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Material Master List (Traditional Art)
a year ago
commented below with a lot of good information I didn't know/that I missed. Please check the comments, or click here for easier access!FA doesn't like some of the links, so I used Amazon to make linking a bit easier. If wanting to support smaller shops, I'd heavily recommend these two:
TokyoPenShop
Jetpens
Been wanting to write up a guide for the materials I use, to help when people are curious! A note - I do believe that the materials or tools used don't make the artist, but I also know it can be fun to try something new. If uncertain about fountain pens, or felt pens in general - please don't go for the pens listed below as they can be a bit expensive. I'd recommend more affordable options before investing in something more major.
Table of contents:
-Fountain Pens
-Brush Pens
-Special Pen
-Inks
-Still Testing Inks
-Sketchbooks/Paper
Links for each item are clickable on their title for easy access. Current prices listed as well. If there are any questions or comments, please feel free to leave one below - I'll try to answer what I can! May update this list too, and will date the most current update when it happens.
Fountain Pens:
Pilot Falcon
$200 - Soft Fine Nib
If choosing a fountain pen, I'd recommend this one first - the nib has a lot of flexibility for line variance. You can get an extra fine pen nib, but I find the fine nib size to work nicely for thinner and thicker lines.
Pilot Custom Heritage 912
$350 Starting Price
I went for the Extra Fine - Pilot #10 Nib Unit 14k Rhodium nib, and I paid +$75 to have the nib ground to a needlepoint. This is my main preferred pen, but one potential downside for people is the nib - by regrinding it, it's incredibly fine for lines. But that also means that it's a bit more scratchy on paper and makes more noise when drawing, along with it potentially catching on rougher paper where it can splatter ink on the page if not careful. That, and while it can get a very fine line, it then takes more time to build up to a thicker line for variance in sketches.
Personally I do not mind these negatives, but it's why I'd recommend a slightly thicker nib to start with.
Esterbrook Estie Collection
$125-200 depending on design
I have the Maui limited edition one, and it's one of my favorite pens visually. Esterbrook does not have pilot nibs, and can be a bit stiffed where they don't have quite the line variance, but I don't see that as a negative. Their lines are a bit stronger and more uniform, and easier to work with at times because of it.
Pilot Justus 95
$280
I'm still experimenting with this pen a bit - it has a bad on top of the nib that you can adjust to control the flexibility of the nib. There is a slight variance, but slowly testing out different inks as they make a bit of a difference for how smooth this pen writes. I also find that paper matters a bit more for this pen, where it writes nicely on some of the more handmade papers I have.
Lamy Safari
$30
Admittedly, I haven't used much of this pen recently, but it is the pen I bought first when practicing using fountain pens to see if I even would like the medium. It's a more affordable option that's still stronger on its own.
I upgraded to the Pilot Falcon from this pen, mostly for better ink flow. If you draw faster, the pen may have a slight bit of trouble keeping up where you get skipped lines (this is true for all fountain pens, but lessened on the higher end ones).
Brush Pens:
Komamono Lab Brush Pen
$10 (Buy the cap, it's worth it. Otherwise it comes with a cheap plastic cover)
I'm honestly torn between this brush pen, and the Kuretake one below - both are incredibly fun to use. This pen is way more affordable though, and doesn't require an extra converter - I just find that if stored improperly or if the converter isn't fully plugged in, it can leak slightly.
Kuretake No. 40 Fountain Brush Pen
$33 (ink converter +$8)
This brush pen is thinner and lighter than I was expecting, and I really love working with it. It comes with disposable ink cartridges, you'd need to buy a converter to use your own ink. Sadly on the site it says they may be removing it soon when searching, so may need to find another place to link later.
Special pen:
Kakimori Pen Nib
$53 Brass/$63 Stainless Steel
I have the Stainless Steel nib - I've heard the brass has a little more flexibility to it, but personally I'm happy with my nib. It took a little bit to come in, but this is the nib I've been using the most on stream. It holds a lot of ink in one dip (I sometimes can draw for 10-20 min straight before needing to re-dip the pen).
If drawn straight down, it's a fine line - if drawn on the side you can get a very thick line instead. I'm still figuring out my preferred ink for this pen, but Diamine seems to be a good mix of thinness where it's more watery for good ink flow, while also not feathering too much. May update later as I have 2-3 more inks I want to do tests with - more ink info below.
I would recommend a nib holder off Amazon - there are Kakimori nib holders for $60-100, but it has a standard attachment and you can get a good nib holder for under $10.
Like the Tachikawa Nib Holder here - $8
Inks:
A preface first - I'd recommend just buying one or two inks at most unless you know you're working with them, as ink lasts forever even at smaller sizes. I bought my ink well of Carbon Ink (60ml) last year, and have done an entire year of intensive ink studies with it. It still is 3/4 full, and will last me awhile longer. Some inks have downsides to them from testing, and I'll try to include those below.
