(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best writing & correction supplies

Hi! Just took the CA Bar and am about to start packing out of my on campus apartment, so I'm feeling a bit whimsical and some of this may be more directed at her.

Writing, Notetaking, and Organization

If you're particular about writing instruments, which some people are, it will take trial and error to find your right fit. This was my go-to, and it got me through three years of time, four years of credits, and three different employers.

Sharpie Liquid Highlighters, Chisel Tip, 5 Colors


Pros

• Great color, easy grip, chisel tip allows full line highlighting and underlining.
  
• Pen format works well in almost every bag or organizer.
  
• Five colors allows you to book brief (she will know what that means, and probably shouldn't do it until she knows how to craft a good one page case brief) in FIRAC format.
  
  Cons
  
  
• Getting harder and more expensive to find.
  
• Go through ink fairly quickly.
  
  
  uni-ball Jetstream RT Ballpoint Pens, Bold Point (1.0mm)
  
  Pros
  
  
• I mainly used the capped .07mm, but the retractable .07mm work well too.
  
  Cons
  
  
• This is less of a Con and more of a comment. Things like line width, pressure, and paper type make a solid rec hard to make here. There's so much personal preference. My general rule of thumb is it should cost enough that you can rely on it without being expensive enough to make you think too hard about losing one occasionally.
  
  Freeleaf® Yellow Annotation Ruled Pads Letter
  
  Pros
  
  
• Excellent weight, color, and ink retention.
  
• Pre-formatted organization structure, so you know what everything is if it gets mixed up before you file it.
  
  Cons
  
  
• It's $7 a pad. You're not going to find good quality pads for that much cheaper, but you fill find stuff that will get the job done cheaper. I maybe spent $200 during law school on pads, because I hand wrote notes. There's empirical studies that show it helps to write notes, but it was dying out at my school and I'd be surprised if my class would show any correlation between rank and note taking style.
  
  Ticonderoga Pencils, Wood-Cased, Graphite #2 HB Soft, Black
  
  Pros
  
  
• Best quality pencil for the price, hands down.
  
  Cons
  
  
• You could spend more on Blackwing, but the marginal utility is nil outside an artistry context, if then. Save the money for other things.
  
  BIC 4-Color Ballpoint Pen, Medium Point (1.0mm)
  
  Pros
  
  
• Great quality, incredibly durable, great form factor.
  
• Makes grading papers (self grading, or if she becomes a TA) turned in via hard copy a bit simpler. I had my own system that I maintained so that students could understand (Green - Good, Red - Rework, Blue - Style, Black - Final Comments)
  
  
  
  
  Since I am pickiest about those things, I will give more general comments about the rest.
  
  
• Battery phone case, back up laptop charger, extra phone cables all work wonders. Having an extra on hand lets you not stress about the tools you need to succeed.
  
  
• A good padfolio is both useful and a nod to the history of our profession in some circles. I went with Levenger, but everyone has their preferences.
  
  
• The best bookstand on the market, in my humble opinion.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is more general, and beyond the scope of what you asked, but I felt like giving unasked for advice so you can take it or leave it.
  Sleeping & Home Life
  
  
• The surliest 2L will casually throw around comments about sleep being for the weak, but there is literally no other way to get the kind of rest your mind and body needs. Invest in the things and habits that make great sleep possible, whatever that may be for her. And do the best you can to never be a barrier to it.
  
• Sundays should be for rest and keeping everying not-school related on track. Need to visit friends or family? A few hours on Sunday is a great time to do that. Pre-plan meals and do bulk cooking to keep work down during the week. Get all the laundry done, get the kitchen clean, make sure you don't run out of toothpaste on Wednesday morning. Sunday evening you can get your reading done for Monday, but finish the night doing something restful so you don't go into Monday feeling you're jumping off a cliff.
  
• Low-effort acts of kindness do a lot of work. Writing a note, leaving a message, suprising her with a small and thoughtful gift are all great ways to show you care without imposing too much on her time and autonomy. Date night is important, and keeping a running list of things you can do at a drop of a hat for different amounts of time and money is helpful, but keeping your relationship strong through what in all likelihood will be a time of incredible change and transformation is about putting in the effort without demanding an equal or greater act of reciprocation. Even when the thank you text gets delayed more than it should, or she snaps at you unfairly, the body of love you show will find its way through to the end. The best way to show you love her is to enable her success and let her respond in ways that make sense while she figures this whole thing out.
  
• This is a very personal area that I will not spend too much time on, but here it goes. You may think you are a good lover now, and I hope you are. Try to be the best version of that for her now, in whatever form that takes. It helps a lot, proportionately to how much it's important to your relationship.
  
  Health & Wellness
  
  
• This is not a gendered comment, even and especially coming from the perspective of a guy who had some bad habits he broke before and took into law school. Any habits you thought were hard to break before law school are going to be multiples harder in law school. Dealing with this may be damage control, or require more work, depending on what it is. A caffiene fiend is going to reach unparalled heights. None of my friends who smoked going into law school found a way to quit. The moderate drinkers became heavy drinkers. Some people took up the gym as a new religion, but most stayed true to form. The only real way to know how to handle this is to either stop it quick or find an adult and productive way to keeps things reasonable.
  
  
• For the love of all that is holy, exercise. It is proven to help brain function whether in cognitive skills or emotional health or stress reduction. If it's nonexistent now, start small and try to build up to some routine of significance while it can become a habit and before the midsemester crunch hits.

If you're looking at learning drawing, I recommend starting with learning perspective. Start with 1-point perspective and you can advance from there up to 3-point or whatever you think is necessary, but they are all basically the same.

This is a fundamental that you will use with almost all your drawing. There are numerous free tutorials online for you to learn from but it is pretty basic so once you understand the concepts the most important thing is practice.

Once you understand perspective you can draw things like buildings, building interiors, landscapes, cities, etc.

When you want to learn to draw people, one of the best things you can do is get books by masters. Andrew Loomis, Burne Hogarth (Dynamic Figure Drawing, Dynamic Anatomy), George Bridgman (complete guide to drawing from life), each of these guys have several books that are very popular and for good reason, I've listed a few but check out all their books if you get the chance. Use these books to understand proportion of the human body, and learn basic anatomy. Draw the pictures in the book as studies and this will help you understand.

Now for materials what I recommend is a sketch book with decent paper (I'll talk a little more about this in a second) like this one here.

Get a pencil set with different hardnesses like this one (hardness range from 8+h on the hard side to HB which is mid hardness to 9+B on the soft side. The softer the graphite, the darker of a mark it's going to leave. You can generally stick to HB and softer, especially for now. It's best to just use traditional pencils opposed to mechanical pencils unless you're just doing line work.

Get a soft kneaded eraser like this or any other one will work fine

Pencil sharpener any one will do.


Now when you've got your supplies and want to do shading, you want to start with your hard graphite (H) first. You want to work with the "tooth" of the paper, so you want to make sure not to apply too much pressure to the paper with the pencils and the eraser. Be gentle because if you press too hard or are too rough you will crush the tooth of the paper and your graphite will become shiny. If you crush the tooth it will also make erasing very difficult. When you want to make the shadows darker you then use the same pressure but with a softer pencil, working your way up the softness scale until you are happy with your value.

The other thing about paper tooth is that it will let you draw different textures. For example if you start with a hard graphite (H), the texture you draw will be very smooth, like a skin texture or other smooth surface like a window or a counter top. If you start with a very soft graphite (B), the texture you draw will be rough looking like the surface of a rock. I hope this makes sense.

There are lots of free tutorials online. For technique a good one I found that talks about a lot of the things I mentioned is the "5 pencil method" youtube channel. If you watch some of those videos you will understand much better. If you start with these materials and all the resources I've mentioned you will be busy for quite a while.

Try to practice every day even if it's only for 10 minutes. Setting aside the time and putting in the effort to practice is often more difficult and important for your progress than the practice itself.

This is the best advice I can give to you so I hope it helps.

Can we talk about the Dixon Ticonderoga for a minute?

It is, by far, the best pencil on the market. And let me tell you why: because the little nub of rubber on top of it actually erases things. I'm sure that other pencils had this feature too, long ago, but at some point in history, pencilmakers everywhere decided that instead of a useful eraser, what consumers really wanted on top of their pencil was a shitty little piece of plastic that left a pinkish, streaky mess all over the paper.

But not Dixon. The Ticonderoga still can actually erase. And for that, I salute you, Dixon.

EDIT: Thanks for the gold. But for less than the price of reddit gold, you could have bought a fresh, new pack of Ticonderogas and almost had enough money left over for another fresh, new pack of Ticonderogas.

EDIT 2: Lots of people trashing the Ticonderoga and trying to push the Palamaladingdong Black Wing 602. These cost $1.90 per pencil. And that is ridiculous. The good people at Dixon aren't going to rip you off like that. And you know what? They make a black Ticonderoga that is equally sexy, IF NOT SEXIER, than the Black Wing 602. AND a black Ticonderoga will only run you about 21 cents per pencil, which is a much better deal.


EDIT 3: Some people are trying to push mechanical pencils. Sure, people can use those. Mechanical pencils are all well and good. But here is why the Dixon Ticonderoga is better than any mechanical pencil.

#1. The Ticonderoga has its graphite embedded inside of it. This guarantees that the graphite will never slip up inside of the pencil body if you press down too hard, which tends to happen frequently with low-end mechanical pencils. It may happen less frequently with high-grade ones, but it will never happen with a Ticonderoga.

#2. You must sharpen the Ticonderoga. Some people may think that this is a weakness, but I assure you that it is a strength. After writing a few pages, you'll see that your once-sharp tip is now a dull nub. It's a fine indication of all of the work you've done thus far. That dull nub tells you that you've accomplished something. And once you've sharpened it and started writing again? Boy oh boy, there is no finer feeling that using a freshly-sharpened pencil.

#3. Sharpening the Ticonderoga releases a delectable wood scent into the air. The wood used in Dixon brand Ticonderogas is of a high quality, and is pleasant to smell. This cannot be achieved while using a mechanical pencil without also purchasing some sort of artificial wood scent spray.

#4. The Ticonderoga is made of wood. This means that the pencil is always pleasant to the touch. It has a solid, natural feel to it, which you can't get with low-grade mechanical pencils, which are made of plastic. High-end mech pencils tend to be metal. When I wake up first thing in the morning, and grab one of my several Ticonderogas to start the day's crossword puzzle, do you know what I don't feel? The biting cold of a metallic pencil body against my fingers. What a way to ruin a perfectly good morning.

EDIT 4: If anyone from the good people at Dixon are reading this: I would love some free pencils.

EDIT 5: The good folks at Dixon just contacted me and are going to send me a box of sweet, sweet Ticonderogas. Either that, or I just gave my home address to a random redditor. In either case, I'll let you guys know when they get here.

EDIT 6: They came! Thanks, Dixon!



Just for the record, I don't work for Dixon, nor did anyone from their company ask me to make any of these posts. I'm just a simple man who loves good-quality, affordable pencils.

