Which Ink Refill to Use for Brush Pens

Find out my top three recommendations. Below are links to my detailed reviews.
Sailor KiwaGuro:
www.parkablogs.com/node/11387
Platinum Carbon Ink
www.parkablogs.com/content/re...
De Atramentis Archive
www.parkablogs.com/content/re...
Rotring Ink:
www.parkablogs.com/content/re...
--------------------------------------------------------
Find me on
KZbin: / teohyc
ParkaBlogs: www.parkablogs.com
Facebook: / parkablogs
Twitter: / parkablogs
Instagram: / parkablogs
Gumroad: gumroad.com/parkablogs
Patreon: / parkablogs

[@OleElfers]

I'm a german based grahic designer and illustrator and I used a lot of different pigmented inks (platinum, de atramentis, sailor, super5, rohrer & klinger, etc.) for my brush pens and also my fountain pens. My favorite one is the Rohrer & Klinger SketchINK. They come in a wide variety of colors and drys with the least amount of shine of all my inks. They are really affordable (i pay around 10-12 dollars or 8-10 euros for a 50 ml bottle) and the quality is excellent! I haven't any problems with clogging and im using them for more than 1 1/2 years on a regular basis. Give them a try and you will love them.

[@teohyc]

Thanks for the tip. I heard a lot about that ink.

[@OleElfers]

The only "downside" is the missing of a pure yellow for a cmyk system... Their yellow is a little bit too orange for that. I hope they will fill this gap in the future.

[@mrbreede]

What brush pen you use? And where did you buy it and the also where did you buy the ink. Currently in Germany and am having trouble finding good places to look for good quality art products to test.

[@sjsjdjfjf5116]

Ole Elfers are they water proof I do a lot of watercolor

[@R.F.S.]

Hi! I was wondering if you know something about the Rohrer & Klinger SketchINK light-fastness... Is it lightfast?

[@hollybroxson5635]

Thank you for sharing. I've been trying to find suggestions on this subject. This will be very helpful.

[@ms.marvelous7019]

Thanks for this comparison! Never hear of Sailor ink but can't wait to try ✒👌

[@taytay4698]

Teoh this is really informative. Been searching the ink for a while :D

[@higherground711]

I find it interesting that first three have darker overlapping lines/streak just like markers have it. The Sakura Pigma Brush pen I have does it too. I appreciate the suggestions of ink refills for brush pens. 👍 😄 Thanks Teoh.

[@vikvicious1]

Noodlers Heart of Darkness is a more black and still waterproof ink, so it should work quite well without much patchiness.

[@brettthorndike1079]

Thank you Tech Chie, just the info I needed

[@Ucceah]

diluted inkjet ink works really well. 1 : 10 to 1 : 20 ink/water mostly still comes out pitch black (depending on the paper), so a bottle goes a long way. even the highly pigmented, water and fadeproof stuff does not become permanent, untill absorbed into paper. tends to flow a bit watery/dry, but a bit of gummi arabicum makes it run thicker and juicier, and keeps it on top of the paper, rather than feathering. (also works wonderfully in fountain pens)

[@alexanderrrrrrrrr]

Hey Teoh, I bought the "de atramentis" archive ink document black but still have to try it. From the review I might also give the sailor kiwaguro a try. Good tip on using a cheaper brush pen to test out certain inks first. Thanks!

[@capnstabbn]

I've been filling my brush and fountain pens with the Rohrer & Klingner SketchINK line, which is inexpensive and comes in a variety of colors. So far, so good. :)

[@ruthwalton3457]

Omg I looked them up and I think I will have to get some to try .... they look very nice I do already have a multitude of inks lol but one more set won't hurt 😍😂🙈

[@capnstabbn]

@@ruthwalton3457 I recommend buying a few samples so you can decide if you like them without burning a lot of money at once. I plan on getting some from Fountainfeder (a German-based shop) to see if I can build a cmyk set of sorts. :D

[@ruthwalton3457]

@@capnstabbn they do a small set here in the UK for cheaper than individual bottles and if find I am not so keen I let the local club use them but I usually like all the German stuff I have used so far. Thank you 😍😘

[@arcuda2001]

Hi, Teoh.. I’ve been using the DeAtramentis document inks, in brown , and in grey, and love them .. they dry pretty fast ( moreso when I’m using in fountain pens , than in the brushpen, but that is to be expected , since brushpen lays down so much more ink.. slower drying time) .. I use the Noodlers’ bulletproof in my fountain pens as well , and enjoy them.. I just see that I have to wait a bit longer for them to dry fully , before applying watercolor... most of my ink purchases were made because of your fabulous and thorough reviews :-)) thanks as always.. you’ve always been a mainstay for me, as I research which art materials to buy ...

