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 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 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 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.

pen 32: pentel rsvp rt

so about a week ago i looked at the pentel rsvp, a personal favorite and apparently a favorite among a few of my fellow artists as well.  the other day i was shopping somewhere, probably wal-mart or something, and i say this, all of the wonders of the rsvp but with a clicky top!

you may be wondering why it matters, why i care... at first i was wary, ive been burned before, they change the shape and who knows what all else will be different as well. this has happened, they roll out a new pen under the same name and went ahead and changed the tip or the ink or whatever... i am glad to report that this pen is the equal to its sibling, the capped rsvp, with one exception.

one of the few complaints that i had about the rsvp was that, for whatever reason, the bottom screw on cap often comes off in my bag, or pocket, and i end up losing pieces or the ink leaks, etc'... i'm sure you've been there.

well i'm happy to say that the whole "retractable tip" feature fixes any such problems, buming this pen to five star status, which is rare. i love this pen. they come in a variety of colors now as well, and for around a dollar a pen, its worth the money.

go.
buy.
one.

i'm pretty sure that you will love it as well.

pen 30: pentel bk420

today's pen, the pentel bk420 is a perfect example of a pen i want so badly to love despite the fact that its a piece of... let's just go with junk.

i'm guessing that it derived its designation from the feeling that whoever designed this pen was probably high. god i hope they were high, i would hate to think that this was the product of a sober mind.

for starters, i bought these at the dollar store, so yeah, i wasn't expecting a copic quality pen. in case you feel like giving them a try, at a dollar for four pens, it's something that isn't going to hurt too badly in your wallet.

the pen is made of cheap plastic it is a clicky pen with a twist, that twist being that in order to retract the tip you press down on the cheap plastic clip and a little tab on the underside pushes the ink tube far enough back to let the spring do its work.
this wouldn't be so bad except that when i was drawing it had a tendency to get triggered either by the  pressure i was placing on the tip, or far more often, by my index finger as i moved the pen around, it got old really fast. another why did they bother feature was that it has a rubber grip, a grip that is too thin to make any difference.

aside from the price the biggest asset this pen has is its ink. this pen glides, it has a bite, it can go from almost invisible to pitch depending on the pressure, it doesn't get build up and leave deposits on the paper and that it dries pretty fast, that and the cost make this pen great for sketching, inking, and filling in black areas. but it always comes back to the stupid clip getting triggered all the time.

i solved this problem pretty easily, i snapped off the clip and then applied a little bit of superglue to the plastic depressor and a drop in the side where the plastic tab used to sit. i filed down the rough edges with an emery board and, voila!

problem solved.

so, at a quarter a pen and a little creativity this is a pretty fair pen, i know that this entry has been kind of back and forth as far as is it a good pen or not.

once i modified this pen i really liked it a lot, despite it's cheap construction, and its hard to go wrong with a dollar.

pen 29: pentel energel

so, this is what i've been up to the last few days.the other night i was sitting outside and sketching, there wasn't all that much going on so decided that since i needed sketches for this entry anyway, that i should probably kill two birds and all that by practicing things that i need to work on and using different pens for these posts. i've owned this pen for many years, i believe that i bought it in college. its traveled with me, moved residences with me, filled notebooks, i've owned this pen longer than any (and probably all of the) relationships i've been in over the years. the energel is perhaps a little thicker than average, it sports a rubber comfort grip, a clear area where you can see the ink level... kinda, and a nice metal clip. do not underestimate the value of a metal clip. plastic ones tend to break, and there has been a few times in my life when a metal clip was turned into a makeshift tool of necessity, i've also used the elastic in a pair of socks one or twice as makeshift dental floss but i guess that's another story for a different blog... hmmm, i may have just had an idea there. anyway the pen is smooth, has a bite, doesn't skip or skid. the tip is small enough (5mm.) for detailed work, the bleed is fairly minimal, dries quickly and is great for gesture and contour drawing. the flow of the pen makes for great hatching and crosshatching,   and at about two dollars it makes for a good addition to your arsenal of tools. just a quick note and ill leave you all to your barbecues and fireworks, or whatever the rest of the world does today: i've had this pen for so long that when i looked it up on their webpage i discovered that the pen's shape and overall appearance had been changed, i doubt that they messed with it's performance but i will either try and get my hands on one at some point or would love to hear what any of you out there think about this (or any of for that matter) pen.

