Calligraphy pens are the main "tool" you use when writing calligraphy. To be successful you don't always need to buy the most expensive pen on the market. There are different kinds of pens; traditionally pens were made of a separate steel nib and a nib holder. Steel nibs are either broad or pointed. The broad nibs are used for most calligraphy work and the pointed nib is used for copperplate lettering which is a more specialised form of calligraphy. Broad nib pens either have the ink reservoir can either be attached or separately packaged. Copperplating pens (pointed nibs) don't normally have an attached reservoir, as a large supply of ink can inhibit the flexibility of the nib. Typically, you can purchase a package which contains 1 to 3 nib holders and 3 to 10 different sized nibs.

A more modern development is using plastic as part of the nib or sometimes the nibs are made are made completely of plastic, the idea behind these pens are to enable the writer to create clearer, crisper letters by ensuring an even flow of ink and a cleaner nib. However, these pens haven't achieved this yet.

A third type of pen is a felt tip pen. These are self contained and have soft plastic nibs which make them comfortable to write with. The inks used in these pens are brilliant in intensity and density. These pens come in an enormous variety of colors. I would recommend any beginner calligrapher to start with felt-tip pens, they are easy to use without the hassle of having to clean the nibs and replace the ink when wanting to change color. Making them an excellent choice for decorating scrapbooks, these can be a more expensive option though as they do loose their sharpness over time. And if you wanted to be more serious about creating calligraphy you would probably want to invest in a set of metal nib calligraphy pens.

Other points that you need to consider before buying a calligraphy pen:

Another important aspect before choosing a calligraphy pens is the size and weight. Some calligraphy pens can be quite big and heavy in size so make sure that you first try it making sure that it fits comfortably in your hand and that it does not feel "heavy". If you are writing for an extended period a heavy pen will strain and fatigue your wrist.