Hello, I'm Sarah Ensign! I'm a hand lettering artist and creator of Ensign Insights where I teach hand lettering. I started hand lettering during a difficult time in 2016 as a way to remind myself how to be happy. I'm passionate about helping you create hand lettering that feels like your best self.
In 2021, I experienced extreme burnout. I started a hand lettering journal simply to make it through each day. It has been an amazing creative outlet and a tangible way to use my hand lettering to feel like my best self!
I can't wait to share more about a hand lettering journal to inspire you to create your own!
Remember, the way you create right now is exactly where you need to be. You're doing great. :)
And here I thought I had half of the collection. Thought I was missing just 12 colors and that was expensive enough to not been able to get them yet 😂 But look at those colors… how can I not want these. Even the neons are a great addition for just a tiny bit of pop. Guess I better start saving for these 😅 Though maybe not all, think I may wanna get some in the Tombow Fudenosuke instead. To know whether I’d prefer one or the other in the future. They are too similar for my sporadic use and budget to get both. Loved this video. It’s indeed more fun to have this one in this style after a “regular” review for previous colors
Great video. I just got my first set of Pentel Sign pens. I actually got the Pentel Brush Sign Twin set of 30 colors. One end is the sign pen and the other is the normal brush pen tip. I absolutely love them. Now I have to figure out which 6 colors I don’t have.
I started using Pentel Sign Pens waaay back around 1968 (the originals; not the brush tip, but a felt tip) in junior high/middle school in my daily writing. The felt tips would mash down with use, making the effect somewhat like a calligraphy pen in that I could make both thin and thick lines. I rediscovered them about 15 - 20 years ago and delightedly bought a few, and was not disappointed; the tips mash down just the same way. I didn't know that Pentel was even still around, let alone making such wonderful items! I've never run across anyone who even knows about Pentels, much less uses them. I will have to take a look at these for my own crafting (mostly coloring rather than lettering). Thanks for letting me share a memory!
One thing I’ve seen other testers do is layer color to be more vivid. Like on the BEAUTIFY... It may have provided even more contrast to go over the letters one more time.
Thank you for this video. I'm wishing that the 2020 group had a yellow and an orange hue in them that were slightly different than the ones in the original 12. Seems like that would have been a better balance. Wonder why they didn't. Oh well.
Hi! Thanks for including me in your video 🤩 I just retested my 12 new Pentels, and you’re right, the fluorescent ones seem to be not as inky, but only my green and orange seem a bit dry. My other set of six are fine. And yes, trying to make a line across a whole page is a losing battle with these 😂 Thanks for sharing your review!
I like how you are using a Crayola marker for this. I have some old Cra Z art markers and some fine liners. I also have some graph paper, notebook paper and blank paper. What kind of paper are you using?
I have the “vintage colors” set (they’re called something else, but similar to the vintage colors in other lines. I saw two sellers on Etsy that had the neon pens, but nowhere else. Tokyo Pen Shop says they carry them, but they’re out of stock. And, not even the Pentel site itself has them. I see them sold in sets of 6, 12, and 18 at various places for various prices. I don’t care for neon colors myself…maybe they were brought out and quickly discontinued for poor sales, or being dry? Idk. I do like using them, and I don’t do “traditional” brush calligraphy, but the hand lettering I do with them looks interesting and the colors are rich and saturated. I’ve also found that unlike the Tombow Dual Brush pen, the Pentel Touch doesn’t feather or ghost on the new Sanzen TRP (Mildliners don’t either…that’s the chisel ones, I don’t have the brush ones.) But, if you want a smaller brush in neon, maybe the Mildliner brush pens would be a good option? They have a neon set with the regular chisel tips…so I’m guessing they do as well with the brush pens. I really like some of the pastel shades, and I think I will pick up the pastels in the Pentel and the primary colors in the Tombow Fudenesoke Hard Tip. I really like brush pens, but I like the tip to be small and friendly to use (Marvy Le Pen has smaller tips but they are floppy and messy for me, but the ink is very nicely saturated…ymmv!) Thanks for the video!
As soon as I learned that they had more colors I almost bought them, but seeing this review made me reconsider. I think I might go for the Stabilo 68’s
Hi Sarah, I ordered the new Pentel brush pens last week, but also fell upon the Le Pen Flex Neon set at Michael’s. They are just as juicy as the other sets. 😊❤ I Love your art! ❤
Hiii, that was me! I’d been looking for someone to review these for ages. I love the new colours. I haven’t gotten the Fluoro ones yet as I wasn’t sure if I’d use them. But I’ll definitely be getting some of them. I found the new colours are more firm. Mine are inky, so I’d ask for a replacement ❤❤
Thanks for sharing all of these! Your calligraphy is calming to watch and the style is beautiful! Cool there are several sets of colours to choose from. Enjoying the creative inspiration and ideas to fill the notebook with the wavy chessboard and filling the same word to create swatches. Cool and heartfelt 🎨
I had no idea that they came in anything but black. This is eye opening. I use the black to make eyelashes on my faces. Thanks for this video. Have a great weekend.😊
Hi, absolutely love bullet tip markers. They are the best of both worlds. in someone who uses brush art pens all the time. They are just their own thing really, I highly recommend prisma color bullet markers too. Unfortunately, they are very pricey though, I want to say $50 for 12 or something. I like this paint esk type application ☺️
I've never liked sharpies generally, as an electrician, commercial and industrial- they are great because they mark anything. But they're always an alcohol based marker and they always bleed through everything. But I will buy a set of these to support a good product. I'm gonna take your word for it.
I’m just beginning any mentioned in the video that you liked a Pentel pen but I couldn’t understand the exact name. The transcript and closed caption are in a foreign language so I didn’t get it.
I felt really bad for you with the candle I can't imagine taking all that time making a beautiful gift for your sister and at the end it went down hill By the way awesome video
I think all stationery lovers go through some trial and error with testing different products. Have you made a list of what doesn't work/regrets to keep with you when at stores? No worries, you'll use up all that paper doing layouts and pen battles in videos for us, lol.
How was your vacation at New York City? That is a nice pen haul and enjoying the variety of pen tests. Your handwriting and calligraphy are beautiful! It would be a special occasion to visit stationery stores in a different place. Thanks for sharing, would be overwhelmed with so much choices, would take far longer to land on a decision.
Since crossing over from Lettering to Watercolor, I too want and "need" everything. But we must remember what's in the toy box at home! Tim Holtz says that and I totally relate!
Oh I love that!! Thanks for sharing! I don’t buy my kids every toy out there because I know they wouldn’t play with them! Our supplies are like toys where they would get too overwhelming if we had everything!