[@yamigekusu]

This is oddly appropriate because I used up my first cartridge for my Pentel Pocket Brush pen lol

[@KirkWarren]

Dr Martins and Deleter for me. Have quart of speedball for mixing or diluting with other inks as needed.

[@ritroder]

I've been using the Rotring Drawing ink for 2 years in my Pentel Pocket Brush pen and it works really good for how cheap it is.

[@teohyc]

That’s good to know

[@apoorvatripathi9520]

Are you sure I can use it it’s under my budget

[@thulegezelschap5884]

I use Rotring ink too, it is the blackest and most waterproof ink out there i guess

[@xingyuzhou1891]

Speedball India Ink is fine too. Brush pens don't really clog very easily. I also recommend inking a waterbrush instead of a using a "real" brush pen. Pentel Aquash (a.k.a. Vistage) is great, since you can squeeze to control the ink flow, and there are several brush sizes to choose from.

[@marinacavalcante8529]

thanks dear, really helped me

[@LilacKoi]

Thank you for saving my brush pen!! I was debating putting india ink in it, but thought I should double check if its safe

[@karensurber3744]

Really appreciate all your reviews and recommendations. I got the Moonman fountain pen and am using the Noodler's ink with good results. Are there colored inks that would be safe in fountain pens? Any guidance and/or recommendations would be very helpful to me. Thanks for all you do. 😊💛⭐️

[@teohyc]

The De Atramentis archive coloured inks are said to be safe for fountain pen use

[@fukutaichou1903]

Unfortunately, these brands are not available in my country. Do you think Zig Sumi Ink 60 will work and not ruin the Pentel pocket brush pen? For the Rotring ink do you put it directly or do you still add water on it when you refill? Thank you in advance for your advice.

[@Kk.23.]

Hello, is Rotring drawing ink encre de chine, safe for pantel brushpen use? its the only alternative i can find in LAS.

[@ruthwalton3457]

Noooo I should have resisted watching. I now want some brush pens more ink and and and.... I have so many pens and lots of brushes and so many inks 🙈😂. I like to use a stick/twig with ink so it is not even . Am going to do some more architectural drawings with watercolour washes so will look at getting a brush pen Lovely video thankyou 😍😘

[@atorybrifh949]

Can you try Baoke ms202 and Baoke 210 ink? They are cheap ink designed for Baoke brush pen but I don't know if they can be used for others pen.

[@D_iugas]

Hello does anyone know is YiDeGe liquid Ink siutable for using with brush pen?

[@kurenaishiki537]

which brand of waterproof ink can use on Pental brush pen and Kuretake brush Pen ?

[@farukcabadag2602]

Can i use acrylic ink in my Pentel Pocket Brush pen?

[@Jehag2]

Nothing beats the original pentel cartridge ink. :( I believe it is a very high quality pigment (India) ink. But good to know about he refill possibilities. Thanks. :)

[@adr.lim.]

wait but i saw on akihito yoshitomi's video he said he uses kaimei india ink for his pentel brush pen, or am i mistaken,,,,,,

[@soptorshibhattacharjee2824]

which brush pen did you use to show the sailor kiwaguro ink??

[@chuckychan6627]

Beautiful letter

[@anilkumarn8879]

Very useful,,,,,,thank you "Teoh yi chie".

[@kich6172]

Very helpful.

[@teohyc]

Thanks 😁

[@gokhanersan8561]

Finally splurged on that Platinum Carbon Black. Pure black magic. Considering trashing all my Noodler’s inks altogether.

[@teohyc]

I dilute Noodlers ink to fill my other brush pens to create various grays that I can use quickly for tonal studies.

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@teohyc Noodler’s black is just absolutely ruinous to my brushes. Not worth it, man. Noodler’s Yellow is ok. Blue is again patchy and wavy when brushed on. I am looking towards De Atremantis document inks.

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@teohyc I bought this expensive Pelikan Edelstein gray. Fantastic stuff. I use the cheap Ecoline light gray watercolor to dilute it. Very impressive. (I probably should use the DeAtrementis diluter.)

