pen 136: infinity permanent marker

today's pen is the infinity permanent marker. this pen is analogous to the sharpie fine point permanent marker sharing a few common features and fill the same roles.

to begin, both pens are permanent, the infinity doesn't have the same kind of bleed as the sharpie, not noticeable in the bleed out, and minimal on bleeding though the page. like the sharpie it has a felt tip that starts out with a god tip but  wears down to a blunt nub with very little use. these pens are not sold separately, at least not that i've found, so if you want one, you more or less have to buy a set, which range in different size groups at different prices. there are around 26 colors, which is a good selection of color, thoughtful too as there are colors one might not expect to see in the lower end marker brands.

lastly they smell funny, like formaldehyde - it reminds me of what the morgue smelled like in anatomy class when we went to the medical college to draw... well parts of human bodies.

overall i would say that these pens are so close to being sharpies that i would recommend that you just buy a sharpie. if you have kids and don't really care how they are used or treated, these might be a good pen for that.



pricing:
wallgreens (retail): $11.99
boarddudes.com: $18.99+s/h (26 pens)

website:
www.boarddudes.com

what they say:

With unrivaled design and technology, these acid-free Infinity permanent markers add vivid brightness, making anything you write pop off the page. Triangular grips allow your fingers to use less pressure while writing – promoting great control and amazing comfort.  This ultimate value pack includes 26 bold colors including Neon and Metallic markers, making it perfect for note taking, drawing, letter writing or even creative scrapbooking.   

Key Features:
• Ultimate Color Pack includes 26 bold, bright, neon and metallic colors
• Triangular grip for comfortable writing
• Heavy-duty clip won't snap off
• Durable, acrylic tip design delivers long-lasting, permanent ink
• Writes clearly on light and dark surfaces
• Quick drying, acid-free, and fade resistant–ideal for scapbooks, arts & crafts, school projects, and more
• Quality Guarantee

pen 129: sharpie stained

much like pen 95, today's pen, the sharpie stained is a brush pen that allows you to lay ink down on paper with the flexibility of a brush as opposed to the standard plastic and felt tipped versions that we all love and know so well.

as i mentioned in yesterday's review, the sharpie stained brush tip pen is the the latest step in pen evolution, the liquid ink is dark, flows flawlessly, doesn't bleed, while the brush tip allows for lovely organic lines. the brush also allows for line width variation, much like a paint brush and is capable of filling in large areas of black while still being useful when inking detail, especially on medium and larger format pieces.

while i don't usually this pen as a drawing pen, i do use them for inking, and most importantly, this pen can ink over acrylic and latex paint without drying out the tip, something that happens with most of the permanent markers that i've used for inking detail on paintings.

the only downside to this pen is that i can't seem to find individual pens for sale. as an inking pen, i really only need black, and i've had to buy two sets of four pack assorted colors for the on pen that i wanted out of the quartet. still, this is the only pen that i have found that can draw on any surface with no issues whatsoever, aside from using these pens so often that i have gone through several pens in that last year or so.

still, i highly recommend this pen, it is extremely useful and is a wonderful tool to have in any pen drawer, coffee mug  or pencil box.

i love this pen so much that if you buy one and are unhappy with the results, i will trade you an original drawing for the pen.

pricing:

wallmart: (retail)
$5-$6 (4 pens)

target.com: 
$9.95 (8 pens) +s/h

website:
www.sharpie.com
www.target.com

what they say:

sharpie.com

• You Stain it, You Own it.
• Brush tip fabric markers let you start a line of your own design.
• Developed for optimal performance on most fabric surfaces.
• Fabric ink. Brush tip.
• Available in eight vibrant, bold colors.
• Wash without worries. Ink resists fading on most fabrics.

