Looking for the best fineliner pens to ink your drawings with? Check out these 7 drawing pens to add to your artist’s toolkit!
If you are an artist who loves comics or graphic novels of any kind, then you are going to want a selection of the best fineliner pens to keep in your artist’s toolkit.
There are an overwhelming amount of these drawing pens to choose from. If you are an artist, designer, or illustrator like me who loves to work in ink, then check out these 7 great affordable options for the all-time best black ink pens that you will most likely find in any artist’s inking supplies.
This post is all about the best fineliner pens.
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What can I use fineliner pens for?
Fineliner pens feature a felt or plastic fibre nib point. They are usually disposable, making them a more affordable option than a refillable technical pen. They are quite popular among artists and journalers alike for sketching, doodling, drawing, and writing. The tips come in a range of sizes, allowing artists to work with precision. In a brand new pen, the ink flows evenly, creating a rich and consistent monoline.
October is the month of the Inktober Drawing Challenge. During this month, artists across Instagram create ink drawings inspired by the one-word prompt of the day. Click here if you are interested in checking out the current prompt list. This challenge was created by Jake Parker in 2009, and has become one of the most popular drawing challenges on social media! It is so popular that you can now participate in a year-long challenge as well!
Participating is easy. Anyone can join in the fun! There are artists of every level so do not feel intimidated! I know that the variety of inking supplies out there is vast, but do not feel discouraged by the options. The most basic of black ink pens is fine! Fineliners are some of the most versatile pen tools available to you. Here are 7 of my favorites to choose from to help you get started on your inking journey.
The 7 Best Fineliner Pens
1. The Basic Fineliner
For a basic quality fineliner pen, the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens are great options. Although we are focusing on black pens today, the Staedtler Triplus Fineliners also come in an array of water-based vivid colored inks. What makes this pen unique is the shape of the barrel. Instead of round, this barrel is triangular and has three sides. Not only does this provide a comfortable grip, but you do not have to worry about your pen rolling away! These pens are a great quality for a good price, and you can pretty much find them anywhere pens and stationery are sold.
2. The Colored Fineliner
Similar to the Staedtler fineliners, the Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner Pens are another fantastic option with a water-based ink. These pens not only have a quality black fineliner pen, but they also come in a ton of other colors. Where Staedtler fineliners come in 48 colors, Stabilo Point 88 Fineliners come in 65 bold colors, making these the best option if you enjoy coloring with fineliner markers!
3. The Illustrator’s Fineliner
Copic is a brand well known to those interested in illustration. The Copic alcohol markers are some of the best illustration markers on the market today, and an industry standard. Therefore it should come as no surprise that Copic also makes their own line of archival quality, pigment based ink fineliners called the Copic Multiliner. Multiliners come in two versions, the Copic Multiliner and the Copic Multiliner SP. The Multiliner is a great beginner fineliner and is good for light use, while the Multiliner SP line is a bit more durable and is a professional grade fineliner pen. Nibs (tips) come in a large range of sizes with the Multiliner coming in 0.03 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, and 1.0 mm, and Multiliner SP coming in 0.03 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.7 mm. The ink is waterproof and is meant to be used alongside their line of illustration markers, without bleeding or smearing. This is a terrific black fineliner pen option for those interested in sketching, drawing, cartooning, and more because of the smooth, rich, black ink!
4. The Architect’s Fineliner
Next, we have a line of fineliners that are quite popular among artists, designers, and architects alike! Whether you are inking a comic strip or drafting a floor plan, Sakura Pigma Micron pens are one of the most popular and versatile pens when considering fineliners. These durable technical pens with archival quality, pigment based ink come in a wide variety of colors and nib sizes, at a decent price point. This pen comes in 0.15 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, and 0.7 mm. The tips are sturdy and the flow of ink is constant and reliable. This is one of my favorite fineliners!
5. The Artist’s Fineliner
Fine artists may be familiar with the brand Faber-Castell for their high quality lines of paints, graphite pencils, colored pencils, charcoals, pastels, etc. Did you know that Faber-Castell also has a line of professional grade fineliners called the Pitt Artist Pen? The ink is said to be India ink, a special carbon black ink traditionally used by artists, and in addition to being waterproof, is said to have a high lightfastness and will not be so quick to fade in the sunlight. These pens come in a smaller range of sizes, with nib sizes XS/Extra Superfine (0.1 mm), S/Superfine (0.3 mm), F/Fine (0.5 mm), and M/Medium (0.7 mm).
6. The Budget-Friendly Fineliner
The BIC Intensity Fineliner is a fabulous budget-friendly alternative. Similar in feel to the Staedtler and Stabilo pens, the BIC Intenisty pens have a 0.4 mm fine tip and water-based ink. They write smoothly, come in black, purple, red, pink, blue, and green, and are a fraction of the price of the other fineliners on this list. A fabulous and affordable option!
7. The Hidden Gem Fineliner
Last, but certainly not least, is my secret all-time favorite fineliner! I absolutely love the classic Catalina felt tip pens by U Brands. Not only are these pens chic and aesthetically pleasing, and come with an affordable price point, they also write smoothly with dark black ink. The ink dries super quickly and won’t smear or bleed! The tip comes in one size, 0.7 mm, which I find to be a perfect size if you are looking for a pen with versatility and style. I highly recommend!
Typically every October I participate in the challenge. It is sooo much fun to challenge yourself! Not only do you get to challenge your imagination and come up with creative compositions for your drawings inspired by the prompts, but participating is also a fabulous way to practice your drawing skills. Get inspired and try out some new techniques!
Check out the video below explaining how the challenge works and happy drawing!
This post was all about the 7 best fineliner pens.
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