The top-rated drawing pens to buy for artists

The best drawing pen brush****Tip: Brush (Extra-fine, medium or bold)Starting off our list is the Pentel Fude Brush Pen, a pen used in both the art and calligraphy world. It comes in a variety of sizes, from fine-point to medium point, and disperses a rich black ink. Pros: Produces strong brush strokes. Its gripped handle allows for comfortable drawing. Cons: Be careful not to squeeze out too much ink as you may up with a puddle disaster. The instructions are also in Japanese. Review: "Bought this for my girlfriend as she really wanted a brush pen to do pencil-less sketching and ink drawings (Now she is using it for inktober). The pen took a while to get here but it is from Japan so that was to be expected, however, the tracking was kept up to date and it arrived when it said it would. The pen is easy to use after a bit of practice with controlling lines and pressure but once you get the hang of it, it is an amazing tool to have."

The best drawing pen for doodling****Tip: Fine liner (0.2mm to 1.0mm width)Doodling isn't just relegated to those school days where you would draw on the desk instead of paying attention - it's an artform of its own. In this set of 10, you get everything from a 0.2 mm to a 1.0 mm pen tip, which means you can create drawings with a variety of depth. Pros: This set of 10 means you are covered for all your penning needs, and you can carry them in their storage case. These pens are waterproof, non-toxic and acid free.Cons: Some reviews state the pens became uncomfortable to hold after a long period of time.Review: "I had a set like this years ago and this one is exactly how I remember it being. All markers are smooth, no issues with the ink being too fluid or dry. Be careful with the finest marker as it can be bent if too much pressure is applied as it is very fine. It also tends to be a little dryer than the others, so I usually make a few marks on a scrap piece of paper to get the ink flowing before using it on my drawing."

The best Micron drawing pen****Tip: Fine liner (0.25mm to 0.50mm) + one 1.0mm graphic pen + one brush pen with a variable line of 0.5mm to 4mm.Pigma Micron is a well-established pen company that creates fine-point drawing and illustration pens with its archival formula called "Pigma ink". If you want to get the most of this esteemed brand, we recommend going for this nifty six pen set.Pros: Pigma ink is bleed-proof, water-proof and fade-proof. It's an ultra-reliable tool set to have on hand.Cons: Some reviews state these pens tend to run out a little faster than other pens on the market. Review: "Lovely pens. I like the feel of them, they draw smoothly and they have been working well for me for a few months now. Of course I will always prefer technical drawing pens but these are a great alternative if you don't want to spend £40+ per pen. Good range of sizes, I like the ink, and it doesn't smudge even if I lay it before watercolour! All round winner."

The best drawing pen for portraitists****Tip: Marker (dual tip: 0.28 cm fine tip + 0.61 cm chisel tip)If you're looking to get into drawing portraits, you'll need a wide range of skin-toned markers. Pantone company (the leading authority on standardised colour reproduction) has identified 110 different skin tones that exist in the world. You'll be covered with the EverBlend Markers Set from Arteza, its alcohol-based formula meaning you can layer and blend to create a multitude of tones. Pros: With a 96% rating of 5 stars, this is a highly-recommended set to have. As well as being non-toxic, the dual-tips are replaceable. Cons: Some reviews state that if you have another EverBlend Marker set, there may be some cross-over in duplicates. Review: "These are fantastic for doing portraits. They won't cover darken areas if you layer them, but create a nice blended effect. I love these so much. If you're thinking about it, then just buy them. I never thought I'd be doing portraits with markers but it's a fairly convenient way to produce work when you don't feel like getting the brushes out."

The best Dotspen drawing pen****Tip: Stippling (Black is 0.5mm. colours is 0.7mm.)If normal pens aren't doing it for you, then you might be one for the Dotspen. The Cuttlelola Dotspen is an electric stippling pen that draws for you, in stipples, reducing wrist fatigue and opening up opportunties for interesting dotted drawings. In doing so, you can "build and develop your skills with adding tones and highlights by varying the concentration of dots." The Dotspen is currently out of stock but is available to pre-order.Pros: Explore new avenues with this electric stippling pen- including pointilism, mandala or zentangle art.Cons: It can take a little getting used to, and will take practice before your art becomes what you've invisioned. Review: "It definitely beats stippling by hand, but there is still some wear and tear on the arm. If you can take the size, weight and motion, you're able to create some fantastic works. Even if you only use it for shading, it will give your work a beautifully finished look." (full review)

