Pen recommendations?

Lozza · Post by **Lozza** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:39 am

Hi,
I'm having problems finding a decent pen to ink my comic with. I'm looking for a pen that using a rubber over doesn't effect the ink too much (For rubbing out pencil guidelines) and that can handle small details. At the moment I'm using Pilot rollerballs, these aren't too effected by the rubber but go all blotchy when I try and do fine details.

I've googled it but all the brands that the sites recommend aren't available in the UK. I've seen some swanky £10-20 technical pens in Staples for sale, but I don't want to risk paying that much without hearing from people who use them for making comics first.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Swikan · Post by **Swikan** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 5:42 am

Faber Castell PITT artist pens are great for that. Even has "brush" pens, if you can find it.

Oualawouzou · Post by **Oualawouzou** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:21 am

I'm not very sophisticated, so Micron pens are more than enough for me. In my experience, they do not run nor blotch and can be erased over without problems. Plus, they're cheap.

Black Sparrow · Post by **Black Sparrow** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:41 am

Oualawouzou wrote:I'm not very sophisticated, so Micron pens are more than enough for me. In my experience, they do not run nor blotch and can be erased over without problems. Plus, they're cheap.

Also, microns come in varying sizes, so yu can do the details with thinner pens, and bolder work with thicker.

Kokiro · Post by **Kokiro** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:49 am

I prefer Staedtler pigment liner sketch pens. They come in four line widths at Staples. They don't break as easily as microns (I guess I need to be more gentle with my pens--the mirons get so hot in my room that they start leaking).

But I love brush & ink the most for everything but the finest details. I usually hear that India ink is the best but I've used calligraphy ink, too. Anything waterproof--just give it time to dry.

DancingChaos · Post by **DancingChaos** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:26 am

Felt-tipped stuff works great, and dries fast. (but not markers.)

I use Staedtler pigment liners. They're really good. A little pricey for pens, but the picture will always look great.

Black Sparrow · Post by **Black Sparrow** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:12 pm

This has nothing to do with the thread... but vith, that's a drastic change in avatar, DancingChaos!

Warofwinds · Post by **Warofwinds** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:24 pm

I got my first microns EVER last week. I've been using ubiquitous gel pens for 2 years now, so I'll tell you what I think when I ink this week's page. *is so excited* I feel all giddy!

That guy · Post by **That guy** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:27 pm

Seconding (or rather thirding or fourthing) Microns. I use them for all my basic inking and go to sharpies of varying thickness when I want to go really bold.

VinnieD · Post by **VinnieD** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:22 pm

Sharpies bleed too much. Microns are nice but the best I've ever used are Copic manga artist's pens. Kind of pricy though.

Lozza · Post by **Lozza** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:12 am

I haven't seen Microns for sale anywhere. I may order them online as so many people have recommended them. I'll give the Staedtler pigment liners a shot too.

Thanks for the help everyone! Now I just need some money...

War · Post by **War** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:53 am

Pilot Drawing Pens are the UK/European equivalent of Microns.

Post by **Mercury Hat** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:28 am

I like Staedtlers a lot better than Microns. Micron tips tend to sort of mush out with heavy use, but the Staedtlers stay nice and sharp.

Christwriter · Post by **Christwriter** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:51 am

I've used both microns and the Faber Castell pens. I preffer microns because they have a greater variaty of sizes, though I love the brush pens from Faber-Castell. My mother suggests rapediograph pens, but unless you're Bill Gates, Rapediographs are way out of your league (a good set was running a hundred dollars in the 70s. Mom got her set because a clerk mispriced it and her art teacher caught it before they could fix it, and sent his whole class to buy them)

If you've got the patience, though, I'd suggest trying dip/quill pens. Having to dip the pen constantly can be annoying until you get used to it, and there's potential to create an unholy mess with the ink, but the quill pens have been amazingly flexible. As for how well the ink survives the eraser, it's dependant on the ink. I use a caligraphy ink for my work that dries quickly, usually within a few minutes, though large black areas take a bit longer to dry.

CW

Post by **Mercury Hat** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:00 am

I just got myself a set of 7 Rapidographs over the summer. The sets usually run about 100-something dollars, but these were on sale for about 56. They are nice pens, I love mine to pieces, but they do require maintenance. You can't just toss them in a drawer and forget about them and you can't get a varied line width like you can with dip pens.

Stick with the cheaper things before deciding you want to go for gusto.

Des · Post by **Des** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:08 am

When I did traditional stuff I mostly used a combo of VBalls, Microns and Prismacolors for bold stuff. Now I just stick to digital inking since I can actually ERASE it. After getting used to digital inking I don't think I could go back to doing it traditionally (and haven't for 3 years now.)

Christwriter · Post by **Christwriter** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:11 am

Des wrote:When I did traditional stuff I mostly used a combo of VBalls, Microns and Prismacolors for bold stuff. Now I just stick to digital inking since I can actually ERASE it. After getting used to digital inking I don't think I could go back to doing it traditionally (and haven't for 3 years now.)

I did my last chapter entirelty digitally, and I do think that old-fashioned stuff has it's merits. The not-being-able to erase thing is annoying, but I've found it's easier on my hands to do it traditionally than to do it digitally. My best is nearly identical both ways, but I've been able to get better consistancy out of traditional drawing and inking than I was with digital work, and when my hands tire, the digradation in quality isn't quite so marked.

...and I have yet to blurp ink in a place where it can't be repaired easily. THat probably helps.

CW

Des · Post by **Des** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:20 am

Yeah, I was really never able to fix inking mistakes easily (since this was with colored pencil or pen stuff and it always stood out whatever I did.) I've gotten REALLY used to digital inking and with enough practice its become easier on my hands and eyes (since I can zoom in on parts instead of holding my paper against my nose.) I dunno, maybe I've just done it so much its become second nature. And I've been able to get smoother lines since I can go back over shakey lines and erase the shakey edges.

And with my new technique of drawing I don't think I could go back. Recently I've been laying down a really rough sketch (usually just a head circle and limb lines) and then going straight to inking. I know I would never be able to pull that off inking traditionally, and my current technique saves a WHOLE lotta time.

Rcmonroe · Post by **Rcmonroe** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:10 pm

These days, I use the Faber-Castell brush pen for almost everything, except when I need thinner lines, in which case I use the F-C Medium.

If you're worried about messing up your lines when you erase, might I suggest pencilling in non-repro blue pencil?

Kokiro · Post by **Kokiro** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:18 pm

Where do you get your blue pencils? My only one was a gift, and it's getting short now ;_;