The use of a pen is a great way of converting your thoughts into reality. In the past, drawing pens were for creative engineers and architects. But now the domain includes illustrators, artists, and cartoonists.
As an artist, when you work in the field, you require intricate penmanship and extreme details or illustrations. So the tips of these pens require precision. Let us explore the different types of pens and the variety of pen sets available.
sponsored message
Now let’s jump into our feature on the best pens for artists.
10+ Best Pens for Artists in 2022
- Sakura Pigma Micron Pens — The best pens for artists overall in 2022 (Editor’s Choice)
- Uni Pin Fineliner Pens — The best budget pens for artists
- Fiskars Pen Set — The best value pens for artists
- Pentel Brush Pen — The best travel pens for artists
- Pilot V7 Rollerball — The best eco-friendly pen for artists
- Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens — The best versatile pen for artists
- Copic Multiliner SP Black Ink Marker — The best high-quality ink pen for artists
- Platinum Carbon Pen DP-800S Extra Fine — The best vintage-designed pen for artists
- The rOtring Rapidograph — The best technical pen for artists
- Staedtler Pigment Liner — The best smudge-proof pen for artists
Also see our post on the best pens & pencils.
What is the Best Pen for Artists in 2022?
Sakura Pigma Micron Pen is the best artistic pen available. Have a look at the table given below to find the comparison between various pens and choose the one that fits your requirements.
Different Types of Pens
There are a lot of things to learn from the artistic pioneers of the past. Although you need to be proud of your past, you should be in a position to embrace the future. This can be done by implementing various new tools and the media we use.
sponsored message
Fountain Pens: This category of pens contains water-based inks. These are pens that most students prefer because it enhances their handwriting. The advantage of using such pens is that they are a pleasure to use by demonstrating great character in your handwriting with these pens. The great disadvantage of using a fountain pen is that they easily smudge.
Ballpoint Pens: Ballpoint pens are the most practical and popular modern pens. The design includes a thick oil-based ink that flows through the tip and rolls over the writing surface. Ballpoint pen users utilize them mainly for taking notes, but artists may also use them for noting down illustrations as they are an affordable tool.
Rollerball Pens: They are similar to ballpoint pens but use gel-based inks instead of oil-based inks. This causes wet ink that is more similar to fountain pens.
Gel Pens: They are a great tool for crafters. The ink in these gel pens is a highly viscous substance that comes in various colors. They may portray attractive designs for any project with fine, controlled linework.
Dip pens: These are the pens that you see in many old nostalgic films. As their name says, they do not have ink reservoirs in them but you must dip them in an inkbottle. They are popular tools for cartoonists and calligraphers.
sponsored message
Brush Pens: These pens apply the bold application of ink. The unique nibs are made from natural hair bristles or synthetic nylon brushes. These pens are popular with calligraphers and illustrators.
10+ Best Pens Available for Artists
1. Sakura Pigma Micron Pens (Editor’s Choice)
The best pens for artists overall in 2022
Dimensions: 3.3 x 0.5 x 6 inches | Weight: 0.32 ounces | Color: Beige | Ink Color: Black
The Sakura Pigma Micron Pen is an excellent drawing tool that comes in various line widths. The microns in these pens are chemically stable and are also waterproof and lightfast. The pens coming from Sakura are not refillable but they are easy to open and refill the ink of your choice.
The only concern with these pens is the lifespan of the nibs that come along with them. The choice of paper also affects the life of the pen, as a smooth sheet of paper will not affect the nib of these pens. But you must use caution when using them in a textured craft sheet.
They are really great pens and of archival quality. They really last a very long time before they run out of ink. The ink in them is opaque. But the tip of these pens is too fragile to handle, so if you push down hard on these tips, they tend to break.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Good for perfect linework | ➖ Inks become thick over a period of time |
| ➕ Water-proof | |
| ➕ Smudge-proof | |
| ➕ Wide range of nib sizes | |
| ➕ Archival pigma ink performance |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- The Go-To Tool for Art, Work & Play: Black pens create precise marks that stand the test of time
- Assorted Point Sizes: Contains 1 of each Micron pen: 005, 01, 02, 03, 05, 08
- Archival Quality: Pen ink is waterproof, fade resistant, bleed free, quick drying, and pH neutral
- Freedom to Think & Create: Pigma Micron pens deliver consistent results, with precision every time
- High-Quality, Every Time: Our Japanese quality Sakura pens deliver professional results every time
2. Uni Pin Fineliner Pens
The best budget pens for artists
Dimensions: 41.34 x 36.42 x 36.42 inches | Weight: 2.82 ounces | Color: Black | Ink Color: Black
Uni Pin Fineliner Pen is a complete set of nine black-inked pens. The quality of the ink is quite good because it is not only water or light-resistant, but it is also tamper-resistant. You cannot wash away the ink with chemicals or solutions that people use to manipulate documents.
