The Best Brush Pens for Comics

The Best Brush Pens For Drawing Comics Title Image

The flexible tip of a brush pen can create dynamic lines that bring stories to life. Comic artists often rely on brush pens to convey expression and movement in a way that technical drawing pens cannot. Although it takes a certain amount of practice and dexterity to wield these tools, you don't have to be Picasso to appreciate their utility. Keep reading to find out which brush pens we enjoy using to draw comics.

Table of Contents

Brush Pen Considerations

Tip Type

Comparison of natural bristle, nylon bristle, fiber felt, and rubber felt tips

Brush pens come with either felt or bristle tips.

There are two main categories of brush tips: felt and bristle. Within these categories are some material variations that you should be aware of.

“Felt” tips are usually made of either a synthetic fiber or a rubber-like material formed into a single mass. Tips made of fiber can be hard or soft and may fray over time with heavy use. Tips made of rubber tend to be soft and spongy with a lot of flexibility and give. They maintain their shape well over time.

Bristle tips are made up of individual synthetic or natural hairs and mimic the feel of paint brushes. Some artists prefer natural hair brushes,¹ but synthetic bristles have come a long way and are now comparable in feel and performance. Natural hair bristles require more upkeep than their synthetic counterparts, but can last a long time if well maintained. For a deep dive into bristle brush pens, read our dedicated guide.

Tip Flexibility

Comparison of hard felt, soft felt and bristle tips pressing into a page.

Brush pens can have hard or soft tips. Bristle tips are often much softer than felt tips.

Depending on comfort level, experience, and desired look, artists may choose either hard- or soft-tipped brushes. A soft, flexible tip will give an artist more line width variation and expression, while a harder tip is ideal for crisp, clean lines. Hard tips also offer more control, making them more beginner friendly than soft tips.

“Elasticity” and “springiness” are common terms when reading about brush pen tips. These both refer to how quickly a tip returns to its usual shape after being deformed by pressure. A less springy tip requires more careful application of pressure while drawing.

Throughout this guide, we use the word “controllable” to describe some tips. This term is a bit of a combination of firmness and springiness. While all brush tips are predictable once you get to know them, a tip we think is “controllable” has a fast learning curve and won’t flop about surprisingly in response to subtle movements.

Tip Size

Comparison of fine, medium, and broad tips.

Brush pens can be used for any scale of drawing.

Brush tips vary in thickness from extra fine to broad. These aren’t standardized terms and may vary between brands. Thin brush pens are great for sketching or adding in details, while broad tips pack a bold punch in just one stroke and are excellent for inking and shading. Medium tips can be used for both sketching and shading, depending on an artist's preference. Tip size is affected both by tip width and tip length; a longer tip will usually be able to make lines with more dramatic variation.

Ink Flow

Comparison of dry felt tip line, dry bristle tip line, and a wet line.

Dry felt tips and bristle tips create different effects. Wet ink flow will look dark and uniform.

The ink flow of a brush pen can transform the look of your piece. Bristle brush pens with drier flow can create feathery dry brush effects, while drier felt tips will look streaky. Wet ink flow, meanwhile, can be dark and striking, but it’s also at greater risk of getting smudged as you work.

Ink flow can be affected by storage as well. It’s best to store brush pens flat. While testing, we noted that if a double-sided pen had been stored vertically, the two sides had different ink flows: the tip pointing down was wetter, while the tip pointing up was drier. To learn more about storing pens, read our dedicated guide.

Ink Solubility

Comparison of inks that are and are not water- and Copic-proof

It's important to know how an ink behaves before diving into mixed media art.

Artists who color in their work with watercolors, water-based inks, or alcohol ink Copic markers should choose brush pens that are waterproof and/or Copic-proof. This characteristic is not as important for those who scan in their work to be reproduced and colored digitally. Artists who enjoy softening up harsh edges with water may also consider using non-waterproof brush pens. The inks in almost all of the pens we tested are fully Copic-proof when dry, while waterproofness varies much more dramatically. Check test results for a full overview.

