How To Pick the Perfect Drawing Pen 

I don't use pens a whole lot (I usually prefer digital drawing), but of what I've tried, I like hard-nib brush pens. They're smaller and the lines don't get thick on you so fast, so they're easier to control, but they still give you line variation.

Of course the person that explains pens would be the creator of Inktober lol This is really helpful. I really want to use a technical pen cuz I love 'em crisp 'n clean lines, but I've only used a ball pen since I don't buy pens I don't use for school.

There are all these wonderful pens out there and some of them you don't even hear about. One that I REALLY like is some brand named "Finito" and they have these "porous point pens" and they work really similar to how technical pens work but they feel absolutely amazing. Unlike most technical pens, this one just feels like it glides across paper surfaces really quick and easy and make these beautiful crisp lines. It acts like a technical pen, but feels a lot smoother.

Microns: Loved them. Still use them. But I always seem to get the ones that "explode" on me.

Technical pens are very fun to stipple with as well

Thanks for this video. I watched it last year when I got back into drawing, and found it extremely informative. Watching it a year later is also really fun because I remember how utterly lost I was before, but now I have so much experience and knowledge on the subject. It's really an accomplishment for me, and this video played a part in my success and therefore happiness. Kudos.

I just use a Zebra .5 ballpoint and I love the thin, accurate line it creates. It gives all my drawings a technical look even when using organic lines.

Thank you. I have recently been trying to ink my drawings more so this will really help me.

It's great that you very experienced ones bother to give tips to us rookies.

Brush pens are hard. I always end up pushing them too hard.

Right to the point with some solid information, much appreciated. Thank you!

I like your studio, can you give a tour?

Personally I love to use The microns for inking they work greatly

Dip pen is probably my favorite. I originally started using them for animation cel painting, but nowadays I use Sakura micro-perm for that, but love the feel of the dip pen on paper. Try Deleter black 4 ink. It's ultra-dark, waterproof, and dries fast so there's basically no bleeding. You do need to dip often to keep it from drying on the nib, but that also means you never have to worry about running out of ink mid-stroke. It's no good on cels though (doesn't adhere to plastic).

I use all 4 pens you showed, and still having a hard time using the brush pen haha.. Can't wait for inktober, though. I hope I don't stop in the middle just like last year :')

Thanks. This summer i got turned on to fountain pens. My favorites are Lamy Safari and TWSBI ECO. I have deAtramentis Document Ink in the TWSBI for waterproof work. Goulet Pens have great jnfo about them . What i enjoy most is the glide of the nib on paper and that the pen is refillable. This is my first Inktober and ive used fountain pens as my primary tool.

Possibly the best comparison video I've ever seen on RU-vid

Thank you for this video! I always ask myself what pen I should get, now I know which ones to consider

"Muscle memory and neuro pathways" to be able to use a Brush Pen? Maybe that's why I'm still not used to it. LMAO

Great video showing a nice selection of pens...it is always great to explore different makes/type of pens. I am always on the lookout for new pens to try out. Big thumbs up :)

Great video Jake. Sometimes it seems menial, but pen quality can really make a major difference in you drawing quality. For a long time, I couldn't find a HI-tec C anywhere so I just used a similar ballpoint with archival ink. When I finally ordered a Hi-tec it was incredible the difference in line quality it made. Additionally, I like to keep at least one regular Bic ballpoint for regular sketching just because of the texture variation you can get from light to thin, it makes for some interesting shading effects.

