Rotring Isograph: My Fave Drawing Pen (How It Works, How To Fill It, How I Use It In Illustration)!

Michelle M. Johnson with Have Color Will Travel

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In this video I’m giving y’all a deep dive into my favorite drawing pen, ever: the Rotring Isograph technical drawing pen. Learn why I enjoy creating art with this pen more than all the other drawing pens out there (ie Microns, Staedtlers, Copics, etc), how to fill it, and how I use it in my artwork. If after my nerd-fest about these pens you still have questions, please drop them in the comments and I will get back to you asap with an answer or a suggestion for where one might be found!🤓
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Опубликовано:

9 июн 2022

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Комментарии : 55

@aquanox4438 Месяц назад

Glad to see another rapidograph/isograph enthusiast! Koh-i-noor (apparently they bought Rotring) is another solid choice for a technical pen set. I buy used sets to try and repair them on my free time.

@HaveColorWillTravel Месяц назад

@aquanox4438 Really? I hadn’t heard that about Koh-i-noor acquiring Rotring! Hopefully that will help with availability? Rotring are so hard to find for most folks, me included! I take very good care of mine as i love them SO much-their lines are so satisfying! My Rotring, my Pentel Bush pen, and my Sailor Fude nib fountain pen make up my go to family of drawing tools:)

@pattyashcraft4518 2 года назад

Great instruction. I love to doodle and a good pen makes a world of difference.

@HaveColorWillTravel 2 года назад

Thanks! These pens are truly my favorites right now:) Still keeping all my others (I don’t want to travel with these, even just to a park to sketch or something) to use when I don’t want to put these lovelies in jeopardy when doing mixed media work (like over dry acrylic paint or pastel).

@karenlipman79 2 года назад

Thanks Michelle-very helpful and I too am interested in larger nibs.

@HaveColorWillTravel 2 года назад

Glad you found some useful nuggets in my experience thus far with the Isographs! I’ve just recently added a few new nib sizes (.4 & .6) as well as the Rotring white ink to my studio practice. I want to play around with them a bit, get familiar with how they perform, and then possibly do a follow up video about my findings-I’m thinking others like myself may find the update interesting.🤓

@daikaiser9394 Год назад

Don't know if anyone else suggested it already, but you can add a light coat of baby oil on the ink reservoir (about a drop of baby oil smeared around with a q-tip) to keep the ink from smearing the plastic, that way you can check how much ink you have left.

@HaveColorWillTravel Год назад

I wasn’t aware of this! Thank you so much for adding this tip to the conversation🤓

10 месяцев назад

Oh this tip is good.

@sixmercer2504 2 года назад

I really love your noodling and stippling....well, all the designs you did with those pens. I am a long time lover of Rotring Isograph pens. I absolutely love them. I was tipped off by Peter Draws on RU-vid. His work is insane and a lot of it is done with these or with different fountain pens. I'm brand new to your channel and I'm really glad I found it. I have only seen a couple of videos so far but am about to....first, go grab my Rotring pens and my sketchbook to start some fun noodling designs which I haven't been doing a lot of lately. And as I'm drawing I will be binging your videos. I can't wait to see what more you have in store for me to try or reminders of things I've forgotten I love to do. Lastly, I know you said it was a year before making this video was when you bought your set of pens and pencil etc. and I'm sure this video isn't all that recent. Rotring has really gotten popular in the art community whereas my late step father who was an engineer who drew up drafting plans and blueprints used technical pens that work the same way. He died 14 years ago and used these types of pens (Saedler Mars, and a fre others I can't remember). I remember them being gifted by my mom for Christmas as expensive gifts. Roteing is a more affordable brand but wow! You got an INCREDIBLE deal on that set! I believe I have paid upwards of $30 for one pen. I bought the INCREDIBLE ink separately and I only have 2 pens, nib sizes .25 and .3 I think, maybe I do I have more. But I really am interested in getting the set, unfortunately I already have the nib sizes that came in your set. but to get that much for only $60 was a steal! Thanks for showing the examples of things you like to raw with these. I almost skipped over the video because I already know about these pens and have had a lot of experience, but I'm so glad I didn't. I literally just finished my first all stippling (dots) drawing that I was shocked turned out very well! I have been doing a lot of ball point pen drawings with cheap Bic pens because of how amazing they are for shading. I didn't evenstop to think to use my Rotring pens. Now that I have the hang of it I'll have to spring for a new pen for a larger nib size to get some good gradient effects. You've clearly lit a fire under me and I'm wasting precious time now so again, thank you for the helpful tips (haha tips).

