Best Fountain Pen for Drawing

Last Updated on February 2, 2023

Fountain pens have been a popular writing instrument for centuries, and more recently, they have been gaining popularity among artists as well. With its smooth and controlled flow of ink, a fountain pen can provide an artist with the precision they need to create their masterpieces. Whether you are an aspiring artist or a seasoned professional, finding the right fountain pen for drawing can make all the difference in your work.

When choosing a fountain pen for drawing, there are a few key factors to consider, such as nib size, ink flow, and grip. A fine nib size is ideal for fine lines and details, while a broad nib can produce thicker, more expressive lines. Ink flow is also an important factor, as a consistent and controlled flow will ensure that the pen won’t skip or clog while you’re drawing. A comfortable grip is also essential, as it will allow you to work for long periods of time without experiencing hand fatigue.

In this blog post, we will review some of the best fountain pens on the market that are specifically designed for drawing. From affordable options that are perfect for beginners, to high-end pens that are ideal for professionals, we’ve got you covered.

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Check out Pelikan M200 Fountain Pen for Drawing for best value
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Benefits – Drawing With A Fountain Pen

When drawing with a fountain pen you will be able to create beautiful fluid lines with ease. And if you’ve ever attempted to use a dip pen for art, then you will love how easy it is to take your fountain pen with you on the go. This is great particularly for those who like to keep their art supplies with them wherever they go. And if you’re new to drawing in ink, then you will enjoy learning how to create smooth effortless lines while also learning to work with lines that go astray.

Name	Price	Nib Feel	Nib Options	Weight	Filling Mechanism
LAMY Safari Fountain Pen	$$	Stiff, smooth	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad	0.53 oz	Cartridge, Converter
LAMY Joy Calligraphy Pen	$$	Stiff, smooth	Italic only; 1.1 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.9 mm	0.54 oz	Cartridge, Converter
Noodler’s Konrad Flex Fountain Pen	$$	Stiff, flex with significant pressure	Broad Flex	0.55 oz	Piston
Noodler’s Triple Tail Flex Fountain Pen	$$$	Springy	Broad Flex	0.71 oz	Piston
Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen	$$$$	Springy	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad	0.47 oz	Piston
Pilot Falcon Fountain Pen	$$$$	Springy	Extra Fine Flex, Fine Flex, Medium Flex, Broad Flex	0.58 oz	Cartridge, Converter
Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen	$	Stiff	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium	0.40 oz	Cartridge, Converter
Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen	$$	Stiff	Fine, Medium, Medium Italic	0.96 oz	Cartridge, Converter
Pilot Prera Fountain Pen	$$	Smooth, slightly springy	Fine, Medium, Medium Italic	0.49 oz	Cartridge, Converter
Pilot Parallel Pen	$	Stiff	Italic only; 1.5 mm, 2.4 mm, 3.8 mm, 6.0 mm	0.38 oz	Cartridge, Converter
Zebra Zensations Fountain Pen	$	Stiff	Fine	0.46 oz	N/A

Fountain pens also provide you with an abundance of amazing inks and colors as well as different nib styles so that you can be certain to create the perfect look for every one of your sketches and drawing projects.

Best Fountain Pen For Drawing

Pilot Prera – Best Lightweight Drawing Fountain Pen

I’ve used a lot of budget friendly fountain pens over the years and the Pilot Prera has the best nib of any of the pens in this price range. It offers an exceptionally precise and springy response and the pen is very lightweight making it great for those long drawing sessions. This lightweight fountain pen will not slow you down or fatigue your hand.

The other two great lightweight, budget friendly fountain pen options I love are the wildly popular Pilot Metropolitan and the fun Pilot Kakuno. Even though the Prera is my favorite in this category, either of these two Pilots will be a great option for the budget conscious artist.

Noodler’s Konrad Flex – Best Drawing Fountain Pen w/ Semi Flex Nib

The Noodler’s Konrad Flex is an awesome fountain pen for creating varied line width. With a change in pressure this nib will create a beautiful flowing line allowing for freedom in expressing your artistic vision. Be aware that Noodler’s are well known for being a bit finicky, so if you’re not afraid of making adjustments to your nib on the go then this is an excellent one to draw with. It also boasts an easy to fill piston ink system making it a breeze to change inks. Another great option if you want a pen that provides a great performing flexible nib are the Pilot Falcon and the Noodler’s Tail. Both beautiful pens that offer smooth lines of varied width.