When I really got into drawing I was really fascinated with ball point pens. You can do so much with them. I have a simple bic pen and it can do a lot. You can apply pressure and get thick black line, or almost apply no pressure and it almost looks as if you’re drawing with pencil or the ink has run out. And depending on which ball point pen you get, it can feel oh so smooth. It glides on the paper. Then I used a brush pen, I tried a marker one first, a tombow one I believe and it instantly improved my drawings and sketches. It’s almost like you can get away with poor lines from a brush pen because of the thick lines. I then picked one up from Japan town in San Francisco, the Pentel color brush pen. It was so weird and interesting. When I first set it up I was wondering why no ink was coming out so I unscrewed the ink base and squeezed it just to have ink get all over my hands. That was fun. But I like the brush pens. I think they were the most fun I have had when drawing. I also picked up to interesting pens. A micron pen, not a fine liner, a micron PN or plastic nib I think. I can’t tell if it’s just fully plastic or there’s a little marker in the tip of it, regardless I like it. It feels nice. I also got a Pentel pulaman, or stylo. It’s like if a fountain pen tip was flat plastic. It’s kind of scratchy but in an interesting way. Overall, if you want something to just have fun, brush pen 100%.

Im enjoying my old fountain pens this season ..

My go-to pen is the Hi Tech-C (I think it has a different name now). My reason for this is that it is fairly compatible with most 'Markers',... Copic markers being what I use, work well with these pens. Copic has it's own pens (the technical pen you feature here) but they 'feel' kind of awkward to my hand. they do, actually, have a non-refillable version of these pens that is probably the best to use, but they seem to go dry quicker than the Hi-Tech-C pens.

Nice presentation and discussion, thanks. After years of looking for the "perfect" pen for cartooning, mostly messing with dip pens -- I wanted some flex, but easier to control than a brush -- I ended up mostly using a fountain pen. Some are almost as smooth to use as a felt-tip, there are some very black inks, and a range of choices for broad/fine lines and stiffness/flex. My faves are a Pelikan M800 and a MontBlanc 149 (both with Broad nib), but there are far cheaper pens with similar qualities too. Fountain pens are another whole rabbit hole to go down, but I put the idea out there for those who are still searching!

I have a Rotring nib-pen with a cartridge. You can get different colour ink-cartridges and different size nibs, and the cool thing is when you blend it out with a water-brush. You get this cloudy, sketchy look I really like. Come to think of it, I haven't used it for a while, so now you've prompted me to go grab it!

I've been using these plans for years and one thing I made a habit of five lines per dip as long as you keep that in mind you won't have no broken lines in your work

I like the Tombow Fudenosuke better than technical pens. It's a short felt brush pen and it's really easy to get consistent line widths and really easy to vary the line widths.

Nice comprehensive review and practical recommendations

Hey Jake, awesome video, as always, a simple and efficient way to talk about pros and cons of the differents types of pens. I have a little recommandation (from experience), I discover the g-tech a year now and it's my top pen for the reasons you mentionned. And this summer, I try the moleskine 0.5mm Ball Point Pen and it's a (expensive but) good product. It's like the g-tech but with a thicker and perhaps organic line but especially regular, unlike the g-tech, the ink always comes out. Maybe it worth a shot for you :) Also when you need to fill, a alternative to the copic, there's the George Lalo Creapenn (a french product but I guess you can find it). It's simply the best for big and wide spaces to fill in a illustration. The ink is incredibly dark and you don't see the strokes, it's a perfect black. I use it for Inktober 2016 and he's always with me now ! Voilà, if you want to try new things to do your awesome stuff ;)

Your an amazing artist. Love the videos, keep it up.

Thanks for the recommendations, Jake!

Hey Jake! Love the channel. I’ve noticed you’ve been doing more watercolor recently and was wondering if you might consider a tutorial video on it. I’m new to the medium myself. Thanks!

I love the brush pen and I am super comfortable with it.

1:13 “individubal”

I am a huge and distant fan...he he, Thanks Jake for the video, quite useful! I am still trying to overcome my own weaknesses...only practice will help...as old Chuck Yeager used to say "It´s the man, not the machine...." congrats! you inspire us

I've got some really nice pens, but i only end up using 3 pens ever, a .005 Pigma Micron, a Hard Tip Tombow Fudenosuke, and a Brush Pen that came with my Microns. I have all sorts of other sizes and different types of pens but it's hard to know how to more to my art! this was helpful, your brush pen lines are great!

