This was a very nice introduction to fountain pens for drawing! Since I've been drawing with a fountain pen for years, I would like to add a few considerations for those who would like to start drawing in ink and are uncertain about the f.p. and its comparison with the dip pen: 1 - yes, fountain pens are much smoother on paper while dip pens tend to "scratch" (the latter gives you more control but requires much more of a steady wrist for line consistency) 2 - because of their flexibility, dip pen nibs generally offer much more width variation with the applied pressure, so with the same nib you can cover a lot of line widths 3 - VERY BIG DIFFERENCE: with dip pens you always draw with the nib in (almost) the same direction and while "dragging" otherwise the nib will catch on the paper. With fps you can vary the way you angle the nib: with a good pen (i.e. Lamy Safari) you can obtain various line widths simply rotating the nib on the side or in reversal for a very (hair-like) thin line. You won't get the same range covered by a dip pen nib tho, so consider buying at least a couple of fps for good coverage (like extrafine and medium or fine and broad, depending on your favourite scale) 4 - fountain pens release less ink so they dry much faster (also dye based ink usually dries faster than, say, indian ink) 5 - imho: converters/adapters suck. I have tried many, but the truth is they all have little capacity and don't suck (pardon the pun) ink very well. Either buy a pen with an internal refill system (like the TWSBI Eco) or buy large sized cartridges and refill those with a syringe (you can reuse a single one many times)
Etwas spät füge ich noch hinzu, dass die Spritze auch den Vorteil hat, dass man Tintenflaschen bis zum letzten Tropfen geleert werden können. Mit einem Konverter klappt das nicht (ich mag aber Konverter, viele meiner Lamy Füller haben einen).
Fantastic video! And if anyone was wondering about the pen line-up at 1:00, It goes left to right: Pilot Kakuno, Jinhao x450, TWSBI Eco, Lamy Safari, Pilot E95s, Jinhao 35. Just thought I'd put that here since Kenn mentioned the other's in the description. Also the shimmer glitter is usually made of Mica, Metallics, Oxides and/or Silicates so dont worry about microplastics if you want to try out Shimmering inks!
9 times out of 10 i use Noodler's heart of darkness for drawing. No matter how fancy an ink color is, pure black on a good quality paper always makes me feel so satisfied. Black is all about showing what your drawing is about without distractions. I'd say only "bad" thing about heart of darkness is that it takes a bit longer to dry, but its something anyone can adjust to. Once in a while i think its nice trying shimmering/shading inks, especially with a broad nib and a big reservoir, like a Vac700R. But next day i'll go back to black. I like your videos and your work. I always feel like i'm watching a friend or a student back when i was in art school. Cozy is the word for the feeling. Thank you
Noodler’s inks take forever to dry. I do ink and wash (watercolor) in the field so I can’t wait even 5 minutes! DeAtramentis Document inks or Platinum Carbon Black dry in less than a minute.
I absolutely adore your videos. They really inspire me to draw.. i was on a dry out of art, (literally produced no art for 3 months) within 2 days of finding your account i drew two full spreads and another 2 separate pieces ontop of that..
@@Road_Surfs “NPC? Well, I kinda guess you could say that I’m an NPC the way your mom always do my side quest. Imagine this. It was a dark and moody night. I be chilling in my house then I heard my doorbell rang. I ran to the door, opened it and I just saw your mom standing, naked as hell. Her eyes suddenly lit up when she saw my peanut butter complexion and she start grabbing my BBC junior. She then brought me into my own room and just started doing the most with my bulging BBC junior like she was trying to get some new achievements. I just be lying there while your mom was just growling like a beast and spraying all her juices all over my chiseled body. She did everything I had asked with all the ferociousness so if anyone was going to be an NPC, its gotta be her. Now GTAB” nah im just kidding B, i didn’t do allat
This was very informative from the illustrator's perspective. Thanks for going through all that detail, and as an illustrator myself, I can agree with everything you said. Pilot Kakuno is my go-to pen for sketching and writing. I cannot recommend them enough for their price, ergonomics, and performance. Simply the best pens. Great video!
I'm both a writer and an artist. I've recently gotten into fountain pens, haven't tried drawing yet. I'm glad to see a video about drawing with fountain pens as all the ones I’ve seen so far have been about writing. I have my dad's old Lamy Al-Star that he used to sketch with, so I think I'll give that a go next time I sit down to draw.
My Noodler’s Konrad was my first fountain pen about 10 years ago and I still love it. I use it with a flex nib and Noodler’s Heart of Darkness. It’s always in my sketch kit with my Duke Fude nib pen for interesting line variation, and the Pilot Kukano EF for detail work.
just want to m mention the platinum desk pen as a great low price drawing pen in the fine nib, along with platinum carbon black ink. when i bought mine years ago, it was $9 with two carbon black cartridges, which was great. The long tapering body makes it really easy to switch up grips from low to high while still being able to keep control, as with a paint brush. since that first purchase i've bought d far too many pens, but this one still holds my heart
i’ve been using more and more vibrant colors as i go on, but i gotta say red is a whole different level of color for a sketchbook page. just something about the color can make it tell so many stories depending on the person seeing it. So using a combination of red with blacks and neutral colors really make it pop out more, which i love!
I've been enjoying Noodler's Zhivago, which is "partially bulletproof." So, I can do a wash over it and the black is untouched by the water, remaining sharp, but the green component can be lifted with the water, resulting in green-on-black shade work. I'm particularly partial to using this for botanical, forest, and landscape work. Alternatively, when drawing without a wash, the ink has a wonderfully deep, deep shade of green.
I went way into the rabbit hole with fountain pens a few years ago when I decided I wanted to work on penmanship and also learn about calligraphy. I've already amassed enough bottles of different brands and colors of ink that I likely won't use them all in my lifetime - I love collecting all colors, from the darkest blacks to bright oranges and golden greens..though I've found I don't like sheening and only like having a couple bottles of shimmer inks for xmas cards and what not - shading is where it's at. It's by far my favorite thing to draw with, I just wish there were a lot more (truly) waterproof options out there as I like using ink in combination with watercolor or gouache. One aspect you sort of touched on that is the main reason I like fp's for drawing, is the variety of how you can draw with it; I used liners for a while when I first learned dynamic sketching but always hated them (who wants to hold a pen at a perfect 90 degrees?), then I found hi-tec C which are vastly superior and allow more shallow angles (not waterproof though...). But with an fp I can draw below a 45% angle even, and quite often I use it in a gestural way, holding it near the end of the pen and in a more overhand grip like with a charcoal pencil or brush, and even the steel nibs have just enough variation in line width to make things interesting and allow you to get dynamic lines without switching pens. Oh I disagree about Noodler's tho - I absolutely love the smell of the resins in Noodler's pens lol.
