Every office worker knows the value of a good pen for taking notes or jotting down to-do lists, but these convenient tools are often overlooked in terms of art mediums. Pens come in every color of the rainbow these days, making them the perfect tool for colorists on the go. But what are the best pens for coloring books?
The best pens for coloring books are:
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- Gel pens: rich, gel-based ink
- Watercolor brush pens: ink that mimics watercolor paint
- Ballpoint pens: quick-dry oil-based ink
- Rollerball pens: smooth, water-based ink
- Paint pens: paint instead of ink
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We’ve done the homework for you and compiled this handy guide to the best pens for coloring books, so you can make an informed decision and choose the pen that works best for you. We’ll take a look at each of these pen types and include a couple of examples of each to give you an idea of your options.
The Best Pens for Coloring Books
As any stationery enthusiast will tell you, all pens are not created equal. Each type of pen has its unique characteristics, making some better than others for different types of coloring. We’ll get into each type below, their pros and cons, and what type of coloring they’re best suited for.
Gel Pens
Gel pens are one of the most popular choices among colorists. With their bold colors and gel-based ink that glides onto the page, there’s not much to dislike about coloring with gel pens. Plus, they come in a wide assortment of colors:
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- Classic
- Neon
- Glitter
- Metallic
- Pastel
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Because gel pens use gel-based ink, the ink sits on top of coloring surfaces rather than soaking in. This prevents bleeding and feathering. Their fine tips and lack of feathering make them ideal for detailed coloring pages.
Pros:
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- Reduces hand fatigue
- No bleeding or feathering
- Bright, bold colors
- Layer well on top of most mediums
- Incredible range of colors
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Cons:
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- Go through ink very quickly
- Ink will smudge before it’s dry
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You’ll notice that one of the “cons” of gel pens is smudging – you might come to consider this a “pro” if you take advantage of it for some fun blending experiments.
Gel pens are one of our favorite kinds of pens to color with – they’re just so versatile! Here is a couple that we like:
- Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens
Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens contain quick-dry ink that dries three times faster than regular gel ink. These pens lay on color smoothly with no skipping or scratching and dry quickly enough that even left-handers love them. - PILOT G2 Premium Gel Roller Pens
Remember when we said that gel pens go through ink quickly? Well, the PILOT G2 Premium Gel Roller Pens have that sorted out – their new and improved design promises one of the longest-lasting gel pens around. The comfort grips make long coloring sessions pain-free. And they’re retractable, so you don’t have to worry about losing your caps.
Watercolor Brush Pens
Watercolor brush pens combine the beauty and versatility of watercolor paint with the convenience of a pen. What are they exactly? They’re pens that contain water-based ink that acts quite a lot like watercolor paint. And instead of a traditional pen nib, they contain brushes.
The brushes on these pens are pointed, allowing you to paint very thin lines by using little pressure. The more pressure you apply, the thicker the lines will get.
You can use the brushes alone for bolder, more opaque colors, or add water for a more transparent, washed outlook.
Watercolor brush pens are ideal for:
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- Letter art
- Thicker coloring pages
- Large-scale coloring
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Watercolor brush pens aren’t a good choice for detailed work, since their brushes aren’t as fine as other mediums, like gel pens or colored pencils. Their ink is also very fluid, so it tends to spread out from where you place it.
Some watercolor brush pens you might want to check out are:
- Crafty Croc Watercolor Paint Brush Pens
Crafty Croc Watercolor Paint Brush Pens come in 24 vibrant colors, and the set includes a clear water brush pen for blending. The high-quality nylon brushes lay down the exact amount of color you need, right where you need it, making it perfect for coloring any shape you choose. The hard travel case makes them a convenient choice for the colorist on the go. - Emooqi Watercolor Brush Pens
Emooqi Watercolor Brush Pens provide colorists with highly responsive nylon brush tips that allow ultimate control and precision. Ultra-pigmented water-based ink keeps colors bold and blendable. This set contains 36 vivid colors, all organized in a hand-carrying case.
