Best Ink Pens For Drawing

Choosing Pens for Drawing, Doodling & Sketching

11 Favorite Pens for Drawing and Doodling

tips for finding pens that fit the way you draw, doodle, and sketch

When I started drawing, finding a good pen was quite a quagmire! There were lists of favorite pens at every turn, and it seemed like each artist used a different set of pens. I had the impression that selecting pens was a really big thing and would impact my drawing results. Like I would need a particular type of pen before I could ever get to the point of drawing well.

choosing a pen isn't a simple decision

My analytical side tells me to just make a grid — compare technical attributes — describe pros/cons of each pen or drawing tool. That chart would flow into a master list, then the best pens would float [pun intended] to the top of the list! But those pens? They may or may not be YOUR version of perfection.

That's because there are other aspects to the decision, qualities that might be intangible or irrelevant to other people. So take other people's [especially mine 🧐] recommendations with a grain of salt. Fortunately pens and markers are fairly inexpensive art materials and it's feasible to test pens and see what actually fits. And we're not chatting fountain pens which can be much more expensive.

Favorite pens for drawing, lettering, doodling

Each person draws differently, and so different pen characteristics take on different levels of importance. Maybe you absolutely must have ink that is permanent, or you're an urban sketcher working in cold temperatures, or you need to watercolor over your lines quickly, or you've had hand surgery and find it difficult to apply significant pressure [I'm in that category, actually], or you'll prioritize certain attributes.

Maybe it's all about a sleek aerodynamic pen design, a lightweight metal, a pen that can write upside down, or a fountain pen that has a particular type of cartridge, etc. What if you're into collecting pink|magenta|red|scarlet pens?

After years of experimenting and drawing with TONS of pens, I find them so incredibly intriguing! There are so many variables and factors involved! The way the ink flows, the type of nib, the weight of the pen, the balance in the hand, the chemical characteristics of the ink, and the types of lines, the pen body material, nib design, and on and on.

ahead you'll find my go-to drawing pens, and markers, along with EXAMPLES of what I've drawn with different pens! Enjoy!

Researching pens and ink is one of my favorite things to do, and I hope that this post helps you find new pens to try! You'll find links to other resources for pen lovers here at Daisy Yellow.

A lot of artists get frustrated when they can't find the perfect pen — or in trying a pen that someone else raves about. Try to think of the goal as finding writing tools that fit the way YOU draw. So to find that seeming elusive handful of pens, you will need to try a variety of different pens and markers, really test them, experiment with them, see what they can do. Then you will gradually settle in on the ones that you really enjoy using.

We all draw differently. We don't need to choose the same pens

There are many factors that influence the way you draw and the pens that will be the best fit for the way you draw! For example, the way you hold your pen, whether you are right/left handed, type of paper, angle of pen, pressure you can apply, hand pain or weakness, even the humidity in your work space... all of that will figure in!

You might prefer ink that is water-soluble so that you can play with the edges or smudges. You may want ink that is permanent so that you can draw under/over/adjacent to watercolor or gouache. And you might be in search of a pen that can draw on acrylic paint or mixed media collage surfaces in your art journal or junk journal. There are so many different use cases and ways of drawing ~ so keep experimenting until you find what works for you!

a list of pens + markers for drawing, doodling, sketching & Writing

To give you a frame of reference, the surfaces I use most often for my escapades are watercolor paper, a Moleskine drawing journal, and index cards. These are very different surfaces. But I also do hand-lettering on surfaces that have been painted with acrylic paint in my art journal, journal on backgrounds painted with watercolor and gouache, and more.

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PITT Artist Pen. If I could suggest one pen for your collection, it would be the Faber-Castell PITT Artist pen. These are fiber-nibbed pens with pigmented ink that is resistant to water - so you can draw and then use watercolor or gouache over the lines and they'll remain intact. They do not bleed and are a reliable and consistent go-to pen.

For drawing or writing, go for the XS {extra super fine .1mm} or S {super fine .3mm} or M {medium .7mm} nib. Great for writing on paper, lettering, line work, doodling, mandalas and sketching on anything from index cards to watercolor paper. They do not bleed. These pens are an inexpensive luxury and I'm never without one!! I keep them in my backpack, purse, on the table. Faber-Castell PITT artist pens have "pigmented India Ink that is permanent, waterproof, light-fast, orderless, acid-free and archival (pH neutral)."