[@teohyc]

@@gokhanersan8561 How does it ruin brushes? It's one of the more fluid black inks compared to the others. I find it works really well as diluted inks inside those Pentel (large) brush pens. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fl6qoGWjbZqdoas

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@teohyc I bought Noodler’s black “American Eel.” Placed in the feed of the Kuretake no.50 sable. The brush dried out. The bristles are splitting. Maybe it’s the American Eel that’s bad. I don’t like it dipped either, lays an eggy, uneven wash.

[@thewanderess]

Hi Teoh! I'm quite a fan of yours. Thank you for this video. Just a quick question though: I have been using carbon ink (and various other black inks) for refilling my pentel brush pen. But I recently noticed that the pentel (black) ink cartridges are much more darker than my other inks. There's something about the pentel ink that is very attractive (it's not just the colour , I can't quite put a finger on it). However I realise that they don't sell the bottled ink. I'm not quite fond of cartridges. Have you found anything closer to pentel ink? Or do you know what type of ink they use? Thanks

[@teohyc]

Maybe Rotring ink

[@thewanderess]

@@teohyc will check that out, thanks!

[@IrisMG]

I've only ever used a disposable brush pen. Will be looking for a refillable one that the brush stays good on

[@firmestudio2033]

Kuretake no. 50

[@Jehag2]

You can refill cartridges using a syringe with a needle.

[@suzalasuzala1135]

Hi, I Love these brushes and the Kuretake ink inside as I add water to the drawings and get nice grey toned values as it is not waterproof. Could you recommend a very black ink that is water soluble? TIA.. Hope all is well with you and your family!

[@teohyc]

Water soluble as in you want to add water to dilute the ink? Noodler's Bulletproof Black is good for diluting. If you need a neutral gray, consider Daler Rowney Kandahar www.parkablogs.com/content/review-daler-rowney-kandahar-drawing-ink

[@madhugoyal9363]

What is link for buying the pen brush please tell

[@x-changex-outx-oner8224]

Great review, Teoh. The thing I do to keep the ink from crusting up on the bottle threads is: I take a wet paper towel and wipe off the threads and rim of ink , along with wiping out the inside of the cap. That way uncapping the ink bottle takes less effort the next time one uses the ink.

[@teohyc]

Thanks for the tip

[@x-changex-outx-oner8224]

@@teohyc You're very welcomed. Thanks for all of your reviews and demonstrations.

[@mr.boombastic170]

Can I use Parker black ink in my brush pen

[@WhiskeredNightfall]

Thank you so much for this informative video! I own a Pentel pocket brush pen and it’s running out of ink hahahahaha

[@igorivanovichy475]

what is the water pen in this video

[@Waynimations]

I need to experiment more with materials

[@Austriahero-co3pf]

Hey quick question. Is there a noticable difference in responsiveness or accuarcy between the Galaxy Tab S4 and the the Huawai mediapad m5 pro when it comes to handwriting? Great Videos keep it up!

[@teohyc]

They are pretty similar in performance. Main difference is the feeling of the pen. I prefer S Pen

[@Austriahero-co3pf]

@@teohycThank you for the quick answer! What is it you like more about the s pen? And do you you have the LTE Version of the Mediapad? Because I can not find the Wifi Version of that Tablet.

[@teohyc]

@@Austriahero-co3pf S Pen tip is softer and has more friction which is great for drawing. Huawei is significantly cheaper and hence more worth the money.

[@teohyc]

@@Austriahero-co3pf Mine's the Wifi version

[@p1cha]

Teoh, sorry for the late comment, but do you know the Molotow Blackliner ink, and if it’s safe to use as a refill for brushpens?? Thanks a lot

[@teohyc]

I've not used that before so I can't say much

[@282828lisa]

Hi Teoh, I was wondering if I could use A 500 Platinum ink converter on a #8 kuretake brush pen?

[@teohyc]

It should work. the 500 Platinum ink convertor is just the normal Platinum ink convertor

[@JakeTheSuperGuy]

Would it be ok to use the Winsor and Newton Black Ink? It doesn't say india ink on it anywhere but it does state on the bottle that you "should wash the applicator immediately after use". What do you think?

[@teohyc]

If it doesn't specifically say it's safe for fountain pens, it's not safe.

[@JakeTheSuperGuy]

Teoh Yi Chie Ok, thank you so much for taking the time to reply, have a nice day!

[@mob1_]

Question, are all fountain pens, (like Pentel brand) can the body be refilled even though they have refill bodies sold separately? I really don't wanna spend for each refill

[@teohyc]

They can be refilled

[@denniresejavier2537]

What if you use a computer printer ink for the brush pen? Would that work too?

[@teohyc]

I've not tried that so I can't say.