The bodies of these pens are all plastic and have a metal clip and tip. The ink barrels of these pens are of a matte finish, are non-slippery to touch, and the tips of these pens are solid across all the pens. There is a metal sheath in the caps that protect the plastic tips.
sponsored message
Uni Pin Fine liner pens are comfortable to use and the nibs of these pens are hard even if you exert some pressure on these pens. The flow of the ink is also smooth and does not blot, making it perfect for drawing.
The range of colors that comes with these pens includes black, sepia, light grey, and dark grey. The ink from the grey pens almost looks as though you are drawing with pencils.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Affordable price | ➖ Simple structure |
| ➕ Wide range of nib sizes | |
| ➕ Water-resistant ink | |
| ➕ Caption with the nib size given |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Complete set of 9 Black inked Uni Pin fineliner pens, featuring one of each grade.
- Uni's high quality "Super Ink" is not only water and light resistant, but also "Tamper-Resistant", meaning that the ink can not be washed of using chemicals and solutions used by people to...
- Ideal for artists, illustrators, and designers alike.
- Set contains the one of each of the following nib sizes: 0.05mm, 0.1mm, 0.2mm, 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, 0.6mm, 0.7mm, and 0.8mm.
3. Fiskars Pen Set
The best value pens for artists
Dimensions: 2.38 x 6.13 x 5.75 inches | Weight: 14.4 ounces | Color: Multicolor | Ink Color: Multicolor
The Fiskars Multicolor Gel Pen set is the best choice for coloring and drawing and comes with 48 colors in the set. You may illustrate your nuances in shading through this pen set.
Apart from the vast number of colors in this pen set, it also includes multiple types of gel inks. The gel inks include 12 glitter, 10 metallic, 9 pastel, 6 neon, 6 swirls, and 2 black inks. There are also single pens with green, blue, and red inks as well.
The colors in the pen are acid-free and are useful for archival projects.
The tip of the pen varies from 0.8 to 1.0mm, which makes it easy to color in large and small spaces equally. You can create special greeting cards when you write with this attractive set of colors. The colors in the pen dry very fast and flow easily onto the paper, so it avoids smudging to a great extent.
As the inks from these pens flow smoothly, these gel pens will never skip or run. The complete set comes in four storage trays.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ 48 unique colors | ➖ No comfort grips |
| ➕ Vibrant color | ➖ Ink flow inconsistent while coloring |
| ➕ Can color in tight and detailed spaces | |
| ➕ Comes in a clear plastic box |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Ideal for embellishing craft projects with a variety of bright colors
- Colors include glitter, neon, metallic, swirl and two black gel pens
- Acid-free design
- Pens write on both light and dark paper
- 0.8–1.0 mm tips
4. Pentel Arts Portable Brush Pens
The best travel pens for artists
Dimensions: 8.11 x 1.18 x 0.31 inches | Weight: 0.64 ounces | Color: Black | Ink Color: Black
Pentel Pocket Brush Pens come with a strong and flexible brush with bristles which gives you control over your strokes. You may use this pen to create fine detailed lines and thick strokes. You can also get brush strokes with streaks because the bristles of the brush split by applying a certain pressure.
This pen can be your best friend when you want to pen your thoughts or help you to bring a creative vision in you into the page. It is easy to carry whenever you are traveling and you won’t face any leakage issues with this pen if you tightly close the cap. This pen comes with two refillable cartridges.
The Pocket Brush pen is refillable, so the pen can last over time. Instead of disposing of it every time, the ink turning dry is an added value for you because the refill cartridges are inexpensive. As an alternative, if you have a syringe with a bottle of black ink, you can try refilling your used cartridges.
Another advantage of using this pen is that you can use it with watercolors. Once the black ink dries out, it lays there forever, even if you apply watercolor.
When you use this pen for the first time, you will struggle to find control over it, but with a little time and patience, you will master it.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Refillable cartridges | ➖ Difficult to master |
| ➕ No leakage issues | |
| ➕ Does not smudge with watercolors |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- A hand is portable Pentel Brush Pen which does not flow into water but is excellent also in lightfastness.
- The permanent ink is both water and fade resistant
- This package contains one pen and two refills
- Create fine or broad lines ＆ Portable and refillable
- This product is a Japanese limited version.