In case you haven't seen the u/chicklepip rewarded rant on this issue:

>Can we talk about the Dixon Ticonderoga for a minute?

>It is, by far, the best pencil on the market. And let me tell you why: because the little nub of rubber on top of it actually erases things. I'm sure that other pencils had this feature too, long ago, but at some point in history, pencilmakers everywhere decided that instead of a useful eraser, what consumers really wanted on top of their pencil was a shitty little piece of plastic that left a pinkish, streaky mess all over the paper.

>But not Dixon. The Ticonderoga still can actually erase. And for that, I salute you, Dixon.

>EDIT: Thanks for the gold. But for less than the price of reddit gold, you could have bought a fresh, new pack of Ticonderogas and almost had enough money left over for another fresh, new pack of Ticonderogas.

>EDIT 2: Lots of people trashing the Ticonderoga and trying to push the Palamaladingdong Black Wing 602. These cost $1.90 per pencil. And that is ridiculous. The good people at Dixon aren't going to rip you off like that. And you know what? They make a black Ticonderoga that is equally sexy, IF NOT SEXIER, than the Black Wing 602. AND a black Ticonderoga will only run you about 21 cents per pencil, which is a much better deal.


>EDIT 3: Some people are trying to push mechanical pencils. Sure, people can use those. Mechanical pencils are all well and good. But here is why the Dixon Ticonderoga is better than any mechanical pencil.

>#1. The Ticonderoga has its graphite embedded inside of it. This guarantees that the graphite will never slip up inside of the pencil body if you press down too hard, which tends to happen frequently with low-end mechanical pencils. It may happen less frequently with high-grade ones, but it will never happen with a Ticonderoga.

>#2. You must sharpen the Ticonderoga. Some people may think that this is a weakness, but I assure you that it is a strength. After writing a few pages, you'll see that your once-sharp tip is now a dull nub. It's a fine indication of all of the work you've done thus far. That dull nub tells you that you've accomplished something. And once you've sharpened it and started writing again? Boy oh boy, there is no finer feeling that using a freshly-sharpened pencil.

>#3. Sharpening the Ticonderoga releases a delectable wood scent into the air. The wood used in Dixon brand Ticonderogas is of a high quality, and is pleasant to smell. This cannot be achieved while using a mechanical pencil without also purchasing some sort of artificial wood scent spray.

>#4. The Ticonderoga is made of wood. This means that the pencil is always pleasant to the touch. It has a solid, natural feel to it, which you can't get with low-grade mechanical pencils, which are made of plastic. High-end mech pencils tend to be metal. When I wake up first thing in the morning, and grab one of my several Ticonderogas to start the day's crossword puzzle, do you know what I don't feel? The biting cold of a metallic pencil body against my fingers. What a way to ruin a perfectly good morning.

>EDIT 4: If anyone from the good people at Dixon are reading this: I would love some free pencils.

>EDIT 5: The good folks at Dixon just contacted me and are going to send me a box of sweet, sweet Ticonderogas. Either that, or I just gave my home address to a random redditor. In either case, I'll let you guys know when they get here.

>EDIT 6: They came! Thanks, Dixon!

>Just for the record, I don't work for Dixon, nor did anyone from their company ask me to make any of these posts. I'm just a simple man who loves good-quality, affordable pencils.

Don't buy your books at the campus store, order them online, Amazon is a good place to do this. Also don't buy your books until at least the first class meeting, sometimes professors will tell you that some of the books listed for the class are optional. Sharing a book with somebody is an option for some people, just be sure you both will have access to it when you need it.

As others have said, fans. Box fans are nice and cheap, but depending on your room's layout, one that stands on its own might work better. If you have a window with the hinge on the bottom that pulls towards you, try putting a box fan on top of the opened window and lean it back against the unopened window.

If you're a guy, please do not stock up on axe to "pick up the ladies", it is obnoxiously terrible, and a lot of people find it immature.

Good writing utensils that you will be comfortable using for long periods of time. My favorite are these. Also, a durable, spacious and, comfortable backpack is important, preferably with something on the sides to hold bottles, be sure to keep a bottle to hold water at all times, not buying a drink when you go somewhere to get food that isn't a cafeteria can save you a good bit of money.

A flash drive is very useful, as is your own personal printer, you will probably need to print something at 2 A.M. at some point.

Decent speakers that can get relatively loud are nice to have, if only to drown out distracting noises around you while having some kind of sound. People also like to listen to music sometimes.

A first-aid kit for obvious reasons. Also keep something for headaches around, as well as cough and cold medicine.

Food that you really like can help pick you up and relax.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Just some general advice, take part in any freshmen activities meant to help you meet people and make friends, having friends can help you emotionally and also with your work. If your dorm has a lobby, consider doing your homework there, you might meet somebody new. Don't miss classes, once you start, it can be hard to stop, and if you keep asking people what you missed and if there was any homework, they might get annoyed. Your professors are people too, whether you have a problem or not, talk to them, you might end up having a friend that can help you out more than a student or an English professor that will help with your papers down the road.

Don't be afraid to have fun and try new things. Take advantage of campus facilities, like a gym. Also don't be afraid of parties and drinking, but always be careful, spiked drinks, food, and general assholery happens more than your school would like to admit. Have fun and relax too, going weeks at a time without unwinding in some way is an easy way to end up depressed. Do look into groups and clubs, do not complain that there is not one for you unless you have tried to make one, I co-founded one, and it was a great decision.

Heh, I'll admit that I've been rude with such information and that was wrong of me.

I was wronged before, but that's no way to act towards other. I do sincerely apologize, I believe it was in regards to my paint techniques and sealants?

Let me share properly, with easy links! :D

I live by Krylon products, they're the best spray paints for using Posca Paint pens on. My most used Krylon products are:

-Krylon Chalky Finish

-Krylon Short Cuts these are a bit glossy so far, and haven't tested them with the paint pens yet. Will post once I do! Also do SUUUPER LIGHT COATS as it will bubble and look like crap, they aren't meant for plastic :D

-U-Pol Products 0796 Clear CLEAR#1 High Gloss Coat - 450ml for sealant You can apply a fresh coat after 1 hour, gives enough time for it to "cure" and allows you to see how much more you need! I do 3-4 coats for a super glossy finish! :D

-Posca paint pens for drawing me and my wife both live by these things, they're absolutely fabulous.

Again, I do sincerely apologize. We're all human behind these screen names and letters, surrounded by digital information and electricity. I'm no different, and prone to making mistakes.

Hope that helps make things a little better. Cheers man! Again, congrats on a gorgeous system.

To show my true honesty and being sorry, if you send me your system I'll backlight and bivert it - plus ship it back to you for free.

It's not all about the work and business, it's about making good friendships along the way. PM Me if you're interested bro.

You can take them apart by just drilling out the rivets, and I just use spray paint for the base color. You can use some kind of paint stripper (can grab some from your local hardware store or walmart, but something like this) to remove the paint that is on there if you want, but it's not completely necessary, just make sure you do light coats of spray paint so it sticks nicely.

For the details I use paint pens but you could probably use any paint with fine paint brushes.

Then i finish with a glossy enamel clear coat spray, and just be careful not to spray it on too thick or it can make the paint run or bubble up a bit.

Aside from just "how to do it" some tips:

• It's easy and even if you just want to paint it a solid color it's totally worth it. I haven't done any hot wheels mods before this and my first couple still turned out great.
  
• You can always strip the paint again and start over if something gets screwy
  
• Wait like a full day between the main painting steps (base coats, wait a day, detail work, wait a day, clear coat) just to make sure it's all good and dry
  
• Use gloves when you are doing the detail painting so that oils from your hands don't mess up the base paint
  
• I use some clips like this to hold them up. What works great is putting one of the posts from the body of the car into the round hole on the clip, and then clipping it onto a toilet paper tube. Works great as a little handle and stand.

Oooh, this is a fun challenge.

• Knife: Spyderco Dragonfly 2 : $49
  
  This is the most expensive item on my list, but I figure that with knives this is the best small EDC knife you can get for the money. I'm not a fan of large knives for daily carry, and the Dragonfly gets the job done.
  
  
• Watch: Casio Men's Sport Analog Dive Watch : $17
  
  While I initial thought was the F-91W, this watch seems to have far better water-resistance for roughly $7 more. Plus I prefer analog watches.
  
  
• Wallet: Magpul Industries Daka Polymer Wallet : $17
  
  While I've never used one of these personally, why not take the loss of all my stuff as an excuse to pare down how much bullshit I carry in my wallet? Reviews (outside of Amazon) seem pretty good and I'd love to give this thing a shot.
  
  
• Multitool: Atwood Prybaby Chinese Knockoff : $3
  
  I like having one of these kinds of dumb little multitools handy for prying and bottle-opening and other random tasks that I wouldn't want to abuse my knife with. At only $3 it's worth the space in my budget and my keychain. Speaking of keychains...
  
  
• Keychain: Stainless Steel Aircraft Cable Keychain : $2
  
  If you're like me, you often have to add and remove keys and other items from your keychain. Wire/cable keychains are the friggin best for this. I generally prefer the ball-and-socket types rather than the kind that screw closed, but I'm counting my dollars here.
  
  
• Writing Utensil: Pilot G2 0.5mm (12-Pieces) : $10.75 per 12, ~$1 per ea.
  
  I can't stand pens that use caps, and nothing writes as well for me as the Pilot G2. 0.5mm is about as fine a line as I want to get because the 0.38mm ones tend to get a bit scratchy on most paper. And if you'll allow me to count the cost as only a dollar rather than the price of a twelve-pack...
  
  
• Bonus Round: Kingston Digital 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive : $9
  
  With a few extra buck open in the budget, I realized that I've had one of these on my keychain for about as long as I can remember, and it pays to have one handy with a copy of your choice of documents, music, and other media. Super handy to keep available at all times.
  
  --
  
  My total price for these tools puts me at $98, assuming the cost of only one pen. I assumed that I would be able to keep my phone, which provides me with enough illumination that I've never bothered with carrying a dedicated flashlight outside of the colder months when I'm usually wearing a coat. So I didn't bother with choosing one for this challenge. Anyone have any good suggestions for AAA, clicky tail-button flashlights under $20?