I use brush nibbed PITT pens {brush, soft brush and big brush} to add color or draw patterns. For "coloring in" doodles, I suggest the standard B brush nibs because they can be used to fill small or medium areas and come in 48 colors. I indulged in a huge set of PITT brush pens, and my daughters use them for their art. For extremely BOLD lines, yet still brush nib, go for the Big Brush nibs. To see the Big Brush nibs in action, watch the Bold Doodle Patterns video.

A perfect way to figure out your favorite PITT pen nib? Get a kit with with every type of PITT pen nib in black. A very reasonable investment, about 15 bucks.

There are a few other PITT pens, like the Calligraphy, Chisel, Bullet, and 1.5, but my favs are above.

Drawing in PITT artist pen, XF nib, surrounded by gouache, on index card.

Doodles with PITT brush pens and Sakura Gelly Rolls.

Uni-ball Signo DX . Both the .38 and the .5 nibs make for great everyday, everything, anything kind of pen! Good for note taking, drawing, doodling, etc.

Uni-Ball UM-153. The next pen on the hit parade is a fantastic metal-nibbed gel ink pen with a lush, consistent flow of opaque black ink. The Uni-Ball UM-153 broad point 1mm nib writes on uneven surfaces, including acrylic paint and collaged backgrounds - extremely useful and beloved by art journalists. The right side of this Moleskine page "Every Picture Tells a Story" is written with this pen. The white version is excellent as well, described below.

5x8" Moleskine Journal, XS PITT pen, Uni-Ball UM 153, PITT Big Brush Markers, Artwork by Tammy Garcia.

Sakura Gelly Roll Pen. First, I should just say that I love Gelly Rolls. My kids love Gelly Rolls. I devised an entire Guide to Gelly Rolls. They are metal-nibbed gel ink pens that come in a wide array of colors and even sparkles and neons and metallics. While PITT pens {above} draw a more concise line, Gelly Rolls have a more flowy, juicy line and have a super duper FUN FACTOR. The ink dries more slowly than PITT or Micron pens. When dry, you can paint over the lines with watercolor or gouache or whatever. My favorite for doodling is the black Gelly Roll. The ink in these pens flows smoothly and consistently and they can write on acrylic painted backgrounds, even if they are slightly uneven, like collaged papers. We always have these in our travel art kit!

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Pilot Hi-Tec C. If you LOVE extremely fine-line metal nibbed pens, you will love the Pilot Hi-Tec C. Available in a rainbow assortment of 10 colors and draw an elegant .25, .3 or .4mm line. I like to use these for my habit tracker — bright and colorful, with fine, smooth, consistent line. You can also find these at Jet Pens. The hand-lettered word was drawn with .3 nib.

Lettered in Pilot Hi Tec by Tammy Garcia

Stabilo Worker. This is a workhorse of a pen with a consistent flow of ink. I absolutely love the bright orange pen body!

Lettering with the Stabilo Worker, M nib by Tammy Garcia

Sakura Glaze Pen. Glaze pens are a unique type of marker, like nothing else. These metal-nibbed gel ink pens come in 10-12 colors; the ink has a slight texture and when dry it is raised, translucent, even shiny. You'll either love them or hate them, that's my bet. You'll need to draw a bit more slowly than with typical gel pens, and the payoff is lush color. With this nib size you can make beautiful dots too! The ink dries slowly and so they are easy to smudge if you smash your drawing hand along the lines.

A mandala in Sakura Glaze pen by Tammy Garcia

sakura pigma microns . Great tools for writing, lettering, detailed line work, doodling, and sketching. They come in a bunch of colors and nib sizes, and the 005, for example, draws finer lines than the smallest nibbed PITT pens. Microns have a fiber nib with a tiny metal shaft. They dry immediately and are permanent so this helps to minimize smudging. These are extremely good quality pens, be aware that if you are heavy handed and apply a lot of pressure when you draw, you'll find these more sensitive to nib damage than PITT pens.

White Uni-Ball Signo UM-153. A metal-nibbed gel ink pen with a lush, consistent flow of opaque white ink. The Uni-Ball UM-153 is my favorite white pen!!! It writes on uneven surfaces, including acrylic paint and collaged backgrounds - a major plus for art journalists. This pen and the next are my go-to pens for writing and drawing on dark backgrounds.

3x5" index card divider, white Uni-Ball Signo UM-153 on gouache background, artwork by Tammy Garcia.

White Sakura Gelly Roll. Another solid metal-nibbed gel ink pen with a consistent flow of opaque ink is the white Sakura Gelly Roll. This pen has a smaller nib and draws a finer line than the Uni-Ball above; they both work on slightly uneven surfaces.