target.com

• Make your mark on the world with Stained fabric markers. Developed by Sharpie, these permanent markers have 8 bright colors that are designed to work on most fabric surfaces. Your creative doodles will be fade-resistant during most normal washing cycles, so draw your creations without worry.
• Style and color assortment may vary
• Number of Pieces: 8
• Ink Color: Green, Blue, Red, Orange, Pink, Purple, Black
• Features: Fadeproof, Durable Tip, Quick Drying, Contoured Grip
• Manufacturer's Suggested Age: 5 Years and Up
• Dimensions: 7.25 " L x 7.65 " W

pen 127: sharpie super twin tip

 today's pen is the bigger version of yesterday's twin tip sharpie. the sharpie super twin tip does not leap tall buildings, outrun a bullet or have x-ray vision, but at two dollars, you do get a nice larger fine tip and chisel pen for around half the cost of buying them separately.  like pretty much every sharpie i've talked about on this blog, these pens are well made, dark, prone to bleeding and are priced to ensure that running out of ink and having to buy a replacement won't break your wallet. so the benefits are similar to yesterday's, it is two pens in one, makes for less to carry around, and the drawbacks are more or less non-existent, at least in terms of the twin tip feature, the usual drawbacks for sharpies do do apply as it is just the nature of these pens.

all in all i am happy with this pen, and have used more than a few of these up over the years and still i go back for more.

as far as this pen being something that i would recommend... yes, yes , oh, and yes. buying this pen is money well spent.

pricing:

target:
(retail) around $2 (single pen)

staples.com: 
$2.49+s/h (single pen)
$6.79+s/h (three pens black, blue, and red )

website(s):
www.sharpie.com
www.staples.com

what they say:

sharpie:

Two tips in one.

• Increased functionality with both Fine and Chisel tips in one marker
• Permanent on most surfaces
• Fade and water resistant ink encourages multiple project uses
• Quick-drying ink
• Large ink supply extends product life
• AP certified nontoxic formula
• 3 assorted colors to make your marking unique

staples.com

• Features a fine point for thin, detailed lines on one end and a chisel tip for both broad and fine line widths on the other end
• Durable, long lasting points allow you to write on almost any surface
• Set of 3 markers include 1 each of: black, blue, red
• Features a fine point for thin, detailed lines on one end and a chisel tip for both broad and fine line widths on the other end
• Durable, long lasting points allow you to write on almost any surface

pen 126: sharpie twin tip permanent marker

today's pen, the sharpie twin tip permanent marker, is the perfect pen when you have limited space and need different sized marker that are easily available for use, two pens in one?

 genius.

this pen basically basically speaks for itself, it is a fine and an ultra fine sharpie all in one. these are great for when you are on the go, in your pocket. in your purse or backpack, or glove compartment. 
these have an added benefit of easily swapping between the two without the digging around for the other. 

other than that, this pen performs just as well as the two individual pens it replaces. if you find yourself going back and forth on between these pens often, you might want to look into checking this pen out.

so yes, awesome pen, i recommend.

pricing:

target.com: 
$5.97 (three pens) +s/h

amazon.com: 
$0.01 and up (single pen) +s/h

$14.94 and up (twelve pens)+s/h

websites:
www.sharpie.com
www.target.com
www.amazon.com

what they say:

sharpie.com:

Dual degrees of precision.

• Increased functionality with both Fine and Ultra Fine tips in one marker
• Permanent on most surfaces
• Fade and water resistant ink encourages multiple project uses
• Quick-drying ink
• AP certified nontoxic formula
• 10 assorted colors to make your marking unique

target .com

• Number of Pieces: 3
• Ink Color: Black
• Features: Durable Tip, Water Resistant, Quick Drying, Pocket Clip
• Dimensions: 3.8 " L x 7.4 " W

amazon.com

• Experience two markers in one with the revolutionary twin tip permanent marker
• Features a fine point tip for thin, detailed lines on one end and an Ultra Fine point tip for even more precise writing on the other end
• Quick-drying ink is waterproof, smear proof and fade-resistant
• AP certified non-toxic
• 1 Black Marker

pen 125: sharpie rub-a-dub fine point fabric pen

there was a time when, if you wanted to write on your shirt, or shoes, or backpack, your choices were pretty limited, especially on things that would be washed on a regular basis. these awesome alterations to your wardrobe were short lived, at best, and required constant touching up to keep it nice and dark, eventually the designs would fade and it just looked old and cheap and meh.