The fine nib kakuno pen has been my go-to for a while now and it's honestly perfect (and it's so affordable :00). I bring it around for on the go sketches and and it has never failed me. Since I'm a cheapskate, I refill the empty cartridge with cheap inks I got using a needle haha. I end up just mixing the colours in the cartridge to make my own which works great. Never had any problems and I get to make my own silly colours :) (blue black and purple black are my absolute favourites :D) The fact it's not waterproof works in my favour, because I like going over with a waterbrush to add some tones. Overall, it's fun to use and suuuuper smooth. Not much flex, but i like the uniform lines. Might think about trying flex nibs or fude nibs in the future Also, love your videos very insightful and calming to listen to
This is a really interesting video! I personally don't draw but I write a lot with fountain pens. I think the points you mentioned apply to long writing sections as well. A lot of fountain pen reviews don't take into account that you might be using them for hours, that your hands might get sweaty and slip due to a badly designed grip or that the shape, size and weight of a pencil can make your hand cramp up. I really wish more reviewers would think about that as well. Totally unrelated to that, a really cool thing about the platinum preppy (and another reason why it's so good for beginners) is that you can very easily convert it and increase it's ink capacity by a lot without having to buy a converter. All you need is an O-ring, some 100% silicon grease and an eyedropper. Just take off the barrel of the pen, put an O-ring on the threads and grease the threads a little. Now you can fill the entire barrel with ink (this is where they eyedropper is very handy, a syringe works too ofc) and close the pen with no leakage. Another cool thing about the price point of the preppy is that you can fill it up with pigment inks without having to worry about clogging up the feed or staining the plastic.
You are gonna be my guide for getting back into drawing and art. I got two neo slims recently, but I’m waiting on converters for them. I have black and blue ink that I will be using for journaling, but my next purchase from jetpens will be a dip pen. I actually would have liked to seen a “dip pen for beginners guide” to have an idea on nibs, holders and inks but i am going with tachikawa and tokyo slider for all that and I see the stuff i plan on buying in most peoples videos so i think i am good.
Recently I have been gifted with a fountain pen by my art teacher, and having you upload an introduction to these amazing little contraptions just made my day :)
I love these videos, thank you. I’ve actually been looking to buy a dip pen so maybe I’ll stick with a fountain pen and see how it works out. You’re one of my favorite artists right now. When I draw in pen I usually go for a traditional black, sometimes blue ballpoint to play around. Nothing fancy. However when I draw I usually do it in prismacolor red col-erase which is something you don’t see a lot. Hope to see more tutorials like this. ❤️
This has been the most useful guide for me in choosing a fountain pen, even though I'm looking for a fountain pen for writing first and sketching 2nd. Thank you for the comprehensive guide ❤
I would add that another advantage of fountain pens is the durability of the tip (nibs are made of some variation of steel,metal) vs a micron pen or similar, specially in the extra fine; Just got back into drawing a couple of months ago and a micron 005 the tip almost disapeared in a month or less. I use black ink, the contrast and diverse textures you get with lines, the way they pop on the white surface is very appealing
I used to have a fountain pen when I was little, loved using it to copy panels from Tintin comics. Though I recall making a mess trying to swap cartridges.
i only recently started sketching with pens instead of coloured pencils and i’ve been really enjoying drawing with a fountain pen, it’s just fun!! i also think the appeal is the variety of inks especially as someone who loves sketching with colors like red or pink and who is really picky with what shades i like…
i have only recently found your videos, but i can already tell that you are going to be one of my all time favorites, you are enjoyable to watch, and i wanna binge more of your videos, keep posting!
I have way too many sample vials at my desk, but I think my all time favorites must be Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-gaki (a red with a bit of orange), Noodler's Heart of Darkness, and several of the Iroshizuku greys for shading. Great video, all good advice, and nicely art - centric. I would add: Get a blunt needle syringe on Amazon. They are very cheap, and will let you rinse out and refill anything, including cartridges. You'll never have to worry about getting the right converter for a pen if you don't want to. Also, don't get fixated on gold nibs. Modern steels are good enough these days to be just as smooth and flexible, so the trick is just finding the right nib for you. Finally, regarding Noodler's pens - I own 2, and I can't smell either of them unless my nose is in contact with them, and even then, they smell faintly minty and fresh to me. I might be the exception, because the smell seems to be an issue for many (it is because they are made of an organic cellulose that is tough but also biodegradable, so very eco friendly). The reason I even bring it up is because many of the larger bottles of staple Noodler's ink come with a free "Charlie" model pen, which is beginner friendly and can be a good value if you need a bunch of that ink color.
This was such a great find! I have been trying to pick a starter fountain pen but most videos focus on writing. I love your tips for finding a good pen for drawing and thank you for talking about inks as well. 🖋️✨
Your videos are always so calming. Right now the only fountain pen I have is a black zebra sensations fountain pen, the flow is consistent and it definitely feels nice to sketch with.
Thankyou for the excellent synopsis of fountain pens from an artist’s perspective. I was using fountain pens right after we graduated from graphite to liquid ink on paper. We were told the gliding nib with flowing ink would improve our handwriting - rightly so. You’ll always find a fountain pen in my shirt pocket even at office to sign documents. Ever since I started watercolours during Covid19 I was using fineliners but getting back to fountain pens with a Lamy Safari was going back to roots! I use carbon black inks always for sketching! Thanks gor an excellent video.
I only recently started using fountain pen to draw with on the go with my sketchbook. I got a platinum preppy, mainly because it's not too expensive (and as a left-handed person I killed a few fountain pens when I had to use them for school) and because there is cartridges with waterproof black ink from the manufacturer so there wasn't any guesswork that it would work for the pen without destroying it. the cartridges are cheaper to try things for the start but I plan on getting a converter and the same ink in a jar once I have used up my cartridges. my main pros for fountain pen is that after buying the pen and using it with ink bought in bigger quantity it's cheaper than using ink fineliners like Micron or Faber-Castel Pit pen and less accident-prone and more portable than a dip pens and easier to use than ink brush pens. I do like working with all of those, but as something to carry around everyday for quick sketches and some visual note-taking a fountain pen is ideal. It would be nice having some kind of rubbery section around the handle though to make it more comfortable, when sketch for a longer time.
I really like greenish inks like Poseidon! Green colour helps relieve stress for me, so I use it in writing and drawing a lot. Thank you for this informative video. I use a twisbi swipe, but now I will give a try with an eco also!
It's kind of amazing how I was watching tons and tons of vids about fountain pens just last week in order to get one, and then you just drop one that resume everything I learned during 8h of intense searching for THE perfect pen. At that time I even searched a video on your chanel to get the best advice, but I guess I was too ahead of my time ahah. After all that search I concluded that I would buy a twesbi eco, and now i'm assured that's my final choice! Anyways, that's a really helpfull video, very clear and complete :)
This video makes me want to go to the store and buy one👀...i only used dip pens with blue and black inks,but i would like to try a sepia ink(the color just looks soo fancy and appealing)
Literally never thought about using fountains pens for drawing 'til i saw it in another one of ur videos. Very insightful and I love the aesthetic lol, will buy one now!
fountain pens ,dip pens and ink are really rare in my country . so I normally use 0.5mm gel pen as a liner and 2B pencil for rough sketching. I also use Cool kit watercolor set.
your videos are really inspiring me to get back into sketching again since I fell out a bit after graduating college and getting a job. I love using coloured inks the most for a little spice in my sketches I tend to go for blues or purples!
