Snarkclaw

Jul 10

2009-07-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

If I ever go head-to-head with a major corporation, I hope that I do it with the humor and style Sons of Maxwell exhibit in United Breaks Guitars!

Fan Mail! I apologize if you wrote me within the last two or three weeks and I have not yet responded. I shall answer all letters in my inbox this Sunday, if not sooner. I do love reading your letters and am not trying snub you.

Site Updates:

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Happy Independence Day

2009-07-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

Have a fun Independence Day tomorrow! Do not start any wildfires!

Sketches

2009-06-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

	Her face here is longer and more angular than usual, but these are sketches of Velvet Hairyson, exploring possible expressions. Ink on white paper. June 2009.
	Though the overall image pleases me, the woman's face did not express what I hoped to achieve. I tried to capture a mostly-startled-but-tearfully-happy look, but just got a frightened-startled look. I seem to draw a lot of startled or scared women; I guess that I like wide-eyed expressions. Ink on white paper. June 2009.
	Trying a wide-eyed expression, I opted for great joy and excitement in this sketch. This one reminded me one of the big drawbacks of sketching in ink; I had the man outlined before I included the person he is leaping to hug. The layout wound up being somewhat awkward and wasted too much space, so I doodled in some of the open space. Ink on white paper. June 2009.

Head Whack

2009-06-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

Safety Tip: When grabbing a roll of extension cord, make sure that no iron bars are leaning on it, or they might fall and smack you on the head.

Earlier this week, while preparing to mow my lawn, I grabbed the roll of extension cord from where it sat on a garage shelf. I had done this nearly daily for the previous two weeks without mishap, but that was when no one else was moving things in the garage. This time, apparently a few long iron bars had been rested against the cord.

A few things went through my head when I discovered this. Obviously, the first thing was the first iron bar that fell. The next was the thought that they must have been leaning on the cord. The next was the thought that I should try to get away from the rest of them as they continued to fall on me. Unfortunately, my body did not move quite as quickly as my mind or the falling bars.

I jest, of course. The bar did not really go through my head. It hit my head and caused a bump whose size suggests that the bar probably just glanced me rather than whacked me full force. Another bar got a good blow to my right forearm, near the elbow, and smacked my right foot.

After a violent shout and some angry tears, SO and I picked up the bars and I mowed the yard. Anybody who ever accused me of being hard-headed now has this story to support his/her claim; an iron bar hits me on my head and I still fight with my lawn.

Sketches

2009-06-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

	Aside from tamago (scrambled egg), SO just does not touch sushi. I recently went out for sushi and was thinking about him, so I sketched him with a piece of tako (octopus; tentacles are yummy). SO looked at the sketch and said, "That is unrealistic. I would never let that get that close to my tongue." Ink on white paper. June 2009.
	Zeal Sharpclaw faces off with an old frenemy. Below, I felt like drawing long, freely flowing hair and a few plants in my yard. Ink on white paper. June 2009.
	The top three sketches were different attempts to capture a businessman. Below, I just played with faces and hair textures. Ink on white paper. June 2009.

Review - Ink - Blick Black Cat India Ink

2009-06-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Blick Black Cat India ink is the least expensive India ink that I have seen yet, so I naturally had to try it. It behaves very oddly, but is well worth getting.

In the finer nib technical pens, (0.45 mm and smaller), the ink comes out in a dark, rich, solid, matte black. In broader nib technical pens, it comes out watery and grey. The broader the line, the paler the ink applies. I generally must redraw a broader technical pen line once or twice to get it as dark as I like. However, this rule is not consistent outside of technical pens.

With dip pens, the ink applies that same deep black, even if the resulting line is over 1 mm thick. Using a brush, the ink tends to again be thin and watery. Multiple applications will eventually result in that matte black, though enough ink might also cause the paper to buckle. When using the ink in a fountain pen (do not try this at home), it came out solid black, though the pen's line is 0.8-1 mm.

So, depending upon the tool used, Blick Black Cat India ink might apply as a solid black or as a watery grey. In either case, its resistance to erasing has impressed me. I find it a handy ink for comic work when using the tools that help it yield a dark line and am experimenting with mixing it with thicker inks that need thinning to improve their flow.

While I cannot use it to my satisfaction with every inking tool I regularly use, I appreciate Blick Black Cat India ink in the right tools for that ink.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Last.FM

2009-06-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

I have joined and become addicted to Last.FM. Visit me there and send me music recommendations!

Sketches

2009-06-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

	I took a brief break from Keeley designs to work on a husky character and then returned to Keeley in his new rat form. Ink on white paper. June 2009
	Wow, these were bad attempts to draw people from Nordman's Du Behover video. I opted to draw a pretty man in the lower right corner to make me feel better about how badly I messed up the other two. Ink on white paper. June 2009
	Thomas Millwood looks good in a trench coat, even if I failed to look at a reference when I drew it. I opted to actually look at a reference when I sketched the empty trench coat and the fedora on the right. Ink on white paper. June 2009

Nordman

2009-06-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce my latest obsession: Nordman's music. Nordman is a Swedish folk-pop-rock band with an absolutely awesome sound, be it in pop or rock song. Not speaking Swedish, I do not understand the lyrics, but that does not keep me from enjoying the songs.

For something catchy and danceable, check out Hon är redan här or Se dig själv.

For something a little slower and still catchy, listen to Det sista du ser or Laglöst land.

For sheer rock, check out I lågornas sken.

For a laugh and English (sort of) lyrics, view the Buffalax version of Du behöver.

Listen and love the Nordman sound.

Literal Videos

2009-06-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

1980s music seems more popular today than I remember 1960s music being in the 1980s, though it could just be that there are more formats on which fans can reminisce and rehash music that they like. In addition to more radio and television stations, there are now video games like Rock Band and web sites like YouTube. I have been really surprised by how many 1980s music videos can be found on YouTube, including interesting adaptions of those classic videos. A current popular adaption trend is the "literal version" video.

In a literal version, the song is about what is happening in the video. The revised lyrics might include descriptions of camera angles, costumes, or what the band members are doing. So far, some truly entertaining ones I have seen include:

Mister Mister's Kyrie Eleison
Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up
Tears for Fears' Head over Heels

To be fair, this trend has not been limited to just 1980s music. The Beatles' Penny Lane and Creed's With Arms Wide Open are quite amusing.