today's pen, the sharpie rub-a-dub fabric marker, has kinda changed that.

this pen is basically a sharpie fine point pen that was specifically made to be used on fabric, somehow they figured out a solution to the pen snagging on the fabric and creating irregular lines and blots where the fabric bunched up under the tip, this is even more noticeable when using the pen on paper,
it has a very smooth glide. the ink seems to stand up to the rigors of machine washing, at least better than the regular counterpart, and is basically identical in pretty much every other way.

if you are going to be working with fabric, i would say that you should get one of these pens as opposed to the regular model. they rent really all that expensive and they do seem to work way better with those types of mediums.

so yes, i like.

pricing:

wallmart.com: around $2.47 (two pens) +s/h
amazon.com: $1.34 and up (single pen) +s/h

website(s):
www.sharpie.com
www.walmart.com
http://www.amazon.com

what they say:

sharpie:

You'll be glad it all doesn't come out in the wash. None of it does, in fact.

• Marks permanent on cloth
• Perfect for marking fabrics and synthetics
• Stays permanent through washing and dry cleaning

wallmart

• Pre-Consumer Recycled Content Percent [Nom]: 0 pct
• Post-Consumer Recycled Content Percent [Nom]: 0 pct
• Total Recycled Content Percent [Nom]: 0 pct
• Global Product Type: Markers-Permanent
• Tip Type: Fine
• Compliance, Standards: AP Certified Nontoxic
• Marker Type: Permanent
• Ink Types: Non-Washable

amazon:

Permanent on cloth&mdashink stays through washing and dry cleaning. Great for marking clothing, camping gear and bedding. Durable fine-point tip produces thin, detailed lines. Marker Type: Permanent Color(s): Black.Unit of Measure : Pack

pen 123: sharpie fine point permanent marker

okay, so this is kind of embarrassing, today's pen, the sharpie fine point permanent marker, is a pen whose review is long overdue. part of the reason that it has taken so long to get here is that i assumed that i had reviewed this pen way back in the beginning. this pen is such an important part of my "artistic tool box" that i use it practically everyday. i guess it was hiding in plain sight.

the sharpie fine point marker is a solidly constructed pen, it is made of durable plastic, the clip on the cap is not easily broken, the tip is a fiber tip that comes to a nice fine point. these pens bleed, through and out, there is almost an "art" to drawing or inking with these pens, where you have to anticipate the bleed and make it work to your advantage. while this pen can be used for detail, i mainly use these for outlining, inking over pencils or working larger format pieces. i have noticed that these pens lose their tip pretty fast, even when pressing lightly these pens will get dull, historically i have found that i have gotten around three of four uses out of them before i retire them to inking large area fill pens, where the blunted tip isn't so much of an issue.

these pens tend to last fairly long, and this is really the only pen that i have used to the point of bleeding it dry on a consistent basis. the saving grace of these pens is that it is a well made pen that costs next to nothing to buy and can be found everywhere.

this pen is perhaps one of the most versatile pens that i have used. they will draw on nearly everything any surface and even over acrylic for a short amount of time, for whatever reason drawing over dry acrylics tent to dry the tip out pretty fast.

overall, this is a great pen, if you are looking for a jack of all trades that won't break your wallet, this pen is the pen to use.

pricing: 

price range varies, these pens are also available at dollar tree, for example.

sharpie.com 
$1.45 (single pen)+s/h
$6.99 (five pens) +s/h

website:
www.sharpie.com

what they say:
sharpie:

• The original pen style permanent marker.
• The Industry Standard
• Permanent on most surfaces
• Fade and water resistant
• Quick-drying ink AP certified nontoxic formula
• 25 assorted colors to make your marking unique

pen 121: bic mark it super duty 4x4 grip

today's pen is the robust bic mark it super duty 4x4 grip (tank) permanent marker. i don't remember exactly when and where i bought this, i know it was while i was living in san francisco while i was in college, and i think i might have gotten it at a walgreens or rite-aid as they were two of the closest stores to that apartment. as for how much i spent on it, again, i don't remember, but i can't see myself spending more than $6. what i do remember is that i loved this pen, i loved i so much that, while it lasted a good six years, at the time of this review, i basically ran it into the ground. sadly, this pen is dead.