The best drawing pen for iPads****Tip: Digital We're in the 21st century now - most of our lives are in the digital web space. Why not then take your drawing there, too? Use this Vidence Stylus Pen with apps like Procreate, and you'll never have to pay for a paperpad again. Made with high quality aluminum alloy, its a tool any digital art needs. And it means you don't have to spend £80 on an Apple Pen. Pros: This digital pen lasts up to 12 hours from one charge, and is compatible with a ton of tablets, including deep breath iPad Pro 9.7 / 10.5 / 11 / 12.9, iPad 1 / 2 / 3 / 4, iPad mini 1 / 2 / 3 / 4, iPad Air 1 / 2 / 3 / 4, iPhone XS / XS Max / XR / X / 8 / 8 Plus / 7 / 7 Plus / 6s / 6s Plus, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Huawei, HTC, and Google.Cons: Some reviews complain about it not perfectly aligning; with a digital pen, there's not going to be as much as control as having a physical pencil in your hand. Review: "Fabulous! Works on my iPad 2 and older Samsung tablet easily. Was worried they were too ancient but had an immediate response, so easy to hold. Thrilled! Super accurate. Fraction of the price of the Apple Pencil. Used one and for my uses, there is no difference. So easy to hold. Just like a pencil. Love it! Thank you x"

The best drawing paint markers****Tip: FibreIf you're looking for pens that fill in instead of pens that create outlines, you'll want a Posca Market set. You can't go wrong with Posca and with this set of 12, you get 11 medium Posca pens in various colours and one black, broad nib pen for a wide variety of uses. If you want a larger collection, why not treat yourself to a pack of 40 Posca Markers for £84.99?Pros: The best thing about Posca is that you can use these markers on metal, wood, canvas, plastic, and fabric. And they are SO bright and vibrant. Cons: You won't be able to do extremely close detail with these markers because of the nib size. Review: "POSCA markers are paint markers, and they work best on sturdy surfaces like gesso'd board, canvas, or canvas board. The stiff nibs of the bullet and chisel nib are prone to tearing up papers, so if you want to use POSCA markers, I recommend you skip the paper and go for sturdier scaffolding." (full review)

The best drawing pen for manga****Tip: Double tip and twin markersManga drawing comes from Manga comics, a type of graphic novel originating in Japan. Think big eyes, big expressions, lots of fun. This Love to Draw Manga kit is perfect for beginners who want to test the artform out. Kawaii! Pros: This bundle comes with pens to create both black and white and coloured manga drawings. Plus, an A3 sketchpad, what more could you need?Cons: It doesn't come with a guide on how to draw manga- you'll need to Google some tutorials to get you started.Review: "I expected this to take an age to arrive because of the pandemic, however it came within 24 hours! I have so far used the dual ended brush pen which is excellent quality and the markers are great too! I am new to manga and this kit is enabling me to hone my skills. I will definitely be ordering from The Works again."

The best tool for drawing with pensIf you're drawing with pens, this Pebeo Drawing Gum Pen might be your best friend. Use this if you want to mask certain parts of your drawing, and after you're done, you can peel it off! Use this pen on paper, cardboard, Bristol board, acetate, wood and other surfaces.

The best pen drawing book to buyThis renowned book by artist Alphonso Dunn is ideal when you want to learn the best from the best. Review: "It is a great book to start. I love this book and Alphonso's videos because of his approach to the tools, strokes, lines and mistakes. There is a lot of generosity and freedom in it. In company with simplicity and practical thinking. You don't need this book to learn how to draw with pen and ink, his free videos will teach you. But, the book shows you a thinking path through all levels of drawing. (A lot of videos about narrow topics are quite overwhelming.) And in this sense, it is very valuable. I like his reduction principle, how to convert complicity of the 'real' to a drawing, his idea to leave lines open, thinking about the purpose of strokes, his thinking about different tools, about questioning yourself in the process of the drawing, about leaving space for fun.... These are the most valuable roots of an astonishing drawing. There is joy in this approach. it is perfect for beginners."