Very cool! I originally got interested in fountain pens a year ago and had watched tons of videos on them. I like the designs, history, and reliability of fountain pens, plus the nibs and just how the work are interesting. I wanted to use one for drawing but there aren't really many videos out there on drawing with fountain pens. You did a good job aiming for that specific niche and you offer a lot of information and tips. You always make cool videos and it's fun to watch you draw and hear what you have to say and this was no exception. I've purchased two since then and have played around with them a bit. I haven't really had the "drive" to draw much in the past couple years but you really made it seem fun and enjoyable to use a fountain pen. I actually have one resting on my keyboard right now that I've been looking for the right time to ink up and try out. I might just have to give it a shot now that you've got me thinking about it! When it comes to inks, I've only ever used black pens (like fine-liners and brush pens) or pencils. I imagined myself having a few fountain pens with different color inks to play around with, but I know when it comes to drawing, I'd much rather have black as a go-to more than anything else. I like color, but there's just nothing quite like a white page and black ink. Anyways, great video and thanks for the insight into drawing with fountain pens! The video being in 21:9 was a nice tough!
When I sketch in ink I default to black Fountain pens of choice include the Lamy Safari and Platinum Preppy as they are budget-friendly and overall quite reliable, in my opinion (Non-fountain pen I use is the Hybrid Technica by Pentel, usually the 0.3 or 0.5mm pens) but when I'm able to commit a bit more time, I have gotten into using combinations of red and blue or red and teal! using a light red against the darker blue/teal makes for interesting effects when sketching I'm a messy artist so freehand ink sketching is always so interesting to me when doing studies out in the wild. Though I would like to give a hand at using water washes to add a bit more variety to shading, as I do very much enjoy water coloring. I just can't always commit to the amount of time and set-up watercolors can be
I’ve had my fountain pen for 7 years now and its still working fine XD I feel like I’m just a basic person I don’t really use any of the inks except for black and blue! But I definitely will try out the inks that you brought up especially the sheening ink. Love your videos its very informative! Can’t wait for the next video!!!
Thanks for sharing fountain pen content for artists! I have a fountain pen addiction and use them for every drawing, loving the line quality and feel, and they also keep up with my quick lines and scribbles! I've been using Pelikan ink for a while, sticking to blues and blacks till I find the next perfect color. They run perfectly in my favorite pens: an ef lamy 2000, f lami studio, f lami safari and a f cross. I have a bias. And no regrets there.
I once had basic fountain pen but now I’m using dip pen. Honestly I’m really fond of colour inks and now I have Lamy T53 crystal ink which is something between blue and green colour. I’m glad that you made video about fountain pens because now I really want to come back to drawing with them and enjoy it. Thanks ❤
Awesome and informative breakdown of what to look for in a fountain pen for drawing. The ones I'd tried were too stiff compared to my dip pens, but I'd been thinking there must be better ones to get. It would be nice to have them for coffee shop sketching days.
I've regularly used a fountain pen for nearly a decade at this point - mostly for writing where I find it is way better for avoiding or at least delaying hand strain. I haven't used it much in art because I keep making the mistake of buying non-waterproof inks. It's been mostly black ink for me, though I used other more whimsical colors in the past (greens, reds, etc.)
I started with fountain pens at the beginning of the year picked up the cheapest fountain pen by chance (under a dollar actually but with a metal body), and really enjoyed drawing with it, it has a nice feel you can play around with the pressure get different line widths with it and the weight of it is also something I have enjoyed, I've since then picked up some more with varying types of nib all under 10$ and for a beginner to test out the waters these are great
I'm starting to learn sketching using pens for my watercolour painting. Currently I'm using a fineliner to achieve that. This video guide is what I need as I'm looking for a possibility to use fountain pens as an additional tool for my sketching. Thank you.
try a Lamy safari or joy, they have 3 finger indents which make them insanely comfortable (imho) to just keep flowing with. I calligraphise more than illustrate so use stub nibs but the EF or F might suit your sketching. didn't like TWSBI as i found them really fat and no indents so uncomfortable to hold. sent it back!
I’ll definitely get into these kinds of pens at some point. I’m enjoying working more in ink rather than pencil although I still use it often. Great video as always❤
Right now I'm super new to drawing with a pens, I mostly used pencils for a long time. I'm currently using the Deleter Matte Black 2 with my dip pen. It's so enjoyable! I'm hoping to switch over to pens completely for manga and comic drawing! Thank you for the information about drawing with fountain pens! This was so useful to me as a beginner!
Thanks for this detailed tutorial. I've only recently begun to get interested in sketching and want to switch over to fountain pen sketching. Your tutorial has helped me to understand what I need for my hobbie. I'm looking forward to getting some art supplies soon
I got myself LAMY Safari with EF nib and converter and I LOVE IT. I used R0tring black ink and i felt like it has been not good for my pen so I switched to Pelikan 4001 and it has been very good so far. Im not sure if I was doing something wrong with R0tring ink but it has been drying out and I needed 2 or 3 strokes to get pen working again. I would appriciate if anyone had same problem and got solution :). I also have 3 cheaper pens and they been very good but now I dont use them as often. I LOVE the vibe your videos give ❤❤
I think Drawing ink like Rotring might have to big particles for a fountain pen. I would recommend Platinum Carbon Black or De-atramentis for waterproof ink, and i think Noodlers make one to. It's generally recommended to clean them once in a while if they have been sitting around without being used.
Love fountain pens. Twsbi, Pilots and Lamy are my favorite brands. De atramentis black and Cyan blue are my favorite inks and mostly what I use in my drawings.
My starter pen for drawing is a preppy with platinum carbon ink. Cheap, and waterproof ink which is important because I like to combine pen with watercolor. A fude nib pen is on my wish list, more line variation.
@@dentanlim Thanks, I'll look into that. I like "cheap"; not very snobbish about my pens, practicality above everything else. And I hear Sailor is a good brand.
My primary drawing inks are from Ferris Wheel Press. I like the pigments and the consistency of the inks. Pilot inks are also in my drawing colours. Very informative video, I even found a few pens I did not know were available! Thank you!
I’ve always used Pelikan 4001 in my pens but I’ve never tried anything else so thanks for the recs. You’ve got a cool style of drawing and you inspired me to really pay more attention to perspective stuff
My fountain pen of choice is the Lamy Nexx with its rubber, sculpted grip. It’s the most comfortable contollable pen with a reasonable amount of flex/damping that prevents cramp.
So happy to see new content from you! I normally use Waterman black ink but recently I tried the brown one and I loved it! I love drawing mechs with it.
I have a full set plus a few extra colors of Dr. Ph. Martin's India Inks which is maybe 20 color choices for drawing and writing. I do paint with them also. They are similar to watercolor in use, though as you mentioned they can have a shiny finish when multiple layers are built up.
I just got into fountain pens last month after restoring my grandpa's gold-nibbed Waterman, so I'd love to win that Lamy Safari! My favourite ink right now is just the 'Intense Black' by Waterman. I mainly draw and write with black and red inks. And I like shading with a grey or brown ink. Most of my other inks are the Diamine brand, because they're the cheapest here in the UK.
been a long time user of black inks w your common art pens, though I always end up using only one size. I recently began to try out dip pens which has been a really fun experiment, and Im kind of in love? the control you have over the line thickness and such is unbeatable. along with that, Ive tried a few different inks; gold, orange, and blue for now, though Im curious about the possibilities!
