Uni Pin Fineliner Drawing Pen Set of 9 Black Ink with Different Nibs

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Great article! I found it through a Google image search, while looking for a comparison of the thinnest of the top brands of fineliners. But I was a bit disappointed when I got to the bottom, and found that your comparison was a spreadsheet, rather than a side by side comparison. (Still a great article though!) The test is not completely scientific, although I try to achieve some consistency in the tests I put the pens through. Most of the tests were done on A4 100gsm copier paper (from PaperONE). This replicates the most common conditions which I work in – cheap paper so I can sketch loads. The pens were also briefly tested on Strathmore Bristol paper (smooth 270gsm), Fabriano Tecnico (240 gsm) and Clairfontaine fine grain Drawing Paper (224 gsm). Very informative as my Micron Pigma are starting to run low on ink was trying to figure out what to try next. I referenced your blog post as well this one ( https://blog.penvibe.com/fineliner-pens-good-use-copics-alcohol-markers/) which considers whether the pen smudges or feathers with alcohol markers. That post considered some not on your list but focused on whether or not the markers smudge or feather. However they didn't consider differences between bristol or mixed media paper and they also used inconsistent pen tip sizes. They did have a nice table comparing a couple properties. I do have to admit my Micron Pigmas do smudge when coloring over with copic. I would really love to see a table that brings it all together (since you have the pens and if you have the time, also your thoughts on Ohto): Before moving on to each brand, I must confess I’ve used many of these brands over the years and have settled (quite happily) on the Mitsubishi Uni PIN after my own habits. I’ve also had very good results with Staedler Pigment Liner as well as Sakura Microns. With that, let’s move on to the review. Disclaimer I’ve used the Zig Millennium previously and I liked how it was smooth and easy on the paper surfaces I use on a typical day. More recently Kuretake offered the ZIG Mangaka version. Zig Millenium supposedly uses a photo-safe, archival grade ink that can be used to mark photographs, while Zig Mangaka is lightfast (won’t fade easily with exposure to light) and smudge proof when used with Alcohol based markers and watercolor.

Staedler Pigment Liner used to be my go to brand when I was studying overseas. They feel nicer in the hand (my preference) compared to the Sakura Microns due to the textured surface (as opposed to the glossy surface on the Sakura). A big issue with Staedler pens is they tend to look more transparent when dry and that can be an annoyance to some artists. Generally the pen is pretty alright to use, but can cost a little more than average. It would be great if there were a table that rated these pens on these characteristics to get a full picture.These pens are relatively affordable, disposable, lightweight and fairly maintenance-free. Initial costs for a set of Fine-liner pens beats the more expensive Isograph/Rapidograph technical pen sets and makes it very attractive to switch. Fine-liners also don’t have the maintenance issues of Isograph pens, they don’t clog and you can toss it out if they dry up. Brand new pens see little ink flow problems and they are a pleasure to use on smoother paper. Most of the time the pigment inks are waterproof (up to a certain point) and will work well with highlighters, watercolor or markers. The inks are developed for fast drying to prevent accidental smudging. I reviewed this last because I don’t want my familiarity with this product to influence how I evaluate other pens. I’ve still not changed my mind after the test. This is by far the best performance for the money IMHO. Nibs wear well and generally are quite durable. Ink flow is smooth across most paper types I use for sketching. Despite having known about the Multiliner , I’ve not tried it out until now. Perhaps due to the negative experience I’ve had with the more costly Multiliner SP series. Main difference being the Multiliner version is fully plastic and disposable while the Multiliner SP has refill tubes, changeable nibs, tool sets, etc. What surprised me was how good the ink flows and how well it holds up to layering. I was also somewhat surprised by the cost. It’s very competitively priced and performs better than most brands within its price range. There are of course, other pens that didn’t find their way into the review. Here are a few types that I didn’t get to find in Singapore, or haven’t had the chance to come across them. Some artists swear that dispite pens being labled as being a size larger than other brands, they seem to draw lines even thinner. This is theorized by some to possibly be due to the ink spread/paper penetration, but I would love to see if this is true when lines are drawn on the same paper, side by side.

The Artline series of pens are very nondescript in the looks department. Only difference is in the grip, where it has concentric grooves that run the diameter of the pen chassis. The Artline series fall into the most popular price range so it is very competitive in terms of price and quality. It performs well across all papers being used in this review and….there’s really nothing to complain about this pen! I guess I’ll have to introduce myself first. My name is Jerry Teo. I’m a freelance technical/scientific illustrator based out of Singapore and a friend of Parkablogs. You can find more of what I do here ( www.teo-ology.com). I run a weekly webcomic Rex Regrets that might be more familiar to other crowds. I mostly sketch with fine-liner pens without pencils, coz I’m lazy. So Parka asked me to do a review on the available brands out there today. Now that we’ve established that…. What’s a Fine-liner Pen?I do have a single Copic Multiliner SP – which, if I’m honest, isn’t spectacular for its price. The pens reviewed were pretty much are on par, if not, straight up outperforms the Multiliner SP. To me, it simply isn’t worth the price. It sure looks great in that aluminium chassis though. There are discussions on various social media boards debating which pens are ACTUALLY the thinnest, despite what size they are labeled as being. That some are not really producing lines as thin as they say they can.