I love brush pens! Over the past couple of years I have accumulated quite the collection. Every time I step into an arts supply store they are one of the first items I look for. I now have so many brush pens that I can't seem to keep track of them all so I decided to create a comparison guide to not only help myself but also anyone wondering which brush pen they should invest in first. The brush pens I have compared have all been in my possession for a while so some may seem a bit more worn down than if I had tested them when they were brand new. I think though that this provides a better indication as to whether they will serve you well for the long haul.
FABER CASTELL PITT (WARM GREY)
Brush type: Hard.
Thick/thin variation: Not much variation when writing letters but better when drawing lines.
Line strength: Tip of brush is getting fuzzy and colour ends up fading out a bit after a bit of use.
Control: Good control.
Would I recommend?:
Yes
COPIC MULTILINER SP BRUSH SOFT
Brush type: Soft.
Thick/thin variation: High variation. Thick lines are about three times the width of the thin lines.
Line strength: Bit of scratchiness.
Control: Hard to control.
Would I recommend?:
No
There are better performing soft brushes.
SHARPIE BRUSH
Brush type: Hard.
Thick/thin variation: Hard to see variation as the thins aren't that thin.
Line strength: Reasonably strong line with some slight scratchiness.
Control: Good control.
Would I recommend?:
No
I find the brush tip too thick.
COPIC MULTILINER BRUSH MEDIUM
Brush type: Hard - no flexibility!
Thick/thin variation: Very little difference between the thick and thin lines. Thin lines are quite fat compared to the others.
Line strength: Very faded and scratchy - think I must of left the lid off at some point!
Control: Good control.
Would I recommend?:
No
The brush is way too stiff!
ZIG BRUSHABLES
Brush type: Hard.
Thick/thin variation: There is variation but the thin lines aren't that thin.
Line strength: Fuzzy brush tip means the thin lines are faded and messy.
Control: Good control.
Would I recommend?:
No
The brush has deteriorated too much.
FABER CASTELL PITT SOFT BRUSH
Brush type: Soft.
Thick/thin variation: There is a lot of variation between thick and thin lines.
Line strength: Strong colour but the soft brush makes the lines edges a bit scratchy.
Control: Hard to control.
Would I recommend?:
YES
PENTEL GFKP
Brush type: Soft.
Thick/thin variation: High amount of variation between thicks and thins.
Line strength: Nice strong black colour. This pen has cartridge refills so the colour never fades!
Control: Hard to control.
Would I recommend?:
Yes
After testing all of the brushes I noticed that the softer brushes were harder to control so it was important to write slower with them to achieve neater lines. I never want my writing to look perfect though as it will look like it has been created digitally. I prefer my writing to have some imperfection in it to show that it has been hand written.
If I had to recommend one brush pen from this group it would have to be the Pentel GFKP. It's a softer brush so it creates great line variation between thicks and thins. The brush tip has never deteriorated and it's such a bonus that it has ink cartridge refills so it's always a strong black colour. If you prefer a harder brush I would say the Faber Castell Pitt Brush is the best I have tried.