Best Fountain Pen For Drawing
Few artists think of the respected fountain pen as a sketching tool. Yet, this fantastic writing tool offers artists some exciting opportunities.
With a fountain pen, you can draw a variety of stylized lines, from thin to thick.
Let’s learn more about which is the best fountain pen for drawing.
4 Best Fountain Pens For Artists (Our Review)
Lamy Safari
- Charcoal Black ABS coloured plastic body
- Black coated steel nib; fine point
- Includes one Lamy T10 Blue Cartridge
- Accepts Z24 cartridge converter, sold separately.
The Safari features a good-looking plastic barrel. It comes in various colors, yet we prefer carbon black for that extra classy look.
The triangular shape makes the barrel much easier to grip, and it provides you with better control. This is handy when doing fine details and linework.
The barrel is pleasantly solid. It weighs around 0.53 oz (15 g) and is just tall enough to make it easy to hold.
While the Safari comes standard with an ink cartridge filled with LAMY Blue fountain pen ink, it’s easy enough to change ink cartridges and swap them out for different colors.
Premium inks will set you back a pretty penny, but incorporating platinum carbon ink or carbon black ink into your work will set it apart from the rest.
You’ll love the ink cartridges. They’re straightforward to swap out, which is massively convenient for the roaming artist. LAMY sadly doesn’t sell any waterproof ink. Though their black ink is known for lasting years and is entirely fade resistant.
The standard medium nib is fantastic for creating expressive lines, and it’s generally great for sketching.
You’ll be glad to know that this pen comes in standard stainless steel or gold nib variation. Gold tips are softer and glide better across paper than the stainless steel tip.
It also comes in a variety of handy nib sizes. You’ll want to invest in some additional nibs to widen your horizons. We recommend at least one super fine, one extra fine, and a flexible nib to round out your collection.
This pen is affordable and flexible. Not only does it come in a rugged, plastic body, ready for all manner of adventures, but it’s effortless to customize on the fly. Changing the nib on the go means you can mix and match your line styles to create the perfect work of art.
Pros
- Rugged plastic grip
- Easy-change nibs
- Affordable
- Rapid ink flow
Cons
- Restricted to LAMY proprietary inks
- Ink not waterproof
Pilot Parallel
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This fountain pen from Pilot isn’t your typical fountain pen. Its styling looks modern and comes with sleek, flowing curves. While it’s a lighter feel pen, we find that it’s large enough to grip comfortably. This should ensure that you can sketch and draw for hours on end without your hands cramping up.
The Parallel comes with two standard ink color variations. Artists are treated to either a vivid black or scarlet red ink. Filling ink is also pretty straightforward with this pen. However, we recommend that you stick to Pilot’s inks, as other inks tend to flow fast and wet, which will result in messy and blotchy linework.
This pen comes with a pretty unique tip. Two parallel metal plates allow the ink to flow smoothly between them. While the standard nob is a bit on the broader side, we find that the Parallel will give you exceptional line variation when you swap the nib out for a smaller, fine tip.
This pen also offers more flexible sketching. For instance, you can use the corners of the nib for fine sharp detail. In contrast, the full width is great for shading large areas.
This pen offers artists an affordable tool that’s both flexible and more than capable of withstanding the rigors of traveling. We find the range of inks to be somewhat limited, so that’s something to consider when looking for your next art pen.
Pros
- Excellent sketching control
- Various nibs available
- Low price
- Durable
Cons
- Limited range of ink colors
- Styling may not be to everyone’s choice
Pelikan Classic M200
- Stainless steel nib features the pelican logo.
- Classic piston-fill mechanism.
- Fills with bottled ink only.
- Translucent ink tank allows you to see your ink supply.
- Threaded cap posts securely on the barrel.
The Pelikan Classic M200 is a compact, lightweight pen. Its styling speaks of quality, and when you pick this pen up, you can feel the solid weight of its body. This weight is a pretty good thing, as plenty of artists prefer sketching with a heavier instrument.