Current FP Carry:

• VP with [[Sailor Yama Dori]]
  
• Montblanc Classique with [[iroshizuku shin-ryoku]]
  
• TWSBI Diamond 580 with [[Diamine Oxblood]]
  
• Lamy Safari with [[iroshizuku fuyu-syogun]]
  
• Lamy Al Star with [[iroshizuku yu-yake]]
  
• Pilot Elite 95s with [[iroshizuku kosumosu]]
  
• Pilot Metropolitan with [[Diamine Soft Mint]]
  
• Pilot Ergo Grip with Oxblood
  
• Pilot Ergo Grip with [[iroshizuku ama-iro]]
  
• Muji with [[J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor]]
  
  I also have a Tombow mechanical pencil, a Montblanc ballpoint, and a metallic gold G2. It's a good fist-full, and a little too bulky for my preferences. BUT I LOVE THEM
  
  For the price, the Pilot Ergo demonstrator is an awesome pen and the EF nib is truly EF. I've even seen some people on here transfer that nib into other pens. I converted my Ergos into eyedroppers pretty easily with just silicone grease and the ink looks fantastic in them. I haven't had any leaking problems yet and they've been in action for about a month now. Despite being so fine, I haven't had any issues with them drying up too quickly either. The only thing I don't like so much about them is that they don't show off ink subtleties as well on paper since the line they lay down is so fine. I don't think they come with anything other than that EF Penmanship nib.
  
  I also really love my TWSBI Diamond, and I have heard great things about the Eco so I'll probably pick one up sometime soon.
  

Welcome to the club! Great idea to work on your hand drawing. Sooo many people get good at computer graphics, but good hand graphics set you apart from the crowd and is something employers really look for.

You can go really over board with supplies, but i dont use a ton when i draw. Basic mechanical pencil, engineering scale, circle template, large and small triangles, t-square, fine liners (i use these), eraser (i like the gummy ones) and thats about it that i use regularly. You can buy a ton more if you plan on drafting everything by hand, but while its a great skill to have, general drafting is much easier in CAD. The marker standard where i live is chartpak AD markers. Might want to consider getting a set for a christmas present as they can be pricey.

I am learning a lot from doing the /r/ArtFundamentals lessons. Wish those existed a decade ago. Looking forward to hearing what supplies others recommend.

Kind of depends on what you like, and where your price point is. The common answers are Lamy Safari and Pilot Metropolitan, both are good pens, and owning both, the Metropolitan would be my recommendation of those two. I personally haven't liked the Lamy's as well as the Metropolitan's, the Pilots are an exceptional pen for the money. Also note, the Lamy does not come with a converter, so you will want one of those if you go with the Lamy.

If you are looking a little cheaper, I would recommend the Hero 704 as a good, smooth starter pen. Runs under $10 on Amazon, is an excellent pen. There is also the Jinhao x750 and x450 that Goulet pens carry, they have great reviews, and seem to be solid pens for the $10 price point.

I have a number of Hero pens, and overall they have been awesome pens for the price. Some of them are easily as nice of writers as $50-100 pens from other manufactures. They are good value for the money in my opinion. A good example, I purchased a set of Hero 257A pens, and so far, every single one I have loaded, has been without an issue (I think I have 5 inked now, with a variety of inks/ink brands).

The one I sent to this user, is the Hero 9296, which has a fine nib, sold as an accounting pen. They have been good pens, and are very cheap to pick up Amazon.

In the end, there are great pens out there for a good price. It is kind of cool how easy it is to get good pens in this hobby.

Then you need ink. That is probably ~$12.50 to get started with a good bottle, go to Goulet Pens and look at the swabs to pick a color you like, lots of different properties to the ink, so you will want to read up on them and pick based on how you use a pen.

For example, I love the color of Organics Studio Jane Austen (great violet color), but will not buy a bottle after sampling it. I live in the rainy Northwest, and have been deluged just walking into the building (to the point of needing to use a towel to dry off). The Jane Austen comes completely off the paper with a drip test. So it really doesn't fit how I use ink, but for others, it may be the perfect ink.

I'm not a vast array of pen experience but IMO

It's not the cheapest, but I feel the pilot prera is very underrated. I have it in F and EF, it's a great work horse and its compact size is great for travel but it posts to pretty much a full size pen for a comfortable writing experience.

Pilot also has this

Pilot Fountain Pen with Ergo Grip, Extra Fine Nib, Clear Body (PFP50RNCEF) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006CQUI9O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_v1JLxbF3E8KAC

It's the same nib as the metro and Prera but in a much cheaper body. I got one after a co worker bent my Prera nib and wanted to switch to EF. It's a

I've also recently received a Lamy Al Star and based on reviews it's the same as the safari, just in aluminum. I know the safari is a reasonable price and the ability to swap out nibs is pretty quick and easy.

-a hammock because the outdoors is awesome

-this sharpie is amazing

-these pens, although a little pricey, are AMAZING. Additionally, you can get refills for them on Amazon and those are inexpensive

-best coloring pencils imho

-Some really awesome book series one, two, three and four

-for math, here's some sodoku

-Some movies: Overboard, When Harry Met Sally, Burlesque

-Telescope

-Picnic basket

-Spirituality book

-some incense and an awesome fairy burner to go with them

I'll try and add some more later :)

Thanks for the contest

I really really want it! ( $5 and $10

My parents got me a $50 Amazon gift card, and so I'm thinking of buying a few fountain pens, pretty much just starting my collection. This is the list of pens I'm thinking of:

Hero 9296

Jinhao 301

Jinhao 1000 (Gold version)

I'm less certain about these two:

Baoer

Jinhao Copper (I don't know what the actual name of this one is)

Could anyone help me decide whether to get the last two and if the others I picked are good?


Also, with the remaining $25ish, what inks should I get? I don't get to write on nice paper all too much, as I'm in high school. So a nice black and/or blue, and maybe like a red or green? Especially with the black/blue, one that plays nice with cheap paper. Thank you in advance!

EDIT: oh, and I'd also consider getting a pilot parallel if I could fit it into my budget. Any thoughts?

Thank you kindly!! I use a kuretake sable brush pen: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DMQIOG

I personally like the feel of using the sable hair brush vs other brush pens which I think use plastic or some other kind of synthesized hair?

My pen also has an adapter in it(purchased separately) so it lets me re fill and use any ink of choice, so far I like using this ink: https://www.amazon.com/Luxury-Brands-Noodlers-Bottle-19203/dp/B000WIUKIW

The white ink was drawn with this pen, so far it's been the most reliable white-on-black pen I've used(goes on with a clean smooth line with zero or little transparency or leaving a ball point pen line: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KK6X7CW

And then coloured with copic markers! 😄
Thank you again for your kind comment I really appreciate it!! 💕

You know what I used to clean up my free hand writing work?

https://www.amazon.com/Uni-posca-Paint-Marker-Pen-PC-1M12C/dp/B001VB4T86/ref=sr_1_4/145-6530390-1524612?ie=UTF8&qid=1499271107&sr=8-4&keywords=paint+pens

Paint pens! Make sure they are SUPER fine and it's really laughable how easy it is to get a nice result!

So, first I would like to say that I can see you are using the classics for reference - this is great! I highly recommend looking at Michelangelo. One thing to keep in mind when studying the masters (and when doing it yourself) is shading - think about how the shadows are causing the object to look 3-dimensional. So before we talk about anatomy, think about light source. If you look at your shading on this piece, I can't tell where the light is coming from. Getting your anatomy to appear 3D, even if its off, will greatly improve the overall feeling. So the areas here that appear flat to me especially are the knee, and the left arm (the figures right arm technically). A couple more practical tips- working with colored pencil is great - but its harder to erase, and you don't want to damage the paper. So, try to work light to dark in layers, and use a kneaded eraser . When erasing, do it as gently as you can (try blotting in instead of rubbing across the paper). Anyway, hope that helps. Good effort and keep going!

EDIT: Added some clarification on the kneaded eraser.

It looks like you are painting in watercolor? If so then I can give you some advice.

1: remember to have your drawing complete before you start painting, I made alot of mistakes thinking that could fix something later and when I started painting I had completely forgotten about the problem and would end up painting wonky anatomy and perspective, it seems like a basic thing to know but it's actually really hard to remember.

2: make sure you have the proper paper for painting, this is really important especially with watercolor I know people say materials don't make the artist but if you don't have the proper materials the paint won't work right moleskin watercolor is my go to sketch book you can even use things like oil and acrylic
Moleskine Art Plus Watercolor Album, A4, Black, Hard Cover (12 x 8.5) (Professional ... https://www.amazon.com/dp/8862931948/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_EbxLxb6SCGGCC

Here's another one that I use strictly for watercolor And inks
Bee Paper Super Deluxe Sketch Pad, 11-Inch by 14-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027A7AKE/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_TqxLxbXHJPFSQ

3: Draw lightly and with a moldeble eraser
Prismacolor Premier Kneaded Rubber Eraser, Large, 1 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IFAJ/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_etxLxbGMBG12H

4: Remember to ALWAYS paint from light to dark, this is something I forget when I've been working in other mediums.

5: learn at least a little bit about the color wheel you'd be surprised at how far a little knowledge could take you, James Gurney has a blog with some great information for traditional media he works in watercolor, oil, and gouache.
http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/?m=1

7: you shouldn't be worried about what brushes you have yet however a brush I would highly recommend picking up a round number 8-10


http://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-studio-sable-brushes/

Here are a couple of the water filters for the outdoors.

https://www.amazon.com/H2O-Straw-Personal-Bag-Successfully-Philippines-Contaminated/dp/B00GURRIFM


https://www.amazon.com/Filtration-Etekcity-Emergency-Equipment-filtration/dp/B010DF2NZ6


https://www.amazon.com/LifeStraw-Water-Bottle-Integrated-Filter/dp/B01KVO6NTQ

Here are some books and a couple by Dr Stanislav Grof. Hes very well studied and well spoken dealing with the mind, emotions and basically everything that has to do with our Being. If ur wife enjoys psychology at all then she'll find Grof interesting i imagine. im also guessing that people from the rainbow gathering have heard about him or have read some of his stuff since it attracts those minds sometimes. he definitely has some far out ideas, but if u start to think about what he says and do ur own reasearch and/or experiments some of it might start to make sense or click.

https://www.alibris.com/Psychology-of-the-Future-Lessons-from-Modern-Consciousness-Research-Stanislav-Grof-M-D/book/7703007?matches=19

https://www.alibris.com/When-the-Impossible-Happens-Adventures-in-Non-Ordinary-Reality-Stanislav-Grof-M-D/book/9235039?matches=31

https://www.alibris.com/Spiritual-Emergency-When-Personal-Transformation-Becomes-a-Crisis-Stanislav-Grof/book/6270281?matches=28

https://www.alibris.com/The-Cosmic-Game-Explorations-of-the-Frontiers-of-Human-Consciousness-Stanislav-Grof-M-D/book/1354505?matches=12

https://www.alibris.com/The-Consciousness-Revolution-A-Transatlantic-Dialogue-Two-Days-with-Stanislav-Grof-Ervin-Laszlo-and-Peter-Russell-Stanislav-Grof-M-D/book/35078047?matches=14

https://www.alibris.com/The-Stormy-Search-for-the-Self-Understanding-and-Living-with-Spiritual-Emergency-Christina-Grof/book/29108457?matches=16

https://www.alibris.com/Autobiography-of-a-Yogi-Paramahansa-Yogananda/book/513970?matches=406

https://www.alibris.com/The-Undiscovered-Self-Carl-Gustav-Jung/book/6916271?matches=241

Here are the Darn Tough socks and they are more expensive than i remember. Still worth it to buy at least one pair though since u can mail them back for a brand new pair whenever!

https://darntough.com/collections/womens-lifestyle

Here is the Pilot G2 pen. and id suggest getting the 20 count of them since its ten dollars more and u get 20 pens instead of 1 lol. plus a bunch of fun colors, although it might be a hassle to carry all those around.

