I’m excited to share this article full of great information with all of you who, like me, love to work with watercolor and ink.
This guest article has been contributed by KT Matera, a pen enthusiast and owner of a little store in New Jersey that sells every variety of pen and paper for writers and artists. The shop is shop is Goldspot Pens.
Thank you KT for this wealth of information!
How to Choose a Waterproof Pen and Ink for Watercolor
Using watercolor with ink can create beautiful works of art. The subtle black outlines give structure to watercolor’s hectic nature. This leads to the question, what pens and ink are best to use with watercolor?
We will walk you through what makes a good watercolor pen and then review our favorite pens and inks for watercolor work. Let’s begin!
What Makes for a Great Watercolor Pen and Ink?
So, what makes a pen suitable or unsuitable for working with watercolors? There are just a few factors that are important to keep in mind when purchasing a pen and ink for watercolor work.
Waterproof
The primary thing you want to look for is whether it’s waterproof. This should be labeled on the product. If it’s not labeled waterproof, it’s safe to assume it’s water-soluble. Water-soluble pens and ink are made with water and will run when used with watercolor. You want to avoid these and any pens and inks that mention they are water-based.
Pigmented Ink
It may be unclear whether the pen is waterproof. Check if the pen mentions pigments or pigmented ink. If it does, the pen and ink is very likely waterproof. Pigments are little particles of colored materials that do not dissolve in water, so a pen or ink made with them won’t be water-based.
Drying Time
The last factor to consider is how long the pen and ink takes to dry. You don’t want to apply watercolor before the ink is dried or it may smear. If you are being safe, you should wait a full 24 hours before using watercolor on your inked paper, but for the most part, waiting an hour or two should be completely fine. If you like to work quickly, there are fast-drying inks that only take a few minutes. Keep reading; we recommend our favorite below!
Best Waterproof Pens For Watercolor
Now, what are the best ink pens for use with watercolor? Let’s take a look at the best waterproof pens.
Uni-Ball Signo Gelstick Pen
Our very first choice for a gel pen to use with watercolors is the Uni-Ball Signo. It is a waterproof pen that does great with watercolor paint. It is waterproof and fade-proof. The lines are straight, thin, and clean. The Uni-Ball Signo is a great pen that does not create unwanted ink blots or blobs on the paper.
If you are looking for an affordable, beginner option, this is our recommendation.
Sakura Pigma Micron Series
The Sakura Pigma Micron is an expert pen that is a famous option for watercolor work. This is a fineliner pen so it draws very straight and thin lines that are great for outlines and other work. The lines are consistent and look great with watercolor.
If you are looking for a good waterproof fineliner pen, the Sakura Pigma Micron is a perfect option for you.
*Best Fineliner Pen
Lamy Safari Fountain Pen
Disposable pens can actually get expensive. You’re going to be constantly buying replacement pens when your pen runs out of ink, and you can’t buy your own ink (which leaves out the best ink).
We recommend, as an alternative to disposable gel and fineliner pens, using a fountain pen. A fountain pen allows you to place your very own ink into the pen and resupply with any ink you desire. This allows for more affordable and better quality ink that you can use for years to come.
The Lamy Safari from Goldspot is one of the best options for beginner fountain pen artists and is very affordable for a high-end fountain pen.
The Unipin Fine Line
The Unipin Fine Line is a great and fun waterproof pen option, but it has its drawbacks. We love this pen and it is definitely worth a buy, but unfortunately when using an eraser on the Unipin Fine Line the ink fades and blurs some. This is a fantastic option if you don’t plan to use any pencil markings that you will need to erase.
Uni-Ball Impact Gel Pen
Impact Uni-ball pen is a second disposable gel pen option that we really enjoyed. This pen works really well with watercolors, but it does have very thick, broad strokes, so if you like getting in every little detail, you are going to have to draw very large. Overall, the impact uni-ball has a nice, ergonomic design that makes it a great pen for beginners and people looking for broader ink strokes with their watercolor work.
Fudenosuke Brush Pen
If you aren’t a fan of fineliners or gel pens, you can use a brush pen for your watercolor work! Tombow’s Fudenosuke is a great option if you want to use a brush pen for watercolor. This pen draws very nicely and looks great for projects that need varied line-widths like more cartoony or comic work.
Fountain Pen from Kaweco
If you are looking for a reusable fountain pen, the Kaweco Goldspot Pens fountain pen is famous for its smooth lines and efficient use of ink. This is our top recommendation for a fountain pen to use with watercolor paint. It is fairly expensive as many of their options are around $100, but you are able to find slightly cheaper options if you search!
Kaweco is a historic brand that produces the highest quality fountain pens. This pen will last several years to a decade, and you can play around with different colored ink, different textured ink, and have a new tool in your artist tool belt..