Longevity

Comparison of disposable and refillable pens

Refillable pens are an important investment for working artists.

Working artists need pens that are in it for the long haul. Most brush pens are not refillable, though they typically have large ink reservoirs. Some brush pens take proprietary refills, and a rare few can use converters that allow artists to customize their inks. We’ve noted when pens are refillable in our recommendations.

Felt Tip Brush Pen Recommendations

The Best Hard Felt Tip Brush Pens: Zebra Disposable Brush Pens

Zebra Disposable Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

Zebra Disposable Brush Pens are reliable pens available in three tip sizes.

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The Zebra Disposable Brush Pen is a versatile firm-tipped pen that works tremendously well for making controllable, reliable lines. There are a decent range of tip sizes available, as well as a handy double-sided option. Its ink is utterly unaffected by water and alcohol-based markers. Our only problem with this pen is that it isn’t refillable.

Hard felt tip brush pens are popular with beginners, so we offer a good number of similar models. It was a close race to pick a top choice! Read on below for more good picks.

We Also Tested:

Tombow Fudenosuke Hard Brush Pen: The elastomer tip of this pen handles very much like the Zebra Disposable in Fine. While the Fudenosuke loses out on tip sizes, it wins on ink colors. It’s equally resistant to water and Copics as our top pick (though that’s not the case for the neon colors), and actually slightly more resistant to erasing. To learn more about this popular pen, you can read about it in our calligraphy guide.
Kuretake Disposable Pocket Brush Pens: This pen has the same range of tip sizes as the Zebra Disposable, but each size is a little bit smaller. For example, the Kuretake medium tip is about the same size as the Zebra small tip. The ink is practically identical.
Kuretake Mangaka Flexible Pens: More glamorous cousins to the Kuretake Disposable, these have what we theorize is the same ink and are disposable as well—but for the same price, you get a more durable metal clip and snazzy gold lettering on the barrel, plus sepia ink options.
Kuretake No. 7 Brush Pen: This pen is actually refillable! The tradeoffs: it only comes in one tip size and the included cartridges contain ink that is not water or Copic resistant. However, the No. 7 can use Platinum Carbon Black Ink cartridges (one of our favorite inks for artists due to its water resistance), and it’s one of the few brush pens that is compatible with converters.
Pentel Fude Touch Brush Sign Pen: Like many sign pens, this is really closer to a marker than a brush pen. Its light black ink is not great for linework and it’s not waterproof either, but it (or any of its many other colors) is fun to sketch with.

The Best Soft Felt Tip Brush Pen: Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Soft Brush Pen

Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Soft Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

The tip of the Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Soft Brush Pen takes some practice but creates incredible line width variation.

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The tip of the Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Soft Brush Pen is made from rubber that almost feels squishy to draw with. It offers the flexibility of a brush without the risk of dry brush effects that might distract from your clean lines. However, the rubber tip does sometimes squeak against paper, which might be distracting in a different way. The Shunpitsu’s dark dye-based ink flows smoothly and dries quickly. We found that it smeared under a water brush, but water-based markers and alcohol-based markers looked just fine.

We Also Tested:

Kuretake ZIG Fudebiyori Brush Pen: This pen has a flexible fiber tip that’s chunky yet surprisingly graceful. It’s available in lots of colors but smears tremendously under water.
Tombow Fudenosuke Soft Brush Pen: This pen is a bit less springy than other recommendations in this section. Its ink is waterproof and Copic-proof, and it also comes in pastel colors, though these smear slightly under water.
Zebra Standard Soft Brush Pens: This slim pen has a big, flexible tip. Its narrow body may be uncomfortable to grip over a long drawing session, and its ink is slightly translucent, which can make for fun effects. It is not waterproof.
Sailor Fude Nagomi Fine Brush Pen: The soft tip of a Fine Sailor Fude Nagomi dances over a page. This pen’s smooth, dark ink is water resistant but not fully waterproof. The larger tip size of this pen is noticeably firmer (though still graceful).
Kuretake Oil-Based Brush Pens: This pen’s tip is truly soft and squishy. Its oil-based ink is great for nonporous surfaces like photos. However, on paper, it wicks into fibers and displays feathering—plus, it has that unpleasant permanent marker smell.

