pen 137: foray gelio

i would like to begin this review for thanking one of my favorite grocery store clerks, beth, for letting me borrow today's pen, so i didn't have to go out and spend money that i don't have on one.

the foray gelio is a medium ballpoint retractable tipped gel ink pen. these pens are available from office depot (internet and retail) as well as online resources like ebay, amazon, or other supply websites.

the gelio is made of a clear,tough plastic, with a rubberized grip and metal clip. it's contoured hour-glass shape makes for a fairly comfortable grip, but still feels a bit thicker than i personally like when it comes to pens. i associate those thick pens with children's art supplies - cheap and made for clumsy fingers. the ink is a light gel ink that dries moderately fast, although if you aren't careful you can smear the ink if you don't let it have a few seconds to dry. the ink is also not extremely dark, it is all or nothing, no real range of value, but it seems to be fairly translucent. this pen has a fair flow, it does skip and spot a bit, has poor glide but good bite. it can be a bit messy as it can pool up a bit on the paper, which, along with the slower drying time can cause problems. this pen is good for things like writing (unless you're a lefty) it can be used for moderate detail work and inking over pencil lines, but if i really had to chose a good fit i would say exercises like gesture drawing come to mind.

as for a recommendation, i am going to say that i would pass on this pen, there are other gel pens out there that are cleaner and have a better quality of ink. this isn't a bad pen or anything, it just isn't all that great.

pricing:
officedepot.com: $10.99+s/h (dozen)

website:
www.officedepot.com

what they say:

Controlled comfort meets smooth writing

• Our most popular style for making a bold statement. 
• Contoured rubber barrel and grip for feel-good performance. 
• Great choice for extended writing and heavy-duty note taking. 

pen 134: sakura gelly roll

today's pen, the sakura gelly roll, is one of those pens that i had seen here and there on the internet, but had never come across in all of my pen hunting years, not that i was really actively looking for one, but when i went to michael's arts and craft store, and randomly looking at their stamp supplies, i happened upon this pen in an unexpected section.
for whatever reason, they didn't stock these with the rest of the pens, but among the scrap-booking materials instead.

anyway, i bought one.

the gelly roll is a plastic bodied, ball tip gel pen. the pen's ink is dark, with no value range, dries on the slower side and can be kind of messy. the pen has some skipping and stuttering issues, and while it has a good bite, it often just indents the paper. the metal tip is pretty sharp as well, so tearing through the paper can be a problem, especially if you are heavy handed. this pen is probably not the best choice for writing, especially if you are left handed, and there are other gel pens on the market that dry faster and minimize smearing.

having had a few weeks to mess around with this pen, i have come to the conclusion that while this pen has some fine points, overall it is not a pen that i plan on purchasing again.

pricing:
michaels (retail): approx $2-$3 (single pen)
blick.com: $1.25+s/h (single pen)

websites:
www.sakuraofamerica.com
www.sakuraofamerica.com (full product line)
www.dickblick.com

what they say:

sakura:

Select Gelly Roll, the gel ink pen that was invented to make writing and self expression effortless. The creamy ink and incredible array of colors provide plenty of favorite "flavors" for letting your thoughts flow onto paper.

Handwriting is as unique as a fingerprint. Sign your name, doodle, express your artful self, or celebrate the thrills and document the spills of your life. Leave a mark that will last a lifetime.

Sakura Color Products invented and patented gel ink and the pen casing used to create Gelly Roll pens. The first of its kind, these Gelly Roll pens created the gel ink pen category within the writing instrument industry. The Gelly Roll pen collection has grown to provide a wide variety of colors to support the company’s motto: Power to Express™.