i have looked for this pen off and on over the years and have yet to find another, the only reason that i don't think that it was discontinued is that it lists the pen as available on the bic website. i have tried amazon and, well amazon and was able to find only one for sale, and that was used... and green.

so, the body is incredibly tough, it's made from a solid plastic body, covered with a thick rubber grip, it comes in two different tip types, bullet and chisel. the years of heavy use eventually took their toll, the tip was more or less a mop like brush  than a bullet, but then i consider all of the things that i had done with it, writing on cardboard, textured walls, textured canvas, on acrylics, and i'm pretty sure that this was the pen that Brian K. Vaughn used to sign my backpack and deodorant... there was a lot of drinking involved in that story.  anyway, i cant complain about the tip wear, i'm pretty sure lesser pens would have been exiled to the trash bin years before. 

the ink is dark, fully saturated black, with no real range of value, it's another one of those: "all or nothing" pens that i seem to gravitate towards, and it will write on pretty much anything. this pen is suited for heavy duty jobs, marking lumber, sheet metal, labeling things like moving boxes or drawing phallic shapes and dirty words on your friends faces when they pass out at parties. seriously though this pen is a workhorse. i've used it on canvas, news print, bristol board and many other things and every time it has gotten the job done, and the pen is permanent... it will not fade away anytime soon.

the only down side to this pen is that it doesn't seem be sold anywhere, at least around where i live, anymore. the thought occurred to me that they might carry these pens at home depot or lowes - ill be visiting those stores this weekend in search for a replacement to that valiant pen that served its purpose and then some. 

rest easy my kind and faithful friend, i will see you on the other side.

pricing: around $6? (1 pen)

website:
www.bicworld.com



what they say:

The permanent marker for the user who demands superior performance

Built tough for any situation! Neat, consistent lines: first time, every time.

Features:

• Full-length grip for maximum comfort and control
• “Tool like” barrel design
• Permanent alcohol-based ink. Fade and water-resistant ink
• Available in bullet nib (line width 2.4mm) and chisel tip (line width 3mm/5.7mm)
• Alligator clip helps the marker stay secure when attached to clothing, clip boards, etc.
• Quick drying

This product is available in:
Europe, North America, Oceania, Central America and Asia

pen 113: sharpie pen grip

today's pen is a modern classic, the sharpie pen grip - fine point. this pen is a disposable version of pen 34.

this pen is a sharpie, and if you have been following along you probably know what that means. i almost feel like reviewing this pen is a bit redundant, the brand speaks for itself. as i mentioned a few reviews ago, i have only once regretted buying a sharpie, and that was the sharpie liquid pencil back at pen 20, and even then it wasn't all bad.

so the grip, it's made of plastic, it's pretty light, and feels cheap, but then again, these pen are inexpensive and it would take some effort to crush or snap it in two. the pen comes in fine and medium point sizes and is available in six colors. the plastic tip is durable and can stand up to moderately heavy pressure and use, the ink is a new type of bleed free ink, which makes drawing on paper - thick or thin - a cleaner activity. this pen i great for thing like notebooks, sketch pads or art journals. like all sharpies this pen lasts for a good long while, doesn't skip or stutter, it has consistent flow, uniform line width, and a great balance between glide and bite.

these pens are always good for writing, drawing, detail work, and inking over pencils.

the only thing i have to say that i don't like about this pen is that the saturation of the ink is not as full as it's other non-bleed free cousins in the sharpie line but other than that one thing, i highly recommend anything with the sharpie name printed on the barrel.

yes, that means i endorse this pen.

price:

officemax.com

$7.99 (3 pens ) +s/h

$7.99 (3 pens assorted colors) +s/h

$31.99 (12 pens) +s/h

amazon.com

$1.29-$4.19 (3 pens ) +s/h

website:

www.sharpie.com

www.officemax.com

what they say:

sharpie.com Get a grip on Sharpie Pen style and performance.