The Best Broad Felt Tip Brush Pen: Kuretake Bimoji Broad Brush Pen

Kuretake Bimoji Broad Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

The Kuretake Bimoji Broad Brush Pen creates bold lines.

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Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pens are great pens at smaller tip sizes, but the larger tips stand out from the competition. We found them firm and fairly controllable, but still imbued with springiness and zest. These pens are especially suitable for Chinese calligraphy and are equally good for filling in large areas of black. The ink is dark and doesn’t react to water or alcohol markers. All tip sizes have a cushioned grip that’s pleasant to hold—our only improvement on these pens would be making them refillable.

We Also Tested:

Kuretake No. 33 Brush Pen: This pen is a big, bold writer. Its soft tip squeegees along the page, and on smooth paper we could hear it squeak! Its slightly translucent ink is extremely reactive to water.
Kuretake No. 55 Double-Sided Brush Pen: This pen complements a big, soft tip with a smaller, firmer tip on the other side of the pen. It’s a versatile option to take on the go and great for people working on a large scale who want to quickly add precise details. Its ink is very reactive to water.

The Best Fine Felt Tip Brush Pens: Pilot Fude-Makase Color Brush Pens

Pilot Fude-Makase Color Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

Pilot Fude-Makase Color Brush Pens have firm, precise tips.

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The Pilot Fude-Makase Color Brush Pen has a sturdy, super fine tip that is proportionally longer than most felt tips, giving it a wider range of line variation. We found it to be controllable with a hint of whippiness to it. It also features an ink window that shows the remaining ink. The Fude-Makase’s ink bleeds dramatically in water—it could even work for watercolor-like effects.

We Also Tested:

Sakura Pigma Professional Fine Brush Pen: The delicate size of the Sakura Pigma Professional has won our hearts. The precise yet springy and energetic Fine is fantastic for details, and its ink is totally waterproof (though it does fade a little when erased over).
Pentel Fudemoji Extra Fine Brush Sign Pen: This tip is fine indeed, suited to those working at particularly tiny scales. This pen’s dark pigment ink does not budge under water or Copics.
Kuretake ZIG Letter Pen Cocoiro: While most refillable brush pens swap out their cartridges, refilling the Cocoiro also means replacing the brush tip. Both the pen bodies and refills are available in a variety of colors. The Cocoiro writes with a firm, small tip that gets softer with extended use. Its ink is not waterproof.
Kuretake Bimoji Extra Fine Brush Pen: We love the tiny lines of the Bimoji Extra Fine. Those who like the ink (which is water resistant when dry) can check out the other tip sizes, some of which are recommended above.
Kuretake Fudegokochi Extra Fine Brush Pen: This pen is like an ultra-firm version of our top pick, defaulting to consistent whisper-thin strokes. With pressure, its lines become more dynamic, though somewhat prone to dryness. Its ink bleeds dramatically in water.

The Best Double-Sided Felt Tip Brush Pen: Uni Mitsubishi Double-Sided Brush Pen

Uni Mitsubishi Double-Sided Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

The Uni Mitsubishi Double-Sided Brush Pen is a versatile tool.

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The Uni Mitsubishi Double-Sided Brush Pen has a precise fine tip and a larger soft tip, both of which are flexible yet controllable. Its dark black ink doesn’t react to water or alcohol, though it lifts slightly when erased over. This double-sided pen is equally good as a space-saving measure in a crowded pen case or for switching between bold lines and fine details at your desk.

