Review: Pentel Vicuna Super Smooth Ballpoint Pen

The new Pentel Vicuna was a pen I had on my radar since it came out, and as luck would have it, my good pen friend Carmen grabbed one of these for me to try out on a recent trip to New York.  Thanks Carmen!

The Vicuna touts its new super smooth ink technology, and while sometimes claims don't always hold true, in this case Pentel delivers.  The 0.7mm tip writes very smoothly, and the ink is about as dark as you can get from a ballpoint type ink.  I'd love to tell you more about the ink, but the best I can do is the Japanese translation from Pentel Japan.  Regardless, the ink does a very good job.

This is clearly an attempt by Pentel to tap into the Jetstream/Acroball market, and I see no reason why it will not be successful.  Out of that style of pen it likely won't crack my personal top five -

1. Uni-Ball Jetstream 0.5mm blue
2. Pilot Acroball 0.7mm blue
3. Uni-Ball Jetstream 0.5mm black
4. Zebra Surari 0.5mm black
5. Uni-Ball Jetstream 0.7mm black

- but I think it is a pen worth checking out if you are looking for a ballpoint alternative.  JetPens has them in stock in black, blue, and red ink and in several different barrel colors.  At $2.25 each they are definitely worth a look.

Click here for the XL review.

Review: Kuretake No. 8 & 13 Fountain Hair Brush Pens

Hello Pen Addict readers! My name is Kalina and I’ll be contributing some reviews from here on out, focusing particularly on using materials for artistic purposes. As an Urban Sketcher I do a lot of quick sketches of my city and the people in it, and often don’t have much time or a convenient work space – this means I’m always on the lookout for exciting results in a convenient, no-fuss package, and it usually comes down to pens. Besides urban sketching I also draw comics.  You can find more of my drawings & goings-on at geminica.com.

Drawn on Canson Foundation Bristol using a Kuretake No. 13 brush pen and Platinum Carbon ink.

I’ll start off here by reviewing my current favorite brush pens – the Kuretake No. 8 Fountain Hair Brush Pen and No. 13 Fountain Hair Brush Pen. These pens are identical in the brush (besides the coloration of the metal band) though the bodies are quite different, with price points to match. The brown plastic No. 8 is significantly longer than the more expensive metal No. 13. 

 My initial reaction upon laying down a line with one of these pens was a bit of a drunken rush.  Oh, the possibilities!  With this pen, I can make magic!  --of course, in reality, brushes in general take a lot of practice to learn to control and I've been working on that ever since, usually by way of the Kuretake and sometimes the Pentel Pocket Brush.

Top to bottom: Kuretake No. 13, Kuretake No. 8, and (for comparison) the popular Pentel Pocket Brush.

Speaking of the Pentel Pocket Brush – that’s a great pen. I’ve had mine for years and the tip is still flawless and producing a reliable, gorgeous line. However, I prefer the Kuretake for a couple of reasons.

This quick sketch in a Hand Book Artist Journal made use of the Kuretake's brush-like qualities.

The Kuretake is slightly more responsive than the Pentel Pocket Brush. That’s not always good – a responsive brush translates every little tremor of your hand onto the page, so it's more challenging to master. A stiffer brush can make a more predictable line which is handy for a lot of uses, and I know one great cartoonist that was lured in by the Kuretake only to end up back in the loving arms of the Pentel Pocket Brush before too long. I'd say when it comes to line quality, the Kuretake wins particularly when you want to work with the looser qualities of a brush, say for gesture drawings.

On a slightly toothy paper, this kind of brush tip results in interesting variations based not just on pressure but also the speed of your stroke. Below are some test strokes made on Aquabee Super Deluxe Sketchbook paper, which has some tooth to it.

The other reason for my Kuretake preference is that both the No. 8 and the No. 13 take a Platinum Converter. Pentel offers no converter for the Pentel Pocket Brush, so you’re stuck using the Pentel ink (which, to be fair, is good waterproof ink) or buying a syringe so you can refill the disposable cartridges. I like the convenience of being able to purchase converter cartridges, and the Platinum Converters are well made. My No. 13 brush pen is currently stocked with disposable Platinum Carbon cartridges (for ease of replacement on the road – and this is fantastic, extremely waterproof ink), and the No. 8 has a cartridge converter filled with Noodler’s Lexington Gray which works very well in these pens. (The ink Kuretake provides with purchase is unfortunately not even slightly waterproof.) An example of this ink arrangement is below.

Two tones of ink, both in Kuretake brush pens, makes it possible to add midtones. (Canson Foundation Bristol paper with Platinum Carbon ink and Noodler's Lexington Gray ink)

Brush pens aren’t for everyone and they aren’t useful for every sketch, but if you want the sensitivity of a real brush for a low price along with the flexibility to choose your own inks, this pen fitted with a cartridge converter gets my vote.

This weeks' sketches of Victorians were inspired by photos in the excellent volume Fashion in Photographs: 1880-1900.

Review: Pentel Oh! 0.7mm Gel

I didn't mean for it to be Pentel week here at The Pen Addict, but it looks like it is shaping up that way so far.  Monday brought a pleasant surprise in the Pentel Selfit ballpoint, and today brings the somewhat disappointing Pentel Oh! gel ink pen.  It isn't a terrible pen by any stretch, but I am having a hard time deciding why this pen exists with the similar yet vastly superior Energel on the shelves.

The best reason I can come up with it that is is a strong back to school push by Pentel.  The price point - right around $1.00 per pen - is very good, and the barrel has a funky design that many students will like, but as I hold this pen and write with it, all I can think about is that this is a cheap Energel.  Normally, that would be a good thing, but it feels cheap in design.  The grip is no great shakes, and the pen clip is super thin and probably prone to easy bending.  The clip on one of mine even had a small spot of rust right out of the package.

Like I said, this isn't a bad pen, but I don't really see the point.  Everything about the Energel looks, feels, and performs better, albeit at a slighty higher price.  Is there such a thing as a gateway pen?

Click here for the XL review.