So far, my second favorite is A-Ha's Take on Me, for the peppiest delivery of "They're gonna beat you up with that pipe wrench" possible.

Undoubtedly the best, though, is Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of The Heart for absolutely everything.

Lawn-Mowing Rabbits

2009-05-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

Rabbits eat dandelions, including the heads when they have gone to the seeds with the white puffs. At least, the rabbit I watched munch my lawn the other day did. Rabbits are cute and functional!

Review - Pen - Kaweco Sport Ink Roller Fountain Pen

2009-05-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

I tried the Kaweco Sport fountain pen and immediately loved it. However, some fountain pen inks that I tried were too dry for my fountain pens. I read that refillable rollerball pens handled these dry inks well, so I opted for the close cousin of my beloved Kaweco Sport fountain pen, the Kaweco Sport rollerball pen (a.k.a. ink roller fountain pen).

This small and lightweight pen has the same body and feed system as the Kaweco Sport fountain pen. The difference is in the tip; rather than a fountain pen nib, it has a rollerball nib. Its body feels as comfortable and natural in my hand as that of the Kaweco Sport fountain pen (which makes sense, since they have the same body), but the shorter rollerball tip requires that the rollerball pen be held at a slightly higher angle than the fountain pen. Consequently, writing with it for an extended time does not feel quite as natural and comfortable as with the fountain pen, though still much better than with the average disposable rollerball pen or ballpoint pen.

I discovered that the Kaweco Sport rollerball pen does indeed handle the dry fountain pen inks that the Kaweco Sport fountain pen found challenging. However, the rollerball pen does not seem to like the inks that the fountain pen uses readily. I guess that, just as too much viscosity is bad in a fountain pen, too little is bad in a rollerball pen. While this means that I cannot readily use the same ink in both pens, it does mean that I have a good chance of being able to use any given ink in at least one of the pens. I can use wetter inks in the fountain pen and drier inks in the rollerball pen.

Like the modern Kaweco Sport fountain pens, the Kaweco Sport rollerball pens have plastic bodies and are generally good knock-about pens. Being slightly under 4.25" capped and possessing a double-threaded screw-on cap that can fasten securely, these pens are great for tossing into pockets, purses, or bags for carrying around. They are sold without clips (clips can be bought separately), but their octagonal caps prevent the pens from rolling. Most of my Kaweco Sport fountain pens do not have clips, though I do keep a clip to apply to whichever pen I take with me when traveling around, so I can clip the pen to my sketchbook.

I definitely recommend the Kaweco Sport rollerball pen for anyone interested in trying a refillable rollerball pen.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Review - Pen - Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen

2009-04-19T12:00:00.003-07:00

The Kaweco Sport fountain pen was the first fountain pen that I tried and it could easily have been the last. This small and lightweight pen fits naturally into my hand as no other pen had before or has since. Though fountain pens in general feel better for writing than other pens, the Kaweco Sport fountain pen in particular feels perfect to me for writing.

Most of the modern Kaweco Sport fountain pens have plastic bodies, though there is one with an aluminum body, and are generally good knock-about pens. Being slightly under 4.25" capped and possessing a double-threaded screw-on cap that can fasten securely, these pens are great for tossing into pockets, purses, or bags for carrying around. They are sold without clips (clips can be bought separately), but their octagonal caps prevent the pens from rolling. Most of my Kaweco Sport fountain pens do not have clips, though I do keep a clip to apply to whichever pen I take with me when traveling around, so I can clip the pen to my sketchbook.

These are my favorite pens for writing and sketching. I even use them for inking sometimes. As fountain pens, fountain pen ink, of course, should be used in them. I have sometimes experimented with other inks and the pens have been quite forgiving of when I use something inappropriate; they are quite easy to clean.

I definitely recommend the Kaweco Sport fountain pen as a good starting point for anyone interested in trying fountain pens and I always keep at least two inked for ready use.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Review - Revisiting Brush Pens

2009-03-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

I started seriously buying and trying brush pens in 2006, I think. My first was the Pentel Color Brush Pen, a refillable brush pen that supplies ink from its soft-body reservoir when the user squeezes the reservoir. I found the large brush handy for black fill, but too large for my small comic work. So, I started looking for pens with smaller brushes and began a new obsession.

Since then, I have tried -- and fallen in love with -- many different brush pens, but I probably could have stopped with my second try, the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. The nice, lightweight plastic body is sturdy and well-balanced. The synthetic hair nib is longer and more flexible than other non-Pentel brush nibs I have tried, which first meant less control but -- with practice -- means more range and variation. If you are not the collector that I am and you want only one drawing brush pen, then this is a good option.

I did not stop with the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen for two reasons: I am an obsessive collector and I did find the longer bristles unwieldy at first. Honestly, I still have difficulty controlling the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen more than I do the Kuretake Brush Pen, but practice helps. I finally narrowed my brush pen collection to three: the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, the Kuretake Brush Pen, and the Platinum Pocket Brush Pen.

As I mentioned, the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen has a long and flexible synthetic hair nib, so it provides the most variation. The plastic body is comfortable and lightweight. The pen takes its Pentel FP10 cartridges, which contain a waterproof black ink. Inking with it is a fun experience.

The Kuretake Brush Pen is the best of my top three for fine lines. Its metal body is also lightweight and a bit handsomer than the Pentel's, though posting its cap is marring the body's finish. Both pens are about the same length capped (about 5 3/8") and the Kuretake is slightly longer posted (about 6.5") than the Pentel (about 6.25"). The synthetic hairs in the Kuretake nib are a bit shorter, so I find them easier to control, particularly for finer lines.

For broader lines and for sketching, the Platinum Pocket Brush Pen serves me best. Its plastic body is very long (about 7.25" capped and 6.75" uncapped, but lightweight and well-balanced. The cap cannot be posted, which is a slight drawback, particularly when I am not at my desk. Despite the fact that this is the least "portable" pen of my top three in sense of design (longest, no clip, cannot post cap), it is my favorite for toting around because it is the best sketcher. The synthetic hairs in the nib are the same length as those for the Kuretake Brush Pen, but the brush nib is thicker and its feed is wider, so ink flows more readily. Fast movements that might result in dry lines with the Kuretake Brush Pen or the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen get full, wet strokes from the Platinum Pocket Brush Pen. It also serves excellently for when I want to make consistently broader lines.

