Good Pen Recommendations?

[Donal]

Got any good Pen recommendations?

I've tried a LOT. Gel pens from walgreens, office depot, art stores. Pigma Microns, regular rollerball pens. Calligraphy pens, couple of different brush pens.

I even took a portable watercolor brush and filled it with ink instead of water. Worked okay. The carbon build-up wasn't so bad that I couldn't use it. It'd just take a minute to liquify again but I'd have to constantly squeeze the pen.

I've heard some good things about the Kuratake Brush Pen, but also heard it isn't waterproof. So quick watercolors on a sketchcrawl would be troublesome to do. And if I'm going to spend 36.00 on a brush pen I'd want it to work well with watercolors.

I've tried the Staedtler's, but they're pretty much the same as Pigma Micron's. Plus, I don't like their "brush" It's really just a pointed sponge that becomes flat and roughed after a lot of use.

I'm looking for something that can give me a good solid line with a quick stroke or gesture, especially on moleskine watercolor paper.

[ethangeorgi]

I use Pigma Microns (005) religiously. And in moleskine watercolor books, too.

The best brush pen I've found is the Faber-Castell PITT brush pen. I don't like a lot of other brush pens because, as you say, they're just a sponge that doesn't keep it's shape. I really like the Faber-Castell PITT brush pen, though.

[Zoe]

I like the Microns, and the Pitts, but also use Tomboys ABT with two sides, a brush and a regular. They hold up well, and draw and write well, too.

One single disadvantage of these over the Pitts and Microns is their size: The Tomboys are nearly 8" long while the traditional Pitts are just over 5-1/2" long.

[annelito]

I just recently discovered the LAMY Safari pen! It's wonderful and now I just can't seem to go back to the Microns, Staedtlers or such that I used to use regularly. The Lamy pen is a fountain pen and it is delivered with ink patrons but you can chose a converter to fill it up with your favourite ink.

This is some kind of a revolution for me!
The Lamy pen is delivered with M-nib (medium size) but you can chose from Super Fine nib, Fine, Medium and a few others.

I can really recommend the Lamy pen. It's cheaper than custom made fountain pens and the nib is so smooth and makes an even line and doesn't stick if the paper is more "toothy" either.

Here is a link:

http://www.lamy.com/eng/b2c/safari/018

Good luck in finding your favourite pen!

[JamieWG]

I'm test driving the new Prismacolor fine tip markers today. I guess they are going to compete with the Pigma microns. I got a set of black from 005 to 08. So far I'm loving them to bits. Waterproof and everything, nice stiff points.

Jamie

[donnam]

Lamy Safari pen with EF nib, using Noodlers Black waterproof ink. Love, love, love it.

[Thorsten]

Enrico just (April 30, 2008) brought up some thoughts on pens on his blog, too:

http://enricocasarosa.com/wordpress.1/2 ... -them-all/

[Andrew]

My current favorite pen is the Sharpie pen. Not the markers, but fine tips pen. It seems to be durable hard tip that is responsive to my movements, and the ink doesn't bleed through even my thin bond paper sketch pads. Does bleed some in manilla and newsprint, but that is to be expected.

Andrew

[sharpclaw]

My primary pens right now are:

Technical Pens: Staedtler MarsMatic 700 pens. I use a set of seven sizes for these and have been using black Daler-Rowney Calli ink until recently (currently out, but I love this ink) and am trying Blick Black Cat india ink.

Brush Pens: Kuretake brush pen and Platinum Pocket brush pen soft, both with Platinum Carbon ink cartridges, and Pentel Pocket brush pen with Pentel FP10 cartridges. Unlike the ink that comes with the Kuretake brush pen, the Platinum Carbon ink is waterproof.

Fountain Pens: Kaweco Sport fountain pens -- fine and medium nibs -- with Noodler's "bulletproof" black ink.

Rollerball Pens: Kaweco Sport ink roller pens (a refillable rollerball pen) with Platinum Carbon ink.

Dip Pens: Speedball dips pens of varying nib sizes with Speedball Super Black india ink.

I am crazy about both pens and ink, so try a lot of both.

[Kendra]

Just posted a reply to a similar question...

Here... and reccommended the Sailor Profit brush pen, which isn't hard to find at PenCity and Ebay.

Hope this helps!

[ctozer]

Agree with the Micron and Sharpie recommendations. I've also had good luck with Pilot gel pens.

[fixwheelmad]

currently using a Sailor Caligraphy fountain pen, takes a little getting used to but the results outway the cheap cost of the pen best £20 i have spent in while

[Rainy]

I have a TON of pens. . . fountain pens, technical pens, gel pens, and more. Some of my favorites though are Sharpie fine line pen (not a marker!!!). These are cheap and waterproof. I buy them by the dozen. Uni-Ball Vision pens. . . same I buy them by the dozen but they are not as fine as the Sharpies. . . they are waterproof. These are my go to pens. As for fountain pens, I like the Lamy Safari, the Noodler Ahab, the Hero one with the fude nib, and the Penmanship pen.