Guided by their inspiration, any beginner who enjoys drawing in their free time will be satisfied with most types of writing instruments, even a simple ballpoint pen. As one’s skills improve, however, one comes to realize that the quality of the materials one uses plays a key role in producing a beautiful drawing.
In that vein, we at Slanchogled are pleased to offer the Pigma Micron, which has repeatedly been recognized as the best black fine-line marker for drawing. Introduced to the market in 1982, the Pigma series uses a water-based pigment ink that was revolutionary for its time— it dries quickly, does not bleed into the paper fibers, does not smudge when touched, and is not soluble in watercolor or alcohol-based media.
The Advantages of Pigma Micron Over Other Fine-Line Markers
Micron is the perfect tool for fine-line drawing and inking pencil sketches, delighting users with the richness of its ink, which looks truly black—not faded—after soaking into the paper. Incidentally, those who are particular about the color black can draw with confidence using a fine-line pen, whose mark will be visible on the other side of the page but will never bleed through it. Depending on the smoothness of the paper—and more specifically, its surface texture (how porous the sheet is; whether it’s glossy or has some kind of coating), it dries immediately—that is, in about 3 seconds—or just a few seconds later.
All these valuable qualities of Pigma ink are complemented by its durability and stability over time— thanks to its stable chemical composition, it falls into the category of archival inks. Fade-resistant and virtually impossible to forge, it is used in record-keeping as well as by architects, archivists, anthropologists, biologists, and laboratory technicians.
Described as “the first disposable rapidograph,” the pen used in Micron leaves a perfectly uniform line from start to finish, which makes it useful even for more specialized work such as technical drafting. The series includes 9 sizes, the newest of which are the thicker ones 10 and 12 with a rounded nib that leaves a mark like a thin marker. On the other hand, with its ultra-thin 003 and 005 Micron is the best choice for the finest details. With its variety of line widths and proven precision, this fine-line pen can can mimic more labor-intensive techniques such as drypoint or to serve as a relaxing hobby, such as painting in the Zentangle style (from the English Zentangle) and drawing mandalas.
More about the Pigma series
Fans of the brand know that Micron is just one part of the Pigma family, which includes fine-line pens, round and chisel-tip calligraphy markers, and brush markers. Let’s take a look at them:
Calligraphers
Round markers
Calligraphy Markers
Here we have two options: the rigid rectangular ones Graphic and Calligrapher and the soft brushes, which we’ll look at below.
Brush Markers
The brushes are designed with a very flexible tip for expressive lines and calligraphy:
Adding Color
When we want to add color to our sketches and paintings in the form of watercolor or alcohol markers, pencils and paints, we can rest assured that the water or alcohol in them will not alter the outlines created with Pigma. Conversely , the ink from fine-line pens will not re-dissolve the watercolors beneath it.
It’s worth noting that Sakura also offers colored fine-tip pens and brush markers. Their shades range from earthy, more subtle shades of black, through traditional blue and red for sketching, to bright colors suitable for note-taking,journaling, and highlighting. The full palette of 17 colors is available in the most popular Micron fine-line pen— size 05— followed by brush markers with a choice of 11 colors and the PN series with 8 colors.
What to Watch Out For
Although it is very durable and reinforced with a metal plate, the tip of the thinner-sized fine-point pens can be damaged if too much pressure is applied.
Drawing with Pigma is most pleasant and gentle on the pens (especially those with a felt tip like markers) on the smoothest possible paper . For example, for watercolor drawing, you can choose heat-pressed cardboard .
To ensure they last as long as possible, all pigment-based writing instruments should be stored horizontally, which prevents the risk of irreversible pigment buildup at one end of the fine-tip pen or marker.
Author: Martina Petrova