During my searches and experimentations, brush pens have come and gone through my collection. Other pens included:

* The Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pen, which is a waterbrush, a brush that contains its water reservoir in a squeezable body. Waterbrushes are generally intended to be filled with water for travel watercolor painting, but can be filled with ink. I like working with these for painting, but do not find the body quite to my preference for regular inking.

* The Faber-Castell Pitt Artist brush pen, which is a disposable pen with a flexible felt tip for the brush nib. Though comfortable to hold and nice for a disposable pen, it is disposable, not refillable, and I prefer synthetic hair brush nibs over felt tips. This is not one that I regularly use, but I do keep it on hand for air travel, when I should not take a fountain pen (all of my top three brush pens are fountain pens).

* The Kaimei Brush Pen, a refillable brush pen much like the Kuretake Brush Pen, with a natural hair nib. This pen earns my award for Biggest Heartbreak of A Pen. Its short-long body design (very short when capped and a longer, more standard length when posted) charmingly dances the line between handsome and adorable. It acceptes Platinum cartridges, the same cartridges that the Kuretake Brush Pen and Platinum Pocket Brush Pen accept. It should be fabulous... but it has natural hair for its nib. I dislike natural hair brush nibs. I find natural hair unwieldy and too delicate for my needs. I cannot use waterproof inks with natural hair and I try to use only waterproof inks. The natural hair of another brush pen that I tried actually rotted. I pulled the hair nib out of the Kaimei Brush Pen and am trying to find a way to fit a synthetic hair nib into it. If I cannot, then I shall regretfully find a new home for this pen.

* The Pentel Color Brush Pen, which is really a waterbrush with ink cartridges provided by the manufacturer. This was my first brush pen and I kept it for a long time, even refilling it with different inks, since I really enjoyed the thick and long synthetic hair brush. I eventually found that the Platinum Pocket Brush Pen neatly filled the roll of the Pentel Color Brush Pen, with the added bonuses of being more manageable for finer work and being easier to refill with whatever ink I chose. Had I not discovered the Platinum Pocket Brush Pen, then this probably would have stayed in my collection.

* The Sailor Profit Brush Pen, which is probably the handsomest brush pen available. Its lightweight plastic body has a very classy cigar shape and its brush is comprised of tightly packed synthetic bristles. Because the brush was so densely packed, this pen afforded superior control for thick lines, but did not really allow for thinner lines. It was particularly fun to use for drawings in which I wanted to achieve consistently bold lines. Had I not discovered the Platinum Pocket Brush Pen, then this undoubtedly would have stayed in my collection. I finally sold it because I wanted this wonderful pen to get more use than I was likely to give it anymore.

* The Sakura Pigma Brush Pen, about which I have nothing nice to say. This disposable pen is uncomfortable to hold and its thin felt tip frays easily. It is an overhyped and overpriced pen that I simply cannot recommend.

Review - Ink - Noodler's Lexington Gray

2009-02-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

While not normally a fan of gray ink, I wanted to try a bulletproof Noodler's ink other than black and opted for Noodler's Lexington Gray ink. I am much more impressed than I expected to be! Rather than looking like washed-out black, this is a nice, rich warm gray with a very subtle blue undertone. A blue tint might sound odd in a warm gray, but it looks quite pretty. It writes very wetly -- helping the pen feel smooth across the paper -- and dries quickly. This is a very nice ink for both writing and drawing.

I have read claims that this ink is simply Noodler's bulletproof black ink mixed with water in a one-part ink, ten-parts water solution. This may or may not be true; my experience disagrees with the theory enough to justify buying a bottle of the ink itself when I want Lexington Gray ink. Even if it is, as claimed, heavily diluted bulletproof black ink, paying the manufacturer to make the mix right is worthwhile to me.

Speaking of mixing, its wetness and saturation make this a good mixing ink. Even a small amount of black ink can easily overpower any color with which it is mixed. Lexington Gray ink is light enough that it does not share the same aggression in mixing and can contribute to new colors, rather than making black with different highlights (as too often happens when mixing with black ink).

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Review - Ink - Noodler's Black

2008-12-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, I decided to start using fountain pens. They are more comfortable to hold than technical pens and generally provide a better writing or drawing experience than rollerball or ballpoint pens. I very quickly found the perfect pen, the Kaweco Sport fountain pen (which still needs its review posted), but ink was another matter. Fountain pens are more sensitive than technical pens, so cannot take the same inks. I tried anyway, with varying results, but have decided to use actual fountain pen ink going forward.

The key difficulty is that most fountain pen ink is not waterproof and I frequently need waterproof ink for drawing. Fortunately, a company called Noodler's makes fountain pen inks that can withstand water, bleach, UV light, and other ink removers. Noodler's calls their inks with this resistant property "bulletproof." Noodler's makes inks in a dazzling range of colors, most not bulletproof, and a good range of bulletproof ones as well.

Since black is my most commonly needed ink color, I tried the Noodler's bulletproof black ink. The first thing that hit me was how full the bottle was. It literally was filled to the top; I had to be very careful to avoid spilling. I admire that; Noodler's is not wasting glass and cardboard in its packaging, instead fitting as much ink into the bottle as possible. I next noticed the smell. It is not pleasant, but is certainly bearable, especially when compared to any alcohol-based marker. The smell is lessened when the ink is in a pen, though I can sometimes still smell it in a pen, especially when I first open the pen.

I used the ink in a Kaweco Sport fountain pen on a Robert Bateman sketchbook. The ink flowed well and was intensely dark. I thought that things were perfect... until I reopened the book after leaving it closed for a while. I noticed that ghosts of each page drawn in the Noodler's ink appeared on the back of the preceding page; it was like graphite from a pencil drawing that rubs onto the page touching the drawing. The transfered ink did not affect the drawing on the preceding page (since it appeared on the back of the drawing), but it worried me. Even if I left a drawing to dry for hours, the transfer would still occur after I finally closed the book. I figured that ink was not being removed from the paper, but ink sitting on top of ink was transferring away.