Platinum Carbon Ink
$18
A note with this ink - be careful if using it. It's my main ink, but it's more carbon based and should not be left to sit in a pen without using it for long. The ink is a bit more intensive on pens and can clog them due to its composition, and I wish it flowed a bit better for the Kakimori but it's almost too thick to get the lines I want.
The upside? It's an incredibly black ink, dries relatively fast (30 seconds, on most tests), and is waterproof. I'm actually testing a lot of inks because of that last point - it is very hard to find a traditional ink that is truly waterproof allowing for ink washes or watercolor once done sketching.
I'd recommend using your pen every other day if using this ink, or cleaning out the pen if not using it for a week+ to avoid buildup requiring a more deep clean.
Diamine Jet Black
$20
Diamine also has other black inks - I went for Jet Black personally. My friend Nom had mentioned that Jet is basically the soot collected from burning oil and is used as the main pigment in this color vs a more synthetic black. I haven't tried the other ones (I've used Oxblood from them before though), so curious if there's a feel difference.
Upside: very smooth writing, this is the main ink I've been using with my Kakimori dip pen.
Downside: very water soluble, and can smudge a bit more if not careful.
The feel of this ink is great though. I'm searching for one currently that has the same feel for dip pen, while trying to get better water proofing to allow for watercolor once finished.
Pelikan Blue-Black Ink
$15
This ink is another favorite, though also a bit water soluble. It goes on blue, but then dries close to black (almost a navy), and is just a very fun ink for how it dries. Currently using this in my Estie fountain pen, and wanting to explore it more as it's a newer ink to me.
Pilot Iroshizuku
$16-25 (on sale when posting)
This ink is a bit thinner, but very smooth when drawing. Would not recommend with the Kakimori pen as it's almost too thin, but works great with the Pilot Justus 95. A benefit is the bottle - it's easier to refill and not miss ink when getting low, since the bottle has a divot in the bottom to allow your fountain pen to sit.
Currently testing more:
Hongdian Black (Non-Carbon)
$10
Very affordable, and from what I've tested it draws nicely. Needing to use more before giving a full review.
Noodlers Heart of Darkness
$22
Warning: this is some of the darkest ink out there. I've been told a drop of it can turn a cup of water pitch black. You also get a shitton of ink/may want to buy an ink well to make it easier to handle, because if you spill this there is no going back. (Same with other inks, but moreso for this one).
Nom gave me their jar, because I'm looking for a thinner ink that works similar to the Platinum Carbon Ink for my Kakimori Dip pen. I'm still needing to test this some/using it with my Pilot Falcon now.
WARNING - read description for this ink:
Deleter Black 4 Manga Ink$13
WARNING - do not use with fountain pen or Kakimori nib. This is a thick ass ink, and can damage fountain pens where they cannot be fixed. This ink is for dip pens only, as it can damage the mechanics inside fountain pens. I'm looking to test it with my G-Pen nib, I just haven't had a chance to yet. It truly is a dark line and waterproof though, including this more if you have a dip pen that is capatable.
More affordable pens:
I've worked with these supplies before, and plan on doing more sketches in the future to show how they draw. I mostly do not use these now out of personal preference, but they work similar for the fountain pens if wanting to practice ink without breaking the bank.
SAKURA Pigma Micron Fineliner
$2/3 for singles, $12 for the set
I used the 08 for practice and fundamentals for a thicker line, but also have sketched with the 01 size pen a bit. Microns can actually have better ink flow than fountain pens and are a little more consistent, you just cannot choose your ink and they're one use only before being thrown out.
Copic Multiliner
$12 pen/$6 refills
Similar to the microns, except you don't throw away the pen body/have a cartridge to replace. Still throwing out the cartridge when done, though I've heard you can refill it with a syringe if careful. These can also be slightly heavier when drawing, but you can also replace the nib if damaged.
Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Pen
$3.50
One of my favorite ballpoint pens to use, it's light weight and has refills of multiple different colors, and just feels great to write or draw with.
Zebra F-301Ballpoint
$20/12 pens
This pen is a staple for ballpoint sketching - I used it for many years before I switched to Fountain Pens. Sometimes you can get a little ink built up on the tip, but this is a great option for a ballpoint.
Pilot Hi-Tec-C Ballpoint Pen
$10
This is probably one of the thinnest ballpoint pens I've used, and I love it. Only downside is that it's so thin, it can take a bit to build up lines if wanting thicker ones. Great for hatching though, I can't get the same lines with other ballpoint pens.
Paper:
Canson XL watercolor paper
$10-20 for 9x12
This is the main paper I use for more finished pieces. It's cold press paper where it has a bit of texture to it, but not too much where the pens can catch. I mostly work on 9x12, but sometimes work larger. 12x18 is about how large I'd recommend as it gets a bit harder to store away. Though I do have a 18x24 pad I sometimes draw on too (I have nowhere to put it and it's a slight problem xD)
Leuchtturm1917 - Square Sketchbook
$30
I used to be someone who really loved Moleskine sketchbooks, until they changed how they made them. Tried a Leuchtturm sketchbook and haven't looked back - this is my main book I use. The square one works well for drawing on both sides of the paper, and I also have a 6x8 one for more compact sketching. This paper is super smooth, where you sometimes can have issues with smudging ink. But most inks work well on this paper, and it takes a bit of ink for it to show through to the other side.
