# Calligraphy Penmanship

> Digital pointed pen calligraphy and lettering art creation tool. (iPhone/iPad app by Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-penmanship/id1114008183 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon](https://appshunter.io/developer/417852567)
- Category: Entertainment, Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.40/5 from 843 App Store ratings · 113 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 9.0 · 306 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), Chinese (Simplified, China)
- Released: 2016-05-28
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-penmanship/id1114008183/reviews.md

## What is Calligraphy Penmanship?

Most of penmen use only a pointed pen to create all their artworks. This seems incredible to realize digitally on a mobile device. Except if you have in hands the appropriate tool and an excellent app.

Calligraphy Penmanship is bringing the best experience ever to calligraphers and letters lovers to create digital artworks on a famous mobile device.  

Just use it like a pointed ink pen. A tiny variation of your hand pressure will create elegant and majestic shades. 

We have added a bonus to your freehand drawing: the ability to adjust to your hand the pressure and smoothness of the pen. The fineness of the strokes is really surprising. 

We have found some advantages of the digital Penmanship:

- You don't need to reload your pen with ink.

- You don't need to clean your pen nibs when changing the colors.

- The undo function let you create a great number of variation of a single stroke. Free your imagination without pain.

Main features:

- Flourished hands to learn and practice Penmanship. The most important technique to master is to push or pull your pencil in order to create thin and fat lines in one single stroke.

- Learning: you can evaluate your progress with stroke by stroke exercises. Try your best to trace the models and hit the high scores. This is the best way to understand the anatomy of each letter. and each decorative curve. 

- Training: with each letter, a full training page provides models to trace, guide lines and grids.

- Learn to decorate beautifully your lettering works. You can find simple patterns to trace, to change or to improve. With this updated version, you have the ability to create ornamental frames where to insert your works.

Frame creating is based on a multiple combination of different types of symmetry drawing. This function is really easy to understand and practice.

- Want to create your own lettering words and quotes ? Try out the text typing keyboard. How it works: type your text, validate, then trace them with embellishments and ornaments.

- A set of plain color for your pen. But also two specific effects: gradient and alternated colors. This is on of our best deal for unique lettering creations.

- A 3 day free trial is activated when you open the app for the first time. Enough time to have the pleasure to perform your lettering.

What's your next project ? Why not sending a beautifully framed quote or invitation to a friend, entirely created with your lettering ?

Warning: even you can draw with your fingers, this app offers the best experience with the Apple Pencil.

## Key features

- Realistic pointed pen simulation
- Adjustable pressure and smoothness
- Stroke-by-stroke learning exercises
- Letter tracing with guide lines
- Ornamental frame creation
- Text typing with embellishments
- Gradient and alternated color effects

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Old School French Cursive Hand | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock tools and 6 basic alphabets | $3.99 | one-time |
| Copperplate Hand | $1.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Calligraphy Penmanship?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 👍 Great for practicing calligraphy
- 💡 Variety of fonts and styles
- 🚀 Responsive with Apple Pencil
- 😊 Enjoyable and relaxing to use

**Cons**

- 🐛 Lag and delay when writing
- 💰 Paid version required to access full features
- 🤔 Unclear trial period and payment model
- 👨‍🦰 Not very user-friendly for left-handed users

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and app freezes
- Issues with in-app purchases and restoring purchases
- Incompatibility with certain devices and iOS versions

**Most requested features**

- More font and style options
- Ability to move and resize letter guides
- Improved pressure sensitivity and responsiveness
- Option to switch sidebar to right side for lefties

## Recent user reviews (10 of 113)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-penmanship/id1114008183/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Idk

*2026-05-31, version 4.5*

Can you make calligraphy art free?

### 5/5 — Sup

*2025-04-03, version 3.9*

I love this app because it is so dang good yeah I also like the style

### 2/5 — Doesn't remember I bought it

*2024-02-28, version 3.5*

I have to continually delete app and reinstall as it is only loading trial version even though I paid for it. Otherwise, I like it.