The Gelly Roll Fine and Medium Point gel ink pens feature:

• Fine is 0.3 mm line / 0.6mm ball, Medium is 0.4mm line / 0.8 mm ball
• Ice Cream Smooth™ in a roller ball
• Archival quality ink – chemically stable, waterproof, and fade resistant
• No smears, feathers, or bleed-through on most papers
• Black, blue, royal blue, purple, and burgundy ink colors are excellent for writing checks due to the gel ink’s resistance to fraudulent washings

blick:

Gelly Roll, the gel ink pen invented to make writing and self-expressioneffortless, has ink that is Ice Cream Smooth — and an array of favorite "flavors" for letting your thoughts flow onto paper. Choose a finer line (0.3 mm) in classic colors, or a medium line (0.4 mm) in metallic colors that add a bit of sparkle. Every Gelly Roll pen contains archival-quality ink that is chemically stable, waterproof, and fade-resistant. What's more, the ink won't smear, feather, or bleed through most paper. Black, Blue, Royal Blue, and Purple Gelly Rolls contain fraud-resistant ink that is ideal for writing checks. Handwriting is as unique as a fingerprint. Sign your name, doodle, express your artful self, or celebrate the thrills and document the spills of your life. Leave a mark that will last a lifetime with Gelly Roll. Set of 10 Metallic Colors — Two Metallic Gold pens and one each of Metallic Purple, Metallic Copper, Metallic Red, Metallic Silver, Metallic Pink, Metallic Green, Metallic Blue, and Metallic Emerald. Note — Use this color chart as an approximation of the real color. If exact color matching is necessary, use actual samples of the materials.

pen 132: tul gel-gl3

the tul gel-gl3 is another fine example of the quality of product that tul produces.

the overall design is very sleek, it's a good looking, black, thin, ballpoint gel pen with a retractable tip. the pen is made of a single plastic body with a metal tip cap, has a metal clip and a rubberized grip that spans half the length of its body.

the gl3's ink is dark, there really isn't any range of value, all or nothing, has a good flow that doesn't skip or stutter, has a good bite, dries almost instantly and is a very clean pen to use. as a person that is not the greatest fan of gel ink pen i would recommend any of the tul product line to like minded individuals, i am fairly confident that, even if they don't fall head over heals for the pen, they probably won't hate it either.

pricing:
office max (retail): approx. $3-$4
officemax.com: $6.49+s/h

website:
www.tul.com
www.officemax.com

what they say:

tul.com

• Offers smooth, skip-free writing
• Extra-long, rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control
• Ergonomic design gives optimal balance and writing precision
• Retractable tip protects from unintentional marking
• Stainless steel clip secures to pockets and notebooks
• Needle point provides precision writing

officemax.com

Delivers Bold, Vibrant Color. Offers smooth, skip-free writing. Extra-long, rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control.
Extra-long, rubberized grip provides writing comfort and control

• Retractable tip protects from unintentional marking
• Stainless steel clip secures to pockets and ebooks
• Medium, 0.7mm

pen 131: milan gel touch

today's pen, the milan gel touch, is another example of a product made well. this pen is made from durable plastic, essentially a solid body, covered in a thin rubber layer, sports a .7 ballpoint tip and is a gel ink pen.
 like the milan touch, this pen is inexpensive, well crafted, comfortable to use, clean - the ink dries extremely quick, with minimal skipping, stuttering, the glide and the bite are well balanced as well.

this pen is good for writing, sketching, but as for inking over pencil lines, i would use another pen, the gel touch has difficulty getting a bite on graphite.

overall this is a great pen, within it's limitations and intended use. while i probably will not be going out of my way to buy another, i do not regret the purchase.

pricing: 

placerville news company (retail): between $3-$4

website:

www.milan.es


what they say:

Gel ink pen with rubber touch finish. Quick-drying ink. Ink made in Japan.

pen 116: paper mate gel retractable 0.7mm

Today's pen is the paper mate gel pen retractable 0.7mm. this pen is a stylish black white and gray plastic retractable medium tip gel pen. the paper mate gel is a very basic pen, it writes okay, the ink is dark and has no value range, tends to skip and stutter, especially on longer lines, it doesn't ink over pencils well and really is just consistently inconsistent.

i know i usually have more to say about the pens i review but there just isn't that much worth saying. i really wouldn't recommend this pen, i can comfortably say that i doubt that i will ever use this pen enough to have it run out of ink, the only reason i haven't thrown it away is that it looks nice on my desk next to my cellphone.


