Posts filed under Brush Pen

Zebra Funwari Fude Color Brush Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

Brush pens are so fun, but so tricky. I learned a lot listening to Ana on the recent Pen Addict Podcast (episode 292). These Zebra Funwari Fude brush pens have the firm, reinforced felt tips she mentioned that are ideal for beginners.

The pens have a white plastic body with a snap cap that matches the color of the ink (sort of). The cap does post, but not very deeply. Overall, it's a plain design. The real feature on these is the brush point.

The tips are felt, but reinforced with some plastic so they aren't as flexible as some. That helps a lot with line control and learning how and when to add pressure to get your desired line width. At first, they didn't seem to flex much at all, but they did break in after some use. They were still firm enough that the tip could be used to write with to get a finer line. Gentle pressure adds some width to the line, and then using the sides of the tip adds even more variation.

All the ink colors are water-based, but the black has some extra water-resitance so that it can be used for sketching and outlining. The pens would be great for drawing or calligraphy, though I did get a little feathering where I put down more pressure.

This set includes eight colors--black, grey, red, golden yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink. It's the full color range of the model, which has a lot of gaps, unfortunately. There isn't an orange! That shouldn't be allowed.

At $22, I do think they're a bit pricey. The overall feel and use is more school supply/beginner tool, rather than an artist's pen, but they're priced higher than some much fancier models. If you're wanting to get more into brush pen techniques,though, and struggling with the full-flex brushes, these are a great way to ease into the hobby.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on February 15, 2018 by Sarah Read and filed under Zebra, Brush Pen, Pen Reviews.

Kuretake ZIG Clean Color FB Brush Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

When I was a kid, my mom always had a lot of brush pens. She was studying Japanese, so they were a useful tool. Occasionally, my brother and I would find them and have a blast. The Kuretake ZIG Clean Color FB take me back to that play, only without the time-out that usually followed.

Brush pens have certainly improved since then--I remember them drying out and fraying quickly, though that may have been due to my childish coloring techniques. But these pens were very smooth on both Rhodia and watercolor papers and didn't dry out on me during use. I expected to feel some feedback or even see bits of tipping or paper on the watercolor swatches, but they were perfectly well behaved.

The ink is a water-based dye ink. It is most likely not lightfast. It can be blended with water for a paint-like effect, though not all of the colors are equally successful with this. Some spread easily and completely, while others barely moved at all, and many still showed the original marker lines underneath. The ink is odorless, xylene-free, and AP-certified nontoxic. So they're great for leaving them out where your kids can find them and foster and early love for stationery.

The colors are very vivid, even when diluted with water. The Pure set includes carmine red (022), cornflower blue (037), gray (090), green (040), May green (047), mustard (067), oatmeal (064), orange (070), pink (025), platinum brown (903), violet (080), and yellow (050).

The felt brush tip is not super flexible (it may loosen up after some more use), but using the side angles of the brush can create some great line variation. The tip is not replaceable and the ink is not refillable.

The body is a sturdy grey plastic and the snap cap is clear, with a nice wide clip. I suppose the clear cap might help to identify the color, but many colors look fairly indistinct through the plastic. In order to identify the color you'll have to check the bottom disc of the pen, or navigate the novel of text on the pen body looking for the color name. This drove me bananas when I was using these. If you have them in a pen cup or stored in sleeves, you're better off just memorizing the color numbers, because all that info will be hidden. Unless you store them upside-down, which may be a perfectly good option with these. This brand's other lines of brush pens have a colored plastic section, making color identification quick and easy. I'm not sure why they didn't go that route with these.

As far as price goes, at just under $2 per pen, these are right in the middle of the road. I did notice that there is almost no cost advantage to buying the sets. A set of twelve costs only 2 cents less than buying 12 open-stock pens. One the one hand, I think that's a bit of a bummer, but on the other hand that means you can just pick whatever colors you want without feeling like you're not getting the best deal.

I don't think these pens are great tools for artists, but they're a lot of fun for more casual use. I'm looking forward to trying them in coloring books and leaving them out where my kids can find them.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Kuretake, Brush Pen, Pen Reviews.

Platinum Natural Weasel Hair Brush Pen CF-5000 Review

(This is a guest post by Nick Folz. You can find more of Nick and his work on his blog, Smallberry Drive, Twitter, and Instagram.)

Brush pens are not something I am used to seeing made with flourish and style. They are usually basic looking tools encased in cheap plastic, not the sort of thing that impresses upon first appearance. So much of what makes a brush pen impressive is simply the brush, so once a pen company has mastered the inky tip, they usually decide to rest on their laurels. Not so with Platinum.

The Platinum CF-5000 Brush Pen looks more like a fountain pen when capped, but it does stop with looks. This pens has all the functions you would expect of a mid range fountain pen, minus the nib, of course. The aluminum body decorated with red marble and gold finishes has all the trapping of the fountain pen aesthetic. The overall function of the body is also very pleasing. The cap does not screw on, but glides into place. It also posts in the same manner, giving the pen a nice balance. The tip and body unscrew to give you access to the cartridge. The pen comes with an attached cart with a tiny bit of what seemed like oil to keep the bristles lubricated, and one cart of Platinum’s Carbon black.

I used the Carbon Black cartridge first and got a Platinum Converter after, they both work wonderfully. I got quite a bit of millage out of the cartridge, more than I would have expected. The converter works splendidly, dip the brush and draw up the ink by twisting the end. If you have ever used a Platinum Converter, you know the deal. I’m not a fountain pen guy (don’t shoot), so I can’t talk much about this converter vs other converters, but it is sharp. With a visible ink viewing window and gold detailing, it matches the pen perfectly. I opted for my favorite drawing ink, Liquitex Carbon Black, just to mix it up to see how flow might be affected, and it is just as consistent as Platinum’s own ink.

Speaking of the flow, the ink flow to the brush is perfectly balanced. It is sublime and I can’t overstate how big of deal this is. One of my favorite brush pens is a cheap Pentel Aquash water brush pen, but after using it for thirty minutes the brush gets too wet to do really fine lines. The Pilot Medium Brush Pen has the opposite problem and you have to squeeze the body to get consistent ink flow. The Platinum hits the perfect balance of not running dry and not getting so inky that you can’t do a hair-thin line (all without squeezing a plastic body) and looks damn good while doing it.

Aside from the ink flow, there is the tip itself. The bristles are made of weasel hair, often called kolinsky (from the name of the animal type) in the brush industry. They are the gold standard of brush material. The tip snaps back beautifully after each stroke and bends and flexes as good as my Series 7 Sable Winsor & Newton brush. The tip retention is remarkable, not once has the tip failed to spring back to it’s point.

If it seems like I’m talking sugar, it’s cause I am. This pen has become my main inking tool quicker than I would have predicted. It works splendidly and looks amazing. If it didn’t work as good as it does then the candy coating would be a farce, but it does and it makes the whole package spectacular. If I thought I could easily write notes with it, it would be my pocket carry daily, but I can only imagine the looks I would get in meetings.

Which brings me to the only sticking point. If you are not a brush pen fanatic then the price tag will turn you off. It is a bit pricy for an item you usually use in private. Fountain pens can (and are) used everywhere: taking notes in meetings, addressing letters, crossing off items at the grocery store. Settings both public and private, the right fountain pen can be as practical as it is stunning. But a brush pen? I only draw in public occasionally, usually on break at work. This is a VERY niche item in a community that is already very niche. I am going to cherish this pen, mainly because I DO use brush pens daily and this one out performs all of my other brush pens, but this one is for the brush pen enthusiast's only. But if you are, boy howdy, is it ever for you.

(Pen Boutique provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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