How you store a double-sided pen can affect its ink flow. As such, we recommend keeping them flat for best results. Additionally, our testing here was restricted to black ink double-sided pens. Read on to the next recommendation for black and gray ink combinations.

We Also Tested:

Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Double-Sided Brush Pen: The Shunpitsu is already recommended above, but this is a significantly different pen. It has a soft medium tip that’s made of fiber, not rubber. Accordingly, it’s a little firmer than the normal Soft Shunpitsu. Its fine tip—identical to other Shunpitsu hard tips—is squishier than comparable hard tips from other brands. It’s a zippy and flexible writer with smooth ink flow. Its dark pigment ink smears a little under water, but this is overall a close second choice.
Pentel Fudemoji Double-Sided Brush Pen: This pen has a significant size difference between its tips: the larger brush is softer, while the small tip is firmer and has a very pointed tip for small detail. We found it fun to use. This pen has a long body, but not as long as our top pick, so it might fit better in some pencil cases. Its ink is not waterproof.
Kuretake Disposable Pocket Double-Sided Brush Pen: Both tip sizes of this pen are fairly small, and both are firm enough to create very thin, delicate lines. Its ink is dark and non-reactive to water and Copics. It’s similar but not identical to the Zebra Zensations below.
Zebra Zensations Double-Sided Disposable Brush Pen: This pen is another option with dark, non-reactive ink and tip sizes that are relatively similar in size. Its brushes are softer and squishier than the Kuretake, and we found its caps post on the ends of the pen a little more securely.
Zebra Standard Double-Sided Brush Pens: These long, slim pens and their slightly translucent inks are available in a unique option: a brush pen that has a felt tip on one side and a bristle tip on the other! Also available is a combination with a squishy soft felt tip to compliment the smaller hard tip.

The Best Gray Felt Tip Brush Pen: Kuretake No. 6 Double-Sided Brush Pen

Kuretake No. 6 Double-Sided Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

A Kuretake No. 6 Double-Sided Brush Pen adds gentle tones to a page.

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Although gray brushes were originally designed for condolence messages, comic artists can take advantage of their lighter inks to produce shadows or shade in comic spreads. The Kuretake No. 6 Double-Sided Brush Pen features a gray soft tip on one side and a black soft tip on the other. You can get a nice gradient effect with both tips by using more pressure at the beginning of a stroke and lifting the brush up towards the end.

We Also Tested:

Kuretake ZIG Brushables Double-Sided Brush Marker: These double-sided markers feature springy tips that are nicely balanced. They’re larger than the tips of the rest of our runner ups as well. The included gray ink has a relatively warm tone.
Faber-Castell PITT Artist Brush Pens: One of the benefits of these brush pens is that their huge range of gray inks are matched to other Faber-Castell art supplies. As an example, the brush pen in Warm Grey IV 273 is the same shade as the colored pencils. PITT inks are also archival quality and more water resistant than most art markers. However, these brush tips don’t taper to particularly fine points, so don’t use them when working small.
Tombow Dual Brush Pens: Tombow Dual Brush Pens offer a wide range of grays, and we’re big fans of the large brush plus bullet tip design.
Kuretake ZIG Fudebiyori Brush Pens: These brush pens feature squishy, soft tips and a few different shades of gray. They also have comparatively short bodies, which make them easy to carry around.

Bristle Brush Pen Recommendations

Artists love bristle brush pens for their responsiveness and versatility, but they take a certain amount of practice and control to be used effectively. They can be used to create a variety of effects. One popular effect is a dry brush look that's excellent for replicating the textures present in nature or landscapes, such as smoke or tree bark. We’ve gone into depth on bristle brush pens in a separate guide, but we have recommendations here, too.

The Best Bristle Brush Pens: Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pens

Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pens are great investments: both ink and tip can be replaced.

