So I have this habit of going over all my pencil work in pens and then rubbing out all of the pencilwork to give a nice crisp feel to the lineart. I use three sizes of pen to add depth the my work. And it's easier to scan pen work than pencil work I find, especially if you aim on CGing it later.

However, I'm starting to think that very few people do this, or else are really good at shopping. See my 0.3 nib is a teeny lot over-used so I am thinking of replacing my pens. But I can't find them anywhere! I bought this set whilst at college.

They're basically just soft black pes of different sized nibs.

Does anyone else use them?
Do you have trouble finding them?

I do that, it's pretty common. You should try using microns, if you haven't already.

Does anyone else use art pens...? Yes. But I use different brands. I don't see where you mention which brand you use? So I don't know if I use the specific brand you do...

I don't have trouble finding art pens in general. I buy some from Wal*Mart, some online, and others at art stores.

*looks* Uni-pin? *shrugs* Brands not important to me. I use what works well ^_^ But wal-mart...they bought out Asda... maybe Asda will have some art pens...

I don't like buying online. I like testing before I buy something. And I've learnt that this is important with art stuff *glares at her pastels*

• I like using microns mostly because they are a good trade off of price and quality, and they're easy to find anywhere. I like using .005, .01, .03, .05, and .08... And I got a big honkin' 1 and a brush for big areas of black. :P I can't ink with anything else it seems... I've heard Rapidograph pens are awesome, but never tried them myself. I'd like to try them the next time I go shopping for supplies.
  
  Jayms, what brand are the pens you use? Maybe you could order online somewhere?

I use uni-pin, and I'd only order them online. To buy in a shop it doesn't really matter on the brand so long as they feel right to use. It's why I test pens out before I buy them.

I've never actually used or seen uni-pens for sale.

I use:
- Millennium (with ZIG memory system) pens.
Found at Wal*Mart in the arts'n'crafts section with the scrap-booking supplies. The ones I buy come in packs of .01 and .05, which give you good width to play with.

-Copic Multiliners/SPs.
I found these at an anime convention, then bought more online and in an art store in Japan. They come in multiple colors (black, two shades of grey, blue, green, brown and raspberry) and come in many, many linewidths. I tend to buy them in .01, .03 and .05, though I have an entire set that gets much smaller and much larger - and includes brush pens as well.
They are expensive, though. Particularly the SPs, which have exchangeable parts/are refillable. But they're my favorites.

- Staedtler pigment liner Sketch pens.
Got these from my dad who picked them up at art stores for me when he traveled more for his job. They're about 12 dollars, last I checked, for the pack of four, which comes in 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7.

-Micron Sakura pens
I think they're somewhere between Copic and Staedtler in price and performance. But I haven't bought any lately. I prefer the other pens more. I have an 0.1 and and 0.3.

But, really, if you use any pens that give you different line-widths, you should increase the impact of your linework. :)

Yes, you should go to hobby lobby. They probably have some there.

I do use them, but I'm not very good at inking. I have a shakey hand, and have started to just buy different art pens.. I have a favorite company. They're from japan and have high quality stuff ^^..Not too expensive.

That doesn't suprise me. They were sold in a stationary shop... but just down the road from college, couple it with the name and I think they're restricted to schooling use, but *shrugs* I don't now.

I also live in England so I don't know anywhere that you guys buy from will exist here. I just wondered if anyone else used them and if they ever had difficulty.

Wal*mart is Asda here I believe... No arts and crafts section here...

Copic I'm sure don't sell here at all.

Steaddtler sell them? Hmmmm I could maybe see if the city centre stationers could order some in for me. My local used to do stuff like that before I moved :(

Never heard of micron outside of this thread before, so I'm goig to guess they'd be rare if they were even sold here.

Yeah, I love using varying line widths, not so much on my carebears, but when Im not doing super simplistic stuff I do and it looks pretty cool.

Never heard of hobby lobby. Guys, the reason I didn't ask for locations is because I highly doubt you can give me one. I'm well aware that it's 6am and no one else from my time is on when I am. Thanks for trying to help though ^_^ I do appreciate it.