### 2/5 — Free?

*2023-09-23, version 3.4*

This app is appearing to be free with "in-app" purchases. To me that means there are some things you can do for free, however, the only thing that you can click on is the dang guide. Why don't you just advertise this for what it is, a paid app. This is false a advertisement and it's not appreciated. I'm not sure if I even want to pay the $3.99 for it after being lied to. It didn't even come with a "try it before you buy it" warning. 
2 stars for your dishonesty.

### 5/5 — Супер)

*2023-08-15, version 3.4*

Мне очень нравится это приложение. Но немного опаздывает за линией стилус)

### 5/5 — "Don’t listen to nay-sayers. This app is fantastic!

*2023-07-10, version 3.3*

I am a long-time calligrapher. It’s great you get to try beforehand.
The minimal amount you pay after trial is so worth it.

### 5/5 — Relajante

*2023-06-24, version 3.3*

Muy relajante, cómoda con muchas posibilidades y fácil de usar. La recomiendo

### 3/5 — Glitches

*2023-04-20, version 3.3*

This app is cool for drawing and handwriting, but it glitches out A LOT! I’ve had drawings that have taken me hours and even days to draw, and the app glitches out and I lose all my work. Sometimes it even saves as a draft 1, only to save as a layered drawing.

### 4/5 — Very nice app for calligraphy

*2023-02-22, version 3.2*

it’s very amazing app but the developers should make it free as it is the app everybody should try

### 5/5 — Excellent

*2023-01-14, version 3.2*

Loved it and hence paid - use it a lot for sending personalised handwritten messages instead of monotonous downloaded
Images

## Frequently asked questions about Calligraphy Penmanship

### What is Calligraphy Penmanship?

Calligraphy Penmanship is a mobile application designed to provide a realistic digital pointed pen experience for creating calligraphy and lettering artworks. It allows users to simulate the pressure variations of a traditional pen to achieve elegant shades and fine strokes.

### What are the main features of this app?

Key features include a realistic pointed pen simulation with adjustable pressure and smoothness, stroke-by-stroke learning exercises for practicing penmanship, training pages with guide lines for letters, ornamental frame creation, text typing with embellishments, and unique pen color effects like gradient and alternated colors.

### Is this app free to use?

The app offers a 3-day free trial upon first opening. After the trial, it operates on a freemium model, meaning there are in-app purchases available for full functionality and advanced features.

### What devices is this app compatible with?

The app is designed for mobile devices. While it can be used with fingers, it offers the best experience when used with an Apple Pencil for precise control and pressure sensitivity.

### Who would benefit from using this app?

This app is ideal for aspiring and experienced calligraphers, lettering artists, graphic designers, and anyone interested in digital art and typography. It's a great tool for learning penmanship techniques, practicing lettering, and creating beautiful framed quotes or invitations.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.5 — 2026-02-25

Version 4.5:

General performance improvement
User interface enhancement

### 4.3.1 — 2026-02-19

Version 4.3.1:

minor bug fixes

### 4.3 — 2026-02-15

Version 4.3:

- Fench Cursive, a traditional calligraphic hand is added for in-app purchase. 
- A new feature for creating frames and borders easily with stickers
- User interface improvements

### 4.2 — 2026-01-13

Version 4.2:

- We have implemented an amazing function to decorate your writings: arrange or raw stickers. Create borders, frames, and many more decorations
- Minors bug fixes

### 4.1 — 2025-11-11

Version 4.1:

We have added a new Copperplate hand for learning and training. This alphabet is entirely handmade.
Bug fixes

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## More apps by Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon

- [Drawing Box](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawing-box/id417852564)
- [Drawing Box Ltd](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawing-box-ltd/id417861734)
- [Calligraphy Art](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-art/id434085666)
- [Magic Draw Wondershape](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-draw-wondershape/id488716042)
- [Calligraphy Handbook](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-handbook/id830584075)
- [e Folding](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/e-folding/id955285305)

All apps by Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon: https://appshunter.io/developer/417852567

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*