pen 17: pentel rsvp fine

okay, so a few of you monkeys have been on my back, chattering, nay, screaming about today's pen: the pentel r.s.v.p. fine point.

this was actually one of the first pens that i drew for this site, but got caught up in the flashy pens like the sharpie magnum and the shiny cross. i can say that without a doubt this pen is the jack of all trades, and one that i favor for most tasks. it glides well, the ink sometimes tend to gum up on the tip causing blobs, the ink dries fast for a ball point, the line is consistent, it lasts forever, its fairly cheap and the tip is very precise, making things like taking notes or drawing very crisp and clear. really the only things that i'd say to watch out for is tearing through the paper (it's pretty sharp - i've used it in place of a stiletto in a few pinches), lending it out because its a good chance that you'll never see it again, and the tendency the bottom cap seems to have of unscrewing and coming apart in your bag; granted, this doesn't happen very often, but i've noticed it enough to mention here.

i have yet to see them sold individually in stores, mostly i've seen them sold in packages of four to twelve, ranging in price between $5-$11... except once where i saw them for a buck at the local dollar tree.


so if you're an artist, writer, or just need a dependable pen (sorry i couldn't help myself on that one.) this is a solid choice.

pen 13: bic grip roller

back in post 10 i mentioned that "its a nice try but i think that they should have stuck with the ballpoint. "

i had forgotten that i owned that pen.

yes, the bic grip roller is a durable pen that writes smoothly, has a good glide and consistent line suited to conventional writing and  drawing alike. to illustrate its strengths i opted for a more organic subject to show the pens strengths... sorry if the sight of a nude woman bothers you, i promise next time to draw people shooting zombies or something.

two of the things that i really like about this pen is that it has a nice rubber grip that is easy on the fingers, especially when you're using it for extended periods, the other is that the pen itself is rather thick, especially when compared to some of the other bic pens i've talked about here, for whatever reason it seems to hurt my fingers less than the skinnier ones, even skinnier pens with rubber grips as well.

other than the above there isn't really all that much to say about the bic grip roller and thus makes for a boring review i suppose. you can find these pens in the big office supply chains and online where they seem to be going for around $12-$13 for a dozen. at a little over a dollar a pen its a safe buy.

pen 07: pentel arts stylo sketch pen.

i have a clear memory of the first time i used this pen, i was in the eighth grade, at a friends house and saw it laying on a desk. now if you're anything like me and you see a new pen, you just have to hold it, inspect, it, and test it out.

i have to say that this is probably one of my top ten pens i use on a regular basis. it is the closest i have come to using a quill pen, and unlike the steel tip inking pens you can get at most arts stores the flow is fairly regular, mostly even and most importantly, it won't tear the page (unless you are really, really trying to. the ink does bleed so line control can be an issue for extended strokes, but its ability to detail tines bits and scratches is good, so long as you're really quick.

another HUGE plus is that the in is great for inking pencils, you can get a variety of line width depending on how you hold the pen and how hard/long you press, best of all, is that like the micron, you can go back and erase the pencils after it dries and the ink stays dark. this is not the case with the majority of pens i've used.
you can find these at most art stores, going for around $4-$5 a pop and if you get lucky, like i did for this one, you might even get it for clearance price. i've sometimes seen these pens at office supply stores as well, so keep your eyes open. if you simply can't find them in a retail setting there is always amazon.com, you can find pretty much everything and anything there, plus it's awesome in that you actually get mail that isn't bills or junk.