Filling the Pelikan up is pretty straightforward. It comes with a traditional piston-converter. While this will probably limit your sketching to an indoors, well-controlled environment, we do find that there are several excellent inks available to use.
The ink reservoir is also pretty generous. Since it’s larger than other competing pens, you won’t need to refill it as often. This will save you time and effort and let you concentrate on sketching and creating your art.
This pen comes with a Japanese-made nib. If you’re more familiar with western tips, you’ll find that the Japanese medium tip runs slightly wider than a western one.
However, this is probably one of the best instruments for extra fine and fine line work. Drawing with the M200 is a joyful, easy experience, especially if you plan on doing detail-heavy art.
While this pen is easily one of the best drawing instruments an artist can have, it’s quite expensive. This price will limit how readily used the Pelikan is. Yet, if you can afford it, it’s an investment well worth making. The fine detail prowess of this pen is unmatched.
Pros
- Superb for fine detail
- Hefty weight
- Large ink reservoir
- Various tips available
Cons
- Pricey
- Japanese tips tend to run wider than European tips
Pilot Custom 743 with a Falcon Nib
![Fountain pen custom 743 Forukan (FA) [black] axis FKK3000RBFA (japan import)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31K98Y6v2dL._SL160_.jpg)
This pen from Pilot comes in a glossy black that looks serious and stylish at the same time. It’s considered to be a medium to large pen. This size makes it easy to grip and won’t tire your hand out that quickly.
The pen does taper on both ends. If you aren’t used to a thin pen, it may take you a bit longer to get used to this pen. However, once you’ve grown accustomed to its odd shaping, you’ll find that it writes and draws as well, if not better than other fountain pens.
Filling your new fountain pen up is as simple as pressing a button. Since it comes with the reliable Pilot Con-70 converter, there’s very little work required to refill your pen.
The manufacturer, Pilot, does advise that you stick to their brand of inks. However, some users have reported that the pen sketches well with other ink brands as well.
When drawing with this pen, you’ll discover that the real gem here is the Falcon nib. This nib is a flexible tip that allows an artist to create a larger variety of line styles.
You don’t have to swap out tips to create different effects with this pen. Unfortunately, due to its flexibility, sketching with this pen is more challenging.
The Pilot Custom 743, with its flexible Falcon nib, is a great tool to include in your arsenal. However, it’s tricky to sketch with, especially if you have no or limited experience using fountain pens.
Yet, if you are brave enough to master it, you’ll find that it offers an excellent range of line styles to use.
Pros
- Flexible nib
- Stylish looks
- Easy to refill
- Great size
Cons
- Not for beginners
- Pricier than other pens
Conclusion
Fountain pens are excellent art tools. This is especially true once you know how to use fountain pens correctly. All of the pens we’ve reviewed are excellent for sketching. However, the Lamy Safari is probably the easiest pen to start with.
Not only is it affordable and durable so that you can take it along on all your adventures, but the Safari has one of the best nibs and nib selections of any fountain pen on the market. It’s comfortable to hold, and its superior ink flow makes using it for sketching a joy to experience.
Fountain Pens For Drawing FAQs
What is the best fountain pen nib for drawing?
There isn’t one ultimately best fountain pen nib for drawing. We advise aspiring artists to rather keep a variety of nibs on hand. Some nibs are great for harder linework, while other tips, such as an extra-fine nib, are great for adding tiny details to your work of art.
Are fountain pens good for drawing?
Fountain pens are excellent for drawing. Artists often remark on how comfortable it is to draw with a fountain pen. Not only are they more comfortable than other pens, but you can also customize them with a variety of inks and tips.
Changing the tips can dramatically alter the way that your fountain pen draws. The variety of tips will allow you to add various line styles to your art, making it unique and striking.
What is the best fountain pen for artists?
Today, the Lamy Safari is one of the best fountain pens for artists. It’s affordable, customizable, and durable enough to take anywhere. A great second option is the more expensive yet elegant Pelikan Classic M200.
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