EnoYqR

About The Happy Ever Crafter:
Welcome to my channel! I'm Becca and I do & teach modern calligraphy. On this channel, you'll find all my most requested modern calligraphy tutorials, tips & tricks!.

✍🏻 Want my free 50-page guide of ALL the supplies I use in my calligraphy work? Find that here: https://www.thehappyevercrafter.com/s...

😯 Sign up for my FREE calligraphy course:
http://www.showmeyourdrills.com/

🤷🏻‍♀️ Want to learn even more about calligraphy? Check out my website!
https://www.thehappyevercrafter.com

👋🏻 Stay in touch with me:
Instagram: Instagram: thehappyevercrafter
E-mail: hello@thehappyevercrafter.com

20 Comments

@sydneymancini7109 6 years ago

when i started lettering I didn’t even know about the small pens and only about the large brush pens! 😂

@JewelrybyJeanette 6 years ago

All 3 tips were game-changers for me - especially #3!

@sujanamulaparti1220 4 years ago

I just switched from small pen to big pen and I made all three mistakes 😁. You spoke as if you just looked at what I have just done.. love you to the moon for all the tips you share ❤️

@Cherrybomb510 1 year ago

A-ha! Moment: Holding pen perpendicular to page & at 45° angle. Instantly improved my practice!

@krisgcarter 6 years ago

I have started going through your worksheets for big pens and I kept trying to make the upstrokes as small as possible. This video was SO helpful. Now I know that the upstrokes don't have to be as thin as with the small brush pen. Game Changer!

@tinatimos6959 4 years ago

OMG Becca I am doing Minuscule's at the moment and started on the big pens last week. Honestly the Big Pen felt intimating and I panicked. The last day for Minuscule's is this Friday 25th March. I desperately wrote in the comments section on teachable for advise, feedback and some guidance. I got no response. I just watched the second video on extra help for Minuscules and you mentioned something about Big pens and having the FAQ's & SMYD having a lot of helpful video's. So I went back went through all the videos until I got to Other Helpful Supplies. 😍

@lamontokc3136 4 months ago

Since your filigree is symmetrical you could flip the tracing paper and trace over it to transfer it

@mai-brittlarsen7526 6 years ago

For sure my biggest problem I see now is making the upstrokes thinner than actual possible with a big pen😱 Thanks!

@macabredisguise4852 6 years ago (edited)

I had a complete opposite problem - I switched from big to small and couldn't get what I was doing wrong. Now I understand.

@priyashreenaskar3379 6 years ago

Right now I am a beginner and using small pens. This video will definitely be very helpful when I will switch to bigger ones. Thank you for this video.
Love from India.

@pata1925 6 years ago

I was smiling through the entire lesson because I felt like you were talking about me. I am doing all those mistakes and can’t wait to try again. Thank you

@justjanem7874 6 years ago

Can’t help but smile when I see your ring! Love your new nail polish color. I was doing #3 trying to make the upstroke super thin!

@lelucio98 6 years ago

Your tutorials always come at the perfect time for me.....I am struggling with big pens....last night was frustrating!...Thank you, I love you and your tutorials!!! They are the best!!!

@suranjabarat5457 6 years ago

Well unbelievably it was today morning that I ordered the Dual brush pens! So essentially I will NOT be making these mistakes, thanks a lot to you as always! ❤️ So helpful!

@PeacockPigment 6 years ago

I've definitely been writing too small with my big pens! Thank you for these tips!

@billwendt9571 4 years ago

Becca,
THANK YOU SOooo MUCH! I recently switched from a Tombow Fudensuke to a Kuretake #13 (because I can refill the ink converter) and I was having lots of trouble with fine lines, scale and (yes I forgot) to keep my paper perpendicular to the pen. Maybe it's time to go back and re-watch your basic videos.
Again Thx - You're the BEST,
Bill

@henryhoneydelvalle6199 6 years ago

I was definitely making the mistake of trying to get a super thin upstroke 💡! And now I have a lot of Big Pen workbooks I need to go download lol

@evonnesakhrani9515 6 years ago

❤ i started with a big pen but with your advice i purchased the tombow fudenosuke!!!!! And now it is my fave. Too!!!😆
Video request: A video about how to use grids for big pens and small pens pls!!!!

@vanessapoppy7875 6 years ago (edited)

Great tips Becca! To me the big pen felt like using a paint brush after using a small pen. l had to master almost floating above the page to get the right strokes. After days and days of practicing it finally clicked. Don’t give up if you are struggling!