@HaveColorWillTravel 2 года назад

Loved hearing all this-thank you for sharing! And, thanks for watching:) I use these pens a bit differently than other artists, so I was hoping my weirdness might be of use to some folks. Glad it was!🤓

@geertjanjanssen5983 3 месяца назад

Thanks for sharing this comment and comparison the isographic pens. Kind regards, Geertjan

@HaveColorWillTravel 3 месяца назад

Absolutely:)

10 месяцев назад

I've been hoarding used listings of rotring pens. I clen them, try to revive them. I've bought a tiny chinese ultrasonic cleaner and spend minutes observing rotring parts shake. I now wonder if I prefer the way they lay lines on paper or the fact I unscrew and screw caps when I use them.

@HaveColorWillTravel 10 месяцев назад

I enjoy both aspects of these fabulous pens! I just wish finding the official Rotring ink for them was easier-took me forever to find a bottle of the white!

10 месяцев назад

@@HaveColorWillTravel I think I found official white but the white pigment separates from the liquid when I leave the bottle resting. Also, I think it is thicker than black so it doesn't work with the finer tips.

@HaveColorWillTravel 10 месяцев назад

@ good to know-thanks!

@gunsmokeandghouls 2 месяца назад

It's usually not recommended to use these on textured paper. Have they been clogged or damaged by using it on paper that has 'tooth'?

@HaveColorWillTravel 2 месяца назад

@gunsmokeandghouls , I have had no trouble using Rotrings on watercolor paper (haven’t felt the need to use them on really loose fibrous paper like construction paper). But, I am very attentive to my nibs-cleaning them periodically as I work if I see any fiber collecting on the nibs. I love the line they create on the paper I love, so it is worth the effort for me. I also have a “light touch” according to those who’ve watch me draw, so perhaps with a heavier hand there’d be a bit of a problem there. And I mention those things in this video-with care and attention, these pens are awesome on watercolor paper.

@gravityz1448 3 месяца назад

Thanks for validating the little blob at the end of my lines when I use a micron 😂

@HaveColorWillTravel 3 месяца назад

Ha! You’re most welcome😄

@zippetydodahday 2 года назад

If you want to take those pens to the next level, then really splurge and get these pens: Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Recommended by my art teacher 43+ yrs ago, and I still have them.

@HaveColorWillTravel 2 года назад

Thanks for the suggestion! I’m loving these right now-every drawing day is a great day! Love my Koh-i-Noor colored pencils, though, so I’m sure their pens are fab!

@sixmercer2504 2 года назад

My late step father used that brand tech pen for his drafting up blueprints for his engineering job. He was one heck of a skilled guy and my mom used to gift expensive tech and fountain pens to him for Christmas with his name engraved (on the fountain pens). I recently inherited his ENORMOUS drafting table and a shoe box with everything from the drawers. In it were some of the tech pens, I think 2 were full pens and the rest are nibs and other pieces that have lost parts. I soaked them forever to get dried ink to dislodge and dissolve and did get one clear enough I could blow air through, but basically and sadly they aren't going to ever work again. One complete one was a Koh-I-Nor and one complete and a few extra nibs were Staedler Mars. I really with I could have fixed them and had all the pieces. But like I said, the dried ink in the feeds and nibs will forever be trapped and will never get clean. 😕 Not for lack of trying either. I spent literally half a day and all night and even another full day to clean then out tryito get them to work but nope. No such luck. So yeah, NEVER leave the Cao off for too long I wish I could have tried the Stadler and the Koh-I-Nor. I can't afford to buy them.

@zippetydodahday 2 года назад

@@sixmercer2504 Suggestion: Try a 91% alcohol, and/or a sonic cleaner bath. That should possibly help. Last resort try some real acetone (not regular nail polish remover), and mix the acetone and 91% alcohol together and sonic vibrate them. There might be some commercial cleaners available too. Concentrate Windex (not diluted) maybe another option. Hope this helps. The pens are a wonderful legacy to keep and remember him with. 🙏🏼

@HaveColorWillTravel 2 года назад

@@sixmercer2504 thank you for sharing this story-this pen history is so special💚

@HaveColorWillTravel 2 года назад

@@zippetydodahday thanks for sharing these methods-very kind of you:)

@AnzumanaTaal 11 месяцев назад

The size comparison with microns would be great. Difficult to know what set to go for :)

@HaveColorWillTravel 11 месяцев назад

I have Microns as well, and to my eyes and hand, the Rotring creates a finer line as you get into the smaller sizes ( ex. a Rotring .20 creates a slightly finer line than a Micron 01) and it’s larger nibs (my largest Rotring is a .60) does the job of my wider fiber tipped drawing pens well (I use them for inking solid areas of a drawing or increasing line width). But, Rotring is a refillable technical pen (rigid fine steel tip) and Microns are disposable drawing pens (softer fiber tip), and imo an apples to oranges comparison-very different pens. I prefer drawing with Rotring, but for travel or my sketch kit (which takes a beating), I take Microns or one of the many other waterproof drawing pens I have that don’t require gentler treatment. Hope this extra info helps! It all boils down to what you want to do with your pen:)

@ThatLazyStray 4 месяца назад

the isograph 0.35 is my all time favourite drawing pen, i adore the fine lines i can get with it. My biggest issue with these pens is that the barrel always eventually cracks, sometimes to the point where some of the threads actually crack off and the barrel wont stay on the pen at all. It's exceedingly frustrating.