5. Pilot V7 Rollerball
The best eco-friendly pen for artists
Dimensions: 0.06 x 0.03 x 0.01 inches | Weight: 4.2 ounces | Color: Black | Ink Color: Black | Tip-type: Roller-ball
The Pilot V7 Rollerball pen is the first liquid ink pen that introduced the cartridge system. Similar to all fountain pens, you need not replace the ink feeds because they can use ink cartridges. This makes the pen more cost-effective and environment-friendly.
As a part of the BeGreen collection of eco-friendly products, Pilot makes this pen from 71% recycled materials. The needlepoint tip and the Pilot’s rollerball give an excellent writing quality and extra bright colors.
The pilot V7 is a refillable rollerball pen. It is available in a 0.7 size and written in a 0.5mm line. This pen is available in four different colors, red, blue, green, and black. There is a window in the body of the pen that lets you see whether the pen requires a new cartridge or not.
The rollerball of the pen delivers Pilot’s classic needlepoint tip and the liquid ink of the pen delivers excellent writing quality while flowing consistently. However, the ink of the pen blots out while clipping the pen in shirt pockets.
The 0.7mm needlepoint makes the color look vibrant and the quick-dry ink offers precise writing.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Eco-friendly product | ➖ Ink blots out of the pen |
| ➕ Vibrant colors of ink | |
| ➕ Window to see the ink remaining in the pen |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Multi-dimple rollerball system gives smooth and skip-free writing
- Ink viewer window lets user to see how much ink is remaining in the pen
- Ink flow regulators gives a consistent ink supply to the last drop
- 0.7 mm ball gives a 0.5 mm writing line
6. Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens
The best versatile pen for artists
Dimensions: 5.25 x 0.5 x 0.45 inches | Weight: 0.24 ounces | Color: Black | Ink Color: Black
Faber-Castell’s Pitt Artist Pen remains the best quality pen for artists for almost ten years. The main attraction of these pens is their versatility because it has a variety of nibs and colors. You can unfold the pen’s creativity and explore its possibility in the field of art.
Faber-Castell makes this pen with India Ink, which has a base of pigments and water, so you can use these pens with any paper and the ink will not bleed.
Balance is the keyword in the world of creativity. Pitt Artist Pen has modernization in mind while using the timeless medium of ink.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Smudge-proof | ➖ Available in four nib sizes only |
| ➕ Waterproof | |
| ➕ Ink blends with a variety of shades | |
| ➕ Writes well on textured paper |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- PITT artist pens contain pigmented India ink that is both archival and acid free
- Perfect for drawing on the go!
- Convenient wallet keeps all your drawing tools together
- Pigmented India ink that is both acid free and pH Neutral
- Smudge proof and waterproof when dry
7. Copic Multiliner SP Black Ink Marker
The best high-quality ink pens for artists
Dimensions: 5.25 x 0.5 x 0.45 inches | Weight: 0.24 ounces | Color: Greyish-black | Ink Color: Black
The Copic Multiliner is one of the best drawing and writing pens. Copic makes disposable Multiliners and refillable Multiliner SPs with aluminum barrels that are great to hold and use. The Multiliner SP design looks great when compared with its counterpart, the disposable Multiliner, which comes in a plastic body.
You can refill the pen’s ink by using the reservoir available at the back of the pen. You need to pull up the black end of the pen to open the reservoir. The tip of the pen is replaceable and its sizes also vary from a range of 0.03 to 0.8.
Copic Multiliner SP pens that come with high-quality inks. This pen is an apt tool for artists, illustrators, and architects who must meet the rigorous demands of inking. They are cost-effective pens when compared to the other disposable pens and come with a long-lasting aluminum body, refillable reservoirs, and replaceable nibs.
You must handle these pens with care because if you apply slight pressure on these pens, the tip tends to bend and damage the tip.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Good design | ➖ The tip can be easily damaged |
| ➕ Refillable inks | |
| ➕ High-quality ink | |
| ➕ Strong body build | |
| ➕ Wide variety of nib sizes | |
| ➕ Caption with the size of the pen |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- This black pigment-based ink pen is great for details, fine art, design, comics, modeling, journaling and papercrafting.
- Waterproof, archival and photocopy safe
- Compatible with Copic Marker Ink
- Rounded metallic body
8. Platinum Carbon Pen DP-800S Extra Fine
The best vintage-designed pens for artists
Dimensions: 6.85 x 0.51 x 0.51 inches | Weight: 0.32 ounces | Color: Black | Ink Color: Black
The Platinum Carbon Pen works with Platinum’s Carbon ink. It is a pigment ink, which is extremely black and waterproof. So you need to use caution while refilling the pen with its ink.