Brush pens, G pens, and microns are my forever faves. I love stadleter, and Copic microns.

"Hand wiggling." That's the way to own it. Every tool has it's use, and part of the art is to find that use and put it to good use.

Thanks for sharing your pen preferences. I'm always on the lookout for the perfect pen (I don't think it really exists). The type of pen that I most use is the Hunt 102 crowquill nib pen. It is just the right size for line and hatching, offering a good variety of line weight. Also, here's a little professional tip when working with nibs: use an ink that has a dropper for the lid. Then instead of dipping the pen, drop the ink into the nib. This is a much cleaner way to work and I think this makes it to where you don't have to reload the nib as much.

Yay! Thank you, Jake.

perfect for inktober!🖋🖌

Omg 😱 is that ur art room?! So jealous 🤧❤️

Thanks Jake!

you can use a brush with ink to achieve a nice touch

Yo micron black inks are the beeesssttt!

This is a very good video! Very informative and captivating.

You earned yourself a subscriber, please don't disappoint me

AMEIIII. I LOVED IT JAKE!

Thank you so much, I needed this video

Another useful and interesting video. Thank you.

Thank you very much I just viewed this channel It helped me a lot

recently took up a challenge and did a month of sketching using a ballpoint pen only using two different a 0.7 tip, two brands i played with Pilot BPS GP and the Uni Lakubo. Glad I did it, it's a one take process, but in 0.7 it's very forgiving. As a personal preference I still prefer pencil work first and then using fineliners.

great vid. this is what i was looking for. thanks!

Wow ! That's a really helpful video. Thanks 😮😃

Take a shot everytime he says pen

You are so good at machinery! I try to draw robots and concept vehicles like you, but I am always underwhelmed when I try, be cause I struggle to get all the details in, like at the joints, with all the gears and pipes. I would love for you to make a video about how you do that.

Great video! Thanks. I probably would have mentioned fountain pens. If you like the scratchy character of a nib but want to avoid the messiness, it's a good option.

I never knew he had hand tremors. It's inspiring because sometimes I worry that I have slightly more shaky hands than average. But if this guy makes such beautiful art with a tremor then that goes to show that it doesn't matter if you practice enough.

There are rulers and calipers, to help people draw lines, and then there is this mans hand...

Wow in the top 10!

the disposables that i like to use are the pilot hi-techpoint v5 for non-water proof inks and the uni-ball vision needle for archival inks.

I love pencil and pen drawing, my favorite.

Thanks for this. My drawings are getting better

I use Copic multiliners. I love them because I have many different sizes that you can use and they don't bleed when I use them with my Copic markers.

I really envy you. You’re such a good artist ! But I do love those videos where you real time draw with commentary

Uni ball has the best pens! The eye series is my favorite!!!!!!

Great video! You should do one of sketchbooks. I'm making my own and just can't decide which size should I do

My favorite is the brush pen because for the cartoons that I draw I need like thick and thins with texture and also so I can fill in all the blanks

My all-time favorite ball point pens are the BIC Cristal Pens.

You kinda look like Nicholas cage

Pens are the best! I've used all of these, and then some and have realized that each pen has its own place in my tool chest, just like you've described. For instance, all of the bats that I drew for my latest video were done with technical pitt pens because they're fast and easy and you can sketch quickly. I'm really interested in your Copic Gasenfude! I've been really into the Pentel Pocketbrush lately for the same reasons you've listed for your Copic. Waterproofness is super important, and the depth of the black is key. My favorite ballpoint pen is the Pentel RSVP pen in fine, because MAN. That thing makes good lines and variations in tone. Only downside is sometimes the ink will clump a bit on the tip, but it's not really that bad of a problem. What are your feelings on fountain pens? I've gotten three and I'm not necessarily sure about them, yet. Some remind me of nib pens, which I love (including for the scratching!!!), but others remind me of.... sadness.

Nice tips! Thanks!

Great video. Now, how about a video on the different kinds of paper and what makes each one better for different types of drawing.

