Pens for days: Brush pens

Last updated 20 July 2021

One of my most popular blog posts of all time is my collection of bullet journal reviews: find the right bullet journal for you. As a lettering newbie, I find it so useful to find reviews of various pens, so I thought I’d bring all of my pen reviews together in one place too. I’m starting with my brush pens and will do another specifically on calligraphy and dip pens, one on fountain pens, and another featuring swatches of my favourite fineliners. I might even do one on highlighters – is that getting too specific/nerdy?

As with my bujo post, this will be updated as I add more reviews to this wonderfully nerdy blog. So far we have Staedtler, Stabilo, Pentel, Spectrum Noir, Tombow ABT, Tombow Fudenosuke, Zebra, Edding, Sakura Koi, Faber-Castell, Karin, and Ecoline.

 

Staedtler brush pens

First reviewed 30 April 2019 and again 16 July 2019.

I love the colour range of these pens and they’re fun to blend – I really enjoyed using them for autumnal lettering projects.

Buy a pack of 12 for £7.99 from Cult Pens

 

Spectrum Noir Metallics

First reviewed 26 May 2019.

These pens are so flexible and I started to see improvements in my technique when I first used these; it was the first time I was actually proud of a lettering project.

Buy a pack of 6 for £18.99 from Craft Stash

 

Stabilo Pen 68 brush pens

First reviewed 17 October 2019.

The Stabilo Pen 68s are one of my favourite pens and I love the new brush pens. They’re so flexible and a joy to write with.

Buy individual pens for £1.80 or a pack of 8 for £12.95 at Cult Pens

 

Pentel Touch Brush Sign pens

First reviewed 24 October 2019.

These are currently my favourite pens to letter with. The nib is easier to control and the colours blend so nicely.

Buy individual pens for £2.66 (3 for 2) or a pack of 12 for £21.45 from Cult Pens

 

Zebra Mildliner Brush Pens

First reviewed 5 January 2020.

The easiest to control of the larger nibs and available in a a range of colours.

Buy individual pens for £1.95 from Cult Pens (plus currently 20% off at basket)

 

Ecoline Brush Pens

First reviewed on 8 January 2020 and again on 20 September 2020.

Chunky (and a bit tricky to master) but oh so juicy.

 

Buy packs of 5 for £10.50 from Cult Pens

 

Sakura Koi Colouring Brush Pen

First reviewed on 12 January 2020 and again on 12 September 2020.

Mid-range large nib brush pen, available in a range of colours.

Buy individual pens for £2.25 from Cult Pens

 

Edding 1340 Brush Pens

First reviewed on 12 January 2020.

The cheapest brush pens I’ve come across so far, available in a range of colours.

Buy individual pens for £1.50 from Cult Pens (plus there’s currently an additional 20% off Edding products – added at basket).

 

Tombow ABT Brush Pens 

Reviewed on 23 November 2019 and 28 January 2020.

These are the most talked about brush pens out there – with reason. Available in nearly 100 different shades, there is so much you can do with them.

You can get the ABTs for £2.55 each from Cult Pens (all Tombow products currently available on 3 for 2 offer). The Fudenosuke is available in three nib types for £2.75 each.

 

Tombow Fudenosuke

Reviewed on 23 December 2020

I’m loving the Fudes at the moment. I find the harder tips much easier to use – more colours please!

Cult Pens have some great prices for various packs:

Pack of 10, £19.99
Individual pens, £3.25
Neon, £16.00
Individual pens, £2.99

 

Faber-Castell

Reviewed on 16 November 2020

I had fun playing with these for a Cult Pens collaboration. I love it when you can get brush pens in colour palette sets and this botanical set was really fun.

Karin Brush Marker Pro

Reviewed on 22 August 2020

As already mentioned, I love it when brands release themed packs – so handy for seasonal lettering projects or bullet journal themes.  The flower colours set has some great shades and I find these a bit easier to handle than the Tombow ABTs.

 

More reviews coming soon.

Which pens are your favourite?