pricing:

cvs: $2.99 (2 pens)

office depot.com: $14.99 +s/h (12 pens)
staples.com:  $13.99 +s/h (12 pens)
amazon.com: from $8.50 +s/h (12 pens)
                     from $3.99 +s/h (4 pens)

websites:
www.papermate.com
www.officedepot.com
www.staples.com
www.amazon.com

what they say:

    papermate.com

• Specially pigmented gel ink delivers a superior writing experience for writing so smooth it’s guaranteed!
• Won’t bleed through paper
• Quick drying ink to prevent smearing
• Never lose its exceptional brightness

     officedepot.com

• Pigmented ink glides across the page for bold, smooth writing
• Contoured grip adds comfort and control. 
• Retracting mechanism helps prevent ink dry out. 

    staples.com

• Stylish, attractive design.
• Medium point
• Black
• Pigmented gel-ink for bold writing
• Contour grip for comfort
• 12 per pack

    amazon.com

• Bold, gel ink writing system.
• Contoured cushion grip.
• Visible ink supply.

pen 111: pentel energel pearl deluxe gel pen

today i'm reviewing the pentel energel. while i did review a version of a similar pen way back in pen 69, i  have gone back and reread the entry only to discover that i told a good story about this pen but forgot to write anything useful as far as how it functions under normal use.

the energel is a solid body plastic retractable tipped pen that comes in fine (0.5mm) and medium (0.7mm) point sizes . the pen is aesthetically designed and sports a rubber comfort grip. this pen also is available in five colors, black, blue, red, green, and purple.

this pen has excellent flow, good glide and a bit of a bite. this pen writes very well and is great for inking, sketching, gesture and contour drawing. the ink dries pretty quickly, has a consistent ink flow that does not skip or stutter and produces a very uniform line. this is a fairly clean pen.

the drawbacks, as mentioned in pen 69, this pen does not do well when washed, they will leak and stain whatever you're washing, the fine line made by this pen makes shading difficult, that and the lack of a range of value in the darkness of the ink make this pen not very effective when trying to fill in large areas of black (or whatever color) and limit it to techniques like hatching and crosshatching.

these pens are also refillable, they sell these reservoirs for around $1.30 which is about half of what you would pay for an individual pen.

these pens can be found at most big box office supply stores, and sometime in drug or grocery stores as well. these pens are a little on the expensive side, especially if you're ordering small quantities where shipping can be as much as the pen itself.

my final word on this pen is that it is, at best, a slightly above average tool and while i don't think that i will be buying any more of these anytime soon, they are a pen that i do not mind using.

price: 

pentel.com
$3.49 (single pen)+s/h
$6.98 (2 pens)+s/h
$10.47 (3 pens)+s/h
$ 20.94 (6 pens assorted colors)+s/h

amazon.com: 
$2.61 (single pen)+s/h
$27.55 (12 pens) +s/h

office depot:
$28.99 (12 pens)+s/h

website:

www.pentel.com


what they say:

EnerGel® Pearl provides a smooth writing experience. Fast-drying liquid gel ink leaves no smears, no smudges and no globs. Latex-free grip. 0.7mm metal tip. Refillable.

Product Details

High performance ink technology combines the best qualities of liquid and gel ink for a super-smooth writing experience

Gel ink dries so fast even left-handed writers love it - no smears, no smudges, no globs

"Needle Tip" provides intricate, detailed lines

Sleek and stylish barrel design with stainless steel accents for a professional look

Maximum comfort and control with latex-free grip

Made of 54% recycled plastic and part of the Recycology line of products

2 tip sizes available:
- 0.5mm needle tip writes fine lines
- 0.7mm needle tip writes medium lines

Available ink colors:
- 0.5mm: Black, Red and Blue
- 0.7mm: Black, Red, Blue and Violet

Refillable with Pentel LRN5 (0.5mm) and LRN7 (0.7mm) refills

pen 91: pentel hybrid technica

one of the reasons that i started this project was that i have amassed quite a collection of pens over the years, and in many cases have rediscovered pens that i had forgotten that i really liked... and then there are pens that i never knew existed and, because i need content  for this blog, have bought and in some cases, fell in love with. the pentel hybrid technica is one such pen.

