My Bare Bones, Don't Leave Home Without 'em, Absolute Favorite Pens


People always ask what my favorite pens are. I've done several posts on my favorite pens (there's a big extensive list of all of my favorite pens here.) Above is a photo of my absolute, most basic, necessary set of pens. There are my "don't leave home without them" pens:

Rapidosketch .35 (not to be confused with rapidograph which I've found too scratchy for the many layers that we often work on.) I fill it with permanent, waterproof black ink (the own should come with its own bottle if ink.) This is my favorite pen. Be very careful and write normal, taking care not to press hard on the tip (the pen can be fragile. If the tip gets broken, you might as well toss the whole pen as you can buy a replacement tip but it costs as much as the pen. I don't clean mine after every use. Instead, I make sure to store it flat and if I haven't used it every 2 weeks or so, I make sure to use it. Another quick tip, you only need to fill it less than halfway. Keep an old rag around to wipe off excess ink. Turn any parts gently until the stop. Don't twist anything too hard.)
Sakura Gloss Pink Glaze Pen (I love all products that Sakura makes, especially the Glaze and Shuffle pens but this one is my absolute favorite color!)

My little cigarette case (that's what they market them at the $.99 in Japantown, San Francisco to be) full of Pilot Latte and Sweets (it looks like as of this writing 12/8/2011 that Jetpens is out of the sets of the Sweets. They have some individually.) The difference between the Lattes and the Sweets are the colors. I. Love. These. Pens. The tips are tiny. I love coloring in with them. They last forever. (JetPens is the best place for these pens and a lot of other fun pens. Jetpens is a small company and they offer awesome service. I've been ordering from them for a long time.)


Update: Both the Lattes and Sweets have been discontinued, unfortunately.

What are your favorites and why?

Comments

Brenda said…
I discovered you and your journals the week after you were in Colorado! Will you be back in 2012?
Kelly Kilmer said…
Brenda, I hope to be back this summer!
Carin Winkelman said…
My favorites are UniPosca paint markers. They will write opaque over anything. I love them.
I also love pitt brush markers, the big brush ones and the regular ones. They are waterproof, because of the brushtip they will write over anything (be it not opaque) and they are not smelly like alcoholmarkers. I may be the only person in the world who does not like copic markers for just that reason.
Monica said…
Pitt pens and Sigma Uniball. i also like the Sharpie poster pens. too afraid to buy anything that comes with a bottle of ink as i am such a klutz.
Desert Mermaid said…
Pens ... well, since I now keep only a written journal, I am back to stashing just my lifelong mainstays: Bic ballpoint pens, black and blue, $1.29 for a pack of 12. WOOT! And for when color emphasis is needed, I have a pack of Staedtler fine point markers, and a very few gel pens, mainly glittery blues and greens.
maxine said…
I don't know what it is I don't like about the latte's and sweets other than they aren't living up to my expectations. I have had them and used them for more than a year, but just don't really like them. I also should be clear, I don't quite know what my expectations were as I usually don't have any. boo.
Kelly Kilmer said…
Caatje, I like the pitts, too, but they don't write on tape very well. I'm not a huge copic fan either.

Monica, I'm also a klutz but the rapidosketch pen comes with a refill bottle that the nozzle fits the part of the own you refill. It is wonderful.

Toni, no art journal? :)

Maxine, how are you using them? I write, draw, doodle, and COLOR with mine. I also want to point out, I have had students who write really hard, grab them and test them out. I always tell them that you can't write that way with these pens. The ink flows out normally. Also, they write one color and dry a little bit darker. On dark surfaces, they pop!
Dawn D. Sokol said…
The Rapidosketch may be my answer. I tried the Rapidographs, but hated the way they scratched into the surface. I actually thought it was partly me because I can be heavy-handed with pens. I am going to try the Rapidosketch, thanks!
Kelly Kilmer said…
Try the rapidosketch but do not be heavy handed with it. Be careful of the tip! :)
Desert Mermaid said…
Kelly -- my hubs lost his job 8 months ago and still NOTHING in sight ... I sold every single thing in my art studio about 4 months ago, EVERY SINGLE THING (except what I donated to Debbie/Frenzy Stamper), and made enough to pay our mortgage for not-quite 3 months. so no art journal, no art 'stuff' at all. No pity party here -- it'll all come back to me the timing is right, and with much more care about what re-enters my studio.
Kelly Kilmer said…
Desert Mermaid,
I totally understand. I have done the same thing myself many, many times. I am much more selective about the things that I purchase and bring into our home.
I hope that things get better soon (for all of us.)

Big hugs,
Kelly

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