Zebra Zensations – Best Disposable Drawing Fountain Pens

Beginners and those who are looking to test out the world of fountain pens without investing too much money should go with a disposable model before dropping more money on one of the options above. And my favorite disposable drawing fountain pens the Zebra Zensations. It is a low cost model that is ready go right out of the package. It provides smooth even lines and comes loaded with water soluble ink with multiple color options to choose from. The downside to a disposable is that you can’t change the ink and they don’t offer nib variety or performance of the models above. But if love drawing with the Zebra then you are ready to upgrade to one of the top fountain pens above.

LAMY Safari – Long Lasting Drawing Fountain Pen

The Lamy Safari has a large and passionate following that is well deserved. This pen is made to withstand the rigors of an African Safari while providing amazing consistency and line quality. This pen is darn near unbreakable and comes in multiple different nib sizes. Keep in mind that you will not get the line variation you will with a flexible nib but it is a stunner non the less. Overall this is the pen to get if durability and consistency are at the top of your priority list.

Pilot Parallel – Best Fountain Pen With Calligraphy Nib

The Pilot Parallel is a real joy to draw with even if it is not a traditional calligraphy style pen. The design is a nib with two metal plates that allows your fountain pen ink to produce smooth and even weighted lines. This is particularly true when using a small nib as it offers you the most control over the quality and flow of your lines. This is possible since you will be able to utilize the corner of the nib for producing finer lines while getting shading effects by using the full side of the nib. Filling your ink is easy thanks to the cartridge design. All this and it comes in at a great price. My second favorite calligraphy fountain pen for drawing s the LAMY Joy, which is a great pen in the more traditional design you are used to.

Pilot Falcon – Gold Nib Drawing Fountain Pen

This is an amazing Pilot fountain pen that is a true joy to draw with. The 14k gold nib allows great freedom in line size and is capable of producing a brush like effect as well as precise and fine lines. This model is one of the most versatile I have used for sketching and is absolutely worth the larger price tag. A gold nib pen is not for the hobbyist but if you enjoy drawing with a fountain pen then it will likely become one of your favorite pens to draw with.

Pelikan Classic M200 – Best Overall Drawing Fountain Pen

I am a huge fan of Pelikan fountain pens (I may or may not own a very large collection of vintage Pelikans) and every fountain pen artist should own at least one. Out of all the Pelikan fountain pens out there, the M200 is the best entry point. They are a luxury pen that you will want to use all the time. With the beautiful flow and precise nib I have produced my best drawings with the M200. This pen is not only a great performer, it is a stunner too. The vibrant green and black is an eye catcher and I get compliments on my Pelikan all the time. I love this pen so much I’ve owned at least a half dozen and have gifted them more times than I can count. This is easily the best overall fountain pen for drawing I have had the pleasure of using.

Fountain Pen Nibs For Drawing

Because fountain pens offer a wide variety of nib styles and options it is important to have a basic understanding of what to look for in a nib to ensure you are happy with your fountain pen.

Nib Shape

The conversation about ideal nib for drawing can elicit strong emotions from some fountain pen enthusiasts but for this article we will keep it simple. When looking at nibs you will come across round nibs most often. A round nib will allow you to create consistent line width which can be great especially for beginners. But if you are looking for the ability to create varied line width then you will be better off going with a flexible or italic nib style. This will create a more complex line and provide you with much more artistic freedom. This comes at the cost of a longer learning curve but don’t worry, with practice you will have it under control.

You may come across more nib styles such as the zoom nib, fude nib and more. The key to getting started with fountain pen drawing though is to not spend all your time researching nibs and instead get your pen and start drawing.

Nib Flexibility

The most important thing to remember about the flexibility of your nib is that the more flexible the nib is the more variation in line width you can produce. Keep in mind that flexible nibs tend to come in at a higher price point than your less flexible nibs. My general recommendation on flexibility is that if your fountain pen is for drawing you should invest in a flexible nib as most artists will benefit from the complex line width it offers. The most flexible nibs are made of gold but if the price tag of a gold nib is a bit high then you can get a sufficiently flexible nib in steel. Like with many things in life though, a gold nib tends to be far superior to a steel one and if it’s within your budget go for the gold.

Nib Size

Nib size is definitely a subjective aspect of fountain pen selection. The scale you will be drawing at will dictate the size of your nib. But don’t fret over this too much at the beginning as it is hard to assess what is best for your particular situation until you have used a fountain pen and felt what works best for you. Generally speaking though, if you draw big then go with a medium or calligraphy style nib but if small sketching is your thing, go with a fine nib as it will make it much easier to create those fine details that make a smaller drawing pop.