• Won't bleed through paper!

• Quick drying ink to prevent smearing

• Soft grip along barrel for added writing comfort

• Fine point tip size for everyday writing

• Permanent ink on paper

• Color indicator on ends to help distinguish ink color

• Water resistant, acid free, and AP certified non-toxic ink formula designed for paper

• Available in black, blue, red, green, orange, and purple

officemax.comYour favorite Sharpie Pen- now in a grip version!

• Will not bleed through paper (results vary based on paper characteristics)

• Permanent on paper

• Water resistant, acid-free, nontoxic ink formula

• Features a soft grip for added comfort

• Set of 3 Colored Ink Pens includes 1 each of Black Ink, Blue Ink and Red Ink

pen 105: sharpie extra fine permanent marker

at first glance, today's pen, the sharpie extra fine permanent marker looks basically like the ultra fine point that i reviewed waaaay back on post #6. aside from the difference between extra and ultra printed on the body of the pen, the differences are virtually indistinguishable until you remove the cap.

everything that i wrote about my feelings on sharpie pens remains the same as they were the day that i started this blog. i can also say honestly that with one exception (their ill conceived and executed "erasable" pen) that i have never regretted buying a sharpie. its a good quality product that is versatile and has yet to let me down.

the extra fine point, in my experience is not really all that different from its ultra fine little brother, they both have plastic nibs, they both bleed out and through the paper, the extra fine pen does seem to need a little warming up before you get a solid consistent line, especially if you stop using it for a few minutes and leave the cap off. this is a little annoying but not the end of the world. even sharpie's official website does not distinguish between the two pens as far as the description goes (see below).

say what you will, either pen is good for detail work, sketching, writing (even though it says not to write with them printed on the pen's body.) and will last for years. seriously, i have some of these pens that i bought when i left for college back in 2001.

do i recommend this pen?

no brainer - it's a sharpie, these pend run for under $2 dollars a pen - it's pretty much idiot proof... yes, go buy one.

website: 
www.sharpie.com

what they say:

Make your point with style and precision.

• Fade and water resistant
• Permanent on most surfaces
• Precise tip increases control and accuracy
• Quick-drying ink AP certified nontoxic formula
• 3 bold colors to make your point

how is this different from the sharpie ultra fine point?

(ultra fine point)

Make your point with style and precision.

• Fade and water resistant
• Permanent on most surfaces
• Precise tip increases control and accuracy
• Quick-drying ink AP certified nontoxic formula

pen 100: sakura microperm

welcome to the 100th post here at a pen a day.

as i steadily got closer to this post i started to think about whether or not i ought to do something special for this momentous occasion...  if nothing else, what pen should i choose? all these questions running through my mind and what it comes down to is this.

i finally settled on a pen, drew it, drew with it, and before i came home tonight i stopped at a local art/craft supply store, michael's.

one of the reasons was that i am currently carving/etching woodcuts for stamps and prints and i wanted to look at the tools they had for carving wood and linoleum, or rubber, whatever. while i was looking for these i was in the stamp section, a section that i have never had any reason to visit before and discovered that they had pens stocked there as well... pens... in the stamp section... sigh.

and these are pens that i have heard of, but never seen... sigh.

so yeah, a scouting mission turned into a procurement  run and here i am, last minute, drawing with something that i seem to do less and less these days and that is, a new and unfamiliar pen.

allow me to introduce the sakura microperm. my first thought when i bout this pen was that it looked like another pen that sakura makes, the micron.the initial physical differences are minor, it is a dark gray pen with english and japanese writing on the barrel. this particular pen is .5mm, the only size that i saw, and when i looked at the tip, i noted that it was another plastic tipped pen. when i got home and started using it i was immediately disappointed.

unlike the micron, this pen does have a slight odor, reminiscent of prismacolor markers which im guessing means it is alcohol based ink, while this is not really a bad thing, it does dry quickly, it does mean that you should wait until you're twenty-one to lick it... (hahahaha i'm funny)

this pen puts a lot more ink onto the paper a lot faster than the micro which led to bleed, out and through. alas, a waste of money and such a crappy way to do 100...

