NOTE: UPDATED 1/2018!
With Inktober arriving in a week, pens are an appropriate tool to review!
(BTW, yes I am doing the challenge — I love it — but
I don’t use the prompts. I just draw every day in ink!)
I’ve drawn my favorite pens, the ones I reach for, walk from desk to home to bed, the ones I love the feel of, that flow well. I will talk about a few others that are keepers but…
know that there are amazing artists who will disagree with me and love that which I tolerate or hate! (Thinking about Cathy Johnson and Noodler’s flex pens.)
My priorities in a pen are that it WORK. That is 90% of it.
I’ve had some pens that didn’t work at all, that had to be fussed with constantly,
and so they went to other homes. I hate fussing. I am all about the drawing.
If possible, I want them to be beautiful.
Being a former architect, designer and artist, I love beauty!
I love a well-designed object (see WORK above), though it is more than that.
I want them to be able to post for the times I use them outside my studio.
The favorites:
My favorite pen is the Lamy Al-Star. Reliable 100% of the time;
it only clogs if I abuse it — mostly by letting let the converter go dry unintentionally;
then I need to clean it. It feels good in my hand and is gorgeous!
I bought a converter, which is a must for me as I want waterproof inks for sketching with watercolors. I can easily change my nibs in a flash, meaning I only have to have one pen and I have all this nib variety. How cool is that for traveling? I confess to have it in several colors. Pen pig. I use this one exclusively with Diamine Ancient Copper.
The Lamy Joy (below) didn’t make my favorite list, but it is a good pen,
much better than the Safari. I’m not as thrilled with the feel of it in my hand,
and the colors/design are not as beautiful.
UPDATE: I now love my Joy….
I’m not sure why, but I’ve not had luck with the Lamy Safari with my inks.
Clogging constantly… drove me nuts.
My husband loves his with their cartridges… Me, not so much.
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Mitchell bought me a gorgeous Jinhao as a memory of my first pen show.
I’m not a purple person, but this cobalt blue violet is stunning.
I said I’d never own another Jinhao (a dirty word in my studio) BUT
the dealer buys them and retrofits them and tweaks them with lovely Goulet nibs.
Mine has a 1.5 stub, and I love it. It is juicy and if I turn it I can get quite a thin line,
above, or flatten it and it is a good calligraphy pen.
I am still trying out colors but think I’ll chose the Diamine Regency Blue, above.
UPDATE: I now convert my own, as it is easy if you have
a little bit of technical ability. I used a Jinhao 750
and I like stubs so I bought Goulet’s stub nib! Yay!
*sigh* Still in love with my first purple PEN!
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If how often you reach for it is the way you decide which is your favorite pen
(the one you can’t live without), then the
Platinum Carbon Pen with waterproof cartridges is my favorite.
A total workhorse. My first was the fine point,and I used it and used it and used it with no clogging then one day it stopped. I panicked, wondering what had I done?
I wet it and wiped it and babied it and then realized I had an empty cartridge!
I have it in both sizes, have the desk holders on my studio desk, and then have
two with cartridges for holding brown ink. I really love this pen!
The big downside is the dang pen doesn’t post! Really, how stupid is that?
Most of us are using our pens in the field and then you really want to post
so you don’t lose the pen. I haven’t done this, but Cathy Johnson
has solved the problem of the non-posting pen by cutting the tip off until it posts!
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Another workhorse that rarely clogs and can hold a ton of ink is the
Platinum Preppie, in three sizes, including a truly extra fine.
I convert it to an eyedropper using O-rings and silicone grease
from Goulet, and have them filled in several ink samples to for play!
At under $4 these are also great to give as starter pens.
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The Pilot Metropolitan is also a favorite: inexpensive, comes with a converter at $15.
You can buy a better converter (Con-20 another squeeze converter — or Con-50),
but the squeeze jobber (bladder) works fine! Gorgeous bright colors or
an elegant subdued color with a bit of patterning around the band.
I admit to having them in several colors to match ink.
Downsides: You can’t easily swap out the nibs, and there is no stub nib.
I am fond of stub nibs, and like the option.
UPDATE: Now we can buy them with stubs! Yay!
I also have found they are fussy with some inks, and can’t get the hang of what makes them fussy. Daily I use a bronze with Super5 Australia ink (waterproof, left above.)
UPDATE: Wit the stub I find no problem, so perhaps the sluggishness is in the fine point.
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The Pilot Parallel is not quite a
fountain pen — it is unique! I have it in
the 1.5mm and 2.5mm, and larger than that would not suit me. I highly recommend
the video by Rachel Goulet to see the capabilities of the pen — I use it in the most mundane manner, that is, for lettering.
Downside: The pens often feather on cold press (rough) watercolor papers.
Sometimes I am okay with that look, sometimes not.
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Noodler’s Ahab, the pen I hate even after I replaced it with a Goulet nib, and filled it with De Atramentis Tobacco ink. $23 + $15 for the nib….
I’m not a fan of Noodler’s inks or pens.
I’m not sure if it the nibs themselves or perhaps it is Noodler’s are just too fussy for me.
I also feel like the body is cheap — it FEELS cheap in my hand.
It’s a big pen, so for small hands (mine are medium) that might be a problem. If you want to try a flex nib, at least you know you can swap it out for a great nib if you hate it.
UPDATE: I tossed my Noodlers as the body was sort of disintegrating after 2 1/2 years…
Next for me is that I am going to learn dip pens!
I am adding this great set of test trials by Susan Bronsak. She diligently compared the pens and inks she had on hand — and it is a nice way to see the inked lines.
