It’s hard to say which of these are the best pens, because you may have different priorities and preferences than I do. Let me know which onesyou loved, which ones let you down, and tell me aboutyour favorites that didn’t make the list! However, if you’re on the fence, and not sure if a fountain pen is right for you, I’d suggest trying one of these, which is easier on the pocket book, and will give you a taste of what a fountain pen can do for your journaling experience. Creating a beautiful journal or hand-drawn expression is easy with Zebra Pen Journaling and Lettering Set. I (Katie) am currently updating it with my favorite pens, so please excuse if the numbers in the title don’t quite match the number of pens in the article…I’ll get it all matched up soon!

Each pen features a unique mild colour that shows up softly on paper, with a broad and fine point tip to choose from for all hand lettering and marking applications. They’re affordableenough to keep four or five in my purse,so I end up reaching for them a lot as an everyday writing pen. These PaperMate InkJoy Gel pens are different from the Gelly Roll pens, as they feel way more like everyday ballpoint pens rather than the flowing and almost paint-like experience of a Gelly Roll.The pastel hues are my go to, because they do the job, but don’t look like the garish old highlighters of yore. The tip is wide and angled, making them a breeze to use, and you can highlight important things in one or two swipes, making them fairly no fuss to use. One of the leading ladies of hand lettering, Dawn Nicole,demos these tiny brush pens quite a bit, and can do far more things with them than I can.

No matter the project, big or small, MILDLINER Double-Ended Creative Highlighters and Dual-Tip Brush Pens are a necessary addition to your creative arsenal. My recommendation if you’re just getting started is to get the multi-pack, and choose your favorite size from there.They don’t bleed through the pages we tested them on, and have great reusable packaging, making them easy to through in your purse or backpack to work with them on on the go. I find the 01 tip size has too fine a tip for Bullet Journaling, and when you go up to tip size 10 or 12, it’s really quite a thick line you get.