and then i really started using it. i noticed that the tip is a lot more durable than the more fragile micron, more like a staedtler pen, and that when i was drawing using quicker strokes that the bleed was considerably reduced. in fact, the more i used it the more i found myself liking it, surprising myself with this pen's ability for detail, even considering that this is a .5 mm tip and that there are smaller tipped version of this pen available. the other side of this was that even with its ability to detail, the  heavier flow of ink would make this pen a good choice for inking those smaller black spaces that the micron would be ill suited.

the price was $2.79 off the shelf in a retail setting, and individual pens are going for around the same on amazon.com. i even found a few 3 pen sets there as well ranging between $4-$7 making these pens rather inexpensive for the type of pen they are. i think i can safely say that as soon as a sell the next painting, i will be investing in a set of these pens. i stand by my claim that this pen is worth a try, and if you get one and disagree, send it to me and i will exchange it for an original drawing using that pen. 

website:

www.sakuraofamerica.com

what they say:

Every facet of fine line detailing and permanence is incorporated into this pen to execute writing in micro-spaces or on unusual and challenging surfaces.

Microperm is used to make precise long-lasting marks on test tubes, circuit boards, diamonds, cellophane, wood and glass, plastic, metal, or wherever there is a need for waterproof ink that will write on non-porous surfaces. Diamond cutters can use Microperm to make minute markings on rough diamonds to insure exact cuts.
Microperm features:

• Chemically stable, and waterproof
• Low odor and fulfills non-toxicity requirements
• Permanent adherence to most surfaces
• A fine line nib with a protected tip that will not split
• Writes on diamonds, glass, wood, cellophane, plastic and glossy sheets, CDs, photographic and x-ray film, paper and metal
• Alcohol based cleaners will remove ink from non-porous surfaces

Microperm Pen is available:

• Black Ink.
• Point 01: 0.25 mm
• Point 03: 0.35 mm
• Point 05: 0.45 mm

pen 95: sharpie brush tip

available in 12 colors, this pen answers the age old question, what would it be like to paint with a sharpie permanent marker. the answer, awesome.

these pens are yet another example of sharpie quality and versatility. the brush tip puts down a fully saturated line, and with a flexible yet firm (the tip is not as inflexible as the standard fine tipped pen) brush making things like fine detail and line width variation a snap. the ink has little value range, again all or nothing, but the tip allows shading in terms of stipple, hatching or crosshatching. 

the brush tip makes for some fun experimentation, and can push the artist in terms of creative uses, these pens would be good for inking over pencils, detail in watercolor or acrylic paintings, contour and gesture drawings, the latter two even more so if you are working in a larger format. the flexibility of the tip really lends itself to drawing organic subjects. yes, it is a bit funny that i say that considering that i drew a robot as the example, i did this because the original was actually 10 inches tall, and i was testing the saturation and fill potential of the pen, i was pleased with the results. 

these pens are available as stand alone pens in larger big box office supply stores, in packs of four and twelve colors and of course, everywhere online. i personally bought the four pack at wall-mart for around $6 - the 12 pack was around $10, i didn't really want any of the colors other than black so i stuck with the less expensive option.

the only problem i have with these pens is that the tip is not all that durable, and like the traditional fine point marker, has only a few uses in detail work before becoming a filler pen for large areas of color or black or whatever.

so yeah, its a sharpie, nuff said - go get one.

website:
www.sharpie.com

what they say:

One Tip. Plenty of Tricks.