I may have to do this sometime. A good way to break in a journal!
Goulet also has a page called the Nib Nook, and this is great if you are determined to compare sizes because you are looking for a very bold or very fine nib.
Want to know more about taking care of your pens?
Goulet has 22 videos called Fountain Pen 101:
Just for fun:
Pens banners / samples as described.
Painting is in a Fabriano Watercolor journal, so not my favorite, using a
Platinum Carbon pen, Super5 Dublin ink, and Daniel Smith watercolors.
Drawings ©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
☾
As my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.
I will teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head? GONE! How great would that be?
D.Katie Powell Art 
Wow! Katie, this is an amazing post you did, like all the others! 😍 So much info that I need to digest now! I have a few pens, but my fave so far is a Lamy Joy with DeA black ink and Lamy Al in copper with DeA brown!
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Over two years I’ve tried a lot of pens. Some went to good homes as thank yous when I wanted to smash them with a hammer (they were better off with their new artist owners….) There are some I’d still like to try, like the TWSB Echo — I tend not to spend too much on them because I don’t like the idea of losing an expensive pen in the field! If I had unlimited money I would be dangerous. And yet, now I know what I am looking for so I can read reviews and see if this pen is what I really want!
Samples from Goulet saved me many many $$$$.
And I am trying to do a good post on tools every other week.
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LOVE this post! Learned so much. Thank you!
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Hey! Nice to see you! Glad to share… XO
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I used a fountain pen (for writing and doodling only) for years. I still have one but I don’t use it much. Great post, Kate.
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Does it work? What kind? Oh you opened a can o pens.
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It does work. It’s a Cross. My wife bought it for me about 20 years ago. I think they still make them. I know I can still buy cartridges.
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Oh yes — strong company!
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I always love reading when people review their pens. It is so interesting to see that different people love one and hate another. I love the Lamy Safari I have, but tend to use the Platinum Preppie more since I don’t have to worry about it getting lost. I also use the ring and fill the entire barrel. I love having such a wonderful capacity to count on. Thanks for sharing, Katie.
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I know — and if the Preppie is lost or dropped it is so inexpensive — what a workhorse!
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I have one of the carbon pens and am slowly but surely learning to love it… I am scared if I start getting too into pens I will become a crazy pen hoarder so i a sticking with my dip pen for now… might not last though after reading this…
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Right now the Lamy Joy is in a package at Goulet: Great deal — not sure how much to ship to AU… two nibs and converter — all you need is De Atramentis Document BLUE ink and you are off! http://www.gouletpens.com/the-liz-steel-package-set/p/Package-LizSteel
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Jeepers I HAD NO IDEA!!! I thought a pen was just a pen. Maybe felt tip/biro/fine nib/fountain pen – but just WOW
And I think you may possibly be a pen nut – or I am an ignoramus. The latter most probably!
Happy drawing.
I was thinking of trying Inktober, and ‘just’ buying some ink. But maybe it’s a bit more complicated than that. Lol
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Nah! Not a pen nut, though I’m nutty for pens as they are a huge part of my artwork now that I rediscovered them from architecture days. Pen nuts tend ot like ot fuss with them — I want to draw with them and now have some which I can get the best lines from without the fuss! Goulet has a great deal on Lamy Joy — not sure how much to ship to you… two nibs and converter — all you need is De Atramentis Document ink and you are off! http://www.gouletpens.com/the-liz-steel-package-set/p/Package-LizSteel
You can do inktober with a uniball or a ball point! Check out Andrea Joseph… she is the ball point pen queen, and creates much of her art with the cheap ball points they give away at hotels and whereever! Love to see you do inktober!
http://andreajoseph24.blogspot.com/2015_07_01_archive.html
http://andreajoseph24.blogspot.com/2015_01_01_archive.html
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I might do it with a Chinese calligraphy brush. We’ll see!
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That’d be fun to see…
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I bought a Lami Al-Star a couple of months back, but bought blue ink by mistake, and discovered it’s not waterproof. “( I bought several black ink cartridges, but fear those won’t be waterproof either. I’m using the blue ink up by using the pen in my check-book.
I’ll have to check out that converter you linked to, and find some black waterproof ink. How easy or challenging is it to fill the converter without making a mess on your hands or workspace?
Great write up and review post Katie!
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Buy De Atramentis Document Black Ink in a bottle. http://www.gouletpens.com/de-atramentis-document-black-35ml-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/DA1080
Buy the syringe package (unless you know nurses that can swipe one for free) http://www.gouletpens.com/goulet-5ml-ink-syringe-set/p/GPC-InkSyringe
I do it all the time, but will take a picture of my easy set-up before you start. Remind me if I forget!
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Awesome! Thanks for the links and for the offer to post an image of your set-up. I’d love to see it!
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Deb, I will do this either this week or next….promise!
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THANK YOU!!
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“big downside is the dang pen doesn’t post!”–Kate–what does that mean? What is posting in pen-speak? Thank you!
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Posting is when the pen top will sit on the back of the pen when it is open, securely. See how this pen sits on the open Lamy Al_Star? http://www.gouletpens.com/lamy-al-star-fountain-pen-ocean-blue-medium/p/LMY-L28M
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Got it–thank you!
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I wasn’t sure what that meant either Lois. Thanks for asking the question!
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That makes me feel better that you were unsure, also. Could not make heads nor tails of the wording. But now we know! 😀
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We do! I’m sure I’d lose the cap if it didn’t “post”!
I don’t imagine getting a replace pen cap is as easy as it is to get a lens cap replaced. 🙂
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Nope! BTW, the desk set-up for filling pens is up!
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