I remember commenting on your community post asking for pen recommendations and now that you’ve made this video, it feels like coming full circle lol Something else I think that’s could be worth noting for artists using fountain pens is that fountain pen inks, by virtue of being dye based, usually aren’t lightfast so that’s something to be careful about when it comes to storing your drawings. I love drawing with fountain pens, the tactile experience is unmatched. I still have other gel pens and fineliners that I use occasional but fountain pens have ruined me for other pens. I also feel like my line confidence has improved so much since I started drawing with them. I draw without sketching first way more than I ever did previously. The ink obsession is real though, I bought diamine’s ink advent calendar last year and I still haven’t gotten to try all the inks out in a pen.
Great vid man. I've just started drawing with a fountain pen after primarily using fine liners and tech pens like staedtlers and rotrings. The way the ink flows is so satisfyingly different than tech pens. I'm addicted now and have a Lamy safari and twsbi eco-t on order as my first non-craft store fountains.
I really really needed this video today. Shifting from ball points to fountain pen drawings and my first jinhao pen has been a disappointment. Ken always saves my day!
thanks to you i started my dip pen/ fountain pen journey about two months ago. i use dr. ph. martins black star waterproof india ink which is matte with my dip pen for drawing & i have a speed ball refillable ink cartdrige fountain pen for everyday writing!
Dude, I really really appreciate you making this video, i am an architecture student and i really love the way you use your sketchboocks, that inspired me a lot, a hug from Colombia.
I gotta say you made me start buying fountain pens for drawing a while ago and I absolutely fell in love, it's so fun. I stopped drawing with pencil and I only doodle with pen now hahaha. Currently I'm using Pennonia "Méregzöld" ink (it's like a blue-green ink, turquoise I think? Very pretty) but I'm dying to try the rohrer&Klingner sketchINK. It's veeeery cheap (like 15 bucks for 50 ml) and it's also totally waterproof. I want to try mixing the pen doodles with some watercolor :)
I have always used pencil of charcol. never used a pen to draw. I have watched a few videos on why to draw in a sketchbook with a pen instead of a pencil. I think I will be trying a pen going to start with blue. thanks for the great information on fountain pens.
Great video, I took the leap and bought a fountain pen because of this! I usually use dip pens with black ink or colored acrylic ink, but with my quicker drawings I've noticed the amount of times I have to re-dip is breaking my flow, so a fountain pen seemed like the perfect choice for me! I never totally got into the ballpoint pen... so I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about it as a tool.
I swear by platinum carbon black and Noodler's Lexington Gray ink for most of my sketching since both are waterproof, and diamine inks for when I want to be silly with color and wary with water. Great video, I really agreed with everything you said! I want to try out a pilot kakuno sometime now, I hear their nibs are so dang fine.
You really dove in deep. Noodler's Black has worked so far although I have tried samples (Goulet Pens in the US has samples that they sell for cheap). I went with the Noodler's Ahab as my first pen and the smell does eventually disappear/ becomes only noticible if smelled directly. I liked the idea of the Ahab being a tinkerer's pen. I have also injected the ink into FC Pitt felt brush pens.
I love the twsbi eco but I totally agree with what you said about the grip being bad. For inks it is Noodler's bullet proof inks for me! I love ink and wash looks
Awesome video!! I’m starting into fountain pens and this video was really helpful. I preferred sketching with black but open to try other colors. Thanks for the vid 👍🏻
For drawing I like Platinum Carbon. It's the best ink I've found with regards to water resistance, it doesn't shed a bunch of ink off when wet the way De Atramentis or Noodler's does so I don't feel like I have to prep a sketch removing excess ink run-off or wait ages for it to dry before I can add washes or color to it.
I started using Dip pens for drawing when I recently began trying to learn calligraphy and decided to get into fountain pens to use more portably. I currently have a Lamy Safari and Moonman M2. And have been using some small bottles of Diamine to try different colours because they're super cheap.
The TWSBI Eco is an excellent pen! And I found a company called Osprey that makes a pen called the Madison that has a G nib. I can't use Noodler's, I have ADHD along with all the associated sensory issues and the smell kills me. There is the Diplomat Magnum, it's not expensive and the nib has a surprising amount of give to it. I use Platinum Carbon Black in my pens, even my brush pens. It's excellent and stays liquid for a long time. I just found one of my brush pens after about a year, and it drew just fine.
I've been into fountain pens for about a year, and recently deiced to try a flex nib pen for drawing! I got a Noodler's standard. Only had it for a week but I love it a lot. Definitely recommended. The smell is something to consider tho. On the paper side of things, I haven't had many problems. However, its important to consider the order you do things in, cause I tend to use water based markers to color my storyboards and sketches in light washes, and using the fountain pen on top of the marker sometimes makes it feather more. I think its cause the marker kinda damages the top layer of the paper? Loved your guide, as both an artist and a pen enthusiast i found this very useful. Also your channel is the reason why i tried drawing with my other fountain pens in the first place, and I've been enjoying it a lot.
Great video, especially the fountain pen is uncharted territory for me. Answering your question, I constantly switching between pencil and classic Sakura ink pen. I miss the smoothness of the pencil while using ink, and miss the "blackness" of ink during the pencil usage...
Great video, really in depth. It makes me want to get a fountain pen now. Typically, I have used black ink. However, after watching your videos, I got a dip pen and love using indigo blue ink and pencils now!
Links in the description to (most) of the stuff talked about in the video :D
check this one.. th-cam.com/video/sE__kKd8xUw/w-d-xo.html
Chroma could you do a vid on your shading techniques please?
Finally, a video that talks about fountain pens from an artists perspective! The analogy to watches is also very accurate. Thank you for this!
You're very welcome!
This was a very nice introduction to fountain pens for drawing! Since I've been drawing with a fountain pen for years, I would like to add a few considerations for those who would like to start drawing in ink and are uncertain about the f.p. and its comparison with the dip pen:
1 - yes, fountain pens are much smoother on paper while dip pens tend to "scratch" (the latter gives you more control but requires much more of a steady wrist for line consistency)
2 - because of their flexibility, dip pen nibs generally offer much more width variation with the applied pressure, so with the same nib you can cover a lot of line widths
3 - VERY BIG DIFFERENCE: with dip pens you always draw with the nib in (almost) the same direction and while "dragging" otherwise the nib will catch on the paper. With fps you can vary the way you angle the nib: with a good pen (i.e. Lamy Safari) you can obtain various line widths simply rotating the nib on the side or in reversal for a very (hair-like) thin line. You won't get the same range covered by a dip pen nib tho, so consider buying at least a couple of fps for good coverage (like extrafine and medium or fine and broad, depending on your favourite scale)
4 - fountain pens release less ink so they dry much faster (also dye based ink usually dries faster than, say, indian ink)
5 - imho: converters/adapters suck. I have tried many, but the truth is they all have little capacity and don't suck (pardon the pun) ink very well. Either buy a pen with an internal refill system (like the TWSBI Eco) or buy large sized cartridges and refill those with a syringe (you can reuse a single one many times)
Etwas spät füge ich noch hinzu, dass die Spritze auch den Vorteil hat, dass man Tintenflaschen bis zum letzten Tropfen geleert werden können. Mit einem Konverter klappt das nicht (ich mag aber Konverter, viele meiner Lamy Füller haben einen).
