Artists who work with pen are often concerned with smearing, especially left-handed artists who have to worry about dragging their hand through the ink as they write. What kind of pens are less likely to smear?
Ballpoint and felt-tipped pens do not smear because these types of pens use quick-drying ink. The more quickly a pen’s ink dries, the less likely it is to smear. Ballpoint pens use oil-based ink, while felt-tipped pens use ink with an alcohol base. There are a few factors other than ink to consider, though, when determining whether or not a pen will smear, like the amount of ink you’re using and the surface you’re writing on.
What Kind of Pens Doesn’t Smear?
Let’s take a look at the two types of pens that are least likely to smear.
Ballpoint Pens
Ballpoint pens were invented in 1888 as an alternative to messy fountain pens, which had the nasty habit of smearing and getting all over everything due to their thin, liquid, water-based ink. But it wasn’t until the 1930s that they became widely used, once they were re-engineered using a quick-drying oil-based ink similar to that used in newsprint. Ballpoints’ oil-based ink keeps it thick enough to not flow too quickly out of the pen, while also keeping it from feathering, as is the case with some water-based inks. Because less ink is deposited, it is free to dry more quickly, reducing smudging chances.
Felt Tipped Pens
Felt-tipped pens, also often called fine-tipped markers, use alcohol-based inks as most markers do. The alcohol dries quickly, almost eliminating the chances of smudging, even when writing quickly.
The downsides of using felt-tipped pens are:
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- The tips aren’t fine enough for detailed work.
- The ink tends to feather or spread, so it is less easy to control precisely.
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What Kind of Pens Do Smear?
The following pens are more prone to smearing than either ballpoint or felt-tipped pens, although different brands and models offer less smudging.
Rollerball Pens
Roller Pens are built in the same way as ballpoint pens, using a rotating ball to deliver ink and protect it from drying out. The main difference is that the ink in roller pens uses water-based ink similar to fountain pen ink. The ink is excellent for people who want to write using less pressure because it flows out much more freely than oil-based ink. However, because of this, it’s slower to dry, making it very likely to smudge.
Gel Pens
Gel pens are a hybrid of oil-based and water-based pens, and they use the same mechanics. The ink is water-based, but it has a thickening agent added, making it a gel consistency. The gel is more vibrant and smooth-flowing than ballpoint pen ink, but not as much as the ink in rollerball pens. This makes it more prone to smearing than ballpoint ink, but not too bad.
Check out our article here on gel pens.
Fountain Pens
Fountain pens are known to smudge like crazy and be messy to refill, so the ballpoint pen was invented to replace them. On the other hand, no other pens feel quite as lovely in hand since they require so little pressure to lay down ink. For the most part, fountain pens are not generally thought to be a practical pen for everyday use.
What Other Factors Affect Smearing?
Although the ink that a pen uses is the number one factor in determining whether it will smear, it’s far from the only one.
Paper Type and Quality
The type of surface you’re writing on will have a lot to do with whether or not a pen smears. Thicker, more porous paper that soaks the ink up will reduce smudges and smears. A cheaper paper, or paper with a glossy coat, like wrapping paper, doesn’t soak the ink up as well, leaving it to pool and potentially smudge before it has a chance to dry.
Drawing or Writing Style
Your drawing or writing style also has a lot to do with how likely you end up with smeared ink. For instance:
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- Dominant hand: If you’re left-handed, your hand is more likely to drag across wet ink, smearing it
- Amount of Ink: If you use a lot of pressure or go back over lines to make them thicker, the extra ink you’re laying down is more likely to smudge than thin, light lines
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Humidity
Humidity can play a part in ink smears since the ink will naturally dry more slowly in a humid environment than in a dry one. You can speed up the drying process using a space heater or even a blow dryer to dry the ink carefully. Especially if your paper isn’t super absorbent, even ink that has dried is vulnerable to smearing if you handle it in a humid environment or with sweaty hands.
Pen Quality
Although certain types of pens and certain types of ink are intended to behave in specific ways, the quality of a pen and its ink will affect its overall performance, including smearing. Some companies are starting to modify their rollerball or gel ink to make it quick-drying, making it less likely to smudge than usual. As no-smear technology improves, the smearing differences between pen types are slowly decreasing.
The Best No-Smear Pens
Now that you know a little more about what makes a pen more or less likely to smear, you’ll be better able to pick out the best pens for you. To get you started, here are some of the most popular no-smear pens on the market.
Sharpie Fine Point Pen
Sharpie is well-known in the world of markers, but they make fine pens, too. Take the Sharpie Fine Point Pen, for example. They come in a range of vibrant shades and feature fine tips, making them perfect for coloring in addition to note-taking. Plus, the quick-drying ink is both water and fade-resistant, making smearing a thing of the past.
Uni-ball Jetstream Pen
The Jetstream Pen from uni-ball delivers bold, clean lines that flow smoothly using minimal pressure. The ink is gel-based but formulated to be quick-drying, and therefore more smear-resistant than common gel pens. The gel ink helps the pen glide across the page and is fade and fraud-resistant.
Zebra Pen Z-Grip
Zebra is a name that continually comes up in forums asking for smudge-free pens for left-handers. Their Z-Grip pen is said to resist smudges even on glossy surfaces like business cards. The pens are equipped with a comfort-enhancing rubber grip for those long writing sessions.
Mr. Pen Felt Tipped Pens
Mr. Pen Felt Tipped Pens uses a quick-drying alcohol-based ink that’s nearly impossible to smear. The fine points and brilliant color selection make them perfect for taking notes or creating dazzling artwork. Users especially love their smoothness and the fact that they don’t bleed through paper.
Papermate Ballpoint Pens
Although they’re not the fanciest pens on the list, Papermate Ballpoint Pens are tried and true writing tools. Their comfort grip keeps hand pain at bay, and the ink doesn’t smudge even for left-handers. The ink is typical oil-based ballpoint ink, so it’s not as smooth as some gel or rollerball pens, but it does what you need it to. If you’re looking for an economical writing tool, the Papermate ballpoint is the one for you.
Bic Gel-Ocity Quick Dry Pens
Bic Gel-Ocity Quick Dry Pens are another excellent example of a gel pen with ink that’s been modified to dry more quickly. The company claims that the ink dries three times more quickly, making a big difference if you’re working quickly. The fuller pen width makes writing easier for those with grip issues due to arthritis and other conditions, making the smooth writing experience even more pleasant.
Sharpie S-Gel Pens
Sharpie bookends our list, making it on again with their S-Gel Pens. The pens are available in fine, medium, or bold, and come in five colors:
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- Black
- Red
- Blue
- Green
- Purple
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The boldly colored gel ink glides on smoothly and is formulated not to smear or bleed.
Final Thoughts
Pens are versatile tools, working just as well in art and coloring as they do for writing. But not every pen is created equal, so it’s essential to understand which pens will be more likely to smear, better for precision work, and so on, so you can find one that best suits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What papers are useful for preventing smearing?
Higher quality, thicker paper more easily absorbs ink, making the ink less likely to smudge. Glossy paper is more likely to cause smudging because most of the ink sits on top of the surface rather than sinking in.
What pens are more likely to smear?
Pens with ink that contains more water, like fountain pens, are more likely to smear because they take longer to dry. Thicker gel inks will often smear as well.
How can I protect finished pen art from smearing?
Apply a protective spray varnish or fixative over the finished artwork, and store it flat, separated by thin paper, or in a frame.
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