i found this pen at a local craft store a few weeks ago, i was looking for a sketch pad and stumbled across a bin with both the .6 and .4 models, curious i bought one of the latter and although i was a little surprised at the cost - around $4 - i made my purchase while the clerk told me that they were good pens and worth  the price. i walked to my car thinking to myself 'it better be.'

it was.

so i went back a week later and bought the .6 model and had to face the "i told you so" smirk that was plastered on the clerks face. i swallowed my pride and gladly paid another $4.

since then i have done some research and found that there is a four pack, a collection of all four models that are available and found, on amazon, that they can be as inexpensive as $4-$8 for the set, in some cases shipping is free, or is it is part of a larger order sometimes waived. i believe that you can also purchase these pens on the company website.

one of the things that i have trouble understanding is how these pen websites have so little information in general on the pens they sell. i mean, i do one of these reviews a day and manage to get at least a few paragraphs from using these pens, perhaps they should consider hiring me on... seriously, hire me.

so the pentel hybrid technica is a ballpoint pen that uses a hybrid ink that is a mix of gel and traditional ink, the pen dries quickly, but not fast enough that it wont smear if you aren't careful, these pens are consistent, no skipping or stuttering, the glide is is medium and the pen does have some decent bite to it. the ink has a poor range in value, from full saturation down to nothing but since they are so small make for good shading if you're hatching or crosshatching, i wouldn't use this pen to fill large areas however... it would take way too long. these pen are also good for writing and are precise enough to be solid detail pens, and the ink is good for going over pencil lines.

i don't think that i can overstate how much i like these pens, i highly recommend that you buy one if you see one, again, if you try it and don't like it, contact me and i will send you an original sketch with the pen in exchange for the pen itself. i really stand behind this pen 100%.

website:
www.pentel.com

what they say:

• Archival roller system with smooth, pigmented ink delivered through the long-lasting ball delivery system
• Acid-free, archival safe ink is ideal for sketching, drawing, manga art and so much more
• The tungsten carbide roller tip guarantees a consistent line from the first to last drop of ink
• Pigmented ink is light-fast, bleed-proof, water-resistant and fade-resistant
• Available in four line sizes: 0.3mm (extra-fine), 0.4mm (fine), 0.5mm (medium), and 0.6mm (bold).

pen 88: jot gel pens

today's pen, the jot gel pen, is another example that dollar store pens don't necessarily have to suck. these pens come in a pack of two, so $.50 a piece, they put a good amount of ink onto the paper, they have good flow, fair glide, some bite, it doesn't skip or stutter, the value range is poor, it is another pen that basically is all or nothing. the body of this pen is thicker than most, and has a rubber grip for comfort. there really isn't anything that sticks out one way or another about this gel pen, however, when i searched for the company on the internet i found some concerning customer reviews about the quality and practices that greenbriar international inc. seem to practice which kind of makes me wonder about the toxicity of the ink... it's probably fine but i don't plan on using these pens again and will try and find some place where i can recycle them. yes, they performed well but when there are other options that work better and have a better record with the quality of product they produce i don't see the point of supporting a company that just seems to be more than a little sketchy and no, that wasn't an intended pun.


website:
dollar tree
yp customer feedback on company and it's products and practices ... not so good.

what they say:

Gel pens provide super smooth writing while comfort grip helps reduce hand fatigue. Great for offices, schools, bookstores, and resale. Case includes 48 – 2-ct. packs of Jot® retractable gel pens with 0.7mm tips assorted among packs of black pens with black ink and packs of blue pens with blue ink.

pen 84: promarx mega bold gel

okay, so today is one of those days that i kind of wished i had waited a few days to launch another event, in this case it just dovetailed so well with last weeks event that i just went for it. the reason i regret this is that today's pen, the promarx mega bold gel is not the pen that i've been wanting to use all day and i had to make a real effort to stop sketching with the one i'm currently obsessing over and get down to sticking with a plan and following through like an adult - an adult that hoards pens albeit, but whatever, pobody's nerfect.

the mega bold sounds intimidating, the only other pen that i feel intimidated by its name is the signo 207 impact, a pen that i have not gotten around to reviewing yet.