@HaveColorWillTravel 4 месяца назад

They do make may favorite lines also! But I agree-their design is fragile. I opt to use my Rotrings exclusively in my studio space-they don’t travel with me or get put in anything but the case they came in because I just don’t trust the design to hold up to the rough and tumble-ness of life. I’m even super gentle when twisting their caps off and on for the exact reason you mentioned-the threads don’t seemed designed for anything but the lightest touch. Frustrating, yes, but still LOVE the lines I can get, so they are still my faves!

@aleck996 4 месяца назад

Good afternoon! Could you please tell me if the caps of isographs of different nib sizes are identical inside? Can you use the cap from a 0.2 isograph with a 0.5 isograph? Thank you!

@HaveColorWillTravel 4 месяца назад

Good morning:) On the Rotring I have (sizes .2 to .6), each cap is labeled at the top with its size identifier, which suggests that they are not interchangeable. But I looked carefully at a .3 and .5, and to my eye the inside is the same rubberized inner barrier on each, so my best guess that with sizes that are relatively close to each other, the caps might be interchangeable. BUT that is just a guess, so keep that in mind! Thanks for the interesting question-I’d never examine their caps closely before!🤓

@aleck996 4 месяца назад

Thank you!

@__chinmay__ 8 месяцев назад

My sister had these in college for drafting 10 years ago and i found them locked inside her cupboard recently. She allowed me to take them. 2 of them Are sadly damaged beyond repair but i cleaned and revived the other 2. And these pens cost like 1600 Indian rupees here now which is roughly 20$ im gonna guard them like treasure now lol.

@HaveColorWillTravel 8 месяцев назад

Oh wow! That’s a great story! What size nibs were the two you managed to save? Thank you for sharing!!🤓

@__chinmay__ 8 месяцев назад

@@HaveColorWillTravel Oh yes, the ones that work are 0.5 and 0.4 mm. The 0.5 was actually in good condition The 0.4 didn't have its needle poking out so I somehow unscrewed it and cleaned it ( the insides were full of blocks of dried ink) and I got the nib working again! My only problem with these pens is that the Isograph ink is ridiculously expensive. I use Parker quink ink instead which is 80 rupees only like a dollar per bottle.

@HaveColorWillTravel 8 месяцев назад

Those are two really useful sizes! Congratulations on bringing them back to life! And, I love the Rotring ink-so deeply black, dried so quickly, sets to water proof well-but here in U.S. it is impossible to find! I have a few bottles left, but after that…the search for something else will ensue🙄

@kierhudson1328 7 месяцев назад

Try taking the black chamber off the back of the ink chamber, pull the needle out with a pair of needle tip pincers and put the needle safely into a flat bottomed platic tub (gently do this, you do not want to damage it or its game over), then soak everything else in methylated spirits in a sealed jar over night, wash them with water and then scrub whever you can with a set of super fine pipe cleaners or a womans eyelash extender, then soak again in methylated spirits, clean with water again. Then the nib I would say do the methylated spirit trick but dont scrub it, get some tissue and drag it slowly through it and make sure not to at any point bend the needle, just take your time, any excess thats between the needle and the plastic that its melted to, take a very piecce of stick and just push the ink off, you have to be super careful doing this. Finally reinserting thw nib into the chamber is where I assume most people damage the needle, take the chamber and the needle into a well lit area and direct them vertically to the ground, very slowly insert the needle into the chamber and slowly as you can lower it, you should feel it tap on the inside if you miss the hole you just need to keep trying to hit the hole, use your eyes and touch in equilibrium to do this, finally put some cleaning fluid into the pen and give it a good shake so that and ink grains that may still be lodged in the chamber get loosened up and then a round of water again, that should solve it, I know its alot to do but these things are expensive and they can be salavaged, some people say don't go below a 0.5 tip size when doing this but I did this with the smallest being a 0.25. Hope this helps forthe final two if you still have them.

@HaveColorWillTravel 7 месяцев назад

Thanks for adding this informative tip to the conversation!

