Artists' Pens & Markers

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Artists' Pens & Markers

Fine artists and crafters use art pens and markers for a broad variety of purposes, from everyday writing to fancy calligraphy. Children use pens and markers to color in their coloring books and to complete school projects. Illustrators create finished art using a wide range of different markers and other drawing instruments.

What kinds of art pens and markers are available?

Various manufacturers make a broad variety of art pens and markers available. Each type of instrument is useful for creating different sorts of creative design projects.

  • Brush markers feature nibs that are similar in some ways to the tip of a paintbrush. They are often double-ended, with one side offering a fine tip and the other offering the wider brush tip. Brush pens are useful for calligraphy and a variety of drawing techniques. These are available in black, sepia, and a broad variety of other ink colors. A couple of examples are Faber-Castell's Pitt Artist Pens and Prismacolor Premier Double-Ended Brush Tip Markers.
  • Permanent markers feature long-lasting black or colored ink. In addition to art projects, they're useful for a variety of purposes around the home and office.
  • Paint markers are useful when you need to draw on plastic, glass or metal surfaces.
  • Reusable markers can be refilled when their initial supply of ink runs out. They are designed to last for many years.
Which types of artists work with pens and markers?
  • Illustrators use a variety of pens and markers to sketch their subjects and then create finished illustrations. They might create botanical artwork, fashion illustrations, comic book art, or a variety of other finished art pieces.
  • Portrait artists use pens, paper, graphite, paints, and similar supplies to create finished paintings and drawings of individuals, families, or other groups.
  • Sketch artists who work for the criminal justice system might use a variety of writing instruments to create forensic art for use during legal proceedings.
  • Graphic designers often sketch by hand to create drawings that can be scanned into the computer and further manipulated digitally to create the type of finished artwork they need.
  • Architects, drafters, and engineers sometimes use technical pens and paper to create schematics, drawings, and architectural renderings. However, nowadays it is more common for these professionals to use CAD software to complete their projects.
What is a technical pen?

A technical pen is a useful type of writing instrument for creating technical drawings where the lines in the drawings need to be of consistent width. You can use them to sketch or create precise schematics. Black is the color that's most typically available.

What is a Multiliner?

The Japanese manufacturer, Copic, is best known for their refillable markers. They also make high quality Multiliner pens available that are compatible with the markers. The ink from other types of pens might bleed or smear when used with Copic markers, whereas the pigment ink in Copic's pens is waterproof and of archival quality. There are two versions; one is disposable and the other is refillable.

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