[@KaPowSchool]

Can you use acrylic ink to refill brush pen without ruining the bristles?

[@teohyc]

Not sure about acrylic ink. I don't use acrylic but it sounds like something that will hardened and that's bad for brushes.

[@khushboo3412]

Can I use parker ink or sumi ink to refill my pocket brush pen?? Please reply, its a bit urgent

[@teohyc]

Parker, yes, since it is dye ink. Sumi, no, as it is heavily pigmented

[@daisylopezartist]

Good thing I saw this! Iwas about to put indian ink to fill my pilot pentel brush cartridge! Hahaha!

[@user-vm8il6jt3z]

Indian ink usually for dip pen or dip brush

[@cuacks.h.5455]

Does somebody know if speedball super black india ink is good to use in brush pen? I've seen recommendations in Rohrer & Klingner sketch ink, but is not available in my country

[@gunsmokeandghouls]

I've used speedball in my Pentel pocket brush pen for a year. No issues. I wouldn't use it in a more expensive brush pen though.

[@brianeby4150]

What about inks for fountain pens. What would you recommend.

[@teohyc]

The inks in this video are also safe for fountain pen use

[@james-de3lj]

Can you use waterman or iroshizuku ink for a brush pen like a kuretake sumi ?

[@teohyc]

You can

[@sainandkamat9869]

Hi teoh, can i use fountain pen dye based ink in pental flude brush pen?

[@teohyc]

You can

[@K1DWOLF]

I really love your channel. I iust started Suibokuga

[@HuyNguyen-cs8tk]

How do they compare to rotring ink? (Great work btw.)

[@teohyc]

Rotring ink should be fine. The ink doesn't dry with crusty ink particles

[@mikuenjoyerXD]

If I dilute India ink a lot should it be safe for my water brush pen?

[@teohyc]

India ink is pigmented and is not safe even when diluted.

[@10418]

Is it ok to use Windsor and newton black ink? because it's the only one my store has

[@teohyc]

Those are not safe for fountain pens

[@10418]

Teoh Yi Chie thanks to you I ordered the 03:03 you are the best.

[@samsong8355]

Would Daler Rowney waterproof ink or kuretake sumi ink be safe for brush pens ? The brands being recommended are not available in my country.

[@teohyc]

Note sure about those two. Noodlers ink is good too.

[@samsong8355]

@@teohyc unfortunately even noodlers is unavailable. I might just experiment with inks on micron pens

[@888hhhh]

​@@teohycPelikan 4001 ink is good?

[@ChinZu]

Can I use G-pen or a dip pen ink to refill it?

[@teohyc]

Depends on how heavily pigmented the ink is. If there are crusty dried ink particles around the bottle opening, don't use that ink inside any pen or brush pens.

[@ubermenschmexa]

I can only get Pelikan brand ink, will it give me issues with my Pentel brush pen? Can I dilute it to avoid potential clogging?

[@teohyc]

Not sure about Pelikan. Definitely don't use Pelikan Fount India, even if diluted.

[@ubermenschmexa]

@@teohyc So the one I should definitely avoid is the one that says India, right? Thanks, I'll try the one I have (pretty sure it's not India)

[@teohyc]

@@ubermenschmexa Avoid India inks. Also look at the bottle open and see if there are crusty ink particles, those ink bottles are to be avoided too.

[@888hhhh]

​@@teohycCan I use Pelikan 4001 ink for the brush pen? I know it's for the fountain pen so it might work

[@lizcharalambous9150]

Can you recommend a white opaque ink for brush pens?

[@teohyc]

I don't know of any white opaque inks that won't clog the pen. If you want to use white ink with brush, it's best to use bottled white ink.

[@mr.boombastic170]

can a fountain pen ink be used in brush pen

[@teohyc]

Yes

[@sainandkamat9869]

Hey teoh can i use parker quink ink for pental brush pen extra fine ?

[@teohyc]

Yes you can

[@sainandkamat9869]

@@teohyc it wont cause any problem?

[@stel1000]

I think if im not mistaken that you can use China ink in it too.

[@teohyc]

Chinese ink is also heavily pigmented so don’t use in pens

[@stel1000]

@@teohyc well what type of ink is in the pentel brush pen? Seems really pigmented and kinda shiny when it dries. Also a seller told me you can use China ink in it. But well maybe it’s him trying to make his product sound too perfect. Maybe you’re right.

[@mrmakinist]

normal ink ?