soooo... what can i say about the mega bold?

before finding this gem at the dollar store i had no idea that promarx existed, i looked a little bit for a company website but all i found were amazon sales (which are like eight times more expensive than at the dollar store) and a very pathetic facebook page with five likes, no real information and it includes the company founding in 2004 and that they got their facebook page in 2012... i don't think that i need to say anymore about that, in fact, on the dollar store website they don't even have a listing on this pen - which is odd considering i bought these pens there.

okay, enough with the history lessons.

the mega bold has a 1 mm. tip, the terms: bold, fine, extra fine and micro are not standard for all pen companies and accurate measurement of the pens tend to be in relation to other pens that the company makes, so be aware of that.

the ink, being a gel pen is easily smudged as it dries slowly, the glide is good and it has hardly any bite, a lighter touch seems to work better, but it takes several passes to get really dark, sadly that doesn't really translate to having a good range of value between black and white, i have noticed that when drawing over ink you need to be patient and make a few passes and building up that full saturation is going to take some time - like waiting for the first coat to dry. the pen's flow seems to be hit or miss, sometimes it put a lot of ink on the paper very quickly, which you might expect from a pen called mega bold, but sometimes it needs warming up or quits mid stroke, it also can be messy in that blobs of the ink can build up when its actually working. the pen does have a nice, cheap rubber coating that doesn't do all that much but the grip near the pointy end is nice and effective.

these pens are $.50 each in packs of two, online sales price them at around $8... so yeah, at a buck for two i don't really see anything too wrong with them but at four dollars a pen... are you kidding me? that's like the cost of a micron pen. overall though i would steer clear of this pen, there are far superior gel pens out there and worth the small increase in price.

websites:
facebook really, really sad.
amazon really expensive and out of stock

what they say:

• Rubberized barrel design
• 1.00 mm tip
• Superior gel ink
• Bold and smooth writing
• › See more product details

pen 70: pilot g-6

the pilot g-6 is a pen that i must admit, i don't really understand. i mean, i get that it's a pen, and that it exists, but why is a mystery to me.

i saw this pen the other day at a kinkos/fedex while making a quick reference guide for maya shortcuts. while i was waiting this pen caught my eye. it was on sale, a pack of two pens for a little under $5, they seem to go for a little more on the official pilot website. seeing as how i am a big fan of the g-2 series i thought that this would be a safe purchase... this is not the first time i have erred in judgment. 

the g-6 seems to me to be nothing more than a bulkier version of the g-2, no secret is made of this, it even tells you that it is refillable with the g-2 refills. yes it is mostly covered with a thin layer of rubber, but unless you are using it as a stabbing weapon or tool i don't much get the point of putting a comfort grip where no grip is to be used, when using the pen to see how well it did or didn't work i was disappointed, i don't know if i got a couple of defective pens but the ink skipped and stuttered, it didn't flow well, the glide was fair and it did have a nice bite to it. it's hard to tell though, like i said this is, in theory, the same ink reservoir that is used for the g-2 series so i dont know whats up with that. (edit: i actually removed the stock reservoir and the unit is actually labeled g7... yeah i didn't know pens could be schizophrenic, i guess you learn something new every day.)

the pen has trouble inking over pencils, meh, is okay for sketching but it seems better suited for writing than drawing. the only other thing that i can think to say about this pen is that it comes in black, blue and red ink. as for whether or not i think this pen in worth the cost, i would say no. go buy a g-2 pen if you want a solid gel pen but avoid this waste of resources if you are able to.

website:
www.pilotpen.us

what they say:

"G6 Retractable Rolling Ball

The Pilot G6 provides the same G2 writing experience with a rubber coated barrel and contoured finger grip. The ink is acid-free, archival safe, and the grip improves writing comfort/control."