• Create fine lines, bold strokes and shading
• Control the width of your lines - thick or thin - with the pressure of your hand
• Make your ideas permanent on almost any surface
• Create with brightly colored, fade- and water-resistant ink
• Quick-drying ink AP certified nontoxic formula
• 12 assorted colors to make your marking unique

pen 94: sharpie fine point pen

as we approach the 100th entry here on a pen a day, i have been trying to decide if i should make a big deal about it and while i probably will, i feel that my choice of pen ought to be a pen that really comes as close to the perfect pen as i have come to find over the years. i know that i am getting a little bit ahead of myself with this, but the reason i mention this at all is that if i had really thought this through, today's pen, the sharpie fine point pen might have been that pen i would have chosen.

sharpie makes a solid product, with the possible exception of the sharpie liquid pencil way back at pen 20, these pens deliver. they are reliable. period.

the sharpie fine point pen is an example of a new era of sharpie product. these pens are available in 10 colors, they no longer bleed out or through the paper, they are solid heavily saturated color and have no real range of value, these are all or nothing with very little exception. while these pens ten to dry out when used on acrylic or latex paint, these pens can ink over pencils and watercolors, mark on a variety of surfaces including metals and plastics to varying levels of permanence in the case of those last two.

these pens are found everywhere, the retail at safeway for about $6 for a pack of two, but while i was grocery shopping i found that these were on sale and i picked up a pair for under three dollars, so score.

i don't think i can overstate the versatility and quality of sharpie brand products. i almost don't even feel the need to tell you whether i recommend these pens or not.

sharpies are pretty much always a safe purchase.


website:
www.sharpie.com

what they say:

Won't bleed through paper. Write with confidence!

• Won't bleed through paper and won't smear
• Durable fine point tip delivers precise and consistent writing with minimal effort
• Use it for taking notes, journaling, writing letters, making cards and more
• AP certified non-toxic ink is waterproof and smear and fade resistant
• Archival quality and acid-free ink for office and school work
• Available in a 10 bold colors

pen 83: jot permanent marker chisel tip

today's pen is a transitional pen that bridges the chisel tipped event and heralds the wonders that can be found at the local dollar store.

the jot permanent marker chisel tip comes in a package containing two markers, bringing the price down to around $.50 a pen, this would be a great price if the pen was a quality pen - sadly, it is not.

while the producing company got the aesthetics of the marks-a-lot body style (which i suspect actually all the surplus pre-redesign of the marks-a-lot.) the similarities really end there.

to begin with the bitching and moaning... the durability: the body is solid, tough plastic that can survive things like wedged in them in a window to keep the glass pane from closing all the way, can be useful in sculpting due to its cylindrical shape and the odd sized cap can be used for odd detail. the cap also stays where it is supposed to be which is nice because the in will wreck your self if you don't check (the pen) yourself, yo. but these things are true of the marks-a-lot.

also, like the marks-a-lot, the pen bleeds, both seepage and through the page, especially on thinner paper, and the felt tip wears down even faster than the brand name version. also, i noticed that theses pens dry out insanely fast, granted, i used these pens rather heavily for the examples but i haven't had not only one but two brand new pens die on me for one of these reviews, as is the case here. the last thing that i feel i should mention is the smell of the ink. as you probably know mostly all of the pens in the permanent marker family have a strong and distinct odor, that to me is not always unpleasant, and unfortunately that is not the case with this pen. it is pretty vile and probably, doing irreparable damage to my body, brain and on some sort of molecular level, and any money you might save by skimping on this marker is going to be offset buy the price of a filter mask, respiratory inconvenience and possible super-cancer... okay, so i'm not a doctor and i really can't say that any of that last part is true (except that you might want to look into a nice filter mask - handy things those.)  the only thing that i would use these pens for is writing on signs, student government posters, lost dog/cat fliers, chemical warfare and moving boxes - anything that you dot really care about but need to do and you don't want to waste the money on a quality pen that's going to be destroyed by the first time it's used.

i do not recommend this pen at all. do not buy it and burn any that you might come across in life. it is evil.

evil i say, pure stinky evil!

pen 82: sharpie king size chisel tip

considering that the second post here on a pen a day was the single largest marker i have ever used, the sharpie magnum chisel tip, it is a little funny that with no foreplanning this pen, the sharpie king size chisel is being reviewed exactly eighty pens later. i don't know... maybe it isn't really all that funny after all.

anyway.

