Brush Pen Buying Guide: Top Picks for Illustration and Calligraphy

Navigating the world of brush pens can be challenging. Whether you're an illustrator, calligrapher, or simply a colouring enthusiast, you know the right tool can make all the difference. Our guide is here to help you make an informed decision and choose the perfect pen set for your projects, without drowning you in marketing jargon.

Ink type, tip flexibility, number of colours... we'll cover the essential criteria before introducing our current favourite products.

How to Choose the Right Brush Pen??

Before diving into our selection, let's review the key criteria that will help you make the right choice.

1. Ink Type?: Water-Based or Pigment-Based??

The type of ink directly impacts the final look of your creations.

• Water-based ink?: This is the most common type, especially for watercolour markers. It allows you to create very smooth colour gradients and blends, similar to watercolour, by adding a touch of water with a brush. Another advantage?: it's generally odourless and bleeds less on thin paper.
• Pigment-based ink?: Known for its durability, this ink becomes permanent, water-resistant, and lightfast once dry. It's the ideal choice for illustration markers or line art?: your lines won't smudge if you apply a layer of watercolour or other markers over them.

2. The Tip?: Flexibility and Dual Nibs

The quality of the tip is the secret to precise and expressive lines.

• A flexible brush tip is crucial for varying line width. By adjusting the pressure, you can go from an ultra-fine line to a broad stroke?: this is the very foundation of calligraphy pens (or brush lettering).
• The dual-tip marker is a true Swiss Army knife. It combines a brush tip with a fine tip (like a fineliner), perfect for switching between filling, shading, and precision details with a single tool.

3. The Pen Set?: What's It For??

The size of your drawing pen set will depend entirely on your ambitions. For professional work focused on blending, a quality set of 12 or 24 colours can be more than enough. Conversely, a box set with over 100 colours will delight colouring enthusiasts or beginners, giving them a vast palette at their fingertips without needing to master blending techniques right away.

Our Recommended Brush Pens

We've scoured the market and selected four brush pen sets that cater to very different needs and artistic practices.

SAKURA Koi Brush Marker Set – 24 Colours

Why it stands out?: The strength of this set lies in its water-based ink, which blends perfectly to create bright, transparent watercolour effects.

Pros?:

• Flexible and durable nylon brush tip.
• Odourless, water-soluble, water-based ink.
• A palette of 24 vibrant, blendable colours.
• Ideal for achieving smooth gradients on suitable paper.

Who is it for?? Illustrators, hand-lettering fans, and colouring enthusiasts looking for the fluidity of watercolour with the convenience of a marker.

Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolour Markers Set – 20 Colours

Why it stands out?: A professional-grade choice that combines pigment-rich ink with excellent lightfastness, for artwork designed to last.

Pros?:

• Dual-tip marker?: a soft brush tip for expressive strokes and a fine tip for details.
• Highly pigmented, water-soluble ink for intense colours.
• Excellent lightfastness, a critical feature for artwork intended for display or sale.
• The colours are fully water-soluble for authentic watercolour effects.

Who is it for?? Professional artists, illustrators, or discerning hobbyists who prioritise pigment quality and the longevity of their creations.

Ohuhu Maui Series Dual Tip Brush Pens – 120 Markers

Why it stands out?: It's hard to compete with this XXL set and its 120-colour palette, all at an unbeatable value that explains its popularity.

Pros?:

• Complete drawing pen set with 120 numbered colours.
• Dual-tip marker?: one brush tip (1-6 mm) and one fine tip (0.4 mm).
• Non-toxic, odourless, water-based ink.
• Comes with replacement tips and a practical storage case.

Who is it for?? Art students, adult colouring fans, and creatives who need a huge range of shades without breaking the bank.

STAEDTLER Pigment Brush Marker 371 Set – 36 Colours

Why it stands out?: Its main advantage is its pigment ink which, unlike dye-based inks, becomes permanent and lightfast once dry.

Pros?:

• High-quality pigment ink that is water-resistant and lightfast.
• Doesn't bleed through paper and dries quickly.
• Flexible brush tip allows for varied line widths.
• Perfect for outlining an illustration before colouring it with watercolour.

Who is it for?? Comic book artists, illustrators, and mixed-media artists who need permanent lines that won't dissolve when in contact with other wet media.

Not Convinced or Want to Explore Further??

Our selection highlights products with very distinct profiles. If you haven't found your match or are simply curious to discover other hidden gems, there are plenty of options.

To explore a wider range, with models suited for every use, feel free to browse our complete category of pigment pens.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What paper should I use with a brush pen?? To prevent ink from feathering or bleeding through, it's crucial to use smooth paper with a sufficient weight (at least 160 gsm). Bristol board is an excellent option. For a watercolour marker, watercolour paper (hot-pressed for a very smooth surface) will deliver the best results, as it's designed to absorb water without buckling.

2. How do I care for my brush pens to make them last longer?? The golden rule?: always cap your pens tightly immediately after use to prevent the tips from drying out. Also, remember to store your pens horizontally. This ensures the ink is distributed evenly and feeds both nibs perfectly on a dual-tip marker.

3. Can you really do calligraphy with a brush pen?? Absolutely?! The brush pen is even the tool of choice for brush lettering, a modern form of calligraphy. Its flexible brush tip perfectly mimics the behaviour of a real paintbrush. It allows you to effortlessly create thick downstrokes (by applying pressure) and thin upstrokes (by releasing pressure), which are the very foundation of this lettering art.