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Roller-12-Pieces-31002/dp/B00006JNJ8

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Assorted-Colors-Gel-Count/dp/B00N5IO30W

Hope this helps!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysEM3ojgMfk&list=PLG6RTsqCGTO_qeWvw8Q5n3UBIYZaBJMzD&index=46

Great! Okay, let's see... Nice pens that fit the Pilot G-2...


--Machine Era Co. (solid brass): http://www.machine-era.com/collections/catalog/products/machine-era-pen-solid-brass (I have this one and love it.)

--Karas Kustoms G2 Bolt: http://karaskustoms.com/pens/the-bolt-449.html (also available in brass and copper)

--Pilot Cavalier Gel Pen: http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Cavalier-Hi-Tec-C-Ballpoint-LCA-3SRC4-BL/dp/B001AX5URY/ref=sr_1_1

--Pilot Metropolitan Gel Pen: http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Classic-91207/dp/B009X9Z2DY/ref=sr_1_1

--Pilot G2 Limited: http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Limited-Retractable-Roller-31536/dp/B00FACLJBM/ref=sr_1_18


In terms of handmade wood pens, here are some from Etsy that take standard rollerball refills and should take your refill!

--https://www.etsy.com/listing/192177602/pen-presimo-rollerball-ink-pen-exotic

--https://www.etsy.com/listing/160612352/rollerball-style-pen-with-chrome-accents


In terms of the thinnest of these... I think you'd like the Machine Era Co. and Pilot Cavaliers -- they are nice and slim, with a decent amount of heft -- both are well-made.

Have fun shopping!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who writes out the name of the pen/ink on a line next to others so I can compare them. I thought I was becoming a little OCD or something!

I've got a variety of pens I've tried and collected over the years, that looks a little like your lineup. I've recently come back to the Parker Jotters. I can't remember which EDC blog I read that recommended the Schmidt EasyFLOW 9000 for the Parker Jotter. I am very glad I tried them. They write as smooth as a roller ball, dry as quick as a ball point, and write as dark and solid as a gel ink pen. I've been pretty impressed with them. No globbing or skipping, and the ink flows as soon as I touch pen to paper. I strongly recommend them if you stick with the Jotters. I just wish they came in a fine point. You can get a six-pack of Schmidt EasyFLOW 9000 refills on Amazon for about $10US.

​

​

I've been self teaching myself up until this coming January, when I'll be taking on a graphic design minor. A few things that I use that I happen to really enjoy are:

• 7.5"x 9.5" dotted paged Moleskine Classic Notebook (softcover I find, personally is better than their hard covers) >Moleskine Notebook<
  
• I sometimes will also print out dotted loose sheets or grid-lined loose sheets from template websites >PrintablePaper<
  
• I really like the Pentel RSVP Black ink fine-tip pens, but this is after a lot of trial and error of finding a minimally smudge, smooth continuous pen that works for lefties that isn't gel ink.
  
• I would invest a little bit of extra money into getting a METAL ruler, rather than a plastic or rubber one as the plastic and rubbers might deform, but the metal ones will always keep their shape. >Metal Rulers<
  
• I'd also get some circle stencils and a compass. >Compass & Circle Stencils<
  
• It took me a really long time to feed into the hype, but when I did, I regretted not trying them sooner, but those Zebra Mildliner highlighters you see all over Pinterest, Tumblr and all other sites for bullet journaling and such are actually super nice and high-quality. They come with a chisel AND a fine tip, and so I carry them around wherever I go if I bring my notebook with me. >Mildliners<
  
  I hope this helps you!!! Good luck in your studies.

This contest was maid for me. I literally have a writing wishlist. I'm also going to link a few things about writing.

I love to write letters to my daughter and I also write the letters in a journal for her to read when she gets older!. I would love to get this [TWSBI 508 fountain pen]http://amzn.com/B00BT1BLRU) (or this Pilot Metropolatin fountain pen) and fill it with this Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki ink to write with. All of this would be used to write daily and also record those letters in a journal like this rustic leather journal. But those are pipe dreams at the moment until I can earn enough money turking.

A gift card would be nice if I won (my e-mail is mrbrentoz@gmail.com)

Keep on writing!

Write On!

Pilot G2 pens. I prefer .5 but you can get them in .38 as well. Get used to doing things in pen and when a mistake is made you mark it out with a single line. Buy them in bulk so you always have one. Writing in pen makes you focus a lot more on what you are writing, which can help immensely with retaining it long term.

A notebook or binder for each class. If that class has a lab component get a separate lab notebook for it. One with numbered pages and a fillable table of contents. I like these.

A decent calculator. I carried a TI-89, but you don’t have to go that big if budget is a concern. Whichever one you get write your name in sharpie on the back and if possible inside the battery bay to make it easier to identify as yours if it winds up in lost and found.

Lastly and most importantly get the most comfortable mattress you can afford. If you are going to put money into any piece of furniture while you are in college it needs to be your mattress. A decent night’s sleep is your most important tool while learning. Even for those long nights a couple hours in a good mattress will go farther than 8 in a shitty one. This is a lesson I didn’t learn until graduate school and I wish I had learned it sooner.

If she's into drawing, I highly suggest a kneaded eraser or two (they actually last a really long time unless you lose them or use charcoal), but check your local art store because they're usually less than 2 dollars. A set of tortillons for blending, and maybe some oil pastels or colored pencils. They also make watercolor pencils, which are colored pencils that are water soluble. I found them kind of difficult to work with though, not my favorite medium.

If she does embroidery, you could also get a set of embroidery floss. I'd go to the store though, they're cheaper there.

If she's a knitter or crocheter, a row counter would be perfect. Stitch markers are essential for knitters and they constantly get lost. Honestly if she's a knitter, I would definitely give her some stitch counters, but the best thing is, all they are is an enclosed circle. You could make your own very easiliy, out of any number of materials.

For me though if I win, I'd like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It was my favorite book in elementary school, and I think my kids would get a kick out of it too.

Thanks for the suggestion, it looks exactly like what I'm looking for.

But how's the clip? It looks like the Pentel Mechanical Pencils which are super flimsy.

Thanks again. I'm super picky and nerdy with pens and appreciate your suggestion.

Acquiring blanks/labels

Mailing labels: If you're in the US, go down to your local USPS and pick up a stack of these, they're free. You can go after hours when just the lobby is open if you don't want to be asked why you're taking the whole stack.

You can go down to Staples or wherever and find some "Hello my name is" labels.

Check out Egg Shell Stickers if you want to go all out.

Sign up at DHL to order huge quantities of blank label rolls.

Get creative. Anything that is a label can be painted over. You could find scraps of vinyl, too.

Markers and Pens

Decocolor has always been my fav paint marker.

Sharpie also makes some good paint pens. Be mindful of water-based vs. oil-based if you live in a city with weather.

Uni's Posca pens are also great.

Paint

Again be mindful, if you use acrylics they'll run in the rain. You could use spray paint and stencils, or just paint for your backgrounds.

I'm not a painter at all so I took somebody's advice on BGG, primed everything black and then basically drew on the color with these paint pens. The one I used I think was either a eight or ten pack but they worked brilliantly and, apart from being time consuming, I ended up with something pretty nice. The raised lines on the gear keeps the surface tension of the paint from spilling off in most cases and it really just becomes an exercise in tracing lines with a steady hand.

I'm away from home for the week so I can't snap you a picture but if you're curious I can send you one next week so you can see how it came out.

Well what role do they have exactly. If they are retail, they could probably use a few things:

Pens: http://www.amazon.com/Zebra-Ballpoint-Pen-Retractable-29212/dp/B004WOAJP6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426819458&sr=8-3

Stapler to save their wrists: http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Bostitch-Electric-Capacity-02210/dp/B00006JNU2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_op_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1P36SKYQNHS5S45VQPFG

Mat to save their feet: http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Step-Anti-Fatigue-Polyurethane-Length/dp/B00OFVJQRS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426819677&sr=8-3&keywords=smart+step+mat

Kind of a range of prices as well, depending on how much you want to spend.

If they are a CPP or do a lot of clinical stuff then Epocrates Essentials is SOOOO useful, albeit a bit expensive (still less expensive then the alternatives and a lot better IMO).

Honestly, most of my journals only have 5-10 sentences per page. I do a lot of collage, drawing, and abstract painting.

Here's what I suggest:

Buy some cheap liquid watercolors and some [sponges] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VF2KEAI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). You can do backgrounds on every page before you start. This helped me build the habit of nightly journaling, and removed the fear of "ruining" a page. Any parts that I didn't like I could collage over!

Start using your own photos as much as possible. One of the easiest ways to do an image transfer is to alter an image on the computer, then print it out on an ink jet printer. I use cheap-ass photo paper for this, while the photo is fresh. Spray it with water, then put face-down and rub it into the page. (A rubber brayer is nice, but a used gift card or other hard object would be fine.)

Did you know that you can buy bulk stickers from [Amazon???] (https://www.amazon.com/DreamerGO-Graffiti-Transparent-Motorcycle-Skateboard/dp/B01M9FHC08/ref=pd_sim_21_11?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01M9FHC08&pd_rd_r=YGCTQJHQC1ZBD807ASAQ&pd_rd_w=ESCUg&pd_rd_wg=E85wC&psc=1&refRID=YGCTQJHQC1ZBD807ASAQ)

I also suggest making a to-go bag. If you make your backgrounds at the beginning of the week, or before you start the journal, this makes it extra easy. Mine has:

1. [paint markers] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VB4T86/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
   
2. a few of [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038FIA42/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004L87XRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
   
3. Ephemera (usually from my obnoxious amount of magazine subscriptions, my own drawings, and things I find)
   
4. Glue sticks. Lots of folks here are interested in archival quality glue, but I just use Elmer's.
   
   I often use my journal to annotate from books (I used to do it INSIDE the books, but I found them difficult to read with any new clarity that way, and I'm trying to move to digital.) Since I mostly read self-help/improvement books, that made some great starting points for prompts.

I don't know of any starter packs on Amazon, although you can get them from Goulet, so you'd probably have to do it piece by piece. Amazon also doesn't tend to have the best prices on fountian pens and accessories and isn't known for packaging inks super securely, so that's worth considering as well. From Amazon I would recommend a Pilot Metropolitan (too many Safaris on amazon are fake), a bottle of either Pelikan 4001 or Pilot Iroshizuku ink, and a Rhodia pad

Seriously great! Also, speaking as a colored pencil person, buy these pencils! They give colored pencil work so much life and will make your already fantastic drawing even better. You just "color" over your picture to blend everything and make it more even. Again though, nice work (and I love Zuko :))!