• Writes just like G2, "America's #1 Selling Gel Pen"
• Rubber coated barrel with contoured finger grip improves writing comfort and control
• Dynamic Gel Ink Formula that's smooth writing and smear-proof
• Acid-Free/Archival Safe ink
• Retractable and refillable with G-2 refills

pen 69: pentel energel nv liquid gel pen

today i am taking a look at the pentel energel nv liquid gel pen which i will be referring to as the energel for the duration of this review. i have bought two of these pens now, the first one, disappeared and i went to staples to buy another. these pens are, as of the time i'm writing this post, set up next to the checkout counter in a display, and sold for a dollar a pen... all good, right? surely the other pen would show up sooner or later... so on the drive home i was stuck in traffic and the a/c in my car makes going up hills difficult so i sweated two diet dr.peppers and three red bulls worth of moisture in my body and everything was soaked pretty bad by the time i got home. so i showered changed and threw my clothes in the washing machine. i had to run a few errands to run so i left them happily washing in the laundry room. when i returned i discovered that my sister had taken my clothes and threw them in the dryer. this would would been a nice and normal thing to do but there's a lot backstory and context that i don't want to bore you with. she threw my clothes into the dryer and ran the cycle... i got home and found my clothes in the dryer and... and an empty energel pen. now i probably would havenoticed the pen when making the transfer from washer to dryer, i have in the past, anyway it wasn't caught and when i took them out of the washer -bam- riuned. the stupid part is that it was in the same pair of shorts that i had been wearing when bought the replacement... cargo shorts, right big side pockets that i dont really use ecept this one time... what i can tell you that i learned from this is to make sure you triple check your pockets, don't let someone you don't trust near your laundry and that time spent in the dryer completely drains this gel/liquid pen, creating an annoying pseudo-tie-dye load of clothes, see above. website: www.pentel.com Product Details: High performance ink technology combines the best qualities of liquid and gel ink for a super-smooth writing experience Liquid gel ink dries so fast even left-handed writers love it - no smears, no smudges, no globs Maximum comfort and control with the latex-free grip Sleek and slim barrel design makes it easy to hold 0.7mm metal tip writes BOLD lines Available Ink Colors: Black, Red andBlue Refill: N/A so lets talk about the product details, as far as the ink being advanced technology, meh, it doesn't seem all that different than any other pen, it does dry fast, however, and that makes for fewer smudge marks which is always a good thing. the energel's glide is smooth, very smooth, but it still maintains some bite, the ink doesn't seep to skip or stutter, the ink does not build up around the tip so unwanted ink deposits are not an issue with this pen, oh - and the ink has very little bleed, it doesn't soak through the paper and that is nice.  the lines made by this pen are bold, crisp, and clear. the ink has very little value range and i would classify it as an äll or nothing"pen. it does have a comfort grip, that is latex free, so i guess if you have an allergy to latex this might be a good match for you, the grip itself isn't really all that comfortable, or uncomfortable, and while they call this pen sleek, it doesn't seem to be any thinner than an average pen. this pen is make of mostly recycled plastic, but does not have refill capacity, they say that the tips come in different sizes, although i've only seen them in .07 and 1.0mm and from what i have managed to see, are available in black blue and red. so, the energel is a pen that i would say is better suited to writing, it does work as a drawing pen, but there are different pens out there that would work a bit better. if you see one, and it's a dollar go ahead and get one, it is good for inking and filling in moderate black space. just remember to check your pockets careful before you wash them... you will more likely than not have to replace or add those clothes to painting wear.

pen 49: pentel energel 0.7 bl107

today's pen, the pentel energel, is a retractable gel ink pen that boasts a refillable body and is comprised of 84% recycled plastic for those of you out there who care about such details. this pen is currently (as of the time of this post) available at staples for a mere dollar. yes, that's right, one u.s. dollar. for your single buck you get all the above and in addition, you get ink that dries quickly, won't bleed or smudge, and a latex-free grip. this pen had a medium smooth glide, good bite, doesn't spot, skid or stutter, is good for inking, drawing and writing and in case i didn't mention it, IT"S CHEAP AS HELL. looking on amazon i found the refills going for around five dollars a piece and it makes me wonder if this refillable disposable pen concept wasn't a little ill conceived. i would think that the whole idea would be to make the refills cheaper than the pen itself but then again, i am not an economics or marketing analyst so what do i know?

well, i do know that it's a solid product for the right price.

go, buy one.