Fantastic video! And if anyone was wondering about the pen line-up at 1:00, It goes left to right: Pilot Kakuno, Jinhao x450, TWSBI Eco, Lamy Safari, Pilot E95s, Jinhao 35. Just thought I'd put that here since Kenn mentioned the other's in the description.
Also the shimmer glitter is usually made of Mica, Metallics, Oxides and/or Silicates so dont worry about microplastics if you want to try out Shimmering inks!
9 times out of 10 i use Noodler's heart of darkness for drawing. No matter how fancy an ink color is, pure black on a good quality paper always makes me feel so satisfied. Black is all about showing what your drawing is about without distractions. I'd say only "bad" thing about heart of darkness is that it takes a bit longer to dry, but its something anyone can adjust to. Once in a while i think its nice trying shimmering/shading inks, especially with a broad nib and a big reservoir, like a Vac700R. But next day i'll go back to black. I like your videos and your work. I always feel like i'm watching a friend or a student back when i was in art school. Cozy is the word for the feeling. Thank you
love heart of darkness. pitch black and also performs great in flex pens
thanks for recommending, will check out
Noodler’s inks take forever to dry. I do ink and wash (watercolor) in the field so I can’t wait even 5 minutes! DeAtramentis Document inks or Platinum Carbon Black dry in less than a minute.
I only ever tried drawing with pencil -- but I've been trying out sketching with a blue ballpoint after being inspired by your blue sketchbook tour!
Me too LMAO
I absolutely adore your videos. They really inspire me to draw.. i was on a dry out of art, (literally produced no art for 3 months) within 2 days of finding your account i drew two full spreads and another 2 separate pieces ontop of that..
babe wake up new Chroma Moma vid just dropped
I get up
I sleepy but i watch
Npc
@@Road_Surfs “NPC? Well, I kinda guess you could say that I’m an NPC the way your mom always do my side quest. Imagine this. It was a dark and moody night. I be chilling in my house then I heard my doorbell rang. I ran to the door, opened it and I just saw your mom standing, naked as hell. Her eyes suddenly lit up when she saw my peanut butter complexion and she start grabbing my BBC junior. She then brought me into my own room and just started doing the most with my bulging BBC junior like she was trying to get some new achievements. I just be lying there while your mom was just growling like a beast and spraying all her juices all over my chiseled body. She did everything I had asked with all the ferociousness so if anyone was going to be an NPC, its gotta be her. Now GTAB”
nah im just kidding B, i didn’t do allat
This is such a hackneyed trope
This was very informative from the illustrator's perspective. Thanks for going through all that detail, and as an illustrator myself, I can agree with everything you said. Pilot Kakuno is my go-to pen for sketching and writing. I cannot recommend them enough for their price, ergonomics, and performance. Simply the best pens. Great video!
I'm both a writer and an artist. I've recently gotten into fountain pens, haven't tried drawing yet. I'm glad to see a video about drawing with fountain pens as all the ones I’ve seen so far have been about writing. I have my dad's old Lamy Al-Star that he used to sketch with, so I think I'll give that a go next time I sit down to draw.
My Noodler’s Konrad was my first fountain pen about 10 years ago and I still love it. I use it with a flex nib and Noodler’s Heart of Darkness. It’s always in my sketch kit with my Duke Fude nib pen for interesting line variation, and the Pilot Kukano EF for detail work.
just want to m mention the platinum desk pen as a great low price drawing pen in the fine nib, along with platinum carbon black ink. when i bought mine years ago, it was $9 with two carbon black cartridges, which was great. The long tapering body makes it really easy to switch up grips from low to high while still being able to keep control, as with a paint brush. since that first purchase i've bought d far too many pens, but this one still holds my heart
i’ve been using more and more vibrant colors as i go on, but i gotta say red is a whole different level of color for a sketchbook page. just something about the color can make it tell so many stories depending on the person seeing it. So using a combination of red with blacks and neutral colors really make it pop out more, which i love!
I've been enjoying Noodler's Zhivago, which is "partially bulletproof." So, I can do a wash over it and the black is untouched by the water, remaining sharp, but the green component can be lifted with the water, resulting in green-on-black shade work. I'm particularly partial to using this for botanical, forest, and landscape work. Alternatively, when drawing without a wash, the ink has a wonderfully deep, deep shade of green.
I went way into the rabbit hole with fountain pens a few years ago when I decided I wanted to work on penmanship and also learn about calligraphy. I've already amassed enough bottles of different brands and colors of ink that I likely won't use them all in my lifetime - I love collecting all colors, from the darkest blacks to bright oranges and golden greens..though I've found I don't like sheening and only like having a couple bottles of shimmer inks for xmas cards and what not - shading is where it's at. It's by far my favorite thing to draw with, I just wish there were a lot more (truly) waterproof options out there as I like using ink in combination with watercolor or gouache. One aspect you sort of touched on that is the main reason I like fp's for drawing, is the variety of how you can draw with it; I used liners for a while when I first learned dynamic sketching but always hated them (who wants to hold a pen at a perfect 90 degrees?), then I found hi-tec C which are vastly superior and allow more shallow angles (not waterproof though...). But with an fp I can draw below a 45% angle even, and quite often I use it in a gestural way, holding it near the end of the pen and in a more overhand grip like with a charcoal pencil or brush, and even the steel nibs have just enough variation in line width to make things interesting and allow you to get dynamic lines without switching pens. Oh I disagree about Noodler's tho - I absolutely love the smell of the resins in Noodler's pens lol.
The fine nib kakuno pen has been my go-to for a while now and it's honestly perfect (and it's so affordable :00). I bring it around for on the go sketches and and it has never failed me.
Since I'm a cheapskate, I refill the empty cartridge with cheap inks I got using a needle haha. I end up just mixing the colours in the cartridge to make my own which works great. Never had any problems and I get to make my own silly colours :)
(blue black and purple black are my absolute favourites :D)
The fact it's not waterproof works in my favour, because I like going over with a waterbrush to add some tones.
Overall, it's fun to use and suuuuper smooth. Not much flex, but i like the uniform lines. Might think about trying flex nibs or fude nibs in the future
Also, love your videos
very insightful and calming to listen to
This is a really interesting video! I personally don't draw but I write a lot with fountain pens. I think the points you mentioned apply to long writing sections as well. A lot of fountain pen reviews don't take into account that you might be using them for hours, that your hands might get sweaty and slip due to a badly designed grip or that the shape, size and weight of a pencil can make your hand cramp up. I really wish more reviewers would think about that as well.