The pen is long and it looks almost like a paintbrush. This gives you a feeling that this might be an art pen. It is made of plastic and easy to carry around.
The pen feels extremely light once you have taken the plastic cap out of the pen. The pen cap looks strange with a hexagonal-shaped head but it prevents the pen from rolling down if you accidentally keep it on a table.
The ink flow from the pen is good, so you will never have any problem sketching. The pen never skips or shows any signs of varying ink flows. One thing that really makes you feel irritated is the scratchiness that is caused by the pen.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Waterproof ink | ➖ Not suited for rough surfaces |
| ➕ Will be able to draw broad and narrow lines. | ➖ Nib gets scratchy at times |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Product Type:Writing Instrument
- Item Package Dimension:2.0 Centimeters L X 5.4 Centimeters W X 23.2 Centimeters H
- Country Of Origin: Japan
- Item Package Quantity:1
9. The rOtring Rapidograph
The best technical pen for artists
Dimensions: 5.51 x 0.79 x 1.57 inches | Weight: 0.353 ounces | Color: Brown | Ink Color: Black
Rapidograph is a pen that comes from the German company rOtring. It has a steel needlepoint of 0.18mm tip for technical drawings and the size of the tip is small enough to cater to the needs of smaller-width drawings.
This pen creates a precise and consistent line while drawing and the neck of the pen specifies the size of its tip. Although the writing is consistent, it does cause some scratches on rough paper surfaces.
This pen has a capillary refill system for cartridges so it is not necessary to buy a new one, which makes it easy to refill and by using the old cartridges. The nib of this pen is made of stainless steel which helps in dependability and endurance in operation.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Sturdy | ➖ Nib needs to be handled carefully |
| ➕ Sharp tip | |
| ➕ Consistent flow |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- The precision ink pen with the innovative refillable capillary cartridge system
- For tracing paper, vellum drawing paper and lineboard
- Features a crafted stainless steel nib
- Color coded barrel indicates line width
10. Staedtler Pigment Liner
The best smudge-proof pens for artists
Dimensions: 5.94 x 2.91 x 0.71 inches | Weight: 0.352 ounces | Color: Black | Ink Color: Black
Staedtler Pigment Liner pens come in a sturdy case so you will not require a separate pen case to store the pen. The pen is rubber-cushioned which makes it easy to hold on to it. The pen does not smudge or bleed when used on thin paper. It does not bleed as well when you use these pens.
The pen comes in a variety of tip sizes, with the size shown on top of the cap and on the body of the pen. The pen has the inscription “18h CAP-OFF” on its body, which means that you may leave the pen uncapped for a long time.
The pens run smoothly across the paper creating an even line every time which makes your sketches with these pens look better than in pencil. The ink from these pens dries very quickly and the metal tips that come with these pens are sturdy.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ High-quality pigmented ink | ➖ Disposable pens |
| ➕ Wide variety of nib sizes | |
| ➕ Caption on the pen with the desired size | |
| ➕ Pen can be left uncapped for long-duration |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Fineliner for writing, sketching and drawing
- Long metal tip, ideal for use with rulers and templates
- Pigment ink, indelible, lightfast and waterproof
- Erasable when used on drafting paper, no bleeding when highlighted
- Bonus pack of pigment liners - 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.8mm
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best pen available for artists?
The Sakura Pigma Micron Pen is the best pen available for artists.
Which pen is the best vintage-looking pen?
The platinum carbon pen is the best vintage-looking pen.
What are the types of ink available in pens?
There are four types of inks in pens. They are pigment, water, oil, and alcohol-based inks.
Related Posts
- 15 Best Mechanical Pencils for Artists & Designers in 2022
- 12 Best Watercolor Pencils in 2022
- 12 Best Colored Pencils for Artists in 2022
- The Best Pens & Pencils for Designers, Artists & Creatives
10+ Best Pens for Artists in 2022
As every person’s needs and wants vary from one another, choosing the best pen for yourself is also an art by itself. What one perceives as a handy and excellent pen might be someone else’s ordinary pen. As all the pens in this article are inexpensive, you can use a trial and error method until you find the perfect one for you.
However, we endorse the Sakura Pigma Micron Pens as they offer everything that an artist will look for in a pen. Another good refillable pen model and you don’t mind spending a few penny extras, then you can go in for the Copic Multiliner SP Black Ink pen.