I love these pens I take a stupid amount of notes, since grad school basically has me reading 24/7, and these things are awesome. Perfect grip, perfect ink flow, no bleeding. I love them. And I'm out currently :(

My life lesson is about life. I love to travel, and initially I did it to run away, because I thought there was something grand out there, something more, that somewhere out there we're people and places that were far superior to where I am from. And for a while it did kind of seem that way. Things were magical. Then I found myself working on a vineyard in France. The owners middle aged divorced son was a vile creep who touched me whenever he had the chance and then stole my panties and had the nerve to email me after I'd left asking if I'd come back for them. That's when I realized that people are people wherever you are, there's no escaping that so best learn to deal with people and problems than run away.

I was schooled!

PALOMINO BLACKWING 602! By the way, cheeper here.
Seriously, I love these pencils. They're remarkably easy to write with and leave a clear, crisp text on the page. But the wonder is that you don't have to press as hard as you do with a Ticonderoga. I use them on English essays, hundreds of pages, and it saves my hand every time. Oh how I love those pencils.
But never let a student have one; you'll never get it back and those babies are expensive.

** edit: forgot to mention, you'll want to get the hand sharpener too. It just makes life easier and fun.

If you want an really inexpensive pen with a hooded nib, I would highly recommend the Hero 9296. Very good quality for the price, if you ask me.

You can even get a set of two for an even better bargain.

Crazy K&A Hero 9296 Accounting Ultrafine Iridium Nib Writing Fountain Pen for Office School Black & Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I17WZA2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_KVa5wbS0PD8AX

By the way, I replied to your post with a possible solution to your inky finger issue. Check it out.

Pencils: F pencils. I find these to be the best.

Pens: Nib Holder. Nibs. Any of the nibs will do depending on the lines you want to make. This next tool is a mix of o brush and a pen. A Kuretake fountain brush pen. Also there are pens called Micron Pens that are great for detailing and paneling.

Brush: I use Windsor Newton #4 brushes for everything i do. I use Wisps for a more organic crosshatching.

Markers: Prismacolor are the best, as they work like paint. After you color, you can color over to make a darker shade.

Paints: I use Windsor Newton gauche watercolor paints.

Ink: I use Dr Martins Black Star matte black ink.

Other: Liquid Frisket is used like painters tape except you can make any shape out of it. You let it dry then ink. After Inking you use a Kneaded Eraser to take it off. On the topic of erasers: I use a magic rub eraser.

Ill edit if I think of anything else.

> tried recently that JetPens said were pretty fast drying

Fast drying inks tend to feather more. And you shouldn't need fast-drying on cheap paper - it'll absorb the ink and feather instead of letting the ink sit as a puddle on top.

Pilot's steel EF is really nice, you can get one fairly cheaply and swap it onto your Metro.

 

I basically only use my own paper, so I don't have good ink recommendations of my own. But these seem helpful:

• FPN request for good blues/browns/violets
  
• another vote for iron gaul plus a suggestion for pigmented inks. Platinum makes a few. I have their red, which looks pink in the bottle, which'd be cool for a demonstrator pen like a TWSBI.
  
• more votes for iron-gaul/pigmented
  
• You could alternately pick just a dry ink. Pilot's pens are pretty dry, so the combination might put down little enuf liquid to avoid your feathering.

I wouldn't be wary of the Staedtler 925. The 925-25 and 925-35 are absolutely great writing utensils. Here is a picture of a 925-25 dissassembled. The only plastic in the whole construction is the barrel that contains the leads. Mostly all aluminum.

I would recommend the 0.5mm from my personal experience. It’s a great intermediate general-use lead and the prices are fine. One of the problems when you get down to 0.3mm is that the packages come with half as many leads as 0.5 and 0.7mm packages (Both Pentel Ain Stein and Uni Nanodia do this) so you’re paying twice as much for leads that each have less graphite. It’s easier to break the lead and easier to accidentally puncture cheaper paper when you’re writing with the lead. Larger leads really aren’t that bad, I have a dear friend who loves 0.7 mm and has no issues with using it daily for everything. He also uses a Staedtler 925 often.

The p205 was my introduction to mechanical pencils, because I found a very well loved and abused 205 covered in nicks and scratches on the floor in a hallway on a college campus and used it as my personal pencil for several years after that. Still have it, still works. Amazon currently has $7 for a twin-pack of p205s that I got as cheap but really good pencils to borrow to people during music classes.

My only issue with the p205 is I personally have very sweaty fingers and plastic tends to just get loose in my grip when I've been doing writing or math work for a while, so I ended up saying screw it and bought a rOtring 600. Its nearly all-brass construction is truly a Cadillac of a pencil in performance and price, but it's got ton of heft to it as I described earlier. It will last generations if you are careful with it though. Took my r600 apart and the chuck is a work of art. Closed chuck. And yes that is plastic, I was upset as you are but it doesn't seem load bearing and is the only plastic in the entire r600 besides the very end bit of the internal lead storage barrel.

I'll go with everyone else here and say the Pilot Metropolitan, which is just a classic. I love Pilot fountain pens. They have nice, even, fine and extra fine lines and are economical everyday pens. I prefer the way they work with the way I write to my more expensive LAMYs and Faber-Castell Pens.


I will also recommend the Pilot Kakuno, which is a plastic, hexagonal barrel beginner pen (I think it's actually intended for schoolchildren).

I also like [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Fountain-Extra-Clear-PFP50RNCEF/dp/B006CQUI9O/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1510627790&sr=1-3-fkmr2&keywords=cheap+pilot+fountain+pen) just cause I think it's a kind of cool little demonstrator. You can get right into using these with a CON-50 converter or you can use the Pilot IC-100 Namiki cartridges (which I actually prefer at work because they're a little easier to pop in and out).

Black and white surely, something about the lack of color, can't really put a finger on it...

Are you using the paint markers for this one too? Have you considered other media, like acrylic paints?
Also, Posca makes some amazing paint pens. They have a brush tip and really opaque colors. Like other paint pens the paint does dry in the bristles, but with love they surely last a while.

I have a few others, but I mostly use my Safari with Diamante China Blue ink. I have one safari with a leaky tip, or the ink doesn't like to stay in (Diamante ancient copper) and one safari that will not write no matter how I press. I need to figure out how to solve that problem, as in a day I can go through a whole full ink cartridge.

I have some suuuuuuuper ultra extra fine pilot pens from Japan, which I really like, though they are scratchy to write with, due to how fine the tips are! The ink seems to dry without getting a good flow in one of them (one of the Noodler's V Day inks) but the Noodler's bulletproof works very well in the other one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006CQUHXG/

I have a couple of other pens that unfortunately BOTH are leaky beasts, and so they sit in my mug of pens for use at home in clothes I don't care about if I take a cap off and it flings ink at me. One is a Baoer http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0052HYKC0/

And the other is a Hero 9296, which I love the weight of, just not the splatter I had happen in lab (which hit my coat, so, hey, at least it was in lab!) http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00I17WZA2

best markers I've found are POSCA paint markers.

I would do a light sanding with 800 grade sand paper on them, prime them with the backing color you want, and let it dry. Then you can draw on them and clear coat.

I recommend doing it this way, as sometimes if you don't prep the plate first the clear coat can have weird effects.

The items I've used:

https://www.amazon.com/280715-American-Accents-Primer-12-Ounce/dp/B00KZ6LLZW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491242783&sr=8-2&keywords=Rustoleum+Primer

https://www.amazon.com/Uni-posca-Paint-Marker-Pen-PC-5M15C/dp/B001ANVDMU

The primer you can use black/white/any color for backing, and I use the same brand in a clear matte finish for the clear coat.

Thank you so much!

For highlighters I pretty much exclusively use the zebra midliners (linked to amazon page because sometimes they have really good deals on these, I got mine for super cheap!)

And for pens, I believe I made this layout using a black staedtler fineliner, but my all-time favorite pens are muji! (I like to use the 0.38-mm personally).

I am just starting my senior year of my BSN program and have an unhealthy love for school supplies!

• Pens- Pilot Juice pens in 0.5mm. They don't smear, are a fine tip, and don't bleed through paper. I have them in the multi-color pack that I use for rewriting notes, and which makes note taking more fun!
  
  
• Highlighters- Zebra Pen Mildliner. The colors are different than typical highlighters, which helps with organizing my notes. The pens have a chisel tip on one side and a marker tip on the other, which is helpful for small print (like textbooks).
  
  
• Planner- I use the Erin Condren Lifeplanner and love it! It's pricey, but the quality is great. I'm also a sucker for a motivational quote, so there's that.
  
  
• Misc- I study best by rewriting things and I got tired of using so much paper. I bought some page protectors and slip in a blank sheet of paper. Then I use whiteboard markers to write and rewrite things -- kind of like a mini white board, but portable.
  
  
• I use a ton of paperclips and binder clips so I just leave some of those in my pencil pouch.
  
• Not really supply related, but more of a tip. I kept a tin of mints in my clinical clipboard. We weren't allowed to chew gum, but I feel like I have wicked coffee breath first thing in the morning. So the mints were nice to have.

Meet Frixion Pens I love them for being able to reorganize stuff, also for sewing. lol.

I totally get where you are coming from though. It's whatever works for you. I love the act of writing it down, it makes it mean more to me. Plus it gives me a good reason to have some solid "me" time in the morning where I check in with it.

Two potential pen fixes:

1. Micron waterproof pens. They come in a wide range of tip sizes, and I use them for watercolor painting (I paint over the ink lines), and don't have any issue with smudging, so I imagine it can handle a little hand sweat.
   
   
2. My salt marsh ecologist friends swear by the Rite in Rain pens for all-weather writing, and, again, if it can handle scientists in the rain...
   https://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-All-Weather-Black-Clicker/dp/B000QBPZKS/ref=pd_sbs_469_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PGPZWS0237QAZ1TSM7DB
   
   (I spent entirely too long choosing which version of the Rite in Rain pen to share; this one looks the nicest for BuJo-ing)
   
   Happy pen search!

The Zebra F-701 and Zebra F-402 aren't exactly tactical, but they are pretty heavyweight and write really well. They take cheap refills too. I have the F-701 and the weight and sturdiness are great, however I don't really write that much, just come class notes and such.

former Physics major here: Pentel P205, without a doubt.

5mm lead is perfect for crisp lines given all the calculations you'll be doing. To my hand, the GraphGear1000 is too heavy (also expensive), and I'm not a fan of metal knurling on pencils in general (sorry GG500). It's also imprtant to me that the lead be solid and held fixed with minimal play. I've heard (but not tried) that the Kuru Toga has some play in its lead. It also seems somewhat gimmicy.

The P205 is rock solid, light, and cheap. You cannot go wrong!

My wife recently got deal on a set of paint pens (she'd had her eye on them for a while and snagged them for like $16), and I decided to try them out. So far they've been working pretty well, good for simple detail work without the cleanup of brushes. For Ironhide I went in on the inside of his windshield, and all in all I think he turned out okay, although I do think I did much better with Prime.