Totally unrelated to that, a really cool thing about the platinum preppy (and another reason why it's so good for beginners) is that you can very easily convert it and increase it's ink capacity by a lot without having to buy a converter. All you need is an O-ring, some 100% silicon grease and an eyedropper. Just take off the barrel of the pen, put an O-ring on the threads and grease the threads a little. Now you can fill the entire barrel with ink (this is where they eyedropper is very handy, a syringe works too ofc) and close the pen with no leakage. Another cool thing about the price point of the preppy is that you can fill it up with pigment inks without having to worry about clogging up the feed or staining the plastic.
You are gonna be my guide for getting back into drawing and art. I got two neo slims recently, but I’m waiting on converters for them. I have black and blue ink that I will be using for journaling, but my next purchase from jetpens will be a dip pen. I actually would have liked to seen a “dip pen for beginners guide” to have an idea on nibs, holders and inks but i am going with tachikawa and tokyo slider for all that and I see the stuff i plan on buying in most peoples videos so i think i am good.
Nice going William! How's the drawing going?
Recently I have been gifted with a fountain pen by my art teacher, and having you upload an introduction to these amazing little contraptions just made my day :)
I love these videos, thank you. I’ve actually been looking to buy a dip pen so maybe I’ll stick with a fountain pen and see how it works out. You’re one of my favorite artists right now. When I draw in pen I usually go for a traditional black, sometimes blue ballpoint to play around. Nothing fancy. However when I draw I usually do it in prismacolor red col-erase which is something you don’t see a lot. Hope to see more tutorials like this. ❤️
This has been the most useful guide for me in choosing a fountain pen, even though I'm looking for a fountain pen for writing first and sketching 2nd. Thank you for the comprehensive guide ❤
I would add that another advantage of fountain pens is the durability of the tip (nibs are made of some variation of steel,metal) vs a micron pen or similar, specially in the extra fine; Just got back into drawing a couple of months ago and a micron 005 the tip almost disapeared in a month or less. I use black ink, the contrast and diverse textures you get with lines, the way they pop on the white surface is very appealing
I’m more of a blue ink person myself. The way it look on paper (especially off white paper) is just👌so good
I used to have a fountain pen when I was little, loved using it to copy panels from Tintin comics. Though I recall making a mess trying to swap cartridges.
i only recently started sketching with pens instead of coloured pencils and i’ve been really enjoying drawing with a fountain pen, it’s just fun!! i also think the appeal is the variety of inks especially as someone who loves sketching with colors like red or pink and who is really picky with what shades i like…
i have only recently found your videos, but i can already tell that you are going to be one of my all time favorites, you are enjoyable to watch, and i wanna binge more of your videos, keep posting!
I've been using regular ballpoint pens my whole life, so a fountain pen might be an interesting experience to try!
I'm new to drawing and currently use only a basic black ink on top of pencil sketching but this has inspired me to try out something new!
I have way too many sample vials at my desk, but I think my all time favorites must be Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-gaki (a red with a bit of orange), Noodler's Heart of Darkness, and several of the Iroshizuku greys for shading.
Great video, all good advice, and nicely art - centric. I would add: Get a blunt needle syringe on Amazon. They are very cheap, and will let you rinse out and refill anything, including cartridges. You'll never have to worry about getting the right converter for a pen if you don't want to. Also, don't get fixated on gold nibs. Modern steels are good enough these days to be just as smooth and flexible, so the trick is just finding the right nib for you. Finally, regarding Noodler's pens - I own 2, and I can't smell either of them unless my nose is in contact with them, and even then, they smell faintly minty and fresh to me. I might be the exception, because the smell seems to be an issue for many (it is because they are made of an organic cellulose that is tough but also biodegradable, so very eco friendly). The reason I even bring it up is because many of the larger bottles of staple Noodler's ink come with a free "Charlie" model pen, which is beginner friendly and can be a good value if you need a bunch of that ink color.
This was such a great find! I have been trying to pick a starter fountain pen but most videos focus on writing. I love your tips for finding a good pen for drawing and thank you for talking about inks as well. 🖋️✨
Your videos are always so calming. Right now the only fountain pen I have is a black zebra sensations fountain pen, the flow is consistent and it definitely feels nice to sketch with.
I have been considering drawing with fountain pens and this video was very helpful, full of clear concise information. Thank you
Thankyou for the excellent synopsis of fountain pens from an artist’s perspective. I was using fountain pens right after we graduated from graphite to liquid ink on paper. We were told the gliding nib with flowing ink would improve our handwriting - rightly so. You’ll always find a fountain pen in my shirt pocket even at office to sign documents. Ever since I started watercolours during Covid19 I was using fineliners but getting back to fountain pens with a Lamy Safari was going back to roots! I use carbon black inks always for sketching! Thanks gor an excellent video.
I only recently started using fountain pen to draw with on the go with my sketchbook. I got a platinum preppy, mainly because it's not too expensive (and as a left-handed person I killed a few fountain pens when I had to use them for school) and because there is cartridges with waterproof black ink from the manufacturer so there wasn't any guesswork that it would work for the pen without destroying it. the cartridges are cheaper to try things for the start but I plan on getting a converter and the same ink in a jar once I have used up my cartridges.
my main pros for fountain pen is that after buying the pen and using it with ink bought in bigger quantity it's cheaper than using ink fineliners like Micron or Faber-Castel Pit pen and less accident-prone and more portable than a dip pens and easier to use than ink brush pens. I do like working with all of those, but as something to carry around everyday for quick sketches and some visual note-taking a fountain pen is ideal.
It would be nice having some kind of rubbery section around the handle though to make it more comfortable, when sketch for a longer time.
I really like greenish inks like Poseidon! Green colour helps relieve stress for me, so I use it in writing and drawing a lot. Thank you for this informative video. I use a twisbi swipe, but now I will give a try with an eco also!
It's kind of amazing how I was watching tons and tons of vids about fountain pens just last week in order to get one, and then you just drop one that resume everything I learned during 8h of intense searching for THE perfect pen. At that time I even searched a video on your chanel to get the best advice, but I guess I was too ahead of my time ahah. After all that search I concluded that I would buy a twesbi eco, and now i'm assured that's my final choice!
Anyways, that's a really helpfull video, very clear and complete :)
This video makes me want to go to the store and buy one👀...i only used dip pens with blue and black inks,but i would like to try a sepia ink(the color just looks soo fancy and appealing)
Literally never thought about using fountains pens for drawing 'til i saw it in another one of ur videos. Very insightful and I love the aesthetic lol, will buy one now!
fountain pens ,dip pens and ink are really rare in my country . so I normally use 0.5mm gel pen as a liner and 2B pencil for rough sketching. I also use Cool kit watercolor set.
Found your video very informative. Just purchased my first fountain pen since childhood, and appreciate the pointers.
your videos are really inspiring me to get back into sketching again since I fell out a bit after graduating college and getting a job.
I love using coloured inks the most for a little spice in my sketches I tend to go for blues or purples!
Just got me a preppy pen. I like so far still getting use to it.