[@Jm-vl6id]

🔥

[@nicolle2126]

Does the sailor ink bottle have like an ink well (?) inside it? i noticed something plastic inside the bottle when you opened it and wanted to know if it came with the insert to make fountain pens fill easier when the ink level is low (because if so i really need to get me a bottle of sailor ink!)

[@teohyc]

There's an ink well

[@nicolle2126]

@@teohyc That's great to hear! I dont see it in fountain pen ink bottles very often

[@mariochavez5583]

i use platinum carbon, waterproof and safe with alcohol markers, how marker safe is the sailor ink?

[@teohyc]

Sailor ink is safe too. Similar to Platinum

[@dexter1045]

Is it safe for me to use Acrylic Ink to refill the brush pen? I use Speedball Acrylic ink btw.

[@SosaSlump]

does anyone know what kind of pen he has in this video?

[@teohyc]

You can find them here www.parkablogs.com/tags/brush-pen

[@ramxnart9520]

Can I refill mine with pilot ink??

[@teohyc]

Check if it's pigmented ink. If not it's going to clog.

[@rinkoos1315]

How is rotrinng for brush pen reply quick

[@teohyc]

Should work alright

[@rinkoos1315]

@@teohyc for pentel fude It is pigmented sooo pls guide quick sorry to bother

[@moderneaux]

Would U use SUMI INK?

[@teohyc]

No. Sumi ink is heavily pigmented.

[@moderneaux]

@@teohyc thank you for preventing a disaster

[@Cirno.9]

Can use pilot cartridges ink?

[@teohyc]

You can if the cartridges fit.

[@Cirno.9]

@@teohyc ok. But.. so many variant for fountain ink, it's fine to use fountain ink? I'm use for training calligraphy

[@teohyc]

@@Cirno.9 For calligraphy you can use any fountain pen ink. You don't need waterproof ones. If you want to use waterproof inks, make sure the bottle says it's safe for fountain pen use. I recommend Rotring ink because it's quite fluid.

[@Cirno.9]

@@teohyc oh can use ok thanks. Well no need waterproof. Rostring ink hard to find in local store(my country). Thanks for answering, sorry late reply.

[@ozwalled2007]

About how much ink would you say is needed for a single refill of a brush pen?

[@teohyc]

Not sure. Small cartridge is usually 1.5ml

[@makewithmegma]

👌👍

[@bethanygraham427]

At $128Au + for a bottle of the the Sailor ink, I will stick to the cartridges.

[@teohyc]

Go with the other brands. Platinum Carbon is US $20 with free global shipping. www.ebay.com.sg/itm/Platinum-Fountain-Pen-Bottle-Ink-60-cc-Carbon-Ink-Black-INKC-1500/183659988766

[@ayudhnagaraj3204]

Can we use sumi ink?

[@teohyc]

No

[@ayudhnagaraj3204]

@@teohyc hey thanks for the reply! I wanted to know more about an ink if you could help me? I can't seem to find anything much about it on the internet web as well as KZbin. It's called IroIro Bokuteki Ink with a blue cap. I want to know more about it as well as if the Bokuteki Ink can be used in brush pens

[@teohyc]

@@ayudhnagaraj3204 I've not tried that ink before so I can't say much.

[@ayudhnagaraj3204]

@@teohyc thank you for your help! I really want to know more about it though , can't find anything about the Kuretake IroIro Bokuteki Ink on the internet , I wonder why :(

[@nigeljanggu3981]

Which is the cheapest

[@teohyc]

Noodlers

[@niherati187]

I accidentally clogged my new pocket brush pen with Indian Ink, can anyone help me pls 😭😭😭😭

[@teohyc]

It's gonna be almost impossible to clean the stuck pigment inside unfortunately. Maybe try some pen cleaning liquid, Roting Cleaning Fluid, Bombay Pen Cleaner.

[@niherati187]

@@teohyc Thank you for the reply, I’ll try my best!

[@nanaiart]

Use rotring ink

[@gamingboy8147]

NOOD 5:17

[@TANMAN47TANMAN]

Waterproof watercolor ah yes

[@KirejiArt]

So awesome! 😁 I wanna do more art with ink! Great review! Btw I uploaded a new video yesterday! A speed eye drawing 😁 hope u can check it out give me feedback

[@dplj4428]

1:15 particles on bottle rim, warning..Don’t use

[@masterofgamers2079]

Hey am offended 💀 because u have not used any of the other Indian inks just because they are not in your liking doesn't mean u could offend anyone

[@Captain_MonsterFart]

That's stupid.

[@saeeshpednekar]

Sad indian noises

[@Hellomaslave]

Lol