Then I read a suggestion for improving the slow drying time of the ink; thin it by diluting it with just a few drops of water. The ink is so dark and black that a few drops do not adversely affect its color, and they do seem to help with the drying time... and with the ink transfer. I now have a sketchbook of many Noodler's bulletproof black ink drawings that did not transfer ink to their preceding pages. I am so happy with this ink that I use it for drawing and writing all the time and am seeking more in other bulletproof colors.

BUY AGAIN: Yes.

Review - Pen - Brush Pen - Platinum Pocket Brush Pen - Soft

2008-06-01T12:00:00.003-07:00

The Platinum Pocket Brush Pen - Soft has a long, slender body and a white synthetic-hair nib. The nib is the same length of that of the popular Kuretake Brush Pen, but a little broader, translating into better ink flow and broader lines. I originally found its long body and unattractive (to me) cap off-putting, but the pen is extremely light and well-balanced, making it very easy to handle. The cartridge refill system is very useful; this pen is a great no-mess way to ink with a brush and has instantly my favorite in my rather large collection of brush pens.

My one complaint of this pen is that the long, well-balanced body does not let me post the cap, so I have to keep track of that. This is not much of an issue when using the pen at home, but is a bit of nuisance when traveling. Still, the use of the brush is pleasant enough that I forgive this issue and make this my primary travel brush, even over the also-excellent Pentel Pocket Brush Pen.

Much as I love trying new art supplies, my hunt for the perfect brush pen has ended. The Platinum Pocket Brush Pen - Soft works wonderfully for me and I no longer feel the desire to find another brush pen. I still use and enjoy my other brush pens, but I no longer go back and forth on whether I like the Kuretake Brush Pen or Pentel Pocket Brush Pen best; I like the Platinum Pocket Brush Pen - Soft best and the other two have to vie for second place.

The pen comes with one cartridge of black, waterproof ink and accepts Platinum cartridges. These cartridges also fit the more expensive Kuretake Brush Pen and Kaimei Brush Pen, which is very convenient if you have two or more of these pens. You can just stock up on one type of cartridge for multiple pens.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Review - Book - The Technical Pen by Gary Simmons

2007-09-23T12:00:00.002-07:00

I like technical pens and encourage others to use them. In support of others using them, I provided tips on cleaning them. Now, thanks to a question someone asked about his Staedtler MarsMatic 700 technical pen (my favorite kind), here are two images of a technical pen dismantled into its various parts. Though the images show a Staedtler MarsMatic 700 0.50 mm technical pen, most other technical pens share these same parts.

This first picture shows how far I would recommend taking the pen apart for cleaning and refill.

This second picture shows a nib further split into its three parts. Unless you are very confident about your handling of the parts and/or are willing to risk damaging the nib, I would recommend leaving the nib intact.

The Technical Pen by Gary Simmons is a remarkable book for those interested in technical pens. Whether a beginner who just got your first technical pen or an experienced user looking for additional tips, this book will provide remarkable insight and help. Gary Simmons provides information on the pen, inks, and papers, including detailed instructions on pen care and resolutions to common usage problems. He includes many samples (mostly his own, which are amazing, but also those of others) of the different techniques he discusses, including hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, loose drawing, and tight drawing.

Along with samples, the book includes many exercises that range from just getting a feel for the pen to seeing how different shading techniques, patterns, and textures affect the same image. He includes discussion on the differences between "color" (using strictly shades of grey) and texture discusses how to achieve one versus the other. Speaking of color, he devotes a section to working with color ink, which is useful for those wanting more than just black and white.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. (Anonymous) said:
Jan. 26th, 2008, 9:24 PM
Re: The Technical Pen

I completely agree, this is one of the best books in my library.

I like how the books focuses on pen technique and texture rather than form and subject, which I find many other books tend to focus on.

The only thing that I don't like about the book is that almost all of the examples in the book are reduced in size, many so much that individual pen strokes are completely obscured.

If anyone knows of a good art book (doesn't have to be instructional) that is filled with non-reduced realism drawing with tech pens I would really like to hear about it.

Thinner Ink And Stippling - Pen - Dip Pen

2007-01-14T12:00:00.002-08:00

Sometimes, my reasoning follows a wrong path, which can lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration. This was the case in my use of ink with a crow quill pen.

I have used dip pens in the past and would like to do so more in the future. They provide some level of expressiveness and flexibility in their lines and the fact that they are dipped into ink rather than contain a reservoir of ink means that ink color can be changed quickly and easily for the same pen.

Unfortunately, I could not figure out how to draw with a crow quill nib; I have certainly managed it before, but could not remember how. Specifically, I could not make the ink on the nib get onto the paper. I figured that I needed my ink to be very thick, so it would stick to the nib and then stick to the paper. I have some Speedball Acrylic Ink that is three or four years old (longer than ink should be allowed to get) that is thick from age, so I tried using it. The ink kept refusing to leave the nib, which frustrated me greatly. Naturally, there are no guides, lessons, or tips on how to simply make ink leave a dip pen's nib, since it should happen easily.

Here is a tip for anyone making the same mistake that I made: use thinner ink that flows easily. The thick ink simply pooled in the nib and stayed there, without even flowing to the point and certainly not onto the paper. The nib is designed to hold ink, so ink does not have to be thick enough to stick to the nib. Ink should be thin enough to flow from the nib onto the paper.

Using filtered water, I thinned the old ink sufficiently to yield wonderful lines. With that problem solved, I made an interesting discovery while playing with the crow quill pen: I prefer to stipple using a dip pen rather than a technical pen.

One of the key uses commonly attributed to technical pens is stippling. Since technical pens operate best when held perpendicular to the paper, it seems natural that repeatedly tapping paper with a technical pen to create small dots is an ideal use of the pen. However, I found stippling with the dip pen easier. The reason: I can hold the dip pen at a natural angle rather than perfectly perpendicular while tapping it to the paper. Strangely, the rigid angle required for technical pens does not generally bother me for drawing, but does bother me for stippling.