Very cool! I originally got interested in fountain pens a year ago and had watched tons of videos on them. I like the designs, history, and reliability of fountain pens, plus the nibs and just how the work are interesting. I wanted to use one for drawing but there aren't really many videos out there on drawing with fountain pens. You did a good job aiming for that specific niche and you offer a lot of information and tips. You always make cool videos and it's fun to watch you draw and hear what you have to say and this was no exception. I've purchased two since then and have played around with them a bit. I haven't really had the "drive" to draw much in the past couple years but you really made it seem fun and enjoyable to use a fountain pen. I actually have one resting on my keyboard right now that I've been looking for the right time to ink up and try out. I might just have to give it a shot now that you've got me thinking about it!
When it comes to inks, I've only ever used black pens (like fine-liners and brush pens) or pencils. I imagined myself having a few fountain pens with different color inks to play around with, but I know when it comes to drawing, I'd much rather have black as a go-to more than anything else. I like color, but there's just nothing quite like a white page and black ink.
Anyways, great video and thanks for the insight into drawing with fountain pens! The video being in 21:9 was a nice tough!
When I sketch in ink I default to black
Fountain pens of choice include the Lamy Safari and Platinum Preppy as they are budget-friendly and overall quite reliable, in my opinion (Non-fountain pen I use is the Hybrid Technica by Pentel, usually the 0.3 or 0.5mm pens)
but when I'm able to commit a bit more time, I have gotten into using combinations of red and blue or red and teal! using a light red against the darker blue/teal makes for interesting effects when sketching
I'm a messy artist so freehand ink sketching is always so interesting to me when doing studies out in the wild. Though I would like to give a hand at using water washes to add a bit more variety to shading, as I do very much enjoy water coloring. I just can't always commit to the amount of time and set-up watercolors can be
i just bought a brown calligraphy ink and will try the Pilot Kakuno. Your video was very helpful!
I’ve had my fountain pen for 7 years now and its still working fine XD I feel like I’m just a basic person I don’t really use any of the inks except for black and blue! But I definitely will try out the inks that you brought up especially the sheening ink. Love your videos its very informative! Can’t wait for the next video!!!
I have a bunch of old inkwells from my dad I like to use on occasion. Though my favourite is an orange, I love the vibrancy.
Thanks for sharing fountain pen content for artists! I have a fountain pen addiction and use them for every drawing, loving the line quality and feel, and they also keep up with my quick lines and scribbles! I've been using Pelikan ink for a while, sticking to blues and blacks till I find the next perfect color. They run perfectly in my favorite pens: an ef lamy 2000, f lami studio, f lami safari and a f cross. I have a bias. And no regrets there.
I once had basic fountain pen but now I’m using dip pen.
Honestly I’m really fond of colour inks and now I have Lamy T53 crystal ink which is something between blue and green colour.
I’m glad that you made video about fountain pens because now I really want to come back to drawing with them and enjoy it. Thanks ❤
I really like using black inks when drawing traditionally but changing it up with some bright colors it's cool sometimes too!
I am so happy I found you. It is so complicated choosing a pen. This is very useful information. Thank you.
Awesome and informative breakdown of what to look for in a fountain pen for drawing. The ones I'd tried were too stiff compared to my dip pens, but I'd been thinking there must be better ones to get. It would be nice to have them for coffee shop sketching days.
Glad it was helpful! Usually, it's hard to find flexible fountain pens unless their gold nibs.
I've regularly used a fountain pen for nearly a decade at this point - mostly for writing where I find it is way better for avoiding or at least delaying hand strain. I haven't used it much in art because I keep making the mistake of buying non-waterproof inks. It's been mostly black ink for me, though I used other more whimsical colors in the past (greens, reds, etc.)
I started with fountain pens at the beginning of the year picked up the cheapest fountain pen by chance (under a dollar actually but with a metal body), and really enjoyed drawing with it, it has a nice feel you can play around with the pressure get different line widths with it and the weight of it is also something I have enjoyed, I've since then picked up some more with varying types of nib all under 10$ and for a beginner to test out the waters these are great
I'm starting to learn sketching using pens for my watercolour painting. Currently I'm using a fineliner to achieve that. This video guide is what I need as I'm looking for a possibility to use fountain pens as an additional tool for my sketching. Thank you.
try a Lamy safari or joy, they have 3 finger indents which make them insanely comfortable (imho) to just keep flowing with. I calligraphise more than illustrate so use stub nibs but the EF or F might suit your sketching. didn't like TWSBI as i found them really fat and no indents so uncomfortable to hold. sent it back!
I’ll definitely get into these kinds of pens at some point. I’m enjoying working more in ink rather than pencil although I still use it often. Great video as always❤
Right now I'm super new to drawing with a pens, I mostly used pencils for a long time. I'm currently using the Deleter Matte Black 2 with my dip pen. It's so enjoyable! I'm hoping to switch over to pens completely for manga and comic drawing! Thank you for the information about drawing with fountain pens! This was so useful to me as a beginner!
Thanks for this detailed tutorial. I've only recently begun to get interested in sketching and want to switch over to fountain pen sketching. Your tutorial has helped me to understand what I need for my hobbie. I'm looking forward to getting some art supplies soon
I got myself LAMY Safari with EF nib and converter and I LOVE IT. I used R0tring black ink and i felt like it has been not good for my pen so I switched to Pelikan 4001 and it has been very good so far. Im not sure if I was doing something wrong with R0tring ink but it has been drying out and I needed 2 or 3 strokes to get pen working again. I would appriciate if anyone had same problem and got solution :). I also have 3 cheaper pens and they been very good but now I dont use them as often.
I LOVE the vibe your videos give ❤❤
I think Drawing ink like Rotring might have to big particles for a fountain pen. I would recommend Platinum Carbon Black or De-atramentis for waterproof ink, and i think Noodlers make one to. It's generally recommended to clean them once in a while if they have been sitting around without being used.
Right now my favorite ink/pen to draw with is my 1.6mm bic Cristal in black. I like the line variation I can get with it and it's waterproof.
platinum carbon black is THE perfect waterproof fountain pen ink, I love it so much and it dries fast too 💕
Love fountain pens. Twsbi, Pilots and Lamy are my favorite brands. De atramentis black and Cyan blue are my favorite inks and mostly what I use in my drawings.
My starter pen for drawing is a preppy with platinum carbon ink. Cheap, and waterproof ink which is important because I like to combine pen with watercolor.
A fude nib pen is on my wish list, more line variation.
Sounds great!
Sailor has a cheap starter fude.
@@dentanlim Thanks, I'll look into that. I like "cheap"; not very snobbish about my pens, practicality above everything else. And I hear Sailor is a good brand.
I'm used to draw with regural black ink but those color shifting inks you showed look perfect
Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for 🙂
Glad you found it useful :)
I am definitely a black and blue person but adding a background in red or green is my new favourite thing
My primary drawing inks are from Ferris Wheel Press. I like the pigments and the consistency of the inks. Pilot inks are also in my drawing colours. Very informative video, I even found a few pens I did not know were available! Thank you!
A very well illustrated young guy that knows his stuff 👏 👍 👌
I do not know why but everytime you upload I just feel like it's the most important event in the month for some reason
I’ve always used Pelikan 4001 in my pens but I’ve never tried anything else so thanks for the recs. You’ve got a cool style of drawing and you inspired me to really pay more attention to perspective stuff
My fountain pen of choice is the Lamy Nexx with its rubber, sculpted grip. It’s the most comfortable contollable pen with a reasonable amount of flex/damping that prevents cramp.
