Why Every Artist Needs a Good Set of Brush Pens?

Brush pens or markers are popular and a life changer for all artists because you can use them on any artwork, from painting to calligraphy. 

It lets you easily draw subtle details or wide strokes that open up different creative possibilities for you. 

Continue reading as we explore what makes brush pens important for artists’ journeys!

1. Brush pens are flexible 

What’s the first good thing about these tools? 

They’re able to create both vibrant, thin, and wide strokes that can match your artwork’s beauty.

As a result, their flexibility makes it fun to work on any project you’re working on, including: 

• Painting
• Sketching
• Illustration
• Calligraphy

2. Variety of Brush Makers’ colours and types

Just like any art tool, they have a lot of rich colours for your different artworks.

Another advantage is that brush markers come in different types you can choose from, such as:

Dual-tip

Tired of switching between tips whenever you’re drawing or writing? Brush pens got you covered.

Dual-tip markers had two tips in one pen; they often had a fine tip partnered with a brush tip on the other end. 

Fine tips are perfect for writing or drawing small details, while brush tips are for creating wide strokes. 

Water-based

These types of brush pens mimic traditional watercolour’s effects without worrying about making a mess. 

By just adding a little water to the tip, it can easily blend and layer colours.

Furthermore, they have an attached water storage that will let you refill or squeeze out water to blend it with the colours. 

Alcohol-based 

They’re known for their highly pigmented ink, which makes their vibrant colours ideal for various art projects.

Alcohol-based ink also dries quickly and prevents it from smudging your colours. 

Lastly, they’re praised too for their excellent smooth blending and creating gradients.

3. Affordable and accessible

When you’re on a budget, brush pens are the ones you can count on.

Besides being easy to use, even for beginners, they’re available in many online shops and are more affordable compared to buying traditional brushes and paints.

For example, water brush pens are affordable because they’re refillable, removing the need for a lot of replacements.

4. Portability and convenience

If you’re an artist who loves to travel and bring out their artistic side even outdoors, brush pens are perfect for you!

They can be your travel buddies because they are lightweight, which makes them easy to carry around.

These pens also don’t need other supplies like separate ink or water containers because they already have one in them.

5. Enhancing artistic techniques

Brush pens can be used for many artistic projects, including calligraphy and painting. 

This is the best way to help you build new skills like pressure control and blending that are needed for a specific project. 

Their flexibility can allow you to experiment with different styles and art techniques.

6. Unique features of brush pens

The combined traits of a pen and brush make them lovable tools for artists.

It lets you precisely control the pen, but with the brush tip’s flexibility, you can also easily create different strokes.

So, it also makes it easier to blend and create many effects, like watercolour.  

Top brush pen brands every artist should know

Since brush pens are popular, there are a lot of brands on the market to choose from.

This can be a tiring process because you might overthink which are for you. 

Don’t worry, here are some recommended 5 brush pens brands that you can try:

Pentel

One of the best brush markers for artists because of its high quality performance at an affordable price.

Even after regular use, the tips remain flexible and the bristles do not split apart.

Also, their smooth ink flow and inexpensive refills make them ideal for beginners. 

Kaywin

Kaywin brush pens are eco-friendly products while ensuring an important artistic experience.

Their ink is non-toxic and doesn’t produce a scent that might be uncomfortable for some users. 

Another advantage is that they’re also water-soluble, which makes it easy to blend their colours with water. 

Tombow

Tombow brush pens are known for their dual-tip design and flexibility on various art projects like calligraphy and sketching.

Their water-based ink and colourless blender allow you to blend colours and experiment with different effects. 

They’re also praised for being user-friendly and for long-term use, which makes artists highly recommend them too. 

Akashiya

Akashiya brush pens are popular due to their high quality dye ink made in Japan.

Moreover, just changing how you put pressure into the pen lets you easily create soft lines or large strokes.

You can also dissolve the ink with water and create different shades. 

Faber-castell

Want brush pens with colours that are resistant to fading over time? Faber-Castell might be for you. 

They are acid-free too, which means they don’t damage paper over time. 

Lastly, their waterproof trait makes them suitable for use with other materials like watercolour paints and inks.

Frequently asked question 

How should brush pens be stored?

It depends on the type and brand of brush pen you’re using to know if you have to store them horizontally or vertically. 

For example, some dual tips should be kept horizontally to ensure equal ink distribution between the two tips. 

Another example is that water-based brush pens can be stored vertically with their tips down to avoid the ink drying out. 

What paper can I use brush pens on?

Smooth papers are the most compatible with brush pens because they’re designed to create steady lines and strokes. 

You can try the following papers:

• Rhodia paper pads: Their smooth surface makes them less likely to bleed through and 
• Tomoe river paper: They’re known for having a thin, smooth surface.
• Strathmore bristol paper: It has a thick surface and works well for blending colours.
• Canson mixed media sketchbook: Apart from its smooth layer, it minimises bleeding or leaving marks on the other side of the paper even with alcohol ink. 

Conclusion

Brush pens are popular and become great artists buddies for pretty justifiable reasons, including: 

• Affordable
• Accessible
• Brush pens are flexible 
• Comes in a lot of colours and types
• The combined functions of a pen and a traditional brush

Whether you’re drawing or adding some creative touches to your artwork, brush pens are also perfect for bringing out your artistic vision. 

What has been your journey with using brush pens? 

We’ll love to hear them in the comments below!