Handsandpens

My Favourite Pens

Hey guys 🙂

This blog post is wayyyy overdue! So many of you have been asking me for a list of my favourite pens and where to get them, but I’ve had nothing but an old 2018 post to direct you to 😭 I am genuinely so sorry!

While I still actively use the pens I recommended in my previous post, I thought I’d include other pens (besides just brush pens) because I’ve been exploring a lot outside of brush calligraphy as of late. So here it goes!

 

1. Tombow ABT Dual Brush Pens
As some of you may know, I don’t use a lot of colour in my work, but when I do, I usually use this to add a dash of colour. This pen has got a nice thick brush on one side and a marker on the other side, and the pigment is great! It builds really nicely as well. I find that using a brush to colour (especially flowers) gives a really nice raw and natural finish to it, which I really like. In terms of calligraphy, it allows you to produce really nice and thick downstrokes and beautiful upstrokes. It’s relatively easy to control, although with time, as with most brush pens, the brush does lose a bit of its sturdiness.
Get it here : https://www.jetpens.com/Tombow-Dual-Brush-Pen-873-Coral/pd/16178

 

2. Pilot Fude Makase (Fine, Black)
This is the pen I use the most for fine, brush lettering. I always keep a few of these with me just because they’re my absolute favourite brush pen! They’ve got a nice bullet tip that’s super easy to control. I love using this when flourishing because of the control that comes with the bullet tip. Love the pigment of the ink as well! It’s a relatively small tip though, so if you’re hoping to draw on larger surfaces, this is probably not going to give you very thick downstrokes.
Get it here : https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Fude-Makase-Color-Brush-Pen-Fine-Black/pd/18390

 

3. Pilot Fude Makase (Fine, Grey)
This is another staple of mine! I love using this for adding shadows to my calligraphy or for detailing! The brush tip is exactly like the black one. The grey ink is not as pigmented as the black brush pen, which in my opinion, is great because that’s what helps it create really nice subtle shadows. Its sturdy bullet tip allows for *very gentle* stippling here and there as well. It’s overall a really good pen to add those finishing touches.
Get it here : https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Fude-Makase-Color-Brush-Pen-Fine-Gray/pd/18392

 

4. Artline Drawing System Fine Liner 0.2
I’ve tried a couple of fine liners over the years and this has to be one of my favourites. It’s got a really sturdy tip which I take full advantage of when stippling. Another thing I love about this pen is it dries super quickly! This reduces smudges, which is a huge bonus especially if you’re working with many layers of ink. It’s also waterproof, so you technically can use watercolour on top of it. I’ve personally never tried it with watercolour, but I’ve tried it with my Pentel Aquash and I’ve had no problems! The best thing about these pens is they don’t bleed half as much as most fine liners do.

 

5. Artline Drawing System Fine Liner 0.8
This is the pen I use for most of my serifs and block letters. It’s such a solid pen! It’s got a great, thick nib that doesn’t fray, split or bend (because trust me, it’s not nice to say goodbye to a pen while stippling 😭). It dries super quickly and it’s waterproof, just like the 0.2 version. The ink is nice and pigmented (not sure if it’s archival, but based on my experience, it stays that way over the years) and the black ink is nice and deep. It works really nicely over a range of mediums, I’ve even managed to use this on glossy photo paper too!
Get them here (I couldn’t find a link to individual pens 🙁 ) : https://www.amazon.com/Artline-Drawing-Fineliner-Pens-System/dp/B00E3JPAF4

 

6. Pilot Futayaku Double-Sided Brush Pen
I love the versatility of this brush pen! It’s got a medium tip on one end and a fine tip on the other, which gives you a nice range to work with, depending on the width of the downstrokes you’re trying to create. One thing to note is that the fine tip is a lot more sturdy than the medium tip. The medium brush is a lot more flexible, and it tends to fray a bit quicker than the fine tip. The black ink is really rich and deep. However, it isn’t waterproof, it’s water-resistant, so it’s best to be careful when working with watercolours. It’s a great deal if you want to have both tips for the price of one!
Get it here : https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Futayaku-Double-Sided-Brush-Pen-Fine-Medium-Black-Ink/pd/10673

 

And that, my friends, are the pens I’ve been using! I hope it’s helped you guys out in one way or another. Also, just a quick disclaimer : I’ve never actually ordered my pens online, I always purchase them in person, but I’ve left those links for you just so I could direct you to them! Another thing I just wanna quickly mention is that, these pens are great for my style of work and they’re really compatible with what I do, but everyone is different and that’s okay! Don’t feel limited by your tools, make the most of what you have!

Always remember to store your double-sided pens horizontally and the rest of them vertically with the tip facing down to maximise their lifespan. If you’ve got any questions or have any feedback, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram!

 

Till next time!