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The tip of a Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pen tapers to a fine point that forms the thinnest of lines. Its springy tip responds to even the slightest movement, allowing artists to showcase subtle nuances in each stroke. The included dye-based ink is nicely pigmented, but you can also refill the pen with other compatible inks if you buy a converter. The brush tip can be replaced as well, making this one of the longest-lived pens we offer!

We Also Tested:

Kuretake No. 8 and Kuretake No. 85: These pens have lightweight constructions and long bodies. Both are more affordable and handle similarly to the No. 13, so maybe try these first! However, they don’t offer replacement tips, so we wouldn’t recommend them as long-term investments.
Sailor Fude Nagomi Honzukuri Hair Brush Pen: This pen has an ergonomic tapered grip that’s a joy to hold. Ink flow through its soft tip is on the drier side, creating beautiful textured effects. Its dye ink is not waterproof.
Pentel Standard Brush Pens: The high capacity bodies of these pens are quite different from other recommendations in this section. Their barrels can be squeezed for increased ink flow and even replaced to refill the pen. They’re available in a range of tip sizes and with both dye- or pigment-based inks.
Kuretake High Grade Sable Hair Brush Pens: A luxe upgrade option, these pens have brush tips made with real sable hair. These are also compatible with cartridges, but filling them with permanent inks and slacking on maintenance can be a costly mistake. If you plan to use pigment-based inks with your brush pen, be sure to use it frequently and clean it thoroughly.

The Best Water- and Copic-Proof Bristle Brush Pen: Pentel Pocket Brush Pen

Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

The popular Pentel Pocket Brush Pen creates strong lines.

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The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen is an all-time favorite around the JetPens office—it even has its own guide. Its dark ink shrugs off water and Copics alike, and its long tip is capable of tremendous line variation. However, it often gets recommended to beginners who then get discouraged by how tricky it seems to control. To avoid that, we recommend starting out by using the Pentel Pocket Brush for larger-scale drawings. Use the whole sketchbook page, not just a corner! The Pentel Pocket Brush offers gray and sepia ink options, and it’s refillable with cartridges.

We Also Tested:

Copic Gasenfude Nylon Brush Pen: The Gasenfude has equally great ink and a similar tip, but the simple fact of being nonrefillable knocked it from first place for us.

The Best Broad Tip Bristle Brush Pen: Kuretake No. 26 Brush Pen

Kuretake No. 26 Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

The Kuretake No. 26 Brush Pen has a broad tip that we love for large areas of darkness.

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The generously-sized bristle brush tip of the Kuretake No. 26 Brush Pen creates bold, energetic marks. We found it covered a lot of the page very quickly with its ultra-dark pigment ink, and lent itself to fun negative space effects, like narrow ribbons of white between large areas of black. Given the heavy amount of ink it puts down, it dries fairly quickly—but you should still keep an eye out for smudging.

This is another high-capacity pen with a barrel that is a replaceable ink cartridge. It can be squeezed for more ink flow, but always squeeze over scrap paper and never your art.

We Also Tested:

Pentel Standard Broad Tip Brush Pen: The Pentel Standard Broad Tip is a very similar option to the Kuretake No. 26. We found that its dye-based ink smudges more in water (though neither are perfect), and its ink is slightly slower to dry.

The Best Fine Tip Bristle Brush Pen: Kuretake Ai Liner Brush Pen

Kuretake Ai Liner Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

The petite tip of the Kuretake Ai Liner Brush Pen is whippy and springy.

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The long, thin tip of the Kuretake Ai Liner Brush Pen is inspired by cosmetics. Applying light pressure creates an incredibly delicate line, but its long tip is perfectly capable of dynamic, bolder lines, too. Its ink is dark and black. It smears in water, but incredibly subtly. While the Ai Liner’s form factor isn’t our favorite—it has a slim body and a cap that can’t be posted—its tip is truly lovely to work with.

