Pens are a versatile and convenient medium for drawing with, and are a great portable choice for artists on the go. Beginners may also wish to give sketching in pen a try as it is an effective way to develop more confident mark making.
As a medium, pens are very variable, ranging from fine ballpoint pens, great for detailed renderings, to flexible brush pens that suit expressive, gestural marks. They are also easy to carry around and clean to work with, making them a good substitute for ink drawing. This guide looks at a variety of different types of pen, covering how they perform for drawing, as well as handwriting.
This list of tips for pen and ink drawing is a great way to get some inspiration for drawing in pen. Check out our list of best sketchbooks if you are looking for somewhere to draw, or for adding colour to your drawings, we also have a list of the best markers.
The best pens for artists right now
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+ Sharp lines
+ Minimal bleed
- Smaller tips delicate
- Need storing securely
The Copic 1.0 mm Multiliner is a truly premium quality pen in all respects. The ink is densely pigmented, holds well on paper, and creates crisp, clean lines. Copic sells its Multiliners in a range of thicknesses, so you can pick the option that suits your artistic style best. Artists report they're comfortable to use, and not scratchy – even in the finer sizes. These fine liners are also waterproof and marker-proof, so they work well for mixed media work. Finally, the range is good value for money, and refillable.
+ Precise tip
+ Great all-rounder
- Takes practice
- Ink can clump
With its hardwearing synthetic bristles, sturdy, precise tip and waterproof, fade-resistant ink, the Pentel Brush Pen runs a close second for our favourite all-round pen for drawing. These pens are great for creating a variety of different line types – although the delicate nib does take some getting used to. You'll need to be careful though – the ink can leak or clump if the lid isn't on tight.
+ Nice feel
+ Thick line
- Not great for accurate drawing
The Pilot V7 Rollerball is essentially a hybrid between a fountain pen and a ballpoint, and our favourite pen for writing. Comfortable to hold, it produces a clean, consistent line with no smudging, and there’s a transparent ink reservoir window so you can be sure of getting hold of extra refills in time. It's probably not ideal for really accurate drawing, however, due to the flow being on the fast side.
+ Good for details
+ Comfortable
+ Cheap
- Can smear
If you’re looking for the best ballpoint pen, we’d recommend the Pilot BPS GP Fine. This smooth, stick ballpoint with triangular rubber grip is comfortable to hold, cheap to buy, and beautifully functional in use. However, like most ballpoint pens, ink clots can form on the tip, which will smear if they end up on your paper. This ballpoint pen includes 0.7mm, 1.0mm, 1.2mm and 1.6mm options.
+ Flexible tip
+ Affordable price
- Learning curve
If calligraphy is your thing, the best pen for you is the Tombow Fudenosuke brush pen. This pen is made in Japan and delivers excellent results, yet is surprisingly affordable. Coming as a set, with one soft type and one hard type, these light pens are easy to use, with a flexible nib that’s perfect for the nuanced lines and curves needed for beautiful Japanese script.
+ Clean to work with
+ Thin and thick lines
- Not for rough paper
- Steeper learning curve
The Sailor Fude pen is a unique style of Japanese fountain pen that produces a calligraphic mark, with highly variable thickness. This is achieved by giving the nib an angled bend at the tip, and the user tilts it to change the line thickness. It is excellent for expressive, gestural sketches and quick studies. The unusual design is a little tricky to use at first, but it is well worth the effort as it can produce a fantastic variety of marks.
+ Consistent ink flow
+ Bold line
- Not refillable
- One colour only
This pen from Sakura, which combines water-based and pigment-based inks, is a seriously fine model, delivering a bold, consistent line and superb colour transferral. It's great for sketching and makes a bold line, allowing for expressive lines. It only comes in one colour, though.
+ Less messy than a dip pen
+ Good line variation
- Nib can spit
- Lines crack on some paper
The Sakura Pigma Micron is the best pen for lettering and line art. It creates a pleasingly dark line that bleeds very little and won't smudge when washed or erased over. The tips are fine but not too delicate, and they're also odour-free. With a little practice, you can also use them to create a variety of line types.
+ Organic feel
+ Varied line thickness
- Not ideal for still-life
- Not ideal for quick studies
Looking to draw living things? Check out the Kuretake Sumi brush pen. It offers a wide variation in line width to give your sketches an organic, dynamic feel that's well suited to portraits, animals and plants. It's also refillable, though isn't ideal for still lives or quick studies.
Which pen is best for writing?
The Pilot V7 Rollerball is a cross between a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen and is our favourite for writing. Lines are clean and clear and it's comfortable to hold.
For calligraphy, we like the Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen, which is made in Japan and ideal for creating gorgeous script.
Which pen brand is best?
The pen brand you'll prefer largely depends on what you want to use it for. If it's writing, then Pilot do a good range of finer roller ball pens, and if you want to draw then Copic has some great options. For brush pens, we like Sakura's range. Pentel are also good for drawing.
Is it worth buying an expensive pen?
If you are going to use a pen heavily, investing in a quality one that is comfortable to use is well worth your money. In particular, more expensive brushpens tend to have bristle tips that can produce finer lines. Different brands specialise in different types of pen, with Pilot product excellent ballpoint pens, Sakura being a good choice for fineliners and Kuretake a good pick for brush pens.