Check out our article on watercolor pens HERE!
Ballpoint Pens
Ballpoint pens are the pens most people are familiar with, with their quick-drying oil-based ink. Ballpoint pens used to only come in black and blue, with the occasional red or green for editing. But over the past decade or two, the color range has expanded quite a bit, making ballpoint pens a decent choice for coloring books. The oil-based ink doesn’t feather, so unless it smudges, it stays where you put it. That makes it great for coloring intricate designs when you don’t want to worry about feathering outside the lines.
- Paper Mate Profile Retractable Ballpoint Pens
The ink in the Paper Mate Profile Retractable Ballpoint Pens is super vivid, making them a perfect addition to any colorist’s toolbox. Comfort grips allow for long coloring sessions and retractable nibs make this a good choice for coloring while traveling. - BIC Cristal Xtra Bold Ballpoint Pen
BIC Cristal Xtra Bold Ballpoint Pens are hexagonal, meaning you don’t have to go chasing after roll-away pens. They contain boldly colored ink that glides onto the page, making for a pleasant coloring experience.
Rollerball Pens
Rollerball pens, not to be confused with ballpoint pens, have the same tiny ball at the tip of the pen which dispenses ink and keeps air out of the reservoir. But rollerball ink is water-based and comes out much more quickly than ballpoint ink. Rollerballs tend to lay down more vivid colors than ballpoints do, and they can be used with minimal pressure to alleviate hand strain.
However, due to the super liquid ink, they tend to bleed and feather more than other pens do. For this reason, they’re not the best choice for use on thin pages, and it’s suggested that you try them out first before using them in super detailed pictures.
- Uni-Ball EYE Rollerball Pen
Uni-Ball EYE Rollerball Pens contain smudge-proof ink that comes in an exciting array of colors. The stainless steel nib ensures smooth, even coloring without worrying about skipping or scratching. Brighten up your coloring book with this set of high-quality pens. - PILOT Precise Premium Rolling Ball Pens
The extra fine-tipped PILOT Precise Premium Rolling Ball Pens allow colorists to lay down color precisely where they want it, even in very intricate works. The reservoir window ensures you’ll never run dry without warning. These brightly colored pens are a fun addition to a coloring session.
Paint Pens
Paint pens contain paint instead of ink – usually acrylic or oil-based ink. As you can imagine, paint pens can lay down a good, thick layer of color with ease. That makes them perfect for large-scale works or coloring on thicker pages.
Paint pens are also outstanding at coloring on non-traditional surfaces such as:
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- Wood
- Rock
- Cement
- Brick
- Glass
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Coloring on thin paper or trying to color very detailed patterns might not work as well with this pen type.
- Emooqi Oil-BasedPaint Pens
Emooqi Oil-BasedPaint Pens are vibrant, allowing colorists to color medium and large pictures with ease. The medium tips are great for filling in the background of coloring pages with almost no effort. - Painting Acrylic Paint Pens
Painting Acrylic Paint Pens have fine tips, allowing them to be used on more detailed works than a lot of paint pens can be. The bright colors will pop off the page and make these pens your new favorite coloring tool.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this guide gave you a pretty good idea of which pens work best for coloring books and why, as well as which ones you might like to try in your coloring. Don’t forget that you can combine pen types within the same coloring page, and even combine pens with other mediums, such as colored pencils or markers. Remember to have fun and experiment until you find what you like best.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I preserve my finished pen art?
To preserve finished pen art, store it in a way that protects it from bright light, dust and dirt, and excess humidity. An artist’s portfolio, storage box, and frame with UV-filtering glass are all good options.
What is the best paper for coloring with pens?
Pens usually do well with most papers. One exception is ballpoint pens, which may not color well on paper with a shiny surface. Another exception is watercolor brush pens, which may be too wet for very thin paper and cause it to wrinkle or tear.
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