There's no hobby lobby? That's a surprise. Maybe order some off the internet. I know this great site where they sell all sorts of things.

hehe There's a hobby craft two busses away. But no hobby lobby. And hobby craft is extortionatly expensive. I don't like going there unless I have to.

I'd buy online if I liked the brand. But if I don't I don't want to be paying shipping, and I can't find uni-pins online so I'm having a hard time finding them.

I know, I'm picky and bring it on myself. But with art I HAVE to have something perfect to me :P

Ah - sorry! I hadn't realized you weren't American. Again, I know I shouldn't assume someone is from America just because I am, but I wouldn't have recommended locations if I'd realized. :)

Akadot Retail (google it) is where I get many of my art supplies now. At least the pens. I'm not sure what shipping is to England, but it may be worth a look. :) Also worth a look may be eBay. :)

hehe well at this time I'm not suprised people assume I'm american. I work nights you see so I have American hours rather than british ones and I use a lot of American spellings :P I liked to hear what brands you know of though and how easy it is to find them for you. ^_^ It makes me happy...

Although it's messy and a bit time consuming, I prefer dip pens. You can get a lot of variety out of one nib and it just gives the picture tons more character. That and it takes awhile to run out of ink. C:

But when I don't have time for dip pens I bust out ZIG Milleniums. 0.3 and 0.1 are used in heavy preference.

I've been thinking of getting a dip pen to try it out. :3 A lot of artists in the circles I run in swear by them.

Dip pens are over-rated. I love mine but they smudge so easily and they take a lot of time to get good results and they drip sometimes. Plus if your a clumsy oaf like me they may end up staining your floor and turning your malibu pink... Yeah... we really don't want to know why Angel turned her Malibu pink. It's really not that funny...

I use mostly 0.1 and 0.3 from Faber-castell. I have an art shop next to home so it's easier to buy them for me. They tend to need changing quite often. At least, the smaller one, I changed it once a year.

Originally Posted by aids

I do that, it's pretty common. You should try using microns, if you haven't already.

yes! microns rock!

Thank you for that...

i use Staedtler pens for outlining. i usually do the same thing you do for cleaning up lineart before i scan--but only when the drawings are in my sketchbook.

i usually leave the pencil lines right on the page with looseleaf paper drawings.

photoshop is a good thing :]

I agree that artworks drawn/lined with pen comes out better after scanning. But pencil works could come out decently scanned too, provided the lines are dark enough to be scanned in. What I don't like about pencil scanning are the dirty spots around it. lol

I use art pens too. I used to use Artline when I first started out, just because they're cheaper and I am able to afford them. The major down-side was that they smear even with the slightest touch of water. xD

About a year after that, I switched to Unipin art pens. I usually use the 0.1 and 0.2 nib ones. 0.1 for eyes and smaller details whereas the 0.2 are for slightly thicker lines like the hair. =D

Though I have used microns before, I find that I don't really like it all too much as I was not very used to the grip, so I can't control it all too well. XD

Even up to now, I am still using Unipin. ^^

I use Staedtler pens, in 0.1, 0.3. 0.5, and 0.7. I also used the Millennium Zig pens, in 0.8.(I have them in 0.1, 0.5, and 0.05, but I rarely use them.) I tend to stick to the Staedtler pens, though, as the ink seems to be the darkest, and the lines I draw with them are smoother than the Millennium pens. Unfortunately, they also cost the same as two Millennium pens. :(. But they're worth it.
To be honest, I really only use a 0.1, 0.5, and the Millennium 0.8(0.1 for standard lines, 0.5 to give depth to areas that would be shaded, and 0.8 for comic borders), but I bought a wide variety of them just in case. :)

I do the same thing. I think a lot of people do and I agree about it being neater to scan.

Personally, I use Sakura micron pens. They're nice because they're available in tons of different sizes and colors, though you can do fine if you just have a basic black one. ^_^

Mm;; I use Sakura Micron for detailed stuff and a thick, felt-tipped Faber Castell one for giving the lineart different thickness and dynamic;;