Start with the brushes already in Procreate. A simple monoline brush lets you work on spacing; a pressure-responsive script brush lets you practise thick downstrokes and light upstrokes. Buy another pack when you can name what is missing: a rough ink edge, a particular pen feel, or halftone shading. Of the paid options below, Monomania is the closest fit for pen-like linework. The Rusty Nib is for deliberately rougher marks. Neither is a substitute for learning the letters.
Source review: October 7, 2026. These are research-based recommendations, not hands-on brush tests. The Comics MaxPack link is a referral link; we may earn a commission. The other creator links below are ordinary resource links. Prices, supported formats, and licenses must be checked on the live product page.
Quick picks: start with the mark you need
For your first session, use the included brushes. For a free creator download with a signup requirement, look at Loveleigh Loops below. For paid pen-like lettering, compare Monomania with your existing brushes before buying. The other packs serve more specific projects.
| Brush source | Style or job | Cost type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procreate built-in Lettering and Calligraphy brush sets | First iPad lettering sessions; Monoline practice; Pressure-sensitive calligraphy drills | Included with the paid app | Read the brush handbook |
| The Comics MaxPack | Parallel-pen style marks; Expressive ink lettering; Broad-edge sketch studies | Paid; see current listing | Check price and format |
| Monomania | Pen-like lettering; Logo sketches; Organic linework | Paid; see current listing | Check price and format |
| The Rusty Nib | Rough-edged calligraphy; Poster lettering; Vintage ink effects | Paid; see current listing | Check price and format |
| Beat Tones | Lettering finishes; Halftone shadows; Vintage print texture | Paid; see current listing | Check price and format |
| Loveleigh Loops free calligraphy brush | Calligraphy practice resource | Free download advertised; email signup | View signup and terms |
How these recommendations were chosen
We compared the official Procreate handbook with named creator product pages and their published license information. The existing brush resource directory supplies the destinations. Its older price notes are deliberately not repeated here. We have not measured latency, pressure curves, or resemblance to a physical nib. Those require using the files on the same hardware.
- A named creator and a specific product, rather than a marketplace search.
- A clear purpose: linework, pressure lettering, distressed ink, or finishing effects.
- A Procreate-compatible download, not just a similarly named Photoshop product.
- Useful stroke samples that show the mark at a readable size.
- Published license terms and a clear distinction between finished artwork and redistributing brush files.
- A reason to choose the pack over a brush already included in the app.
Included and free starting points
Procreate's built-in brushes: the first choice for practice
Best for learners who need to discover which strokes feel difficult before spending on extras. Search your library for Monoline and Script; library names and organization can differ between app versions. Choose one simple brush and use it for a whole practice page. Constantly switching brushes makes it harder to tell whether a change came from your hand or the settings.
The advantage is a familiar baseline with no separate brush purchase. The limitation is that an included brush may not make the texture you want for a finished piece. That is a good reason to compare a pack; untidy letter spacing is not. Start with our first Procreate calligraphy session if the app itself is new to you.
- Included in Procreate; the app and hardware are separate purchases.
- Editable settings in Brush Studio.
- Suitable for establishing a repeatable practice setup.
Skip extra purchases for now if: you are still learning how pressure and brush size affect a stroke.
Read the brush handbookLoveleigh Loops: a free calligraphy download with email signup
The creator advertises a free Procreate calligraphy brush through its signup page. This is a named starting resource, not a claim that we tested its response. Expect to provide an email address, and read the signup and download terms. Check what is included when the file arrives; do not assume that a free download grants permission to redistribute it to a class.
Its main benefit is trying another approach without buying a full pack. Skip it if you do not want another newsletter or already have a pressure brush that works for your exercises. The Procreate community discussion linked in our directory is a separate resource, not an IAMPETH-issued Spencerian brush. For historical letter models, use an identified exemplar rather than trusting a file name.
Paid packs for linework and ink texture
The Comics MaxPack: expressive ink work
Best for someone combining lettering with illustrated or comics-style ink work. Max Ulichney sells this as a Procreate brush pack. Our directory places it in the inking group; that makes it a candidate for expressive lettering rather than a dedicated Copperplate course. Inspect the current stroke samples for the particular nib effect you want. A pack can contain useful drawing brushes without replacing the clean script brush you use for drills.
- Named product from MaxPacks / Max Ulichney.
- Procreate pack sold through the creator's Gumroad listing.
- Ink-focused option rather than a general practice curriculum.
The reason to consider it is its inking focus. The trade-off is paying for a broader drawing workflow when you may only need one lettering brush. Check the creator's FAQ for current use and sharing terms.
