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Quick answer
The Speedball Elegant Writer is a calligraphy marker with a chisel nib of porous plastic and acid-free, non-permanent ink. Speedball sells it in five nib widths from 1.3 to 3.5 mm, singly and in sets. It's a long-time beginner favorite for italic and gothic lettering, and the ink spreads into a wash with water.
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A Speedball Elegant Writer, drawn in proportion: Speedball doesn't publish its length.
Product facts
Product
Speedball Elegant Writer calligraphy marker, black (chisel nib, 1.3–3.5 mm)
$under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Ink
Black, 1.3–3.5 mm chisel
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Notes on these facts
Made by Speedball Art Products, Statesville, North Carolina. Country of manufacture not stated: Speedball's product page and the Amazon and Staples listings we read don't state where the Elegant Writer markers are made (checked October 22, 2026). Speedball is based in Statesville, North Carolina, but its US-made badge appears on other products, not this one. Price: example listing.
Colors: names per Speedball, checked October 24, 2026. Speedball sells the single Elegant Writer marker only in black ("acid-free ink in rich black"), with 1.3, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 mm chisel tips. Other colors come only in its sets: Staples lists brown, green, blue and red in sets 2881 and 2882. The tint was sampled from the marker's black end plug in Speedball's product photo. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
Speedball sells the black Elegant Writer in 5 chisel widths: 1.3, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 mm.
Speedball says the line has been a trusted calligraphy tool for over four decades.
The ink is acid-free and non-permanent, so a wet brush turns lines into gradient washes, which Speedball says illustrators now use.
On October 22, 2026 the black Elegant Writer had about 3,300 Amazon US ratings averaging 4.6 stars, with 700+ bought in the past month.
Speedball also makes Metallic, Permanent and Dual-Tipped Elegant Writers, plus 6- and 12-piece sets.
What is the Speedball Elegant Writer?
It’s a calligraphy marker: a felt-pen body with a crisp chisel nib that makes thick and thin strokes as you change direction. Speedball, the American maker of dip pens, nibs and printmaking supplies, says the line has been a trusted calligraphy tool for over four decades.
Because there’s no ink to dip, it’s the usual first tool in calligraphy classes for italic, gothic and uncial hands. Staples’ listing says the nibs are made of durable porous plastic that starts sharp and stays sharp.
How popular is it?
On October 22, 2026, the black Elegant Writer had about 3,300 Amazon US ratings averaging 4.6 stars, with 700+ bought in the past month. It was in the top 50 of Amazon’s Drawing Pens best sellers that day.
Speedball’s assorted fine and medium sets each had several hundred more ratings.
Speedball Elegant Writer specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Speedball Art Products, Statesville, North Carolina
Type
Calligraphy marker, chisel nib
Nib
Porous plastic chisel
Widths (black)
1.3, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 mm
Ink
Water-based, acid-free, non-permanent
Sold as
Single markers, 12-packs, 6- and 12-piece sets
Made in
Not stated
Widths come from Speedball’s product page. Speedball doesn’t publish the marker’s length, so our cover is drawn in proportion.
The five black Elegant Writer widths at 1 mm = 24 px, as the broad stroke each nib makes.
Which nib width should you start with?
Start with 2.0 to 3.0 mm, which gives letters big enough to see the thick-and-thin pattern clearly. A UK retailer sells the 2.0 mm as the fine (2841), and Speedball’s black 4-marker set pairs two fines with a medium and a broad.
Wider nibs suit headings and posters; the 1.3 mm suits addresses and place cards. The rule of thumb in broad-edge calligraphy is that letter height is measured in nib widths, so a wider nib means bigger letters.
Can you blend or wash the ink?
Yes: the ink is non-permanent, and Speedball says water activates it into gradient washes. Speedball notes that illustrators and watercolorists have adopted the markers for that effect.
The same property means a drop of water ruins finished lettering. For envelopes that may get wet, Speedball sells a Permanent Elegant Writer, and a Metallic version for dark paper.
Which Elegant Writer versions are there?
Besides the standard black, Speedball sells Metallic, Permanent and Dual-Tipped Elegant Writers, plus assorted sets. The standard black is the one with the five nib widths and the washable ink.
The color sets mix inks. Staples lists set 2881 (fine) and 2882 (medium) with six markers each: two black plus brown, green, blue and red. Staples also describes a Special Occasion set aimed at lettering for holidays, weddings and anniversaries.
The Permanent version suits addressed envelopes, and the Metallic version shows on dark paper. Speedball sells 6-piece and 12-piece sets as well as single markers and 12-packs of black.
How does it compare with other calligraphy pens?
Choose the Elegant Writer for cheap, no-mess practice, and the Pilot Parallel when you want a sharper edge and refillable ink.
Speedball doesn’t say on the pages we read. Speedball Art Products is headquartered in Statesville, North Carolina, but neither its product page nor the Amazon and Staples listings give a country of manufacture, so check the package.
Frequently asked questions
What sizes does the Speedball Elegant Writer come in?
Speedball sells black Elegant Writers in five chisel widths: 1.3, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 mm. Sets usually combine fine, medium and broad nibs.
Is Elegant Writer ink waterproof?
No. Staples' listing calls the ink non-toxic, acid-free and non-permanent, and Speedball says water activates it into gradient washes. For water-resistant lines, Speedball sells a separate Permanent Elegant Writer.
Is the Elegant Writer good for beginners?
Yes. A chisel marker needs no dipping or ink bottle, so you can practice letter shapes and pen angle straight away. Speedball's black 4-marker set includes an instruction booklet.
Can you use the Elegant Writer for modern brush lettering?
Not really: its rigid chisel makes thick and thin strokes from the pen angle, not from pressure. For pressure-based brush script, use a brush pen.
What is in the Speedball 2880 set?
Per Staples' listing, set 2880 holds 1 broad, 1 medium and 2 fine black markers plus an instruction booklet; sets 2881 and 2882 hold six fine or medium markers in assorted colors.
Is the Speedball Elegant Writer made in the USA?
Speedball doesn't say on the product pages we read. Speedball Art Products is based in Statesville, North Carolina.
What colors does the Speedball Elegant Writer come in?
Speedball sells the single marker in black only, in five chisel widths from 1.3 to 3.5 mm. Colors such as brown, green, blue and red come only in the assorted 6-marker sets.