the sharpie king is available in three colors, black, blue and red. it is the middle child between the magnum and the smaller sharpies chisel tip and the chisel tip pro. this pen has all the features typical to the sharpie line, they are durable, the body is aluminum (i think, it's some kind of metal anyway) it is bold the ink is dark, and dries quickly. this pen does "squeak" at times which is almost as bad as nails on a chalkboard so be aware of that. the felt tip does tend to show signs of wear after light use and , since the ink lasts longer than the tip i tend to use the blunted tipped pens for fills or ina pinch on large format projects. the sharpie king has the same issues with the smell, bleed and bleed through, the glide varied depending on what you are using it on and if the cap does come off in transit... well it has a larger tip and a ton of ink just waiting to touch paper, fabric, cigarettes and skin... and it will ruin your day and maybe a pair of pants.

i have found this pen useful for detailing acrylic paintings, drawing on finished wood, metal and glass, it works really well with is siblings in the sharpie chisel family handling areas that are too small for the magnum and tasks that would take forever to fill with the smaller versions. this pen also works really well in its own right and can be used to tag, make signs, draw sloppy pictures of naughty bits on your buddy's face when he passes out at a party, labeling boxes when moving, throwing at the neighbors cat when it's eating your cat's food, and coloring in bleached spots or moth holes (the latter requires you coloring on your skin under the hole) on your dress/work clothes... oh and they work okay on scuffed black shoes as we..

these pens retail around $2-$3 a pen, you can buy them in four packs as well and those run about $8-$10. might find better prices online, but i'll let you look for yourself on that.

as to whether or not i would recommend or not, i would. it's a sharpie and therefore never a bad purchase, go. buy. one. now.

as always, if you go out and buy this pen and don't like it - madness - contact me, i'll give you shipping info and in exchange i will send you an awesome drawing drawn with the pen you so disliked.

website:
www.sharpie.com

what they say:

All hail.

• Industrial Strength for the toughest marking jobs
• Durable aluminum barrel and felt tip stand up to heavy use
• Excellent for marking corrugate, wood, metal, foil, stone, plastic, leather and more
• Marks on wet and oily surfaces
• Water resistant and dries quickly
• 3 bold colors

pen 77: sharpie chisel tip permanent marker

so as promised yesterday, today i am taking a look at the regular or "civilian" sharpie chisel tip permanent marker.

a few quick notes on this particular pen. the ink is just as saturated and bold as any other sharpie, this pen had no range of value in between black and white. shading is limited to fills, hatching, cross-hatching and stippling, unless you are writing on some kind of painted or plastic surface and the you can smudge the ink to get some value range. warning, this technique is very messy, and depending what study you read may or may not lead to things like ink poisoning and/or cancer... i probably out to do some actual refreshing research before making such claims - but as a person who writes on his hands and arms all the time i hear these little gems an a near daily basis.

the tips on these pens are felt, and not suited to precision detail work after using for relatively short amount of time. i find that after several uses i tend to throw them in a box i call the sharpie graveyard and only used when i need to fill large areas of white space and don't need to worry about the detail work, i usually use several pens when drawing and this one pen a day thing has been challenging in that i feel extremely limited by the singe pen approach...

on the other hand, it has caused me to work in size formats that i haven tried in years, is forcing me to find creative solutions and is probably making me a stronger artist. still, it can be a pain in the ass at times.

these pen tend to fall in the $1 - $3 dollar range (edit: as of the time of this post office max is having a sale on sharpies - 25 cents a pen, limit three pens per customer.), i've seen packaging  with four or five pens in a pack and you can often find them in singles in a sharpie display that most stores ive been to lately seem to have. the other and last thing that i feel that i should mention is that these pens come in black, and eight additional color choices, which can be useful when making signs banners labeling or just to feel all special and pretty.

website: 
www.sharpie.com

what they say:

• Versatile chisel tip marks both broad and fine line widths
• Unique anti-roll barrel design
• Permanent on most surfaces
• Fade and water resistant Quick-drying ink
• AP certified nontoxic formula
• 8 bold colors
• Broad and fine strokes. You'll excuse our split personality.