Your office looking great like art gallery

Ball pen: for me is great to sketch, it feels like a pencil that you can't erase, so I think is best for sketching, but the more you know how to use it, the more things you can do with them. Brush pen:never used them yet.😧😔 Nib pen: haven't used them either, but for what I've seen people do with them, is a good pen for hatching, line variation, and calligraphy of course😉. Microns or technical pens: great for details, hatching, drawings that don't rely very much on the line work. Great video, I learned some tips about brush pens, which I didn't know much about.

it's worth mentioning, that ball point pens are not all created equal! most are ... usable. but those faber castell XB leads stand out, not only for the biggest balls, but being incredibly smooth and buttery. and the super thin japanese ones work with astoundingly little pressure.

Rapidographs/isographs need to be on this list!

Nice video! When you said inktober is coming up I almost had a heart attack, where's time going?!?! I personaly love nibs and technical pens

My pens of choice are those black unipin fineliners that jazza occasionally uses.

Great video Alex, just ordered some off Amazon!

Try a soft or flex nib with a fountain pen. They aren't as messy and you have a lot of control and variation in your lines.

hew new video!! youtube didmt notify me!! thanks btw jake

I love your machinery drawings, I follow you on instagram and those drawings are awesome! I would love it if you could make a video of how u get those details in your machinery

Q: How to pick the perfect drawing pen A: grab sakura micron. done. no more picking needed.

Nib can make those classic beautiful comic book ink lines, but easier to control than the brush. I like the brush, but I lack the control to trust it on any important pencils I've done, not sure I'll ever master it. I usually ink with an 03 Micron then add line weight with the 05 Micron and a Faber-Castell Pitt brush for solid black areas.

Wow.... Thanks for sharing

YAY he included my favorite school pen! tech-c

For my finished pieces I use microns. But now I'm trying to find something for my sketchbook. Something that I can buy in bulk with a fine line like microns

Thank you for the interesting information~~!!!

Thanks it was very useful

I tend to switch between these 4 types of pens so often and so randomly it feels kinda schizo sometimes. I love the technical pens, but they're not refillable. I love Hi-Tec-Cs (or Hi-Tec-Gs, now, I think, which is all my local art supply store carries...). They're similar to the Microns but more durable, I think, in that the tip doesn't wear down as easily as felt. (Don't drop them on their tips, tho. Lesson learned the hard way). I also love the dip nibs. Messy as hell but man the result has so much character. Great for sketches, but I maybe wouldn't ink a finished piece with one. Not without a good opaque white-out nearby.... anyway, great vid, Jake. Keep em coming! :D

Thank you, that helped me.

I've been leery of using brush pens ever since I've had the first one I ever owned in a pack of Faber Castell pens that were gifted to me. I must have used it wrong because it frayed away really badly and looked bushy and spongy at the tip. I only stuck to technical pens ever since, but I remember a friend said that she loved them because of the way they feel like using a paint brush. Fast forward to now, I'm in the process of collecting a bunch of different brush pens to use in my art/incorporate into my sketching. I want to collect pens that are not only Copic Proof but also Waterproof (or at the very least has good water resistance). I'd like to use as many as I can in order to decide which is the best option and also my favorite...!

Great vid, very helpful! Could you recommend a paper that would be smooth enough to take a technical pen and also stay fairly flat when using watercolour washes? Thanks!

Frixxion pens! Great for sketching, erasable with heat. The Pilot G-2 is great for line work. The plus side? Both are cheap and take refills.

Amazing work💝🇮🇳🌹

You missed fountain pens! Come on, maaaan!

Thanks. I'd like to master all four. Got to save money with Rotring, Staedtler or Faber Castell technical pens (refillable only with technical pen inks). God bless, Proverbs 31

Hey! For people unfamiliar with fountain pens (like Jake :D..), check out EF/Extra fine fountain pens, they're great tools since they last forever and you can get used to the pen's action. It doesn't need to be expensive, and the lines they can produce are as crisp as fineliners but with more swag!