I’m an avid rock painter and can help. Acrylic paint is best. Also, Posca pens are awesome for finer details.

>Lots of people trashing the Ticonderoga and trying to push the Palamaladingdong Black Wing 602. These cost $1.90 per pencil. And that is ridiculous. The good people at Dixon aren't going to rip you off like that. And you know what? They make a black Ticonderoga that is equally sexy, IF NOT SEXIER, than the Black Wing 602. AND a black Ticonderoga will only run you about 21 cents per pencil, which is a much better deal.

https://www.amazon.com/Blackwing-103180-Palomino-602-12-Count/dp/B006YYPIUI/ Blackwings. Read somewhere they were the best pencil, and my wife got them for me for Christmas. They are definitely awesome.

A friend gifted me a Parker IM he didn't use, and for $12, I'm having a hard time finding something better.

I've heard mixed reviews of how well Parker refills write, but with so many Parker-style refills to choose from (I've heard the Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 is great), you should be able to put together something you like pretty cheap. And it's metal and clicky.

They will not work with the G2s, but these are pretty awesome refills that WILL work.

6 Pack - Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 - Black Ink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0025ZX11S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LiFVCbJV6GC1R

Ok!

There's also the option of Frixion erasable pens.

[8-pack of capped ones](
http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-FriXion-Erasable-8-Pack-31569/dp/B004DOMK2U/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1398707317&sr=1-1&keywords=frixion)

7-pack of much nicer clicky ones

Good luck!

Here you are! I'm pretty sure all the colors and patterns are available on Amazon.
Congrats on your new toy!

I'd love these blending pencils to help blend my colored pencil drawings. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

So I think you would like this! It glows in the dark! ...I think

Here's something I would enjoy! Just in time for school next week.

don't worry be happy! Feel Better!

My boyfriend got me a nameplate for my desk and a stamp that says my name (for stamping my classroom library, their assignment notebooks, etc.). He also got me a bunch of stamps for grading. Ones that say wonderful and sign here. I use those all of the time. Special grading pens are nice. I have these friction pens. They're the besssst!!

I'm planning on buying a TIHK for a friend thats going into vice. I think its always smart to have on you regardless if you are plain clothes or uniformed. Also a good pen like Zebra 402 or 701 is always a smart choice. They are nice enough to use but affordable enough to lose. Good hinged cuffs for off duty use and a low profile carrier is nice too. I don't know the laws and polices for officers in Queensland though.

http://tihk.co

http://www.amazon.com/Zebra-F-402-Retractable-Ballpoint-Pen/dp/B004WOAJP6/

http://www.amazon.com/Zebra-F-701-Stainless-Ballpoint-Retractable/dp/B002L6RB80/

I know exactly how you feel. While I really enjoy the size of these pens, I write far too heavy with too much pressure to allow these guys to last more than a few days.

The Zebra F-402 series are solid metal with a rubberized grip on the end. The cap unscrews to replace the cartridge and it uses the same refills as the F-301--a win-win. You might have better luck with these.

I would definitely recommend the Rite in the Rain pen or the Fisher Space NonReflective Military cap-o-matic

https://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-Weatherproof-Black-Clicker/dp/B000QBPZKS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=23G1I5MLT9K23&keywords=rite+in+the+rain+pen&qid=1554850746&s=office-products&sprefix=rite+in%2Coffice-products%2C177&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-NonReflective-Military-Matic-SM4B/dp/B001NXDFC8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=23G1I5MLT9K23&keywords=rite+in+the+rain+pen&qid=1554850746&s=office-products&sprefix=rite+in%2Coffice-products%2C177&sr=1-4

They're very similar and I have the rite in the rain and it's a great all-metal retractable pen.

Personally I've always wanted one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/Whitecoat-MedInfo-Clipboard-Medical-Black/dp/B00C2EG826/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1525306865&sr=8-3&keywords=clipboard+medical

Also a nice set of pens like https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Premium-Roller-Dozen/dp/B001E6D3W6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1525306908&sr=8-5&keywords=gel+pens will be clutch and they're on sale right now too!

Besides that, just lend an ear when she needs to rant after a long day. Prepare meals for her. Take her on dates. And don't get upset when she's working long days and has to come home and study. But honestly if y'all made it past M2, you're probably in the clear in terms of understanding her busy hours.

You the real MVP

Have fun! I'd also recommend getting something fun for your first ink, boring ink makes for boring writing. Something like this is probably the most recommended blue ink that's readily available, and it's like $16 right now.

Two choices- quality flash light with belt pouch. If you have the funds, the Surefire Fury is an excellent light. If not, the $20 LED lights on Amazon will do just fine. Or an all weather pen/pad set, like Rite In The Rain or Fisher...

SureFire P2X Fury LED Flashlight Dual Output 600 Lumens with 12x EXTRA Surefire CR123A Batteries and 3 Alliance Gadget Battery Cases https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071CR6Q48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XdSgAbXTRDKFV

LED Tactical Flashlight TODYM Brightest 1000 lumens Mini Water Resistant Military Grade Flashlight Adjustable Zoom Focus 5 Mode Torch with Rechargeable 18650 Lithium Ion Battery & Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZ3P4CY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ahSgAbSJCXZ1M

Rite in the Rain All-Weather Black Metal Clicker Pen - Black Ink (No. 97) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QBPZKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4hSgAb4WYKYZ0

Rite in the Rain All-Weather Top-Spiral Notebook, 4" x 6", Green Cover, Universal Pattern, 3 Pack (No. 946-3) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQFDNSH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PiSgAbJVVGAP2

Buy from Amazon you get 12 pens with bold ink (.10 not .07) for $15 with Amazon Prime i go through one box per 6 months or so... best pen I ever used or re-purchased for that matter

Edit: $15.94
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E6D3W6/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

I had a bottle of Pilot Iroshizuku that I refilled at work regularly.

There are people who enjoy good pens ( cough r/fountainpens *cough ) and good inks.

There are dozens of us! DOZENS

I did a few of these a year or so ago... sadly they were pretty much garbage. I hated them within a day. About six months ago I opted to get a nice Parker Jotter and changed out the ink to [Schmidt easyFLOW 9000] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0025ZX11S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and I have been very happy since. Nice quality stainless steel pen with really smooth writing ink that seems to last forever.

The Pentel P200 series mechanical pencils are great for writing and drawing. I use one in .5mm in High School (9th) and it works great. They will last you a long time and they are not expensive.

I love add-on multi giftings!! I plan on doing one soon myself :)

Here's something from my list!

I have had great luck with the Rite in the Rain clicker pen. It is pressurized and weatherproof like the fisher space pen, but it is a bit thinner, and not full length. (which I appreciate because I prefer to carry it in my back pocket)

http://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-Weatherproof-Tactical-Clicker/dp/B000QBPZKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411773701&sr=8-1&keywords=rite+in+the+rain+pen

I have had this pencil for FOUR years. I gave the other one to my EE buddy because he kept trying to take mine. It makes such sweet sweet lines. :)

Also, get this eraser. I haven't used a better one in my life. It erases so beautifully. :)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MVKFRW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is this a generally well liked ink? I bought a bottle and I seem to like it, wondering what other people think about it before I buy more lol.

Aside from getting a special "needlepoint" grind by someone like Mike Masuyama, your other option is to get a Pilot Penmanship, which is pretty cheap and the nibs are compatible with your metropolitan.

https://smile.amazon.com/Pilot-Fountain-Extra-Clear-PFP50RNCEF/dp/B006CQUI9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473952567&sr=8-1&keywords=pilot+penmanship

I hope I'm in the right spot. I use the cheap amazon accounting pens that I've seen recommended a few times with noodlers ink. I'm practicing my handwriting with them and I do a lot of pages of lines every day. They don't work so great on the cheap printer paper that I printed lines on so I'd like to get some nicer paper or a notebook to practice on. It needs lines or dots so I can focus on my lettering and not have to worry so much about going in a straight line.

Any recommendations for something that is more utilitarian, but still works well with a fountain pen? I see lots of talk around about papers, but they all seem too "fancy" for my use.

Roaring Spring Oversize Lab Book, 11 3/4" x 9 1/4", 76 sheets, Numbered https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HIGF1Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2aZYBbKDXBKGE

Pilot G2 Retractable Premium Gel Ink Roller Ball Pens Bold Pt (1.) Dozen Box Black; Retractable, Refillable & Premium Comfort Grip; Smooth Lines to the End of the Page, America’s #1 Selling Pen Brand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E6D3W6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_acZYBbXP1FYGK

Basic Care Naproxen Sodium Tablets, 300 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074F2FSX4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TcZYBbS0NV0S0

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Classic-91207/dp/B009X9Z2DY/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=pilot+metropolitan&qid=1573528047&sr=8-6

you can usually find the metros for cheaper on amazon :)

edit: oops... looks like this one isn't a fountain pen. anyway amazon is where i've gotten mine before. the "retro pop" collection goes on sale occasionally.

• 1883 Morgan Silver Dollar (Given to me by my dad)
  
• Patriot Element 16GB 3.0 USB Flash Drive
  
• Fenix E01 Flashlight, Black
  
• Gerber 22-06009 L.S.T. Drop Point
  
• 64GB Oneplus One Unlocked
  
• Pilot G2 pen
  
• Leatherman Wave
  
• Fisher Space Pen
  
• Minimal wallet made from broccoli rubber band and old zip-disk
  
• LG Tone - HBS-700 Bluetooth headset
  
  The Leatherman Wave, the flashlight, the Fisher Space pen, the Gerber knife, and the flashdrive all fit into the Nylon Sheath that comes with the Leatherman.
  
  EDIT: How they fit in the leatherman sheath.
  
  
  The sheath has a narrow pocket behind where the leatherman goes. It is meant for an extra set of bits for the screwdriver. The Gerber knife fits in there really well. There is a small pocket behind the velcro where I keep the flashdrive. There are 2 elastic tubes on either side that work really well for holding my pen and light. The paracord helps me to grab the right tool just by feel.
  
  I usually carry a Kershaw Blur, but I am carrying the Gerber for a few years in preparation to give it to my son. (for added sentimental value)

these Pilot Frixion Pens are my favorite.

The Rocketbook Wave is also great for lecture.

2mm leads are easy to find -- they are standard for draftsmen. And you can get them in colors, too. As for the others:
The Palomino Blackwings
The Staedtler Noricas
The Staedtler all-graphites were about a dollar each.
I might add that for my workshop, I have recently bought some 5.6mm mechanical pencils, which are also easy to find on Amazon.

I used to mark my sheet music with pencil, and I use a lot of markings indeed.

Now i use erasable frixion gel pens, and they come in different colors so now I can color code my notes. It’s super handy! Best thing is these pens are erasable so once I don’t need the notes i just erase them and don’t have to worry about marring my books. Best invention ever.

