Best Procreate Brushes for Lettering & Calligraphy

2026-06-24

Good lettering needs only a few brushes: a pressure-sensitive brush pen for thick-and-thin strokes, a monoline for faux calligraphy and outlines, a calligraphy nib for pointed-pen styles, and a texture brush for finishing. Here's what each does and where to get them free.

The lettering brush kit

Brush pen — pressure-sensitive thick-and-thin strokes (the core).
Monoline — even-weight lines for faux calligraphy and outlines.
Calligraphy nib — pointed-pen and broad-nib styles.
Texture brush — grain, highlights and finishing touches.

1. Brush-pen brushes

This is the heart of modern brush lettering: light pressure gives thin upstrokes, heavy pressure gives thick downstrokes. Look for one with smoothing that suits your hand. The lettering brushes category is the place to start.

2. Monoline brushes

Monolines keep a constant width — perfect for faux calligraphy (write, then thicken downstrokes), bounce lettering, and clean outlines. Every letterer keeps one handy.

3. Calligraphy nib brushes

For pointed-pen and broad-nib looks, calligraphy brushes mimic traditional nibs and ink flow. Browse the calligraphy brushes collection for these.

4. Texture & finishing brushes

A subtle texture or highlight brush adds polish — grainy edges, sparkle, or a chalk feel for finished pieces. Use sparingly so letters stay legible.

Where to download lettering brushes free

You can build the full kit for nothing. The lettering brushsets collection bundles brush pens, monolines and calligraphy brushes, and you can browse all free brushsets too — import any .brushset in one step.

Brushes are only half of it

The right brush won't fix shaky strokes — technique will. Pair this kit with our hand lettering guide and drill the basic strokes.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What are the best Procreate brushes for lettering?

A pressure-sensitive brush pen for thick-and-thin strokes, a monoline for faux calligraphy and outlines, a calligraphy nib for pointed-pen styles, and a texture brush for finishing.

Are there free Procreate lettering brushes?

Yes. You can download free brush-pen, monoline and calligraphy brushsets and import them into Procreate in one step.

What's the difference between a brush pen and a monoline brush?

A brush pen changes width with pressure (thick-and-thin), while a monoline keeps a constant width — useful for faux calligraphy and outlines.

Which brush is best for beginners learning calligraphy?

Start with a smooth pressure-sensitive brush pen and raise the Streamline setting; it makes thick-and-thin strokes easier to control.