Now that I corrected what I was doing wrong with dip pens, I hope to incorporate their use more into my work.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following are the comments in response to the post in its original location.

1. CK said:
February 23rd, 2007, 4:23 AM

ANY TIPS ON NIB GRINDING OR SHARPENING?

I USE BRAUS TYPE NIBS THOUGH ITS A WONDERFUL NIB USING FOR COMICS, WITHOUT SHARPENING IT, LASTS ONLY FOR ONE PAGE MAX. SO I TRY TO GRIND THEM OCCASIONALY, IT WORKS FOR COUPLE OF TIMES BUT NOT WORKS AFTER THE PIN PONT OF THE NIB WEARIES A BIT. MAYBE THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES OR TIPS FOR GRINDING.

2. Sheryl said:
April 1st, 2007, 1:03 PM

If you are already grinding your nibs, then you are far more advanced than I! I did some searches on dib pen nib grinding and basically got back: "Do not do it." In the book, How To Draw Manga: Pen & Tone Techniques by Ryo Toudo (available on Amazon), the author discusses clipping and grinding nibs briefly, so that might help you.

Please let me know if you find anything!

3. Marc Veeneman said:
April 18th, 2007, 6:10 AM

Sheryl, another thing to remember about all dip pen nibs; they come with a coat of oil to prevent rust. Before using, remove the oil with a detergent. I do that with hand soap.

Later, when your permanent ink builds up on the nib, and especially in the flow slot between the tines, use a mixture of 3 parts water to 1 part ammonia as a one hour soaking bath. The encrusted ink just flakes off and your ink will flow once again.

I hope this helps.

4. Sheryl said:
April 18th, 2007, 12:00 PM

Thank you for the very helpful information! I appreciate the care tips, especially about the new nib’s oil coat. I had read about that before and managed to forget.

5. Samantha Davis said:
Jan. 26th, 2008, 8:21 PM
Getting ink to flow on dip pens

As Marc already pointed out, pen nibs come with coatings. However, personally I prefer tile cleaner over hand soap, some of those oils and resins are quite tough!

Be careful though, if you have more than one of a kind of nib only remove the coating for one of them a time. I have found that without their coatings they rust easily.

As for getting persnickety inks to flow. The problem with some inks with high surface tension is that the ink retracts into the reservoir. Because dip pens deposit ink though capillary action, if the ink does not get to the tip and touch the paper the paper will not be able to suck the ink from the reservoir. Therefore the trick is to get the ink to the tip so that the ink, not the nib, makes contact with the paper.

To do this what I sometimes do (when ink is giving me trouble) is to make a tiny puddle of it on a piece of scratch paper next to the bottle. After I dip the pen in the bottle I dip it in the puddle and make a line extending from within the puddle out of it. This should draw the ink to the tip, making the pen ready to write!

Waterproof Test - Pen - Brush Pen

2006-12-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

I ran a waterproof test on the ink of a few brush pens: black Pentel Color Brush Pen, lamp black Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pen, Kuretake Brush Pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, and three disposable brush pens I bought from Daiso, a $1.50-store. I am not sure what the brand is, but the three Japanese characters look like they spell "Ink" in English.

For the test, I applied a few strokes of ink, enough to start with a solid black, to the paper and labeled each sample. I then placed the paper into still water, trying to reduce any flowing. After watching that effect on the ink, I tried rubbing the samples with my finger (which did not have any noticeable effect on any of the samples) and running water over the samples.

This image gives an idea of the results, though it is not perfect. The scan does not show the bleed of the ink, for example, so I shall describe the results. Every pen had a solid, dark sample of black to start.

Pentel Color Brush Pen: The ink turned a dark blue-green grey (a dark grey teal, maybe) and bled a lot in still water. Rubbing the sample with my finger did not cause much change, but the running water rinsed some of the bleed and a little more of the sample away. This was the second-least waterproof ink from my samples.

Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pen: Since this is supposed to be for watercolor painting, I was quite surprised that this ink withstood all of the test. It shows a very slight bleed from the running water, but kept its color and saturation. It was amazingly water-resilient and makes me both want to use a slightly darker shade (maybe mix with a darker black ink) and wonder how it functions as a watercolor paint.

Kuretake Brush Pen: This was impressive. In the still water, the ink just leapt from the paper. The finger-rubbing helped stir the water to clear some of the floating ink away, and the running water rinsed the sheet free of all the ink. Though the original sample had been dark black, the remainder is silver with heavy bleed smears. I am definitely trying different inks in this brush pen, rather than using its own ink in the future.

Pentel Pocket Brush Pen: Apparently Pentel uses different inks for its Color Brush Pen and its Pocket Brush Pen. This ink showed no bleeding, streaking, or fading. The sample's edges did not even soften. All the bleed marks near it are from other pens' samples. This pen gets more perfect all the time.

Disposable Brush Pen from Daiso with light green label: This brush pen does not have a very brush-like tip and is already something that I shall not buy again, but this test did not endear it to me. This was the third-least waterproof ink, smearing badly and turning green-grey.

Disposable Brush Pen from Daiso labeled C-16: Just as with Pentel, this company does not use the same ink in all of its brush pens. This ink stayed dark and solid, with little or no bleeding.

Refillable/Disposable Brush Pen from Daiso labeled E-13: Like the C-16's ink sample, this sample stayed dark and solid, with little or no bleeding.

Overall, since I like using the brush pens themselves, I plan to replace the ink for the Pentel Color Brush Pen and the Kuretake Brush Pen. The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen can definitely keep its own refills. Since I want its ink to be darker, I had originally planned to replace the Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pen's ink, but now I may just mix a darker ink with it. I am glad that I ran this test.

For those curious, the labels were written using a Faber-Castell Pitt Artist pen and stayed as clean and unaffected by the water as the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen sample.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following are the comments in response to the post in its original location.

1. Fraximus said:
April 16th, 2007, 6:38 AM

I recently bought a Bienfang brush pen but can't get the ink to flow through the bristles. Do I need to unplug the little stopper inside the brush first?