@ArtdesignStudio1 Год назад

I lov Rotring. I can`t find here in Brazil

@HaveColorWillTravel Год назад

It’s really my fave inking tool next to a traditional dip pen & India ink:) It’s actually difficult to find here in the States, too! I have no idea why because it’s an excellent pen🤔

@TheAncientlife Год назад

Clodi, eu andei comprando umas pelo Aliexpress, comparando com uma original que eu tenho não senti diferença alguma, aliás eu não sei se elas são originais ou falsificadas...mas a qualidade é muito boa, não entope, não borra, a linha flui constante.

@ArtdesignStudio1 Год назад

@@TheAncientlife Ja tive vontade de comprar no Ali Express, mas ficava com receio do material nao ser bom. Tambem ja tive rotring na epoca que vendia aqui no Brasil. Pra mim uma das melhores canetas de desenho. Outro dia comprei em uma loja que vende pelas Americanas, Rotring College Kit, mas não entregaram. Propaganda enganosa. Vou ver essse lance do Express; Obrigado

@maviyolcu2940 9 месяцев назад

My father was civilservent landing and cadastre he draws with these pens I remember… he gave me couple years ago his pen set there is 000 -00-0 - ,18 - ,35-,40- 1.0 - 1.4 in the set also some mesuring and angeling tools. Im limited tallent about drawing but it realy enjoying to write or some little draving..

@HaveColorWillTravel 9 месяцев назад

How wonderful! Thank you for sharing this story with me:)

@TheRockerxx69 4 месяца назад

No more produced !!! I love broad tip also 1.4 mm

@HaveColorWillTravel 4 месяца назад

Really? Are you outside of the U.S.? Here in the states, our major art retailers still sell them, though 1.4 I’ve never seen-that sounds like amazing size to work with!!

@david111davies 4 месяца назад

I thought they were famous for clogging and drying

@HaveColorWillTravel 4 месяца назад

They haven’t given me those troubles (I have six pens) EXCEPT with their white Rotring ink, which hasn’t performed well at all, imo. In fact, I’m gearing up to clean a .02 pen of the white Rotring ink mess-I’m done trying to make it work! Black Rotring ink in my other five pens has been trouble free though, but I store them horizontally and only draw with them in the studio, never traveling with them.

@MaximoToro 4 месяца назад

@@HaveColorWillTraveldang, i actually wanted Rotring pens specifically to use with their white ink. Have you found a white ink that works? Thinking about trying the Koh-I-Noor white ink, but it's probably similar to the Rotring white ink.

@HaveColorWillTravel 4 месяца назад

I haven’t yet:( After that clogging experience I have leaned on dip pens for creating with white ink-not as streamlined, to be sure, BUT no clogs!

@zuheyr1 9 месяцев назад

Oh lady you talk more about your hands than the pens...

@HaveColorWillTravel 9 месяцев назад

Well, loads of folks who love to draw have health issues that affect their hands & grip like I do, and this video is for them:) I love that Rotring Isographs have allowed me to draw with confidence despite my health issues and sharing the details about that to help others decide if this pen is for them was the goal of this vid. Hope the next video you pop onto is more designed for your personal needs!🤓

@huckaday 6 дней назад

Wow. What was the purpose of that comment? What's wrong with people these days? And why aren't people jumping all over this pile of crap comment!? Bullying shouldn't be normal! Even when dished out from behind a computer of some kind. Unbelievable. Despite today's politics and the horrible polarization about everything, everywhere, it's not a horrible thing to experience some empathy, you know? While taking knowledge from someone (at no cost, btw), and also hearing about their pain, should have triggered GRATITUDE for your own health, SYMPATHY for what they are going through, and even more, APPRECIATION & THANKFULNESS of the extra effort & precious/limited energy that was sacrificed for them to create this video for you AND OTHERS to enjoy! It wasn't made JUST for you!! Whether you are right or wrong about your opinion of the video, it definitely shouldn't have triggered you to target them with bullying disguised as unsolicited and unproductive criticism. Do you create videos that are made to offer help for others too? You didn't need to make a comment like this. You could have double-tapped on the right side of the video to skip by 10sec at a time through the parts you didn't want to hear, and not make any comment at all. (But a thank-you comment would be even better!) @HaveColorWillTravel You are battling autoimmune issues, and are still trying to help others with your videos. I SO appreciate that! When I was healthier years ago, I had created a few edited videos for both RU-vid and of my sons football games. So I know it isn’t as quick and easy as some people think it is. And because I also battle those same autoimmune symptoms you mentioned (along with other medical conditions), it was very useful information for myself and for my own battle to be able to continue to be creative as an artist. (Even from my bed.) Thank-you so very much!!!