We Also Tested:

Akashiya Sai ThinLine Watercolor Brush Pens: This pen writes with a somewhat translucent black—in fact, its other colors are all off-black shades that can add nuance to your artwork. The very delicate and fairly soft tip requires a gentle touch, but we think the payoff is fantastic. Colors bleed slightly under water.
Pentel Artist Brush Sign Pen: This pen has a very fine and whippy tip and, like other Pentel sign pens, light ink that absolutely cannot handle water. Other colors are available.
Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Real Brush Pen: The tip of this pen is fine, delicate, and more controllable than the previous recommendation. Its ink flow is a little dry on wider lines. Like the Artist Brush Sign Pen, this ink is available in plenty of other colors and is not water resistant.

The Best Gray Bristle Brush Pen: Pilot Shunpitsu Gray Bristle Brush Pen

Pilot Shunpitsu Gray Bristle Brush Pen on table, tip closeup, writing sample

The dreamy gray of the Pilot Shunpitsu Gray Bristle Brush Pen is great for shadows.

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The Pilot Shunpitsu Gray Bristle Brush Pen is filled with ink in a lovely neutral gray that's not too dark and not too light. Its generous tip works for large scale work and covering a page with wide swaths of ink. We found that its ink was slightly reactive to water, but lines stayed crisp and didn’t blur. Like other high-capacity pens, it can be refilled, and its body has a bit of give to it.

We Also Tested:

Pentel Pocket Gray Ink Brush Pen: We recommended the black version of this pen earlier, and we simply must include the gray brush pen here. This is a darker gray that’s resistant to water.
Pentel Quick Dry Gray Pigment Ink Brush Pen: This waterproof ink is a neutral gray that’s a little darker than the Shunpitsu. Its tip is a similar size but slightly softer. The body of this pen has ridges along it, which we didn’t prefer to the smooth Shunpitsu, but might suit someone with particularly slippery hands.
Pentel Fude-Hajime Kasumi Gray Ink Brush Pen: This pen writes in a cyan-toned gray, cold and dreamy. Its ink is darker when layered—a large area might get streaky.

Brush Pen Ink Tests

We tested each brush pen’s ink against water and alcohol. For our water tests, we swabbed ink swatches with a water brush and a water-based Tombow Dual Brush Pen. We used a Copic Sketch Marker for our alcohol ink tests. We also drew a line with a Blackwing pencil over each ink and erased with a Sakura Arch Foam Eraser until the pencil was removed. All tests were performed on Rhodia DotPad Paper.

All inks were allowed to dry overnight before testing. Inks are likely to smear more when they aren't given time to cure, especially when used with water rather than Copic ink. If you know that isn't how you like to draw, do a quick spot test before creating a piece. We chose to test fully cured inks because they show, essentially, the best that an ink will ever behave. If a fully cured ink still doesn't have the resistance properties an artist needs, it never will, and it's easy to avoid it.

Felt Tip Brush Pen	Writing Sample	Water Brush	Water-Based Marker	Alcohol-Based Marker	Lifting
Caran d'Ache Fibralo Brush Pens
Deleter Neopiko Line 3 Brush Pen
Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens
Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pens
Kuretake Disposable Pocket Brush Pens
Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pens
Kuretake No. 6 Double-Sided Brush Pen
Kuretake No. 7 Brush Pen
Kuretake No. 14 Pocket Brush Pen
Kuretake No. 33 Brush Pen
Kuretake No. 55 Double-Sided Brush Pen
Kuretake Noshibukuro Envelope Writing Brush Pen
Kuretake Oil-Based Brush Pens
Kuretake ZIG Brushables Double-Sided Brush Markers
Kuretake ZIG Cartoonist Mangaka Flexible Pens
Kuretake ZIG Fudebiyori Brush Pens
Kuretake ZIG Letter Pen Cocoiro
Marvy Le Pen Flex Brush Pens
Pentel Fude Touch Brush Sign Pens
Pentel Fudemoji Brush Sign Pens - Dye Ink
Pentel Fudemoji Brush Sign Pens - Pigment Ink
Pentel Keicho Brush Sign Pens
Pentel Quick Dry Brush Sign Pen
Pilot Fude-Makase Color Brush Pens
Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Brush Pens - Dye Ink
Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Brush Pens - Pigment Ink
Raymay Keicho Brush Pens
Sailor Fude Nagomi Brush Pens
Sakura Pigma Brush Pens
Sakura Pigma Professional Brush Pens
Stabilo Pen 68 Brush Markers
Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
Uni Mitsubishi Double-Sided Brush Pens
Zebra Disposable Brush Pens
Zebra Standard Brush Pens

