Favorite Brush Pens

When I go out to markets or teach workshops, I often get asked which is my favorite pens. It’s hard to say which is a favorite pen. It all depends on the situation. So I am making a list of my favorite brush pens that I use on paper. For non-paper media, I will create another blog post about that.

When I first started, I used Sakura Pigma Micron. I used this a lot for lettering and drawing lines. The micron pens are amazing and a must have for any beginners. These are perfect for drawing thin lines for rulers. Because I loved the microns so much, I got the brush and the graphic pen. Sadly, I found these last 2 my least favorite tools. The brushes are too soft. And the graphic pens lose ink pretty quickly for large lettering pieces. The safest bet is to use regular ink and paint brush.

I went to a workshop by QED when I was first getting in calligraphy. They were offering an uncial class and the instructor gave us these Sharpie calligraphic pen. They were so neat at first because I didn’t have to worry about ink spillage. They are also pretty cheap. But in my opinion they don’t last long if you are really thinking of doing this more permanently (haha, my silly pun). The edges get frayed so you lose the nice thin lines when doing broad edge writing.

When I was researching lettering with brush pens, everyone on Youtube mentioned Copic. It’s expensive and it bleeds through the paper. But it gives a beautiful watercolor effect. I only use it to create text shadow. And like the Sharpie, the broad edge pen gets frayed over time.

Finally, the Tombow. Everyone talks about this and it’s a fun pen to use. It’s vibrant and colorful. But the tip does fray over time. Another similar brush pen that’s also really good to Tombow is the Zig calligraphy pen, which is a tad bit cheaper (like pennies difference). I also like to teach brush calligraphy with these brush pens.

The Tombow also has the Fudenosuke brush pen which comes in hard or soft. You should get both. This pen always travels with me. I can create writing that’s similar to nib and ink. Before I do my final work, I use this pen as my testing pen. It’s a lifesaver.

These Zig Fudebiyori metallic brush pens were purchased on a whim but they are always in my art box when I go to markets. They are perfect for that extra “pop” on white or black paper. I love them!

Finally, the next are not “brush pens” but they are really amazing pens to have.

The first is the parallel pen. AMAZING. A must have if you are serious about being a calligrapher. I use this to test colors and do quick writing.

I got this Molotow liquid chrome pen in an ArtSnack box once and it’s amazing!!! It looks amazing on non-paper surface, which I’ll talk about next time. It’s a bit expensive but if you have a bit of cash, get it!

And finally, I got this Winsor & Newton watercolor marker once. It was ok. But I wanted to show this to you because you can also use gel pens on top of these markers to create design elements. It’s fun to try and explore.

For me, all these pens are fun pens to learn and start with. I would never use them for final artwork pieces mostly because the color will fade over time. They are less intimidating than ink and nib pens. They are versatile on all paper. And you can pass security at an airport fairly easy with them. But by no mean are they the only brush pens out there. I have several others but I thought this would be a good starting point for anyone interested.

If you’re looking for workshop with me in the NYC area, please contact me! I’d love to teach!