2. Sheryl said:
April 17th, 2007, 2:33 PM

If you are referring to the white band between the long part of the holder and the shorter body that actually holds the bristles, then yes, you need to remove that part. You should not need to remove anything else from the Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pen. If you have removed the white band, then squeeze-and-release the holder on its sides for a while. The ink takes a while to flow all the way to the bristles. Once the ink starts threading its way through the bristles, you can start dabbing the brush to encourage the ink to spread through all the bristles. If you start getting bubbles at the tip or drops of ink coming out, ease up on the squeeze-and-release.

Thank you for asking! Now that I have used colors other than black and white, I need to update my review on these. After you get it started, you will probably have fun with your Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pen. I think that they are great!

3. Jon said:
June 26th, 2007, 7:14 AM

I also have the Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pens. At first the ink was very slow to come out of the pen and on a few I used an alamring amount of pressure to sqeeze the ink into the brush tip. But I found that dipping the dry brush in water and running the brush over something absorbent, like a paper towel encourages the ink to come out easier without applying a lot of pressure to the pen itself.

4. Sheryl Says:
July 1st, 2007, 3:09 PM

Jon:
Thank you for the tip about wetting the brush and running it over an absorbent surface to get it started.

I visited www.insanity-brush.com and I like Perdition with Fried Chicken!

5. Jim said:
August 23rd, 2007, 3:35 PM

Ooookay.. how do I go about refilling the Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pens..??

Also.. anyone have any idea what is actually in them..? It -ain't- watercolors.. :-)

Thanks..

6. Sheryl Says:
August 26th, 2007, 9:43 AM

Jim:
I am not sure what is in Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pens. Paint, ink, dye, or whatever, the colors are beautiful.

Theoretically, to refill the Bienfang Watercolor Brush Pen:
1. Unscrew the holder (that contains the paint) from the body.
2. Submerge the opening of the holder into the refill liquid.
3. Squeeze the sides to suck up the liquid.
4. Wipe the holder clean and screw it back into the body.

I call these theoretical directions because I have not seen actual instructions for refilling Bienfang Watercolor Brush pens, but they are built like portable watercolor brushes that have these instructions. I have generally ignored these instructions, instead tearing the pen holder apart, dumping the ink straight into it, and then reassembling it.

Cleaning - Pen - Technical Pen - Washing with Soap

2006-11-01T12:00:00.001-08:00

The best pen cleaner I have found so far is glycerin soap... yes, those translucent, scented beauty bars. My favorites are from Bath & Body Works and I also buy ones (including unscented ones) at Fred Meyers. From my personal experience, here are my key tips for cleaning really clogged pens:

Take the pens apart as far as you dare go. You can safely remove the holder, the ink cartridge, the cap, and the pen body from the nib. The nib can be dismantled into three parts, but if you are not willing to risk completely destroying the weighted wire (thus making the nib useless), then leave the nib intact! Taking the pen apart allows the best access to all the ink-gunked surfaces.
Rinse the pen parts in flowing water to remove excess ink; even years-old ink may have some fresh pockets hidden somewhere and ink colors water effectively, making it hard to see the pen parts. Do your rinsing over a bowl, a closed sink, or a trap that will catch the smallest pen part, or you risk rinsing the nib straight down the drain. Do not gamble that it might be too big to fit; chances are that it will fit! Avoid rinsing your pen parts down the drain; never work in an open sink. I have a trap over my sink drain and I still keep the sink closed when working with small items.
Lather up with the soap and start scrubbing! Most external scrubbing can be done effectively with the hands, a small sponge, or a small washcloth. I use makeup sponges because they are small and soft. A small cleaning brush or little toothbrush may be helpful for the ridged surfaces, like the pen body's groves.
- The holder generally needs the least work. On the inside, a few quick wipes with a pipe cleaner or a cotton swab is usually sufficient.
- The ink cartridge, despite being the holder of the ink, also generally needs comparatively little work. A little scrubbing may be needed for the inside and a cotton swab makes a good fit, but keep something long and skinny around for fishing out the cotton if it comes off the swab and gets stuck in the ink cartridge.
- The cap does not have to be pristine, but should be cleaned of excess ink to keep it from building on the pen nib's tip when the pen is capped. Again, a cotton swab or pipe cleaner should do the trick.
- The pen body is where the pain really starts. This is where the ink first meets dry surfaces and gets to spend its time in grooved surfaces. Give this part extra scrubbing. When cleaning the grooves, alternate going against them and following them; each direction has advantages in chasing the ink out. As with the other parts, a cotton swab or pipe cleaner is helpful for the inside. I also use one to follow the grooves on the outside.
- The pen nib will be the biggest pain, despite being the smallest part. Scrub this a lot. Hold it in the water and shake it a lot. Rinse it a lot.*** If you take the pen nib apart -- and I am not recommending that you do -- then be extremely careful when you scrub. One bend to the wire means needing a new nib.
  
  *** If you take the pen nib apart, then the weighted wire should freely fall out of the pen tip. If it does not, then the wire is glued in there with ink and pulling on the weight will simply rip the wire from the weight. I kid you not.
Rinse them again! Look for ink; gently-but-firmly wiping with paper towels on the outside and with rolled-into-a-twist paper towels or cotton swabs on the inside might help you find ink you could not find while washing. This particularly happens to me with the pen body, for some reason. If any part seems clean, then hurrah! Set it aside and let it dry completely someplace safe. As for the other part(s) (most likely the pen body and pen nib), give yourself a break and let them soak.
Soak trouble parts in the solution you find works best. I have not figured this one out yet, but have been pleased with:
- Water and pen cleaner
- Water and soap
- Water and vinegar (with a lid on top; that stinks)
- Water and ammonia (with a lid on top; this also stinks). If you do not want to run out and buy ammonia for this one cleaning session, most window cleaners (like Windex) should have it.
- Water alone. Sometimes the ink just needs to get wet again to go away.

Be prepared to let them soak a long time. I have let really bad pen parts soak for a week or more, with routine rinsing (or even scrubbing) to check progress and refresh the solution.
Start again at step 2 until you are happy with the pen parts.

This can be a very long and tedious process if the pens are really clogged, such as from being left filled with ink for years. However, if they are used and cleaned regularly, then the process is fairly simple and fast. If you think that you are not going to use your pens for a long while (I have seen the recommendation for a week, but I would say a month), then dump their inks and clean them. Storing them clean will give you far less grief than storing them filled with ink.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following are the comments in response to the post in its original location.