Pilot FriXion Clicker Retractable Erasable Gel Pens Fine Point (.7) Assorted Color Inks 7-pk; Make Mistakes Disappear, No Need For White Out with America’s #1 Selling Pen Brand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009QYH644/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_itBTBb2DX857C

This Pentel 0.5mm was my girl for the last 2 years of school. Definitely a great one on a budget.

You can easily fix mistakes like that with a white pen- I use this one: Uni-Ball UM 153 Signo Broad Point Gel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KK6X7CW?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Matches my leutchturm paper perfectly.

Thanks! I used some paint markers I bought on amazon. Link if you’re interested

Maybe get him a decent pen that uses refills. I had a fancy Montblanc pen years ago, that thing lasted me probably 20 years until I finally ruined it. Bent over and it fell out of my pocket, then ran it over. Almost made me cry!

Montblanc pens didn't used to be SO expensive, and now I work from home, so seems silly to spend that money. So I bought a couple of awesome Pilot pens. They're about $13 and feel extraordinarily well made, and they write nicely too. One of those pens if you take it out of your pocket so a person can borrow it to sign something, they end up holding the pen, looking at it, studying it for a few seconds and say "hmm, that's a nice pen!". https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Classic-91207/dp/B009X9Z2DY

You forgot the best part! The Amazon reviews!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prismacolor-Colorless-Blender-2-Pkg/dp/B002X94T8U

This is what I use for most of my blending, it pushes the pigment around without changing the colours. Yeah once there's too much wax on the paper you'll struggle to get much of a blend, especially with lighter colours. Dark colours tend to go over fine for me though even at that stage, I work in very light lines until I've got an idea of the shading down, blending as I go along, then add more on top to give it more saturation.

I've also heard good things about using Gamsol, and paint thinner added over the top to blend the colours and give a more painted feel

Agreed. Love my Rite in the Rain notepad - http://www.amazon.com/Rite-The-Rain-4X8-Notebook/dp/B000QBUC4M

and pen - http://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-Weatherproof-Tactical-Clicker/dp/B000QBPZKS

and printer paper - http://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-White-Copy-Paper/dp/B0016H1RYE

all held in a clam shell clip board - http://www.amazon.com/Officemate-Clipboard-Case-Gray-83375/dp/B005XK3PRC

Thanks, I use the Pilot G2 05 (Extra Fine)! To be completely frank, it does take a while to dry on the Leuchtterm paper, so, for me at least, smudging can be a bit of an issue since I'm not the most careful person :)

$10 + free shipping from [Amazon]( Schmidt Easy Flow 9000 - 6 Pack - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0025ZX11S/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_IRVVub0EA57W9)

Edit: that's $10 for a 6-pack of refills

I remember a TED talk where Deborah Gordon talked about using "Japanese paint markers" to identify individuals in a colony. A really cool talk: LINK

Based on a search on Amazon, this may be a good start? Water based, non-toxic, water proof: LINK

Disclaimer: have not done this first hand.

If you wanna start to understand why, you can buy a Zebra F-701 for $5 at your local office supply store. That was my introduction to nice, metal manufactured pens.

What I really like to do is take an F-701, and buy an F-402 for $10. I replace the plastic mechanism in the F-701 with the metal mechanism from the F-402. Then I replace the branded clip on the 701 with the 402's blank clip. Now you have an all metal pen that looks nice with no branding on it, and it only cost you $15.

My list:
NOT PICTURED: Nokia Lumia 635
Tacoma Keys
Remove Before Flight keychain
Pilot G2 10
MEElectrionics Sport-Fi M6 with Comply tips
Tommy Hilfiger Passcase Bifold
Orbit Wintermint Gum


I've been looking and looking to upgrade my EDC, but it's a lot. I really want a bag, pen, maybe new wallet (current one is filled TO THE MAX. Would like to downsize), knife/multitool, waterbottle, etc., etc.

The pen that I would recommend is Pilot Metropolitan Collection Gel Roller Pen. It has a nice looking partially metal body and takes G2 and Precise V5 RT refills quite handily. There are also a few other styles for the pen if you just search Amazon or jetpens.com. I just tested it out and it has the same unnoticeable small amount of tip wiggle as the standard body for the pen.

Yes! All they’re Zebra mildliners :)

Found them here

Thanks. I just got these paint pens and they are lots of fun!
BTW- not entering just sharing new art

Platinum Preppy in either Extra Fine or Fine.

Pilot Kakuno in Fine.

Or Pilot Penmanship in Extra Fine.

All cheap pens that will write pretty fine to match your current pen. You will be at the mercy of your paper and the ink though. Pens will come with cartridges but be prepared to buy more carts or bottle ink and a syringe/converter.

Thank you! The values I used two Copic grayscale markers and used a white gel pen for the highlights. The line art was done with a Pentel ink brush

In rough order, starting from the upper left corner:

• White bandana
  
• Car keys on a belt clip (includes Iris Smart Home fob)
  
• Generic leather-ish wallet from Target (?)
  
• Bic Mini disposable lighter
  
• Fox 40 class peals whistle
  
• Kel-Tec PF-9 in CrossBreed MiniTuck
  
• Pocket Ref 4th Edition
  
• Pepper spray
  
• Gerber Artifact
  
• TOMS Traveler Dalston sunglasses
  
• Gerber EAB
  
• iPhone 7 Plus in MoKo Slim clear case
  
• Apple Watch Series 1 38mm Space Gray w/ black sport band
  
• Streamlight MicroStream
  
• Smith’s Pocket Pal
  
• Extra magazine (Speer Gold Dot 124gr)
  
• Utilitech flashlight + laser pointer
  
• Black bandana
  
• Keys on a belt clip, including:
  
  • Swiss-Tech Utili-Key
    
  • Kingston DataTraveler SE9 32GB USB 3.0
    
• Leatherman Crunch
  
• Notepad
  
• Sharpie
  
• Pilot G-2 1.0mm
  
• Tungsten carbide wedding band
  
• Kershaw Freefall
  
  The wallet has enough stuff in it to do an entirely separate post.

Colorless blender~ It's basically a colored pencil with wax that has no pigment in it. A lot of people use it to help with blending but I kinda hate them haha. The colors are much richer if you blend with the actual pencils.

Here's the amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Prismacolor-Blender-Pencil-Colorless-962/dp/B002X94T8U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425582463&sr=8-1&keywords=colorless+blender

I have been down that road. Trust me, it is not worth it. First of all, you don't need to have multiple pens and mechanical pencils on you at all times. You are probably really prone to losing them, as I was, so you think you need a bunch.

Instead, get a single, nicer pen or pencil and keep it in a bag. Since it is the only one you have and it cost four freaking dollars you won't lose it.

Also, strongly consider ditching the lanyard. You will not look back on it fondly.

I'm a Ticonderoga Black man myself. There's two sharpened and ready for action on my desk at all times. There's something visceral about writing with a proper wooden pencil. Especially, a good one.

I had been assuming "Gummy Eraser" meant kneaded eraser and I didn't understand why it didn't quite seem to be as awesome as everyone claimed. Then I came across a "Gum Eraser". Perhaps this is the magical eraser everyone is talking about?

Some ideas:

Retro 51 Tornado Classic (already recommended; excellent choice) - https://www.amazon.com/Retro-Tornado-Rollerball-Stainless-VRR-1315/dp/B0002HT6UQ/

Pilot Metropolitan Rollerball - https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Classic-91207/dp/B009X9Z2DY/

Parker IM Rollerball - https://www.jetpens.com/Parker-IM-Liquid-Ink-Rollerball-Pen-Medium-Point-Gunmetal-Body-Black-Ink/pd/7430

Look awesome, really expensive tho, what about these?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ANVDMU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=A36PBDUX6BE9TK
Uni-Posca markers

are you kidding? these make taking notes FUN
http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Roller-Barrel-12-Count/dp/B00006JNJ8

Oh the ladies pen is brilliant! Might get myself one!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BiC-Her-Medium-Ballpoint-Pen/product-reviews/B004FTGJUW

Some more superb reviews available here.

Pilot FriXion Clicker Retractable Erasable Gel Pens Fine Point https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009QYH644/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qQ4YBbEH1BPP0

Here you go these are really fun

Pencils are by far the best method of marking this paper. A cheap ballpoint is probably the only thing I would leave in a cache as all the good pens are too expensive to leave.

This pen from RitR should be good but I have never personally tried it; Rite In The Rain Unisex Metal Clicker Pen, Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000QBPZKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AI9tDbD8FY2WM

I have a few of those small ikea pencils in my small cache for cachers to use in a pinch.

Like old school. Here's one of my favorites: Palomino Blackwing 602 - 12 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YYPIUI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3V8oybKTRXVYH

they are zebra midliners

I'm in ireland so my list is co.uk, and i see you're in the states, im sure these are available in the US too, so just search the name :)

I think you might be referring to Zebra Mildliners. I bought mine off Amazon, and I adore them.

https://www.amazon.com/Zebra-MILDLINER-WKT7-5C-WKT7-5C-RC-WKT7-5C-NC/dp/B00MTIGBT0/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1522555494&sr=1-1&keywords=Mildliners&dpID=51NskzwM0EL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Hey man. I know this four days old and I'm not sure if you already found a pen or not but here's my suggestion anyway.

The rite in the rain pen

I'm not sure if it's seems a bit pricy to you or not but the pen has a matte black metal housing. It's also got some weight to it so you really feel like it was worth the money when you're holding it. It's my daily pocket pen, I carry it everywhere I go.

I use a check presenter and a G-2 for credit card receipts, it makes signing for credit cards so much faster and the customers ~90% of the time remember to clip the pen back to the presenter before handing it back.

Check Presenter: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181387485576

Pen: http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Premium-Roller-Extra/dp/B00006JNJ8

http://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Automatic-Pencil-Barrels-P205BP2-K6/dp/B000SBSAYE/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1372378963&sr=1-1&keywords=pentel+mechanical+pencil

This has been rated for years to be the best mechanical pencil out there for a reasonable price.

The Schmidt Easy Flow 9000 is a refill that is a ballpoint/rollerball hybrid, but I find it writes just like a rollerball. Here's a review.

Had this same pen for a while now, love it.

Here's the ink it takes if anyone is wondering https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Schmidt-easyFLOW-9000-Black/dp/B0025ZX11S?th=1

I would suggest a pilot vanishing point as other people have said. Clicky fountain pens.


I may also suggest as an alternative (non fountain pen) using a Pilot Frixion

retractable (well some of them are, some are regular capped), ERASABLE, gel pen. i love them.

Uni-ball Signo by far the best white pen.

a uniball signo in white! you can get them off amazon in a 3 pack here!
they are good pens, if a little broad.

I use the zebra mildliners and I really enjoy them. They're $14 for a pack of 3 on Amazon right now https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MTIGBT0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504192601&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=zebra+mildliner&dpPl=1&dpID=51CZEqT2D4L&ref=plSrch

I have one of these fountain pens. It looks like it may be unavailable now but /r/fountainpens can have you covered.