We've simplified our bristle brush pen test results by grouping together pens that use the same refills.² For example, the Kuretake No. 13, No. 8, No. 85, and High Grade Sable Brush Pens use the same ink and are grouped together under “Kuretake Dye-Based Cartridge Ink.”

Bristle Brush Pen	Writing Sample	Water Brush	Water-Based Marker	Alcohol-Based Marker	Lifting
Akashiya Sai ThinLine Watercolor Brush Pens
Copic Gasenfude Nylon Brush Pen
Kuretake Ai Liner Brush Pens
Kuretake Dye-Based Cartridge Ink
Kuretake Pigment High-Capacity Cartridge Ink
Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Real Brush Pens
Pentel Artist Brush Sign Pens
Pentel Fude-Hajime Brush Pens
Pentel Pocket Brush Pens
Pentel Quick Dry Pigment Ink
Pentel Standard Dye-Based Ink
Pentel Standard Pigment Ink
Sailor Fude Nagomi Honzukuri Hair Brush Pens
Zebra Standard FD-502 Brush Pen

Brush Pens in Action

Drawing done with all types of brush pens.

Few artists would limit themselves to just one type of brush pen. Our resident artist created the page to the left using a hard brush pen for the lettering, the outlines of each panel, and inorganic architecture. A bristle brush pen was used to capture the expression and movement of the people, and a soft brush was used to shade and color in shadows.

See the whole story below.

Sherlock Holmes and the Copper Beeches

Other Resources

Conclusion

Brush pens are some of our favorite tools not only for drawing comics, but for calligraphy and other art as well. Do you have a favorite brush pen? Let us know in the comments below!

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Felt Tip Brush Pen Recommendations
Brush Pen		Tip Sizes	Add to Cart
	Zebra Disposable Brush Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart
	Pilot Shunpitsu Pocket Soft Brush Pen	Medium	Add to Cart
	Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart
	Pilot Fude-Makase Color Brush Pens	Extra Fine	Add Items to Cart
	Uni Mitsubishi Double-Sided Brush Pen	Fine/Broad	Add to Cart
	Kuretake No. 6 Double-Sided Brush Pen	Medium/Broad	Add to Cart
Bristle Brush Pen Recommendations
Brush Pen		Tip Sizes	Add to Cart
	Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pens	Medium	Add Items to Cart
	Pentel Pocket Brush Pen	Medium	Add Items to Cart
	Kuretake No. 26 Brush Pen	Broad	Add to Cart
	Kuretake Ai Liner Brush Pen	Ultra Fine	Add to Cart
	Pilot Shunpitsu Gray Bristle Brush Pen	Medium	Add to Cart

Notes

¹ The natural hair versus synthetic bristle distinction is more critical in paint brushes. Natural hair holds more liquid and is less prone to fraying over time. Brush pens have an internal reservoir, so ink flow doesn’t depend on how much liquid their tips naturally retain. Additionally, they’re handled more gently than brushes that get pressed down into pans of paint, so fraying is less of an issue. ↩
² While we can infer from our test results that the numbered felt tip Kuretake brush pens all use the same dye-based ink, they aren't refillable, and we can't point you to a specific refill they all share. Consequently, we've provided separate tests. ↩

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