Skip it if: your only goal is plain monoline handwriting.
Check price and formatMonomania: pen-like lines with some variation
Best for lettering that needs an organic pen or marker appearance. True Grit describes Monomania as monoweight linework with some pressure-enabled variation. That last detail matters: do not buy it expecting every stroke to have mathematically identical width. Compare the listing's samples with your logo sketch, signature, or heading. For learning even spacing, an included Monoline brush is still a reasonable starting point.
- Pen and marker-style linework.
- Some pressure-dependent variation, according to the creator.
- Choose the Procreate format at purchase.
Its appeal is a less mechanical line. Its limitation is the same variation if you want strictly uniform outlines. Our faux calligraphy lesson explains how to build shaded letters manually without needing a new pressure brush.
Skip it if: the included monoline tools already produce the look you need.
Check price and formatThe Rusty Nib: deliberately irregular ink
Best for poster lettering and artwork where rough edges belong in the design. The creator describes brushes built from analog brush and texture samples. That supports an ink-texture recommendation, not a claim that the files behave exactly like a pointed pen. Look at both large and small lettering samples. A texture that looks good in a close-up can make a small word difficult to read.
- Ink and texture-based stroke styles.
- Analog source samples described by the creator.
- Multiple app formats are advertised; select Procreate.
The benefit is purposeful irregularity. The drawback is that roughness can hide the edges you are trying to study during a drill. Keep a clean practice brush beside it, and use the script style overview to choose the underlying letter model first.
Skip it if: you are comparing fine hairlines or diagnosing uneven letter construction.
Check price and formatA finishing pack, not a starter brush
Beat Tones: halftone shading around finished lettering
Best for adding dot or line shading after the word already reads well. True Grit describes layerable halftone fills and graduated shading. Think of this as an effect for a finished composition, not the tool that teaches you to form an oval. Work on a separate layer so you can hide the effect and check whether the lettering is still legible. You should be able to explain what the shading adds before buying it.
- Halftone dot and line fills.
- Layerable tones.
- A finishing effect rather than a pressure-lettering lesson.
It can save the work of drawing repeated dots by hand. It also adds another purchase and another set of choices to a workflow that may not need them. Read the current True Grit license: permitted finished artwork does not mean you can share the source brushes, and some commercial uses require an extended license.
Skip it if: you want your first calligraphy brush or simple black lettering on a white page.
Check price and formatChoose a brush by testing the same short page
Draw light upstrokes, shaded downstrokes, ovals, a compound curve, and the same short word. Keep the canvas size, zoom, and brush size fixed. Try the included brush first, then a sample if the creator provides one. Compare where the line thickens, how the taper ends, and whether slow curves reveal unwanted wobble. A seller's polished artwork cannot answer all of those questions for your hand.
For a script exercise, follow the letterforms in our Procreate lettering guide. For spacing, try a word from the cursive generator as a visual reference, not a stroke-order lesson. The practice sheet generator provides paper tracing for a separate off-screen session. The letter-spacing tool helps you compare the gaps in a word.
If no pressure-sensitive brush changes weight, check the hardware before shopping. Apple Pencil (USB-C) has no pressure sensitivity. Our iPad and Pencil compatibility guide explains which pairings support pressure. A new brush cannot add a sensor that your stylus does not have.
Free vs. paid: what you are actually buying
Included brushes avoid another purchase and another download. A free creator brush may require email signup; community files need a clear author and license. A paid pack should offer a specific useful mark, documentation, or a format you need. Brush count alone is a poor reason to buy. Ten variations you cannot distinguish are ten more things to scroll past.
Copperplate and blackletter labels are not quality standards. For Copperplate practice, check fine strokes and pressure contrast. For broad-edge Gothic lettering, examine how the simulated nib angle affects the mark. Neither label guarantees historically accurate letterforms. A focused calligraphy book may answer a construction question better than another pack.
Install, name, and back up a brush
- Download from the creator or seller. Extract an archive in Files if necessary.
- In the Brush Library, use the menu's Import from Files option and select the supported file.
- Find the imported brush or set and make a test stroke before deleting the original download.
- Duplicate a brush before changing settings so you can compare against the original.
- Export a backup and confirm you can import it again. Check cloud sync before working offline.
Procreate's import and sharing handbook documents .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary, and supported .abr imports. A Procreate file is not automatically compatible with another drawing app. Follow the instructions for your installed version rather than an old screenshot; the library interface has changed.
Our shop does not currently sell a published Procreate brush pack. Printable font-tracing sheets are a different product, so there is no brush checkout recommendation here. Continue with the cursive lettering workflow or plan a short session using the practice guide.