Winsor and Newton Fineliner
Winsor and Newton really make wonderful products. This is their line of fineliner pens, and they all work extraordinarily well with watercolor! They come in a variety of sizes and colors that you choose straight off their website.
The Winsor and Newton fineliner pen works great with watercolor and is a professional quality fineliner that you won’t be disappointed with.
Pentel Pocket Brush Pen
Try the Pentel Pocket Pen if you are looking for something a tiny bit different to play around with. This is a high-end waterproof pen. This watercolor safe brush pen is an awesome little tool to create unique creations with.
We have found the felt-tip on this brush pen to be very sensitive. This is both a pro and a con, depending on who you are. We found it to make the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen extremely expressive and allows for so much control to the artist, but the downside is that it is easier to make mistakes and quickly varies in line-width if you aren't steady.
Faber-Castell Assorted Pens
We love the Faber-Castell assorted Pitt Artist Pen Pack. Faber-Castell is one of the first fine-writing pen companies that started way back in 1761. They value craftsmanship and have been producing pens for a very long time. They call this watercolor safe pen pack, the Pitt Artist Pen.
This set of pens comes with four fineliners and four brush pens, all scaling up in size. You get to try two types of waterproof pens for your artworks, and eight different sizes. This is the biggest variation in our list of the best waterproof pens, and a very good options for beginners to try ink with watercolor.
*Variety Pack
Best Ink for Watercolor
You never really know what ink you are getting with many of the waterproof pens above. If you want the highest quality inks for your watercolor project, look at going right to the supplier and picking up a high quality ink bottle for your artwork.
Platinum Carbon Ink
This ink is one of our favorites. The Platinum Carbon is a sleek black ink that has a professional texturing and natural design that makes it our top recommendation for a high quality ink. This permanent waterproof ink is resistant to smudging, fading, water, and anything else you can throw at it. It works amazing with watercolor, and produces some of the best ink and watercolor art I’ve seen. If you don’t know which ink is for you, this one is our recommendation.
*Best Overall Ink
De Atramentis Archive Ink
De Atramentis Archive Ink bottle is a truly incredible black waterproof ink. The color is less textured than the Platinum Carbon ink, but it just may be the most waterproof on this list. There is seriously no displacement of ink, smearing, or bleeding or any kind with De Atramentis Archive Ink. It’s like this ink was made for watercolor!
This is the safest option if you are looking for a perfect waterproof ink, and it is a fast-drying ink that takes barely 5 minutes to be ready for paint to be applied. You can’t go wrong with De Atramentis Archive Ink.
*Most Waterproof Ink *Fast-Drying Ink
Speedball Super Black India Ink
If you want black black ink, you need to try India Ink. Most inks are made with several shades of grey and sometimes blues, so if you want the purest black you actually want to go with a high-end India ink. We proudly recommend the Speedball Super Black India Ink. This is a solid black waterproof ink that looks really great for strong borders and outline. It can also do light shading and less pronounced outlines. This is a great ink, but if you are using it with a fountain pen, you definitely want to wash out and clean your pen routinely as this is a thicker ink.
*Best Pure Black Ink
Sailor Kiwa-Guro
I am a big fan of Sailor, they are a classic company that is very famous for high quality fountain pens, but, even better, they also have one of the nicest inks for writing and drawing, the Sailor Kiwa-Guro. Unfortunately, I can’t put this ink as one of our top recommendations because it has been reported a couple times that the ink may lose its waterproofness if left for a few months. This is a very strange phenomena and we can say that it has never happened to us, but because this is focused on waterproof inks, it makes this ink less of a top recommendation.
The Sailor Kiwa-Guro is one of the top inks you can buy and does work with watercolor in our tests, but is a less certain option as it is not advertised as waterproof and may lose it’s waterproof property.
Winsor and Newton Ink
Winsor and Newton are back with a really great ink for beginners to try. It is a very cute matte solid black ink bottle that I’ve found looks perfect for more cartoon styles or comic styles. This takes at least 2 hours to dry, but is waterproof and fade-proof when it is dried.
The Winsor and Newton brand is a historic brand that was founded in the early 1800’s. You can be confident you are getting one of the best inks for watercolor if you get the Winsor and Newton Ink
Finding The Best Pens and Inks for Watercolor
We have gone through a variety of different pens and inks, but the important point is to find your personal favorite that works for your style and personality! Like with all art supplies, you build a relationship to certain canvases, paints, colors, and pens! I suggest picking up a few waterproof pens and inks and experimenting to find what works best for you. Try a brush pen and a fineliner, or a fountain pen. Apply ink first, then after. What I love about art is how personal it is, so make your new ink and pen your own!
Watercolor & Ink Sketch by Charlene Collins Freeman
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