These kind of pens write very well but the ink erases with heat (that's the point) so I wouldn't get the pages you write in too hot.

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

blending pencil

Gamsol

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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

The Pilot Precise V5 is a solid, classic rollerball that comes in a retractable version! Check it out! One of the smoothest and most vivid lines you'll be able to produce with a pen that's readily available in stores.

Other than that, some common retractable 0.5 mm pens you could find easily at retailers would be the Pilot G2 or the Uniball Signo 207 Micro. These two are both gels.

Check out the Pilot Metropolitan

Great pen imo that takes the G2 refill

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009X9Z2DY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OBKJAbZ9TVGRA

It's a Pilot, I can't find any sort of model name. It's got an extremely fine point. I like fine lines, but I don't use this one much because the other two are so much nicer to use.

Pilot fountain pen with ergo grip

Fine lines:
http://imgur.com/bJggd7Q

They're now less than $22 on Amazon. Free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.

Allow me to blow your mind, they now have erasable pens, and yes they do actually erase!

This guy sounds about perfect.

This is my favorite ink on Amazon.

Zebra F-402 is fully stainless steel. I suppose if you were a bit more inclined you could sharpen the tip to make it even more penetrable but it's gonna make a nice sized hole even out of the package if necessary.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WOAJP6/

Haha is that a thinkpad charger in the background?

just in case you don't know you can get an EF off amazon for $6

Got my pen from this amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Ultrafine-Iridium-Writing-Fountain/dp/B00I17WZA2/ref=pd_sim_op_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=199N2NXGDT05FHWSV78D

The pen is really good for its price. You wont find much better than this at 4 bucks with free shipping, but it does have its flaws. It is a bit too shiny at the grip but thats orett much what I expected. It writes smoothly and if you guys want I can take pictures that are requested!

It's a fairly hefty feeling pen. My personal favorite is the Zebra F-301. I also like the F-402. I think you can't go wrong with any of them, but the 701 is a weighty pen and a bit thick, but not so much you can't wear it in a breast pocket or waist pocket.

Although I enjoy fountain pens (like my Noodler Ahab), I usually rely on my Retro 1951 Tornado (red), which uses Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 roller ball refills

No.

Okay it's a series of problems. Everyone has to face this. Let's look at some examples.

So gender selective abortion, female genital mutilation and all these are real problems. However there are other problems too. Pay discrepancy, glass ceilings, sexual harassment/abuse and the like also exist. And there are generally stupid things like "for her pens". These aren't "Barbie pens" aimed at children, these were aimed at adults. It's a stupid product and should be called out as such. http://www.amazon.co.uk/BiC-For-Her-Medium-Ballpoint/product-reviews/B004FTGJUW and this is a long running joke.

However it isn't on the cutting edge of women's issues. It's just a small part of the issues facing them. Now you cannot expect these people to fight FGM or Female Infanticide like I did. By marching into villages. The best they can do is flag waggle at the side lines in the same way that I cannot replace Sergio Aguero on the pitch and the best I can do is send happy thoughts and shake my fist at James Vardy.

So here is the thing. For all the people talking about slacktivists then tell me what level do you think of activity should they have done? For the record I worked for 6 years in rural India and helped a lot of people directly as a doctor and as a medical trainee.

So I would like to know as a non-slacktivist... what do you think is and isn't slacktivism? Like what's the minimum needed to stop being one. (Because there is a point coming up).

These are what I use! I like them cause you can use water with them to dull the white down. Kind of like a Gouache
https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Ball-153-Signo-Broad-Point/dp/B00KK6X7CW

They are just really good ones. And they are BLENDABLE !

Have you seen the Amazon page for the 'Bic for her' pens? Read the reviews, they're hilarious. http://www.amazon.co.uk/BIC-For-Her-Medium-Ballpoint/dp/B004FTGJUW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Thank you! Signo uniball!! https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Ball-153-Signo-Broad-Point/dp/B00KK6X7CW

This is the notebook

Pen is a Crazy K&A Hero 9296 Accounting, ultra fine nib

Humorous Amazon reviews for Bic For Her Medium Ballpoint Pen

I just bought a Conklin Herringbone with EF nib, and Pilot Iroshizuku ink. All-time favorite pen now!

I wasn't offering to wrestle you, more the marketing geniuses who decided it would be appropriate to make a watered-down cigar for ladies.

Also on my shit-list: Bic pens for HER and anyone who makes pink hand drills.

Uniball makes a white gel pen that's pretty close. Wait until the fountain pen ink is all the way dry and then just write over it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KK6X7CW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Watch: Seiko Men's SNZG13 Seiko 5 Automatic Black Dial Stainless-Steel Bracelet Watch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006ITF2H8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3UYrDbRJTF8KG

Leather and Stainless Steel Key Ring Holder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CVGNDRW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SVYrDbS81KB6W

LEATHERMAN - Squirt PS4 Keychain Multitool with Spring-Action Scissors and Aluminum Handles, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032Y2OT6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0WYrDbAEMHKCZ

ThruNite Ti3 EDC Cree XP-G2 R5 AAA Torch Max120 Lumens LED Flashlight, Mini, Cool White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUO028U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gYYrDbR56EMY6

Zebra Pen 29212 Zebra F-402 Ballpoint Stainless Steel Retractable Pen, Fine Point, 0.7mm, Black Ink, 2-Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WOAJP6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MXYrDbC2FWZ1C

Kershaw Cryo G-10 Pocket Knife (1555G10) 2.75" Stonewashed Stainless Steel Blade; G-10/Stainless Steel Handle, SpeedSafe Assisted Open, 4-Position Deep-Carry Pocketclip, Frame Lock, Lock Bar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0RXYTY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SYYrDb848H89Q

as red jinx stated, pink post it and white pen:

https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Ball-153-Signo-Broad-Point/dp/B00KK6X7CW

cheers

here ya go :)

I use these. They come in a few different sizes so I have 3 or 4 sets. Before you apply paint to Canvas shoes you need to prep them with gesso or a textile medium so your colors don't bleed. When I finish painting I spray them with krylon clear coat or matte depending on the look I'm going for.

They're called mildliners! I purchased the pack of 15 I linked here, but they also come in packages of 5 and I believe you can purchase certain colors individually too.

colorless blender

thanks for having a contest <3

This is a better way do post the link

Artsy for life

I make greeting cards, and while these are technically highlighters, they really take backgrounds to a whole new level. They make words and drawings POP! :D

You mean just these guys? This could change my life, it’s very humid where I live and my water soluble markers fade like 48 hours after drawing

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Erasable-Assorted-Disappear/dp/B009QYH644/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=54908366046&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuZDtBRDvARIsAPXFx3CcPXS4Su5XSUyXnP9GqY9EZTi-Djtm0J38L2__TjAxDlk1tLEgNPcaAlc4EALw_wcB&hvadid=274694952633&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9025150&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=17743519148523550162&hvtargid=aud-647846986441%3Akwd-298861655987&hydadcr=8821_9904421&keywords=frixon+pens&qid=1571080413&sr=8-3

I believe that they will fit in a pilot metropolitan gel body. There won't be an eraser though.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Classic-91207/dp/B009X9Z2DY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1537784151&sr=8-4&keywords=pilot+metropolitan+ballpoint

Items Pictured:

1. Saddleback Medium Bifold Wallet
   
   
2. FreeKey key ring with SanDisk flash drive, SOG Micron knife and miscellaneous keys
   
   
3. Pilot Metropolitan pen
   
   
4. Asthma Inhaler
   
   
5. SOG Cash Card
   
   
6. Glock 19 with holster
   
   Items Not Pictured:
   
   
7. iPhone 7
   
   
   I don’t use the key ring knife as much anymore. I used to work in a place where I had to open a lot of boxes with customers around and sometimes people would freak out if they saw a knife. But the SOG micron was small enough that most people wouldn’t notice and if they did it wouldn’t freak them out. That’s why my regular knife is so small too (and because it’s super thin compared to most EDC knives so you don’t feel it at all in your pocket). I used to carry a Kershaw link a lot but that one was big enough that management didn’t like it when I pulled it out in front of customers.

i have the Rite In The Rain version and really like the way it looks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QBPZKS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Best one from the actual amazon.co.uk page:

>Would be more effective if much thicker. Could not find battery compartment? Waste of my weak and ineffective lady money.

The reviews for Bic "For Her" pens are amazing. I'm a huge fan of sarcasm and feminism so they're right up my alley.

Pilot G2 - Bold Point

AmazonBasics knock-off of Pilot G2

This is for you. (Be sure to check the Customer Q&As!)

I feel like GOMIers are the target market for 'BiC For Her'

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BiC-Her-Medium-Ballpoint-Pen/dp/B004FTGJUW

Thanx!
I used uni-posca medium and fine points.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ANVDMU/ref=sxts_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520013744&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ANVDMA/ref=sxts_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520013744&sr=2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65

I just now saw this comment. Hopefully you haven't died of old age.

Thank you!
I used a black pilot G2 pen, as I do with most of my doodles. They are kind of expensive, but they last a long time.

This is a very common type of erasable ink that is available in Pilot Friction pens. I have a bunch of them. The pens have a plastic/rubber eraser on the ends, but they don't erase in the usual way. They just rub against the paper such that the friction cause the ink to get warm. I've had notebooks where I left them in a warm car or something and came back to find the notes had disappeared. You can bring back the ink by putting the notes in the fridge or freezer.
https://www.amazon.ca/Pilot-Retractable-Erasable-Assorted-31472/dp/B009QYH644

ah, yeah dont order it from japan. This is a set of 12 that are shipping out of hte us: https://www.amazon.com/Uni-posca-Paint-Marker-Pen-PC-5M15C/dp/B001ANVDMU/ref=sr_1_5?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1505092732&sr=8-5&keywords=uni+posca&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

Not OP, but I use these: Uni-posca Paint Marker Pen - Extra Fine Point - Set of 12 (PC-1M12C) and this Mann Lake One Handed Catcher, Queen

I would assume that if your pen takes one Parker style refill then any would fit. Parker makes Gel refills but they run about $3 each. You could also try a Schmidt Easyflow 9000 which is an Emulsion/Hybrid ink refill. They cost less and are very smooth.

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Schmidt-easyFLOW-9000-Black/dp/B0025ZX11S/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1492488655&sr=1-1&keywords=schmidt+refill+easyflow+9000+m

https://www.amazon.com/PARKER-QUINK-Ballpoint-Refills-Medium/dp/B001AFB6YI/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1492488838&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=parker+gel+pen+refills&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Classic-91207/dp/B009X9Z2DY/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1526601658&sr=1-1&keywords=pilot+metropolitan+gel

This pen takes the G2 Refill, it's by Pilot as well.

There are lots of YouTube videos that give excellent tips. Peta Hewitt is very popular.

I use a blending pencil or Gamsol to help get a smooth blending of color. Some people use baby oil or Vaseline, but that was too messy for me.