Lots of artists have different techniques for creating their art. You may be an illustrator, love the effect of watercolours, passionate about creating intricate lettering, or lean towards technical drawing. Or maybe you are new to art and want to find your own style. Well, with art pens you can do all of that.
This versatile medium allows you to practise different techniques from drawing to sketching and colouring. It’s a beginner-friendly tool that helps you master your artistic skills and explore a diverse range of artistic possibilities. Here’s what you need to know to find the right art pen for your creations.
Different Types to Choose from
Acrylic Paint Pens
Acrylic paint pens help you create visual expressions. Artists use this tool to create a dynamic range of colours and hues. This type of pen allows precision in fine details whether you’re sketching, outlining or adding some intricate details. The vibrancy or acrylic paint pens are ideal for creating art on a canvas and various other surfaces.
If you love paints for creating your artwork but don’t like the hassle that comes with it, with these pens you can rest assured that your art will be free of mess. This medium allows controlled strokes and practising seamless blending techniques to create captivating art.
There are also dual-tip acrylic paint pens available in white, black, gold and fluorescent colours, and various other colours that come with fine tips, broad tips and flexible tips.
Gel
Gel pens are favoured among artists for their smooth and vibrant ink delivery. They are mostly used for any craft work-related. They offer a spectrum of options to enhance your art, very easy to use for creating fine details or adding highlights.
You can use gel pens for doodling, colouring books, journaling, lettering, and crafting greeting cards with some intricate artwork or writings. But the best thing about gel pens is that you can use them on any kind of paper really. Since It’s water-based gel ink, whatever artwork you create, the colour will still look vibrant even once it’s dried.
The rich pigment of gel pens is suitable for both dark and light surfaces. However, if your goal is creating a timeless artwork that you want it to last, then consider choosing another type of artist’s pen.
Fineliner
Fineliners are highly popular for creating intricate art. They are highly favoured because help you create meticulous detailing thanks to their fine tips. Many artists use them because of their ability to produce consistent and razor-sharp lines. Thus, they are ideal for technical illustrations and fine writing.
Fineliners come in a spectrum of colours, including metallic among others. You can find them with standard tips, dual brush tips, flat liner brush tips and a set of graphic fineliners.
One of their most prominent features is their fade-resistant ink which ensures the longevity of the artwork. Their ability to deliver excellence in controlled expression makes them suitable for architectural sketches as well.
Brush Pens
Brush pens feature a fine brush on the tip. The ink is delivered through the brush and when using this pen it’s like painting with watercolours. So, who is this pen suitable for? Calligraphers, illustrators, sketch artists, creators of comic and manga art, watercolour artists, crafters and those who love creating fine art, can all benefit from the transformative power these pens have.
They are pretty versatile when it comes to creating fine lines. You can quickly go from thin to very thick lines, by applying just a little bit of more pressure. But when it comes to this colouring medium, it’s good to know that some people find them hard to use because it takes a lot of hand control to make strokes.
So if you’re just a beginner, they might not be suitable for you. You can consider other options of artists’ pens to start your creative journey with. But if you’re a somewhat experienced artist, you can experiment with brush pens if you like the feel of organic lines that these mediums deliver.
Technical Drawing
Pens for technical drawing are some of the most widely used pens in modern art. Starting from students in interior and architectural design, engineers, graphic designers, industrial designers, and cartographers to urban planners and educators, you name it.
They help you draw fine details with utmost precision and are therefore typically used to create accurate drawings. They are not as versatile as other pens but that’s because they are intended for a specific niche where technical drawing and detailistic illustrations are required. If you need more versatility in your niche, you can find many sets that come with pens with different tips for achieving varied thicknesses and flow of the drawings.
What many people want to know is “How long do technical pens last?” These drawing tools have stood the test of time due to their durability. They have archival ink, which means that once dried, the ink stays permanently without fading away over the years.
Calligraphy
Calligraphy adds a touch of sophistication to any writing and an archival flair to various drawings and illustrations. The use of this tool traces back to ancient times when many folks used it to write letters of formal and informal character. Mastering the craft of this unique drawing tool has helped artists create some of the most intricate lettering and master art pieces.
So, beyond practical writing, this unique medium helps artists create artistic expression with some visually striking details or designs. If you’re an illustrator, calligraphy helps you create visually appealing artwork, emphasising precision and fine detailing.
They are available in sets with different nib sizes to help you achieve different writing and cartooning styles. However, if you’re an absolute beginner, it might be better to start with a ballpoint pen that provides a consistent ink delivery, without the need for dipping ink. Once you master your skills, you can then move on to fountain or dip pens.
