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    Best Brush Pen for Inking?

    Questions & Comments
    ink brush pen inking advice help
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    • WonderTruly
      WonderTruly last edited by

      Hey, everybody! What’s your favorite waterproof brush pen for inking?

      I’m working on a massive children’s illustration project (100+ 11x17” pages) that I’m doing in ink and watercolor. My preferred pens are the Kuretake Bimoji brush pen in broad, but they only last me a couple days each.

      I love the saturation of Faber-Castell’s PITT artist brush pens, but they’re pretty pricey for me. I’ve tried the Pentel brush pens a couple of times, but I’ve found them to take a really long time to dry and not be waterproof after the fact.

      I have been combing Google for advice and haven’t found anything helpful. SVS Learn, you’re my only hope. Thanks in advance!

      A Jeremy Ross 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • ?
        A Former User last edited by A Former User

        just recently i stumbled over scottie youngs youtube channel and he uses a "Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pen" which you can buy a adapter for "Platinum Fountain Pen Converter" to use your ink of choice.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muME3fr06Gg
        in this video he uses it with - Super Black Speedball India Ink

        jake parker seems to like the copic gasenfude these days but they seem to not hold long either and maybe he already moved on to something else

        at the end of the day i think that nothing beats a brush + ink when it comes down to longterm use/price/linequality but it has its disadvantages in term of handling/caring.

        WonderTruly 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • WonderTruly
          WonderTruly @Guest last edited by

          @Molambo This is so helpful! Thank you.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • J
            jdubz last edited by jdubz

            @WonderTruly what is a "waterproof brush pen" as opposed to a normal ink brush pen?

            One thing I found recently is just using empty water brush pens and I've just been filling them with straight up black india ink. I bought a pack of 5 and made progressively deluded mixtures to make a bunch of grays in addition to the black.

            I've tried like 8 brands of brush pens and so far these have felt the best to me. I keep wanting to like them more than I actually do 😛 But I really don't know if considered a waterproof brush pen.

            Josh White
            https://www.instagram.com/joshwhiteillustration/

            ina 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • ina
              ina @jdubz last edited by

              @jdubz said in Best Brush Pen for Inking?:

              deluded mixtures

              This autocorrect made me chuckle. Great idea though!

              I thought that india ink stays waterproof (or not) no matter the dilution, that it has to do more with the properties of the binding agent? Or is there more to it?

              J A 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • J
                jdubz @ina last edited by

                @ina said in Best Brush Pen for Inking?:

                @jdubz said in Best Brush Pen for Inking?:

                deluded mixtures

                This autocorrect made me chuckle. Great idea though!

                I thought that india ink stays waterproof (or not) no matter the dilution, that it has to do more with the properties of the binding agent? Or is there more to it?

                Hah that's funny. Only ink can be that full of itself :P. I didn't even know that waterproofing was something one looked for in ink heh.

                Josh White
                https://www.instagram.com/joshwhiteillustration/

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • Mina Elly
                  Mina Elly last edited by

                  I feel Pilot pocket brush pen soft is quite good. This is hands down the best felt-tip brush pen I have ever used. Ink is dark and doesn't bleed. Brush tip is springy and allows for a variety of line weights. But the ink is not waterproof.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Enholm Molly
                    Enholm Molly last edited by

                    @WonderTruly said in Best Brush Pen for Inking?:

                    waterproof

                    The ink, once it sets down, doesn’t budge. It’s waterproof. It can be a good partner for watercolor pens when coloring. If you need to use a black ink but don’t want it to get washed down, you should use MisuLove

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • A
                      aaimiller @ina last edited by

                      @ina it's the shellac (or chemical substitute) that makes ink waterproof, and shellac tends to get sludgey and clog up pens.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • A
                        aaimiller @WonderTruly last edited by

                        @WonderTruly Hi! Brush pens are convenient but waterproof inks tend to get sludgey and can clog pens. The best pen for longevity are ones with simple mechanisms and ones that are cheap. As some else mentioned, the refillable watercolor pens are nice.

                        You could also get a brush, and use whatever ink you want. You would lose the portability, but gain flexibility in the inks you can use. If you care for you brush it'll last for years. Any round sable brush (size 0 to 6) would be fine. I like
                        the large brushes because they hold more ink and make a larger range of marks.Syntheticc brushes are fine as well, but don't tend to hold up as well over time.

                        I really like the Royal Talens Indian Ink, it's slightly more matte than speedball super black, very waterproof and resists lifting when erased. A nice combination ☺️.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • Enholm Molly
                          Enholm Molly last edited by

                          My hunt for an affordable but high-performing brush pen set led me to this one. It’s a 12-piece brush pen set that comes with small to large-point brushes, great for the versatile artist and calligraphy. I thought that’s a great deal for its relatively low price.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • M
                            mimirichman last edited by

                            I think Pentel is a good pen. The tip is quite adaptable. Because the ink dries immediately after each application, I never had to worry about smearing! It enables me to do a wide range of artistic skills, including calligraphy, highlighting, writing, feathering, hatching, and refining fine art elements.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • Jeremy Ross
                              Jeremy Ross @WonderTruly last edited by

                              This post is deleted!
                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • Marsha Harrison
                                Marsha Harrison last edited by

                                Pentel Pocket brush pen is a favorite among many artists due to its durable nylon brush tip, which offers excellent flexibility and control. It produces smooth and consistent lines, making it great for both beginners and professionals.

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