1. John Linder said:
January 4, 2007, 1:10 PM

I have a set of rotring rapidograph ISO Tech Pens that I left for a long time (about ten years) without cleaning and am now trying to use these again.

I have soaked in Koh-I-Noor Rapido-eze cleaner for days and flushed out several times. I then purchased some new cartridges and none of the pens work.

Do you have any suggestions?

2. Sheryl said:
January 7, 2007, 10:39 AM

Those are very nice pens, once you get them working!

Have you flushed them since you soaked them? Run water through the nib and try to see if any water is coming out of the tip itself. You probably will not be able to see if water is running out of the tip while you rinse the nib, so blow air through the back of the nib after it is rinsed well. To blow air through the nib, treat it like a whistle: put your lips on it so your breath will go through it and blow hard. I usually put my free hand directly in front of the nib to feel for water or air. You should be able to blow the remaining water and then air through the tip, even on the very small sizes (though this can be very tough). If you cannot, then the nib is probably still clogged.

If you can blow air through the nib and out of the tip, then make sure that you gave the new ink enough time to work its way through the nib. Especially with the fine points, ink takes time to get from the cartridge to the paper via the nib. In my experience, Rotring Isographs do not have problems if shaken to speed the starting process.

If you cannot blow air through the nib and out of the tip, then resume the soaking. Add more cleaner to your solution or try some other cleaner. Revisit the flushing and testing of the nibs regularly (being obsessive, I check at least daily and more often, if time permits) and see if they show any sign of improvement.

Be warned that ink might clean out of the pen in something like layers, which is the key reason it takes time. It has had plenty of time to build up and dry within the pens and ink is excellent at coloring water that touches it. As a result, it may seem like an incredible amount of ink has come out and there could not possibly be more, but the next layer or coat that was protected by the outer layer needs to be removed, and the next. This is why flushing and checking the pen, and then letting it soak again is useful.

Good luck! If these means do not get your pens working and you find a better way, then please let me know!

3. 6ixty4our said:
February 4, 2007, 9:33 PM

Wow this is cool I have just recently retrieved my pens out of storage after several years & every time I’ve cleaned them after long periods of time I find the process a bit tedious. So I came online to see how others do with their pen cleaning. Everything that you have said above I have done to clean my pens in the past. However I remember when I was drafting for the U.S.F.S. We -- actually, they (since at that time I was still in the learning process) -- used what looked like a small sonic jewelry cleaner, filled with, what I assume was pen cleaner. All I know is that it worked like a charm & on some pens that had been sitting for a long time, with really clogged parts. We let them go over night... & from what I remember it cleaned everything off.

I was wondering if anyone had ever tried to use anything like a denture fizzy tab cleaner? or maybe even an alkaseltzer tablet? wonder how they would work if at all, or if the pens would be safe??? Anyway thanks very much for having this to go through. It's a great little check list. =-)

4. Milton Trajano said:
June 17, 2007, 8:59 AM

Thanks for these valuable tips. Exactly what I was looking for! :)

5. Sheryl said:
June 17, 2007, 11:01 AM

6ixty4our:
I could have sworn that I responded to your question, but I see no response from me!

...Actually they (since at that time I was still in the learning process) -- used what looked like a small sonic jewelry cleaner, filled with, what I assume was pen cleaner. All I know is that it worked like a charm & on some pens that had been sitting for a long time, with really clogged parts.
I have a little jewelry cleaner that is frequently is part of my cleaning process. I usually use water and soap or water and pen cleaner.

I tried denture fizzy tabs and did not find any remarkable results worth trying again. It seemed like a good idea, but I think that the fizz does not provide anything that running water or an ultrasonic cleaner does not and the active ingredients in the tabs do not react with ink in a useful way. If you try it and experience better results, then please share them.

Milton Trajano:
I am glad that the cleaning tips could be of help!

6. A Progressive Crank said:
June 25, 2008, 12:40 PM

These are all great tips. I just got a very used set of art pens and assuming they're not beyond salvage, I hope to get them cleaned up.

Wanna see 'em?

7. Jonwonbonmon said:
June 26, 2008, 3:17 AM

Thanks for the tips. Would just like to add that I found bicarbonate of soda broke up caked ink really well.

8. A Progressive Crank said:
June 26, 2008, 12:46 PM

To append something to my previous note, taking them apart is not as scary as I feared, but second on the use of a strainer or some other way of keeping them out of the drain.

And unless there is a size indicator on there somewhere or your eyes are really good at estimating the diameter of tiny pieces of wire, just take them apart one at a time. So far so good on this set. I think there are two nibs where the wire was broken off.

I would never have thought this could be done otherwise. Thanks again.

Review - Pen - Technical Pen - Staedtler MarsMatic 700

2006-07-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Staedtler MarsMatic 700 technical pens are fairly difficult to find outside of eBay, where I frequently find them used and not nearly as sought as their much-easier-to-find counterparts, Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph technical pens. Being used does not pose a problem for these or other technical pens; even hideously clogged pens with years-old ink can be cleaned and made good as new. The biggest danger in buying Staedtler MarsMatic 700 technical pens is that, because they are not so commonly sold, spare parts -- in the event of a break, loss, or incomplete set -- are tough to find.

These pens are reusable and the part that most often needs replacing, the nib, is available separately, though hard to find. They come in a good range of sizes. I know that they can come in sets of four and seven from my eBay shopping; I am not sure beyond that. The sizes are conveniently indicated by color and by number on the cap and pen nib, with the color also on the bottom of the pen holder.

The pens come apart easily for cleaning and hold together well when assembled for drawing. I do not miss the color ring on the Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph technical pens when I use the Staedtler MarsMatic 700 technical pens.

I like technical pens better than disposable pens, but technical pens definitely take more work. However, Staedtler MarsMatic 700 can be shaken to start without fear of leak. If they stop after some use, they need to be tapped gently to restart. Overall, they involve far less maintenance than Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph technical pens and yield results that are equal in quality. So far, these are my favorite technical pens.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following are the comments in response to the post in its original location.