So happy to see new content from you! I normally use Waterman black ink but recently I tried the brown one and I loved it! I love drawing mechs with it.
I have a full set plus a few extra colors of Dr. Ph. Martin's India Inks which is maybe 20 color choices for drawing and writing. I do paint with them also. They are similar to watercolor in use, though as you mentioned they can have a shiny finish when multiple layers are built up.
Gotta love the Lamy safari, I find the medium nib to be too thick for drawing but is great for every day use.
I just got into fountain pens last month after restoring my grandpa's gold-nibbed Waterman, so I'd love to win that Lamy Safari! My favourite ink right now is just the 'Intense Black' by Waterman. I mainly draw and write with black and red inks. And I like shading with a grey or brown ink. Most of my other inks are the Diamine brand, because they're the cheapest here in the UK.
been a long time user of black inks w your common art pens, though I always end up using only one size. I recently began to try out dip pens which has been a really fun experiment, and Im kind of in love? the control you have over the line thickness and such is unbeatable. along with that, Ive tried a few different inks; gold, orange, and blue for now, though Im curious about the possibilities!
I remember commenting on your community post asking for pen recommendations and now that you’ve made this video, it feels like coming full circle lol
Something else I think that’s could be worth noting for artists using fountain pens is that fountain pen inks, by virtue of being dye based, usually aren’t lightfast so that’s something to be careful about when it comes to storing your drawings.
I love drawing with fountain pens, the tactile experience is unmatched. I still have other gel pens and fineliners that I use occasional but fountain pens have ruined me for other pens. I also feel like my line confidence has improved so much since I started drawing with them. I draw without sketching first way more than I ever did previously.
The ink obsession is real though, I bought diamine’s ink advent calendar last year and I still haven’t gotten to try all the inks out in a pen.
I primarily use black ink, but I recently went on a green ink kick that was actually really fun to do.
Great vid man. I've just started drawing with a fountain pen after primarily using fine liners and tech pens like staedtlers and rotrings. The way the ink flows is so satisfyingly different than tech pens. I'm addicted now and have a Lamy safari and twsbi eco-t on order as my first non-craft store fountains.
Tempted to get a tswbi, they look great, I have a noodlers creeper and ahab they are great if you want a lot of line variation
NIce NNN reference. overall I'm glad you made the video .
I really really needed this video today. Shifting from ball points to fountain pen drawings and my first jinhao pen has been a disappointment. Ken always saves my day!
thanks to you i started my dip pen/ fountain pen journey about two months ago. i use dr. ph. martins black star waterproof india ink which is matte with my dip pen for drawing & i have a speed ball refillable ink cartdrige fountain pen for everyday writing!
Dude, I really really appreciate you making this video, i am an architecture student and i really love the way you use your sketchboocks, that inspired me a lot, a hug from Colombia.
I gotta say you made me start buying fountain pens for drawing a while ago and I absolutely fell in love, it's so fun. I stopped drawing with pencil and I only doodle with pen now hahaha.
Currently I'm using Pennonia "Méregzöld" ink (it's like a blue-green ink, turquoise I think? Very pretty) but I'm dying to try the rohrer&Klingner sketchINK. It's veeeery cheap (like 15 bucks for 50 ml) and it's also totally waterproof. I want to try mixing the pen doodles with some watercolor :)
Fountain pens are like...my favorite ink based writing utensil ever!
I have always used pencil of charcol. never used a pen to draw. I have watched a few videos on why to draw in a sketchbook with a pen instead of a pencil. I think I will be trying a pen going to start with blue. thanks for the great information on fountain pens.
Can you talk more about nib sizes: size 6, 4, etc. and then EF v F vs Broad, Italic, Cursive, blah, blah, blah. K 🙋🏽♀️ and thank you 😀
Great video, I took the leap and bought a fountain pen because of this! I usually use dip pens with black ink or colored acrylic ink, but with my quicker drawings I've noticed the amount of times I have to re-dip is breaking my flow, so a fountain pen seemed like the perfect choice for me! I never totally got into the ballpoint pen... so I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about it as a tool.
I swear by platinum carbon black and Noodler's Lexington Gray ink for most of my sketching since both are waterproof, and diamine inks for when I want to be silly with color and wary with water. Great video, I really agreed with everything you said! I want to try out a pilot kakuno sometime now, I hear their nibs are so dang fine.
You really dove in deep. Noodler's Black has worked so far although I have tried samples (Goulet Pens in the US has samples that they sell for cheap). I went with the Noodler's Ahab as my first pen and the smell does eventually disappear/ becomes only noticible if smelled directly. I liked the idea of the Ahab being a tinkerer's pen. I have also injected the ink into FC Pitt felt brush pens.
I love the twsbi eco but I totally agree with what you said about the grip being bad. For inks it is Noodler's bullet proof inks for me! I love ink and wash looks
Awesome video!! I’m starting into fountain pens and this video was really helpful. I preferred sketching with black but open to try other colors. Thanks for the vid 👍🏻
For drawing I like Platinum Carbon. It's the best ink I've found with regards to water resistance, it doesn't shed a bunch of ink off when wet the way De Atramentis or Noodler's does so I don't feel like I have to prep a sketch removing excess ink run-off or wait ages for it to dry before I can add washes or color to it.
I love color, but usually draw with a bic pen. Love your videos.
I started using Dip pens for drawing when I recently began trying to learn calligraphy and decided to get into fountain pens to use more portably. I currently have a Lamy Safari and Moonman M2. And have been using some small bottles of Diamine to try different colours because they're super cheap.
The TWSBI Eco is an excellent pen! And I found a company called Osprey that makes a pen called the Madison that has a G nib. I can't use Noodler's, I have ADHD along with all the associated sensory issues and the smell kills me. There is the Diplomat Magnum, it's not expensive and the nib has a surprising amount of give to it. I use Platinum Carbon Black in my pens, even my brush pens. It's excellent and stays liquid for a long time. I just found one of my brush pens after about a year, and it drew just fine.
I've been into fountain pens for about a year, and recently deiced to try a flex nib pen for drawing! I got a Noodler's standard. Only had it for a week but I love it a lot. Definitely recommended. The smell is something to consider tho.
On the paper side of things, I haven't had many problems. However, its important to consider the order you do things in, cause I tend to use water based markers to color my storyboards and sketches in light washes, and using the fountain pen on top of the marker sometimes makes it feather more. I think its cause the marker kinda damages the top layer of the paper?
Loved your guide, as both an artist and a pen enthusiast i found this very useful. Also your channel is the reason why i tried drawing with my other fountain pens in the first place, and I've been enjoying it a lot.
Great video, especially the fountain pen is uncharted territory for me.
Answering your question, I constantly switching between pencil and classic Sakura ink pen. I miss the smoothness of the pencil while using ink, and miss the "blackness" of ink during the pencil usage...
Great video, really in depth. It makes me want to get a fountain pen now. Typically, I have used black ink. However, after watching your videos, I got a dip pen and love using indigo blue ink and pencils now!