Review: Pilot Parallel Pen: The Budget Calligraphy Pen 

This is the blunt syringe I bought. amzn.to/2p5nney

He already said that he doesn’t have calligraphy skills so maybe watch to the end before you judge.

True artist-can use anything to create! My dad was calligrapher and artist and drew with whatever he felt like!

The art was beautiful, drawing something with calligraphy pen is really tough and he was just reviewing the pens not teaching his calligraphy skills, so stop judging you guys

I think some of the problems you are experiencing are due to technique and not the pen. Usually, when you learn calligraphy, you also learn stroke direction. With a nib like that, it is not recommended to make any upward strokes, so you cannot just write using cursive writing technique. Each stroke has to be done one at a time and in a downward direction.

Thanks for not just reviewing them, but taking them apart entirely. Definitely helps.

To use a Pilot parallel as an "eyedropper" pen (filling the entire barrel with ink), you just put a little silicon grease on the threads, and that seals it up, so it won't leak...

I learned caligraphy over 35 years ago. the number one rule... all DOWNWARD strokes (never upward). Good luck!

I like your video because here in the U.S., we have some schools stopping to teach cursive writing to kids. And I think that is a sad state of affairs not to continue a beautiful art form.

Damn Teoh this one got a lot of views... I don't think they understand that your reviews are from an artists perspective, not from someone specifically buying the pens for calligraphy purposes.

I actually quite enjoyed this video. As a pen fanatic-mainly how it fits in my hand-I thought this was informative. Thank you! And you’re such an amazing artist! I couldn’t draw like that!

Kind of charming to see how these anachronisms survive in the modern world. Fountain pens are such neat little pieces of engineering.

Thanks for the review, since I have these pens too. And I actually came here to say I LOVE YOUR DRAWING!! omg, that truck was awesome.

honestly, i have no idea who you are, but i love the truck that you drew. and your voice is really soothing and nice to hear

Thank you so much! I recently learned about these pens, and as I usually do with new tools, I look to your channel first to find reliable information. This is the first new calligraphic fountain pen I've seen in years, and I'm looking forward to using it.

This is the first time I've seen such calligraphy pens. Thank you for an illustrative example of working with this tool and thanks for the links!

Your writing and drawing with those pens are very expressive and have lots of character. 😃 I remember a while back you and a friend of yours were grinding the nibs of these pens. Excellent review. Thanks Teoh. 👍

Great review Teoh, as always :-) Someone in our sketching group in Dublin uses these. I like your drawing, the slightly random line widths look interesting and the way the pens fill in large areas quickly seems handy. Might ask Santa for some... I am very saddened to see some horribly rude comments to this video - you are doing such a fantastic job with your channel, sending you lots of love from Ireland!

I Always Appreciate Those Individual's, Who, take the time to demonstrate in detail the inner workings of a product. It provides knowledgeable insights that saves us time, money,

Thank You for taking the time to introduce this set of calligraphy pens. I appreciate all your videos. You've helped me a great deal. So Thank You.

First of all , the RU-vid algorithm

He starts writing @ 6:06 thank me later ❤️✨🍀

I love the ways you explain things and ate so simple too. Thanks for sharing!

Woah. These pens are so crazy-looking, even just from the outside with the cap on. BUT. They do seem super convenient, especially if you want to be able to easily get different types of strokes.

Good video, i never know about a pilot pen for calligraphy... Thanks for knowledge

It starts at 6:02 Edit 9/2020: I didn't even notice that this has this much comments. Lol

i really like your explanations. I learned so much about pens in general from this video, plus your example drawing and how you used the pens was really insightful. Thank you for your time and knowledge.

That was so helpful to me. I am new in writing calligraphy equipment and I gave the Pilot Parallel a go after visiting my favourite supplier downtown Athens. I fell in love with it instantly! I am a beginner but the pen includes a nice leaflet of writing exercises, lines, letters with arrows on how to write them and also a full explanation of how to hold to get the different line widths and also on how to change the cartridges and clean them. So far I found these are very helpful and your video just added more information for me to use. I really like the way you write even though you are as you say a beginner too. The only con seems to be the ink vanishes in a blink of an eye - I have been using it very much! Also my paper is a Fabriano EcoQua 85g/m2 notebook, slighter thinner than yours in weight. The pen seems to do ok though there might be some bleeding of ink on the back of the page, so watch out for that if you try thinner paper! I am content that I got the thinner pen (2.4 nib) because the lines look so much more elegant, while the bigger one takes more resources (paper, ink, etc) and wider movements which I think would make you more tired in less time, as I understand it unless you are using factory sized paper lol ... Thank you very much for the useful tips, much appreciated! 🖋💓🙏🏻👍🏻📝

damn yall really hating on him for no reason, not his fault

Nice truck mate. Well done on a detailed video. Thumbs up. 👍🏻 P.S. I’ve subscribed to your channel. Thanks and all the best.

