Some illustrators spend their days lusting over Adobe’s latest programme or Apple’s newest gizmo, for me, pens are my (not so) guilty pleasure. From my trusty fine liners, to Rub-a-Dub Sharpie markers, Poscas and technical drafting pens, I have a pretty impressive stash of ink. I love loitering in the pen aisle of a good art shop, picking out some cool new pens to try out back at the studio. And as for pen websites… they’re all bookmarked.

So, I thought why not share my somewhat geeky passion for pens with the world? I’m sure I can’t be the only one who feels this way. I’ll be posting a new Pen Geek blog each week, kicking off, with a trusty favourite…

Pen Geek 1 : Staedtler 308 Pigment Liner

(my current favourite pen for drawing)

Ink : Black, Indelible, waterproof on paper,lightfast

Nib : Fibre tip with long metal tip, good for using with rulers, stencils etc

Size : 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8

Cap : Removable with metal clip

Country of origin : Germany

Manufacturer :  Staedtler

RRP : £3.15 each

When people ask what pens I use to create my work, these are the ones I point them to. The ink quality is superb, perfectly opaque, smooth black ink which transfers evenly to the paper without blobbing or running. Drying time is quick, so you don’t have to worry about smudging.

I work on super smooth layout paper which absorbs the ink flow from these pens perfectly. The smooth texture of the paper allows the pen nib to glide over its surface without tugging at the line and the fiber tip nib means the flow of ink is steady, with no sudden pooling or blotching if you happen to pause mid line.

For super detailed work I like a 0.05. For anything which requires a heavier line or areas of solid black, always go for a 0.2 or above. Attempting to fill big areas with a 0.05 just drinks your ink and will ruin your nib. It’s also mind numbingly boring.

I find shelf life of these pens is good providing you keep the lids on when not in use and keep them someplace cool. I’ve never had one leak. Staedtler claims they last up to 18 hours without the cap on, I’d say closer to 2. But if you love your pens, you wouldn’t leave them without the cap on.

The official blurb says these pens don’t bleed when highlighted (which they don’t, much. You get a bit of a black haze, but that’s to be expected) and also that they are erasable when used on tracing paper. I don’t find the second part to be true.

Prices vary between retailers, but the best prices are definitely online. Try sites like cultpens.com or mypenshop.com for the best prices on online ink.

Overall, I think these are great little pens and I highly recommend them. They aren’t too costly, are very reliable, have great scope for creating either bold or super detailed illustrations and have fantastic ink and nib quality.

Love them.