Fineliners are perfect for those moments when you need precision and clarity in your colour drawings, illustrations, charts and graphs. They are also increasingly being used for writing too, with their unique, smooth feel. Well, they’re perfect for outlining and filling in fine details in drawings, as well as technical drawing and writing. They’re also great for journaling, scrapbooking, and any project that requires precision and attention to detail. You can use fineliners not only for precision drawing but also for various other purposes. This includes illustrations, comic art, journaling, writing, and sketching. Since most of these pens use water-based ink, they produce controlled lines that are less likely to bleed through the paper. Some pens also use oil-based inks, which you can make use of for writing or drawing on smooth, glossy paper. You can use these pens to write or sketch over glossy surfaces like photographs. It has been a great experience looking at all these fineliner pens in such detail. My favourite is still the Uni-Pin Fineliner, but I am a creature of habit. It just seems to be the best value for money, comes in a great range of nib sizes, has a decent colour selection for sketching and the nib is very hard-wearing. The pigment ink is waterproof and relatively smudge proof, but not great for Watercolours. Now, onto the Pigma Micron. These fineliners are the gold standard in the industry, known for their archival quality ink that is waterproof, fade-resistant, and doesn’t bleed through paper. Plus, they’re made with a durable plastic nib that maintains its shape even after heavy use, ensuring consistent lines every time.

With the sizing of the Micros, you need to be aware that the sizes take a little understanding. A Micron 05 does not equate to a 0.5mm nib, but a 0.45mm nib. So it is a size 5. The pens are clearly labelled, but it’s a little quirk of the naming system to be aware of.

But first, let’s start with the basics. Fineliners are a type of pen with a fine, precise tip that is perfect for detail work, outlining, and technical drawing. They come in a variety of tip sizes, colours, and ink types, making them a versatile tool for any artist. The Staedtler Pigment Liner is winning here, with 11 different nib sizes available. It comes in a broad 1.2 nib as well as an excellent selection of smaller sizes. The Uni-Pin and Pigma Micron Fineliners have the smallest nib size at 0.03. It gives you good precision, but you do have to be careful not to press too hard as it is very delicate. I’ve found the 0.1 nib size holds up much better over time.

The second ink test is Daler Rowney FW Ink. This is an acrylic-based ink and we are using Lemon Yellow. Again, I have I’ve drawn a series of different marks with the fineliners and gone over them with the ink. For this test we are looking at how well the fineliners work with inks. I am using two types of ink for this test. The first test is the fineliners with Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks. This is a shellac dye-based ink. I am using canary yellow ink in this experiment. There are no eraser pens for alcohol markers, which is a question we see a lot of. Because of the way the pigment bonds to the paper, there’s no obvious white out/tipex answer you will find in a typical pen form. When it comes to choosing the best fineliners for your needs, there are a few factors to consider. First, think about what you’ll be using them for and what tip sizes and colours you’ll need. Also, consider the quality of the ink and nib – you want something that will last and maintain its shape over time.

Easels

I encourage you to experiment with a variety of pens to find what fits your style best. 1. Parker Jotter Fountain Pen Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – fineliners are great for adding details and corrections to your work.