Thanks for the explanation. I want to buy one and start practicing! Loved the way showed us how they work and everything 😊

nice demonstration Teoh, I have a slight shake in my hands/wrist making it difficult for me to make smooth lines or such as. Thumbs up and keep the good work, I like these reviews. Great work Mr. Chie, I look forward to further reviews from you.

Is it me, or do a bunch of the comments here seem whiny and elitist? Yes, he doesn't do calligraphy. Yes, he's drawing with calligraphy pens. Get over it. And yes, it's millimeter. I'm sure he got the message from the first 20 or so comments about it. Again, get over it.

I have the green one that I just just for note taking at home and occasionally art journalling - I like the diversity of them as you can write on all of the edges and make useful lines. I just fill the cartridges with a syringe (with a normal needle, not a blunt one, since I’m not inept...) as I don’t like the Pilot converters - I have found they leak in other pens.

Great preview of what these pens are like, thank you for sharing so I can "try" before I buy!

Thank you for demonstrating and describing these pens!

I have used a few of these, I like the yellow lid the best. They take a little getting used to (as with any pen), but once you get the hang of it you can lay down some beautiful strokes. Heavy on the ink, which is okay in my book :D

Nice video and demo Teoh, thank you. A couple of things I don't think anyone has raised: you can use gouache in these provided it's a good quality finely-ground type (like Schmincke Calligraphy), mixed quite thin and you're diligent about cleaning as soon as you've finished. Also, you can file notches in the nib and make a scroll pen. They're like less versatile and harder to clean versions of the good old Automatic Pens - much more convenient to carry around though, and no dipping if that bothers you. For a wide calligraphy pen I actually prefer making one from a reed, but that's largely because I have a limitless supply of them for free to hand. :-)

That truck™ drawing was indeed masterful my friend.... Your videos fill me with joy each and every time!!!!!!✅

Thank you, an excellent post! I love watching skillful craft and the appraisal of instrument. It is inspiring.

Thank you for the review. these pens require a lot of technique I feel. Love your drawing😊 Nice day with your family

Well...I was going to say lots of things, most likely, already said to the Nth degree, but this is the most important: "Thanks so much for making this video; it helps a lot, concerning the different sizes of Pilot Parallel Pens I am looking forward to buying." (Yes, I have a writing (printing is more like it) background in Calligraphy.) ☺

So glad this was suggested for me!! Love to do calligraphy!! Thank you!!

Thanks for review. I have used pilot 0.5 and 0.7 pens but I never knew pilot parallel pens existed. Thanks your videos always help us a lot.

I've been wondering about these since I first saw them on jetpens. Thanks for demonstrating them.

I eyedroppered mine.... bead of silicone grease on the threads. Works great!

Pretty lovely pens to practice calligraphy. Thanks for sharing this video, Teoh 😊

Thanks for the review! I have been thinking about getting into calligraphy recently. Btw I really liked your drawing! 😀

I've been using these four pens for four years and put a different color ink in each of them. When I put the feathers of two pens in contact, 5 or 10 seconds (nose nose) I get a very pretty coloured degradation and an original calligraphy. Thank youTeoh for this video !

5:44, ...the writing begins 👏

I like the way your drawing turned out it looks interesting with the line weight variation. Great quick sketch.

Looks like fun pens for getting my handwriting back in shape. I'm 54. We had to learn cursive & had no computer's or cell phones in school. I didn't learn email until 1998 😂 My handwriting has suffered since smartphones 📱 😢 I'm loving my new fountain pens so I use them. My handwriting & drawing skills are returning. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise & inspiring us to do art 🎨 the og way. Procreate is cool but I can but so much fun art supplies for the price of an Ipad & the software 😳😬😊

I think the included 'converter' is not a converter but just a device for flushing the pen. I know: It *looks* like a converter, but does not have the same seal. You should get the regular converter or refill the cartridges as you show.

This was great Teoh! I love playing with these, though I'm not any good. Hey, congratulations on the 100K, what a great achievment! I remember watching you when you had only a few thousand subscribers, it couldn't have happened to a nicer, harder working artist!!!

Love your sketching woth them It looks so great!!