In the last year, I've bought 7 of these sketchbooks (variety of colors, and sizes), and have completed 2/3 while making progress on the rest (some are just for studies while others are more for personal sketches).
Stillman and Birn Softcover Sketchbook
$20
I've also been enjoying this sketchbook, because it's a bit of a softer cover and slightly easier to flip though - needing to use it more though recently, as I've been defaulting to the Leuchtturm lately.
Piccadilly Open-Bound Sketchbook
Currently Unavailable on Amazon
Still including this one as an older favorite - I used this one for a few years when starting to sketch. The paper is thinner where you can see the other side of the page easier, but this is a very affordable book for practicing, and the binding allows for it to lay flat to use it easier.
I hope this is at least useful, please feel free to ask any questions or let me know if any of this could be worded better - took a bit of time to write up, and would appreciate opinions!
Platinum's "Slip Seal" entry level pens should be decent starters; the Procyon nibs are said to be better than those on the Plaisirs and Prefountes. No flex to speak of, but the seal does a good job of keeping them from drying out when left unused. And flex isn't the only reason to use fountain pens; they permit a much more relaxed hand, since a properly made/tuned pen needs nothing more than its own negligible weight to produce a line, something which can take quite a bit of acclimation from anyone used to the ball-pen death grip, and they function perfectly well at a wider range of angles to the paper. An excerpt from one of the last penmanship courses from the time when being able to write legibly for hours daily was still an expected business skill:
https://palmermethod.com/introductory/lesson-3/
An often underappreciated entry-level fountain pen is Pelikan's M200/M205 series. They're stainless steel-nibbed piston fillers, so they hold more ink than a cartridge/converter pen; the nib/feed units unscrew, which makes cleaning the pens much easier, and opens up the possibility of easily changing out nib widths if you like, including the M400/M405 gold nibs.
That said, I think dip pens are a better starting point, especially for flex. I'm not a fan of Speedball/Hunt, though they're pretty ubiquitous, and the Japanese brands seem rather pricey given that there are good alternatives--Leonardt, Brause, Mitchell are current makes I've tried and like, and of course there are still a good number from defunct manufacturers which can still be found out in the wild (just don't get caught up in the Gillott craze, there are plenty of other good nibs to be found). Though not all dip pens are flexy! The "blue pumpkin" type provide some of the widest range of line widths via flex. There are also clip-on reservoirs which are worth getting to keep from having to dip as often.
Pilot Falcons are decent, though pretty stiff IMO; I haven't yet tried the 912 or 743. Leonardo of Italy has been dabbling in flexible nibs in both stainless steel and gold; I have one but haven't tried it yet. I see flex nibs being sold by reclaimed classic brands like Conklin (ie, modern companies, usually offshored, which have no relation to the original companies other than appropriating their brand) and haven't heard many good things about them. On the other hand, flexiblenib.com and fprevolution.com have gotten some positive reviews in their experiments, and I intend trying some of their stuff.
There was a time when vintage pens were a decent source for good flex pens but I'm afraid that time has passed. The good ones are hard to find anymore, and sellers who are either unscrupulous or at best ignorant are overflexing their products to promote them, leaving the buyer with the blame for the damage caused by the seller.
As for inks, Noodlers is odd stuff which doesn't really work like other fp inks. Nathan has said he formulated them specifically to work on cheap paper, so they tend to do better on crap paper like newsprint then feather like mad on quality paper. There've been rumors of it interacting with some pen materials, so probably best to stick with cheaper pens when using it. Montblanc makes permanent ink, and in my tests of the black against water and marker, even with scrubbing at the dried lines, has proven the most durable of the fp-friendly permanent inks I've tried so far.
Oh, I'm reminded too that while iron gall inks are technically permanent, I've heard horror stories of using them in Japanese pens--the plastics they tend to use in the feeds can apparently get melty in these acidic inks.
EndlessPens.com is a decent online store for a fair number of fountain pens and inks. It's a small company with few employees; they don't keep huge stocks, so things do go out of stock for a while sometimes. And they do sometimes make mistakes, as we all do--if they do, just remember there's a real person at the other end. They've always been honest and helpful with me.
CultPens.com is popular with UK buyers; no personal experience.
Final note on fountain pens: Whichever brand/model you get, if it's a cartridge/converter type rather than piston filled, get a couple of that company's own converters. Japanese brands in particular use their own non-interchangeable types, but even in Western brands which use some form of "international standard" cartridges (short or long) don't always interchange with other brands of converters. You can also just refill the cartridges with a syringe if you want to bother with that, and in some cases like with the Kaweco Sports it may even be preferable to the available converter; or with the plastic Sports you could try going the eyedropper route.
Thanks again!