pen 93: pentel sign pen

today's the pen, the pentel sign pen is one of those pens that seem to have been around for as long as i can remember, i remember as a child visiting my grandparents house and having these old crusty nearly dry pens mixed in among the broken crayons in the art box. 

some of these pens finer points (sorry, bad pun) are that  can last a long time, they are great for filling in large areas of black, or whatever color, they ink over pencil - the darker colors have better results and seem to have no trouble writing on dry paint, a feat that tends to baffle sharpie pens at times. the ink has no range of value, it's all or nothing and the ink does not really bleed, either out or through.

at around $1-$2 a pen and available in 12 colors these pens can be a great investment, especially if you want or need to have an odor-free alternative to the sharpie. really the only negatives about this pen is that the ink will stain your hand as you use it (especially if its hot and you're sweating, it happens, light tables generate heat), and if you aren't careful you can damage the tip by pressing too hard; however this is not really all that important unless you are doing fine detail work, and really there are better choices for that type of work anyway.

website:
www.pentel.com

what they say:

pentel:

• Celebrating 50 years of Sign Pen - The Original Fiber Tipped Pen!
• Perfect for general writing, drawing, doodling and adding character to any signature
• Bright & intense water-based ink is perfect for anytime you put ink to paper
• Snap-fit cap prevents the extra-durable tip from drying out when not in use
• Part of the Recycology™ line of products and made of 80% recycled plastic (Black, Red, Blue and Green only)
• Non-refillable

amazon:

• Fine point, 0.7 mm
• Quick-drying ink prevents smudges
• Durable fiber tip will allow ink to spread more like medium point pen
• Bright vivid colors
• Water-based ink is perfect for writing and drawing
• Pen contains 80% recycled content

blick:

• The Pentel Arts Sign Pen is ideal for artists — or anyone who enjoys drawing and sketching.
• Available in two tip types, the brush tip pen features smooth-flow
  ing, water-based dye ink, and the fiber tip pen features permanent pigment ink that is acid-free, fade-proof, and water-resistant. Both have a secure snap-fit cap to prevent them from drying out.
• Pentel Sign Pens are part of Pentel's Recycology line of products and contain 80% recycled plastic.
• AP Non-Toxic.

pen 81: sanford mr. sketch scented watercolor marker

as a fun study in contrasts (for me at least, i am easily amused.) i decided to follow yesterday's $300 pen set for one that will set you back less than $10. if you are roughly as old as i am or younger you probably have used these pens, in fact i was a little surprised to see that they are currently still in production and for sale not only online but worldwide and in actual stores like walmart, target, staples and pretty much everywhere art markers are sold. the particular pen that i used for this review has somehow survived at least ten years and several hundred miles that i moved during my twenties. this is happening, today's pen is the sanford mr. sketch scented watercolor marker, although it is probably remembered as the only markers that we were not only allowed to sniff, but kinda encouraged to. it kinda reminds me of those fake cigarette candy sticks that had a hole running down the length with powdered sugar inside, or the bubble gum cigarettes... yes, those did exist (and actually still do except they no longer can "puff" powder sugar out, the tip aren't dyed red and they are called candy sticks.)

but i digress.

these pens came in a variety of colors, limited in scope to the amount of "non-toxic" odors the were legally allowed to use. (i'm not saying that's accurate, just that it sounds as plausible as any other reason)

the reason that i was a bit surprised that they were still being made is that, even in the second grade i knew that all these pens had going for them was that they smelled nice and that, sadly, that did not translate to them tasting good - don't judge, you know you tried it too.

so other than the scented factor there really aren't any reason to buy these over say, a crayola set. the felt tip wears down extremely fast, especially when you consider that these pens are used by children, and children are hard on delicate things. they dried out quickly with use or if you left the cap off, water could kind of re-activate them but once dry, you might as well throw it out. these pens are smooth, good glide, thick bodied for little fingers, and messy, the ink will stain your hands and clothes, even if you're careful you'll probably end up with ink on the heel of your hand. so consider that before handing these over to a child.

i wouldn't recommend these pens, they don't send a good message about sniffing things like paint or markers, there are cleaner tools out there, they are not durable (the only reason i had one still was that it somehow survived years of pen purging, that i haven't used it at all, and will be discarding it after this post.) basically, if you want to get a kid a pen set go with crayola or rose art. you'll have better results with those brands.

websites:

it seems that sanford has opted not to include this product line on their website: http://www.sanfordb2b.com

you can find more information on these pens here: wikipedia and here: staples

what they say:

• Premium watercolor markers are long lasting and provide vibrant colors with fun scents
• Chisel tip for bold of fine print
• AP certified nontoxic
• Ink won't bleed through paper

(edit: for a nsfw version of the third sketch go here: nsfw)