ZIG by Kuretake
ZIG by Kuretake: Writing instruments for calligraphy and handlettering
Kuretake is a Japanese stationery brand founded in 1902. The brand offers traditional and innovative writing instruments. Kuretake stands known for its highly pigmented Gansai Tambi water colours and Sumi calligraphy ink. ZIG is the brand name for the markers, pens and brush pens Kuretake has to offer. These wonderful products are great for calligraphy and handlettering. But also for card-making and journaling, and interesting for making illustrations and, for example, colouring stamps.
Kuretake Gansai Tambi
Gansai Tambi is a Japanese traditional quality watercolour paint.
Also called watercolour or Gansai Tambi watercolour in the hobby world.
This watercolour paint is known for its highly pigmented vibrant colours. Mixed with little water, it can even be used as gouache.
Kuretake Gansai Tambi 100 colour set
For enthusiasts, we have a limited edition set of 100 Gansai Tambi colours in our range.
Click here for an overview of all the colours in this unique set.
What is the difference between calligraphy and handlettering?
The difference between calligraphy and handlettering: in calligraphy, you are writing beautiful letters. While in handlettering, you are drawing beautiful letters.
For handlettering, you usually use different materials from calligraphy. With handlettering, you often first make a sketch with pencil, copying different fonts in combination with small illustrations. When you are satisfied, you trace over the drawing with fineliner. In calligraphy, on the other hand, you write the letters directly onto the paper with ink in one fluid movement. For this, you use a crown pen and ink. Nowadays, there are also various pens and markers on the market that produce the same calligraphy effect. The shape of the nib determines the writing. A flat nib gives a different writing than writing with a flexible pointed tip. In the left video below you can see an example of handlettering drawn with a flexible pointed nib. The video on the right shows calligraphy written with a marker with a flat nib.
Handlettering drawn with a crown pen with flexible pointed nib.
Calligraphy written with a marker with a flat nib.
What is brushlettering?
You can also make a round brush with ink. The key is that the pen, marker or brush has a round flexible tip.
A suitable marker for brush lettering is the Fudebiyori marker from ZIG.
In the video below, we explain the basics of brushlettering with the Fudebiyori markers from ZIG.
A step-by-step guide on how to get started with brushlettering:
- Keep your marker in a 40° position.
- Take your time! Don't write at a speed what you are used to writing in your own handwriting. But take your time with each letter.
- The idea is to write the letters from one smooth movement at one pace. Brushlettering is writing letters, not drawing!
- If you write a line upwards then this line is thin.
- When you write a line down then this line is thick.
- Before writing your final text, practise on a sketch sheet.
- The more often you practice, the easier and more natural it feels.
Which ZIG by Kuretake products does KippersHobby have in its range?
Pens
- Cocoiro pens
- Crown pen
- Black fineliners Millennium
- Brush pen Fude Pen
Markers
- Calligraphy emboss pen
- Calligraphy markers Brushables
- Calligraphy markers Fudebiyori
- Calligraphy markers Calligraphy
- Glue pen Way Glue
- Brushmarkers Cambio Tambien
- Clean Colour Dot markers
- Water colour markers Clean Colour Real Brush
- Clean colours Chalk Pastel markers
- Clean colours Metallic markers
- Wink of Luna Brush markers
- Wink of Stella Brush (glitter) markers
- Writer Metallic markers
- Writer of Vellum markers
- Textile marker Zig Laundry Pen
Paint
- Gansai Tambi water colours
- ZIG watercolour set
- Metallic ink
- White ink
- Brushes Menso Brush
- Black ink (Sumi ink)
- Waterbrushes
Discover the entire KippersHobby range of ZIG by Kuretake
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