Pens: A Basic Outline

So for most people finding pens can be a bit daunting but if you’re like me you just help yourself to every free pen you can get your hands on and learn the crash course style. But for those wanting to invest and possibly use pens for some thing more then just a way to clutter your desk here are few things the hours of hording pens has taught me.

Ballpoint
Key points; They are readily available and can be found for free or next to nothing. They come in an assortment of colors the most basic being red, black, green and blue.
Pros/Uses: If you have a steady hand they can be used to ink a drawing but they also behave in a pencil like fashion. They are wonderful for achieving varying tones and textures and depth to a picture.
Con’s; They often can get an bubble in the ink part of the pen resulting in an uneven flow of ink or they just plain don’t work no matter how much you scribble with them. If you don’t wait when you ink some thing you are bound to smudge your ink because it doesn’t dry quickly. Some times when they are erased they can discolor and leave your lines looking odd. Most are not waterproof nor fade proof so use at your own risk with wet media.
Things to try: Do a pen sketch and CG it leaves that sketchy feel but is dark enough to scan right. Color pencils and Ball point pens.
If they break; Toss it out find a new one or if the ink quits flowing with a Bic pen take a lighter and heat the tip of the pen just enough o make it warm.

Kerry’s Opinion: Useful keep a few on hand for those I need to sketch something

Gellpens
Key points; They come in every color you could ever need want or imagine, They are relatively cheep and easy to find.
Pros’; A white gellpen can add an extra amount of depth to a picture by making shines and reflections. They often act just like ball points and can be used to mimic many things you can do with ballpoints with a billion more colors. When laid down at first they can be very deep and right for a black inking pen.
Con’s; When you erase this pen will often lift up a bit of the ink lightening and often making your line work splotchy and like a ball point if it wasn’t dry it was smear ruining your lines. Not waterproof either so watch with use of water medias. Bad for Homework if you use neon.
Fun things; The neon like gellpens and black paper. Lighting and metallic ones can add a fun edge when you are trying to do metals. White gellpen= shiny love.
If they break; Pout and buy new.
Keery’s Opinion: the white one are good and the rest are just for special effects not worth and investment really.

Sharpies
Key points; Available nearly any place come in a vast amount of colors including metallic. They have a variable size to the pen ranging from fine to uber thick.
Pros; They produce a solid black line and can be used to color large spaces of black with only minor overlaps. Erasing with them is safe and as far as I can tell no discoloration and smudging as they dry quickly. Non toxic for the most part….
Cons’ ; They are makers and will dry out. Work in a well ventilated space they are alcohol based and can get interesting after prolonged use. If you press down you get a splotch as the ink soaks in to the paper so you have to watch what you are doing or you can get splotchy parts to your lines. Some papers react interestingly to it and the off brands can be a bit discolored.
Fun things; Try designing tattoos with them. Monotone chibis and headshots are fun and quick. If they dry out you can still use them for shading with lighter grays.
If they break; Panic and buy more.
Kerry’s Opinion: Worth it. I have assortments for not just inking but theatre and would die with out my sharpie stash.


Sakura Microns
Key points ; They come in a verity of sizes and colors and are waterproof fade proof and often archive quality ink.
Pros’: These pens are very versatile as you can get them to be hair thin to a good thick pen. They are made with a felt like tip that doesn’t clog or back up like ball points. They dry quickly and I’ve never had problems with them smudging. They are good to use with wet medias and Prisma makers. They are made in Japan.
Cons’: They are EXPENSIVE! (Unless you know how to dig in the sale bins >>) They can dry out.
Fun things; Ink a Manga page.
If they break; Cry and be in a panic, buy more and guard with life.
Kerry’s Opinion; I couldn’t live with out them now they are the best pen I have ever picked up and I use them on my Theatre stuff as I know they will hold out when I watercolor and when I use markers.

Traditional Nib and Ink pens
Key points; They produce by far the most assorted lines you can find out of any pen you can also get in a wide range of colors.
Pros’; India ink is very rich and produces one of the best black colors you’ll find out of any ink. They are relatively inexpensive for a basic set. You’ll find professional Manga artist using these. They also can double as calligraphy pens adding another element to your art.
Cons’; Mess as all get out you have non confined ink and should never be used with “helpful” kitties or siblings.. Require a bit of practice to master the use of one if you have never picked one up.
Fun things; Try doing a few sketched with a nib they produce a fun texture and depth to a drawing.
Kerry’s Opinion: A fun option to have a bout but too much of a hassle to use regularly for my tastes.

More to come as I dig out my pen stashes… Feel free to ask for certain types of pens if you want to know more I have a good stash so chances are I’ve used it and can give you some feed back.
Also keep in mind all of the above is my opinion and what I have observed as I use pens in my work so by all means go out try some stuff and realize what works for one isn’t for all and that I’m not really saying one is better then another either so we will not have that debate here.