Thanks for the very useful review. I am thinking of starting ink drawing this yr bc of the convenience and portability, previously I focus on oil pastels and paint. I was actually looking at these pens the other day, I also don't do calligraphy so your review is perfect for me ! And as usual your drawing is awesome, I hope to be able to draw like you one day.

Why in the hell does this have over 2 thousand dislikes. You people need to chill.

The major part of the beginning of the video felt like an ASMR video lol. Felt satisfying to watch :)

Love that truck drawing, excellent. Thanks for the demo.

Great video. I’m gonna get me some of these pens. That truck looks good.

I have them, But not used them for awhile. I think to Remember that If you touch the nib with one color and touch the nib with another color. The first Will take Some of the color of the other. 😁

Teoh you got even better at drawing....

Good showcase, now I want one to experiment for drawing / inking.

Neat video! I really like the broader nib one that textures can be created it seems like you can do many different lines with that one as well.

Nice writing

You've got pretty drawing skills. Love it.

I really like the drawing of the truck with this pen. It makes it more interesting and “artistic”.

Thank you for your review of the Calligraphy pens. Your art (truck) was super!

Does it irritate anyone else when people say MM and not millimeter

You need to hold your pen at a 45 degree angle to create the beautiful Calligraphy lettering. Technique makes a big difference. Pronounced Cal-lig-ra-phy. Cute little set of pens.

Very nice review - cool sketch too!

Thanks for reviewing these. I've always wondered how they work.

I trust an asian teaching me calligraphy

ohhh I just love the look of calligraphy and yes, if I use the 45 degree angle, even I can do it! lol

thank you so much!! also i love your truck drawing

Your videos make me happy

I have a Pilot Metropolitan with a medium nib on it. It has a squeeze converter in it which is stained black now; but, when I first got the pen, it was clear. I've seen the Pilot Parallel pens on gouletpens.com, I believe. Brian Goulet has done a video on how to eye dropper convert a Platinum Preppy and even sells the conversion supplies on the web site. I haven't tried converting my Platinum Preppy, though. I would think the process that Brian demonstrates on the Preppy would be the same for any plastic fountain pen.

❤❤❤

I’m not even into calligraphy but loved this video! Awesome video as usual!

I use the 2.4 mm for writting purposes, makes the calligraphy process a lot easier, mainly because the nib does not "open" or gets cracked and the ink lasts for as long as you want, so you don't run out of ink in the middle of a stroke.

Nice pens✔✔✔

OMG your camera I can see your fingerprints!

Amazing. Thank you for posting this.

Great review and demo! Thank you very much. If you may, can you tell me what are these "Houdini pens?" you speak of? Are they calligraphy pens, brush tip or something else? Do you have a demo review of these also?

I like this type of pens, and you're so skillful. Thx for your video, I like it.

5:45 here you go

Love your videos

So beautiful and nice!!

hey can I use a pippet to refill my pens ink cartridge

Cool, thanks. I wonder when they can make US$0.30 cent fountain pens for kids and students? God bless, Proverbs 31

This is a really great pen for beginners in calligraphy (Well, beginners should start with the 6.0mm version for more detailed letters) I'm also a calligrapher and I love this pen!

Thank you for this review! I bought the red pen a while back and was a bit intimidated to approach it, though I'll now pick it up again soon :)

Idea about getting 15usd pen for calligraphy just got dismissed.

First of all I judged you... I thought the writing errors were because of the fact English isn't your first language and that you just haven't got the skills... when you started to draw however made me think you don't like controlling your hands, you let them along with your mind be free... that simple picture had so much rawness and structural simplicity, really took me back to my childhood books and the illustrations used in them. Keep it up.

Loved the practical review from its cartridge to nibs. It was way far better than just the writings review in my opinion!

Since this pen is designed for calligraphy, I had never bat an eye on it. But, dang, turns out it can give your drawings some cool line properties.. nice review, Teoh 👌

Yeah, I tried to buy a blunt syringe from the pharmacy and they said "it's our policy not to sell syringes without a prescription". I needed it for my airbrush to clean it and to refill one of my printer cartridges.

I see "Monddy" instead of "Monday"

AWESOME video review ... Big THANKS ... 👏😎

Very nice video. I have Pilot Fountain Pens with cut nibs - One normal and another broad. I also have Rotring Art Pen. I am using all with cartridges only. Being in India, I prefer Camel Photo Inks - about 12 colours that come in a box. If you add slight red in the dark blue ink, it really becomes dark blue. I love calligraphy pens because they do not allow our hand to shake and that gives us the control over the handwriting. Thank you for the video.