1. Donna Says:
December 28th, 2006 at 11:13 AM

I have a set of Marsmatic 700 pens which I haven't used in years. Unfortunately they are pretty dirty. What's the best method of cleaning them? I've had them soaking in white vinegar and water but I don't think it's going to work. thanks!

2. Sheryl Says:
December 28th, 2006 at 4:55 PM

Hello and thank you for asking. You inspired me to post an old entry about pen cleaning; it is backdated to reflect its writing.

3. Milton Trajano Says:
June 17th, 2007 at 9:01 AM

Mars pens rule! Of all the other technical pen brands I've used, Staedtler is by far the best!

4. Sheryl Says:
June 17th, 2007 at 10:42 AM

Milton Trajano:
Of course, now you have me curious as to what other technical pens you have used!

5. Milton Trajano Says:
June 29th, 2007 at 12:59 PM

Hi Sheryl!
I've tried Rotring and Koh-i-noor to name the top brands. Hope this helps. :)

6. Sheryl Says:
July 1st, 2007 at 2:52 PM

Milton Trajano:
Like you, I have also used Rotring (Isographs) and Koh-I-Noor (Rapidographs). I have not used the Rotring Isographs enough to form an opinion, but I like Staedtlers much more than the Koh-I-Noors.

Thank you for sharing which ones you used!

7. XTL Says:
July 20th, 2007 at 8:23 AM

I have a nearly thrown away Marsmatic 700 and a 0.35 tip (as well as another, I forget which) plus bottled ink. I also have some refills that can't possibly fit inside this. I wonder if there's really some sane filling procedure for this. Exactly where and how can ink be added and am I missing some kind of piece from between the nib assembly and the body?

The nib assembly as it comes seems to be three pieces: body, needle and threaded cap with three holes that keeps the two together. There's no reservoir, converter or cartridge (mount) that I'd recognize.

8. Sheryl Says:
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:15 PM

XTL:
You might be missing a piece of your pen. To help with your question, I provided links to pictures of what a Staedtler MarsMatic 200 technical pen should look like when dismantled.

9. XTL Says:
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:04 AM

OMG it goes to more pieces! :-D That's brilliant, thank you. It took not inconsiderable amount of violence to twist the parts marked "holder" and "body" apart. Now I have a place where the refills fit, too, obviously. Sweet.

10. Kevin Says:
July 26th, 2007 at 3:08 AM

I have a Marsmatic 700 "00" size pen that I've used for over 21 years with no problem. I got it in 1986 as part of a drafting kit when I started college. It's literally older than some of the people I work with.

11. Sheryl Says:
July 29th, 2007 at 8:44 AM

Kevin:
There you go; your comment says everything anyone needs to know about these wonderful pens.

Review - Pen - Technical Pen - Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph

2006-07-01T12:00:00.003-07:00

Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph technical pens are the easiest technical pens to find. Most art supply stores that carry technical pens include those and, usually, only those. They are reusable and the part that most often needs replacing, the nib, is available separately. They come in the largest range of sizes I have seen and are available individually, in sets of four and seven. The sets contain the most commonly used sizes and the sizes are conveniently indicated by color and by number on the cap and pen nib, with a color ring on the pen holder.

The pens come apart easily for cleaning. The color ring on the holder sometimes gets inconvenient because I unscrew that rather than the cap when I want to use the pen. Beyond that, they hold together well when assembled for drawing.

I like technical pens better than disposable pens, but technical pens can be irritable, Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph technical pens especially so. They cannot be shaken to start because the ink may go into the wrong places and they may leak. They have to be tapped gently for a very, very long time to start. They also may become disagreeable after starting and require more gentle tapping. I have broken a pen tip due to "gentle" tapping and my language becomes unpleasant (and loud) when a pen becomes problematic.

These pens require more care and practice in use than many items I use, but I find the result mostly worth the trouble.

BUY AGAIN? For particular sizes, yes. To just have on hand or as my primary technical pen, no.

Review - Pen - Brush Pen - Pentel Pocket Brush Pen

2006-04-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen (a.k.a. Pentel Brush Fountain Pen) is a refillable fountain pen with a brush tip comprised of synthetic fiber bristles. The brush tip is small with fairly firm bristles for easy control. As a beginner with brushes, I find that the longer bristles of the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen gives me slightly less control than I have with the comparable Kuretake Brush Pen, though I like both greatly.

The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen takes only its own refills and the only ink is black. It looks like a normal black fountain pen when closed and is nicely portable. When I sought to buy one, they were very hard to find. However, I think that they may become easier to find as the Pentel Color Brush Pen and brush pens in general gain popularity, which I believe they shall.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Review - Pen - Brush Pen - Kuretake Brush Pen

2006-04-19T12:00:00.001-07:00

The Kuretake Brush Pen is a refillable fountain pen with a brush tip comprised of synthetic fiber bristles. The brush tip is small enough for fairly easy control. My first brush-only inked picture (that was not just sketching) was done with only the Kuretake Brush Pen and looked better than I expected, though I still have a lot to learn about inking using a brush pen rather than a technical pen.

The Kuretake Brush Pen takes only its own refills and the only ink is black. My brush pen came with a cartridge containing a small bit of some amber liquid (to keep the brush damp, I assume) installed, three cartridges of ink, and instructions in Japanese with no English translation. Fortunately, I know how to use a fountain pen, so I just removed the attached cartridge of amber liquid and added a cartridge of black ink. I have some advice on new Kuretake Brush Pens: after removing the cartridge of amber liquid and before adding a cartridge of black ink, rinse the brush tip very well.

I think that the amber liquid is alcohol or an ink-thinner, for the ink kept coming out soft grey and oddly dry. I finally removed the new black cartridge and washed the brush tip, not aiming to remove all the black ink, but trying to remove traces of the amber liquid. Due to the water from the rinsing, the ink came out grey still (though a darker grey), but no longer dry. Eventually, the ink worked the water out of the brush pen and the ink came out nicely black.

Speaking of water and ink, the Kuretake ink is decidedly not waterproof. I ran a test of the ink for my different brush pens and the Kuretake ink almost completely washed away. I shall probably try filling the pen's cartridges with a waterproof ink when I next refill the brush.

BUY AGAIN? The pen itself, yes. Its ink refills, no.